CDCO toolpost how hard is it?

[Robo]

I just bought a CDCO toolpost and its got an issue one of the pistons appears to need the face of it "shaved" a bit as when closed a tool holder won't go over it (probably should be ground but I don't have a grinder). Also it won't swivel on my rockwell compound so I was thinking of milling the bottom edges of it to allow clearance. Is this doable or is it to hard?

[Tinkerer]

Turned the bottom of mine... Four jaw and sharp HSS cut just fine. Did you pull the pad off and check to see if some junk got behind it?

[BadDog]

It's not hardened, you can cut it down. But when I had a Rockwell 11, with the compound step that presents a problem for Aloris (and other) style posts, I just build a (IIRC, ~3/8") spacer with a beveled lower edge. It didn't need much to clear, and I never noticed a problem of any sort on my AX post. But I did see one Rockwell 11 where the owner decided to mill the compound for clearance, and broke out into the void inside the casting. Ruined a compound there.

[Black_Moons]

Robo: hit it with a file or a (steel, not carbide tiped!) centerpunch, if you can file or dent it, its not hard and can be machined


What do you mean won't swivel?
Sure you just don't need to remove a pin or something from your compound?
Lots of lathes Iv seen have a little spring loaded pin (remove with a magnet, blind hole) under the toolpost to allow it to be indexed back to a fixed position easily.. however replacement QCTP's often don't quite have the hole/slot/whatever just right.

[BadDog]

The Rockwell compound was designed for a Royal Block Turret or Rocker tool post. Both came with a round sort of spacer under them, and the compound casting was milled across the t-slot, just enough to clear the OEM equipped tool posts, leaving raw casting behind. So, when you drop on an Aloris block, without a spacer, it won't turn due to the ledge. A square spacer of 1/4 or so, about the dimensions of the block, and beveled to match the step at the back of the t-slot remedies the problem quite nicely, and puts an AX sized post in just about perfect position.

[Pherdie]

I had occasion to modify one for a special project. After ruining several cheap "HSS" drill bits attempting to make through holes, I resorted to carbide drills to finish the task. I suspect mine was made of Chinese 'mystery metal' and may have 'hit' something not unlike a remnant of a '65 Ford truck leaf spring.

Fred