Dickson Tool Post

[Shuswap Pat]

I am looking for toolholders for a Dickson Tool post, from my Harrison Lathe. Does anybody know where I can get more, or have a drawing so I can make some?
Pat

[zl1byz]

Pat! Not sure about in Canada but I had a Dickson QC toolpost on my Colchester, they were pretty much standard equipment on Colchesters. There must be thousands around workshops here in NZ but I couldn't come across any second hand. You can still buy them new but you would think they were made of gold. I ended up changing over to the Italian Algra Rapidue type, which is very similar but not interchangable. I got a whole new toolpost with 5 holders for the price of one Dickson holder to fit the old toolpost. The quality is excellent. It fitted straight on just had to make a couple of spacers as the Rapidue has a bigger bore. Now I can buy more holders when I want them at an acceptable price.
You may fare better in Canada but since you have had to ask the question maybe not.
If you do manage to get onto a line of Dickson ones at a good price, buy as many as you can and consider yourself a lucky man.
The other option is to make some. The trickiest part I can see is getting the 2 vee's the right distance apart.
Good luck,

John.

[Torec]

Hi John,

I am interested in Algra quickchange toolposts. How do you pick the right size?

Here is the pic of my current setup:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b7...c/P1010208.jpg

[Timleech]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Shuswap Pat:
I am looking for toolholders for a Dickson Tool post, from my Harrison Lathe. Does anybody know where I can get more, or have a drawing so I can make some?
Pat</font>

They come up on UK ebay quite regularly, someone seems to be getting the smaller sizes made as copies so secondhand prices have come down a bit. Try also the Chronos catalogue

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/

I made a batch of about 15 for mine (size 2), plain mild steel, no hardening. It was a lot of work but I'm glad I did it. Sorry no drawing though.

Tim