Hi Mike,

I use 5/16 shanks with the S7 (Dickson tool post).

keep safe, Alain

Mike , I have had my S7 for nearly 40 years and use a dickson tool post, I would strongly recommend 3/8 or 10mm shanks. That is what I use and no problems with height, the stiffer the tool the better results you will get..

Also worth getting a couple of the Dickson "Piddington style" extended tool holders to use when supporting work with the tailstock centre.

I also recently purchased a tipped parting tool but I do prefer the original Dickson one with Eclipse HSS tool bit — mainly due to the excessive overhang created due to the design of the tipped one I purchased [Glanze] — not knocking Glanze I think their other tools are very good and probably this design is OK on larger machines. Might re-jig it with a dedicated holder when I get round to it !!!

You can use 1/2" shank tools, but not with a Dickson type of toolholder.

They are commonly used with a Myford toolboat for setting to centre height.

Martin.

No point in using a Dickson, or other QC system, with indexable carbide tip tooling. If the set is of half decent or better quality the cutting edges will be at the same height over the shank base for all holders so the "easy" height setting of a QC system is wasted. Just make a suitable number of two slot blocks with the correct base thickness and load up. 3 piece screw'n glue construction from stock sizes material works fine, just make sure that the top is thick enough not to bend when the tools are clamped in. Make the block narrow enough that the bottom is fully supported by the top-slide. If you are feeling creative devise some sort of loosen and quick release for the top clamp nut but spinning off a few turns with a fixed handle on the nut is no great bother when it comes to swopping blocks.

Do buy ISO standard tip holders to give a choice of readily available high quality tips. Some of the cheaper offerings take unique sizes and are, often, pretty pants at the cutting end of things to. Allegedly there are some sets out there for which replacement tips cannot be found at all.

On a small machine Dickson and other QC systems can be an unmitigated nuisance. The side offset means the tool has to divine its support at considerable distance and the extra joints reduce the stiffness. None of the small machines has stiffness to spare at the best of times. The large block gets in the way too so excess tool overhang is often essential for tail-stock poppet clearance.

Clive

Hi Gents

I'm currently running two ML10s both using Dixon quick change tool posts and 1/2", 3/8" 12mm and 10mm tools of index and cobalt steels I simply skimmed the topslides under the tool post and solved all tooling issues in one go, although I could have skimmed a small section under tool holders at 45º to save on topslide metals.

Springbok Myford is now under RDG Tools ownership