Which tool post for Myford 254S?

[Dave Sawdon 1Participant @davesawdon1]

A while ago I replaced my lovely Holbrook with a Myford 254S. Since then I’ve managed with improvised tool holders – including an original Multifix that’s one size too big 🙁 – but it’s time to set it up properly.
What tool posts do people suggest? Are there any good second hand ones out there?

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

FWIW I use a Dickson type on my Super 7 and it’s excellent.  Provided you insert the steady pin to stop it rotating under cutting load tools in their holders are dead repeatable.  The 254 may take a larger size than the 7.

[lfoggyParticipant @lfoggy]

I’ve got a 254s and use the Dickson type tool-post and tool-holders. Same size as Myford 7 series lathes. Dickson of course are long gone but lots of copies around. I have found that the Bison brand are really the only ones worth having.

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

i see you may be modifying your Multifix, but if you decide against it I use the PeeWee tools size AS multifix copy which is made to suit the 254. Made in china but sold through Germany, Still pleased with mine after two years hard use, I originally used the Dixon from my previous 7 series but the AS takes larger tools which suits me better.

[Dave Sawdon 1Participant @davesawdon1]

Thanks, Dave.

I doubt I’ll be modifying the holders, but it popped into my head as a possible solution.

The PeeWee tools post looks good. I assume you have the ASD1460 holders (?).

The website doesn’t have dimensions for all the holders
– which cut-off holder have you got?
Also, will the ASH1670 boring bar holder take 14mm? (the info in the table is contradictory (“up to 12” and “up to 14”)

[DurhambuilderParticipant @durhambuilder]

On my 254+ I swapped the compound slide with one from a Colchester Chipmaster / Bantam which is near enough 1/2” lower in height than the original Myford item, this then allows me to use the multifix size A system. Other benefits include a smoother action and a bigger hand wheel / micrometer dial. A very worthwhile improvement!

[DurhambuilderParticipant @durhambuilder]

[Dave Sawdon 1Participant @davesawdon1]

That’s an interesting idea. How much work was involved in the swap?

[DurhambuilderParticipant @durhambuilder]

The Colchester compound had a 1” or so hole in the base to locate on a spigot on the original top slide, I bored this out a little more and threaded it 16 tpi, a spigot was then turned to suit the dovetail mount of the original Myford slide and this was screwed and loctited into the new base. Whilst it is a one way trip for the Colchester part the Myford is completely unaltered and the compounds can be swapped in a minute or two. The top of the Colchester compound sits 1.963” above the mounting surface. I already had the spare Colchester top slide so the only cost was about 2hrs hour of my time

[Dave Sawdon 1Participant @davesawdon1]

Excellent! Thanks for posting the photos.

I’ll have a look at the 254 tonight (I can’t remember what the top of the cross slide looks like) and then start looking for a Colchester top slide at a sensible price – that might be where the idea collapses.

Do you know whether all Bantams and Chipmasters have the same top slides?

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I predict that the ebay price for those Colchester slides will escalate rapidly !!

That’s a very nice upgrade.

MichaelG.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Looking at the Myford top slide what is the possibility of taking some material off the top of the round part with the angle scale on as that looks a lot taller than the colchester.  Also the square lower part of the topslide casting could anything be taken off of that? 1.5mm off each should be enough to gain the 3mm required. If you want the bigger handwheel than that can be made.

I know there are people who do away with the topslide all together and replace with a solid block is that another option and just fit the topslide when angles are needed.

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Hi Dave

My Toolholders are marked 1467, the boring tooholder will definitely take a 14mm round boring bar, as an idea of capacity I regurlarly use an ARC 16mm tipped boring bar in the boring tooholder, and 1/2″ square tooling in the turning toolholder, I machined down some 16mm tipped tooing to fit. I did not buy a  parting holder as I use a rear toolpost sized up a bit from the GHT design for big stuff, and a combination of tipped and GHT mini parting holders in a normal toolholder ( GHT = George Thomas author of Model Engineers Workshop Manual, Im a big fan).

The Colchester top slide looks a great way forward as you already have the toolpost and holders, Might have to pay as much for the top slide as the Pe-We tools outfit, but would definitely be a good way to go.

Bantam owners lock up your topslides!!

[Simon Williams 3Participant @simonwilliams3]

As the owner of a Bantam, thanks for the warning. My top slide is carefully disguised as a heap of swarf.

Seriously though, there is a possible hiccup in the idea of pinching – by fair means or foul – a top slide off a Bantam as there are different versions of this machine with quite differing centre heights.  The Chipmaster and Mk 1 Bantam (the round head version) are nominally 5-1/2 inch centre height whereas the Mk 2 Bantam is (usually) 6-5/8 centre height.  I don’t know that the top slides are different but they might be.  To further complicate things the Mk 2 Bantam also came as a 5-1/2 inch centre height version, which might suggest that the two top slides are interchangeable but I suggest it needs checked.

I also note Tony Griffith’s caveat that the top slide is fragile and easily broken, and spares aren’t available.

Best rgds Simon

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

[ HINT ]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Probably reduced as it looks to be missing the ability to swivel as it is just the two sliding parts.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

which might make it ideal [and reasonably priced] for the proposed adaptation

… but what do I know ?

MichaelG

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Yes it could possibly be mated to the Myford one. But as per my earlier post the round part of the Myford is taller than the Colchester.

If you are going to butcher the Myford one to fit the Colchester may as well just do as I said and reduce it to lower the Myford slide.

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

The Colchester Triumph Roundhead is somewhere around 7 1/2″ centre height and very much more chunky than the Bantam or Chipmaster. I think you will find that topside is much too big and has a different swivel arrangement.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thanks for the clarification, Dave

MichaelG.

[Dave Sawdon 1Participant @davesawdon1]

I am now the proud owner of a Chipmaster top slide so will soon* be copying what “Durham builder” did.

Thanks to all for a great discussion.

 

* “soon” probably means “before the end of the year” because of the backlog of other things that I need to do.

[DurhambuilderParticipant @durhambuilder]

You won’t regret it! I seem to recall an obscure grub screw that holds the bronze nut in place for the feed screw, removal is the key to dismantling the topslide then you just have a round base on hold in the chuck for threading.

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