5/16 (9mm) Hold down kits – are there any?

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5/16 (9mm) Hold down kits – are there any?

This topic has 13 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 16 April 2015 at 17:54 by colin hawes.

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16 April 2015 at 14:58 #186637
Colin LLoyd
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@colinlloyd53450
The cross slide on my combined Chester Mini-Multi Lathe/milling machine has 5/16" (9mm) T-slots. I'm looking for a hold-down kit for this machine. Many people do the kits (Chronos, Axminster, etc) but these all seem to be 1/2" T-slot fittings. The question is: are 5/16" T-slot hold-down kits available – or – can I use the 1/2" kits by getting some 5/16" T-studs (and where)?
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16 April 2015 at 14:58 #17677
Colin LLoyd
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@colinlloyd53450
16 April 2015 at 15:09 #186642
Oompa Lumpa
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@oompalumpa34302
I have seen 8mm kits for sale and as a matter of fact I actually have a 5/16" set. But don't ask me where it came from

graham.
16 April 2015 at 15:19 #186644
Nicholas Farr
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@nicholasfarr14254
Hi Colin, I haven't ever seen 5/16 but 8mm are available. They don't have as many pieces in the sets as the larger ones do though. **LINK** and **LINK** are two that I know of.

Regards Nick.
16 April 2015 at 15:39 #186647
roy entwistle
Participant
@royentwistle24699
Colin Surely you can make your own T nuts and T bolts

Rot
16 April 2015 at 15:49 #186648
mick70
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@mick70
arc euro sell them
16 April 2015 at 16:13 #186649
Michael Gilligan
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@michaelgilligan61133
Posted by Colin LLoyd on 16/04/2015 14:58:54:

The cross slide on my combined Chester Mini-Multi Lathe/milling machine has 5/16" (9mm) T-slots.

.

Colin,

( 5 ÷ 16 ) = 0.3125
0.3125 x 25.4 = 7.9375

I think 8mm is a better conversion than 9mm

… or are you just saying that the slot is 9mm wide?

MichaelG.
16 April 2015 at 16:28 #186650
Bob Brown 1
Participant
@bobbrown1
Lets see a Chester machine so what about these **LINK**

Bob
16 April 2015 at 16:43 #186651
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Or if the slots are 5/16" or 9mm (8mm?) wide you are really going to need M6 fixings so look at aftermarket sets for the small Emco machines.

J

Edited By JasonB on 16/04/2015 16:44:35
16 April 2015 at 16:47 #186652
Jesse Hancock 1
Participant
@jessehancock1
I have been known to use 8mm (7.75mm) coach bolts with the end squared off to 14.75mm and you have to grind a bit of the dome away so as to slide up the slot. I made some in 6mm too.

Forgot to say I have a hold down kit as well but they only supply 4 tee nuts and it depends on how wide to top of the slot is mainly since the studding in the kit is 10mm which is big when it comes to small milling tools.

They work for me

Edited By Jesse Hancock 1 on 16/04/2015 17:01:54
16 April 2015 at 17:07 #186655
Enough!
Participant
@enough
Posted by Jesse Hancock 1 on 16/04/2015 16:47:54:

I have been known to use 8mm (7.75mm) coach bolts with the end squared off to 14.75mm and you have to grind a bit of the dome away so as to slide up the slot. I made some in 6mm too.

Me too – done a lot of that over the years – except that I find it quicker (and less grungy on the grinding wheel) to do it with a few strokes of a medium file to put the flats on, as well as reduce the head (not always necessary).
16 April 2015 at 17:23 #186657
Colin LLoyd
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@colinlloyd53450
Hi Guys, thanks for all the links to possible clamp sets. Perhaps I should have posted the query in the beginners section. Yes – I can make my own T-bolts and nuts using coach bolts as suggested by Jesse (in fact have just finished doing such), but it was the rest of the pieces that I needed to have as a "starter" pack to appreciate what they can (and can't do) before branching out to make my own. With regard to the mismatch between 5/16" and 9mm – I'm happiest in metric and the T-slot was exactly 9mm – 5/16" was the nearest (going smaller) fractional size that made sense. So it's the 8mm sets I am after – Chester do a 3/8" set – too big; Warco set is larger still (10mm) – but arceurotrade do a 24 pcs 8mm set – just right (beginning to sound like Goldilocks and the 3 bears).
16 April 2015 at 17:38 #186660
John Haine
Participant
@johnhaine32865
The key is not really the slot width but the width of the "bar" of the tee. A piece of steel bar that is as close to filling this as possible, to spread the clamping force over the maximum area, should do the job. Then you just need to cut off suitable lengths, say 50% longer than wide! and drill and tap an M8 hole in the centre. The bit in the slot just adds a little bit to rigidity.
16 April 2015 at 17:54 #186664
colin hawes
Participant
@colinhawes85982
I use 8 mm standard screwed rod, cut to required length, on my minimill and lathe. The studding should always be smaller than the tee slot to allow for any tee nut inaccuracy. Colin
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