Tee-slotted plate

[DICKEYBIRD]

Does anyone know of a source for cast iron or steel plate that is pre-slotted for tee-bolts? I'm fabricating a milling attachment for my little 8x16 lathe and would like to mount a small slotted plate to the Y-axis to clamp the work or a small vise to. I approached my bud that has a mill-drill but he says it would probably choke trying to make one. I figured maybe there is a source for the stuff somewhere.

Also, I'm shopping for a small vise to mount on the finished attachment and with my budget, the Enco brand 2 1/2" vise looks pretty good. Are these vises decent quality for the money?

Thanks

[SGW]

Not sure of a source for a T-slot plate...but you could build one up out of ground stock, bolted together.

[Forrest Addy]

You can make your own T slot table from sawed stock purchased from a dealer in continuous cast iron. Look up Durabar dealers in you area or you can contacts the factory via their website. They will cut you a hunk of cast iron to order and ship it to you. Expect to pay about $40 minimum.

Your buddies mill drill if of the usual size and configuration will make you a dandy little T slot table for your lathe and it won't choke doing it. You might have to baby it a little though.

You don't want to know the cost of the T slot tables from specialty manufacturers.

Alternatively, do you have any industrial salvage yards in your area. Maybe you could find a piece of a small machine table.

For infrequent home use, I'd also suggest a thick piece of aluminum plate you machine to suit your requirements.

[This message has been edited by Forrest Addy (edited 05-13-2004).]

[Evan]

DB,

Instead of milling it just build it up from flat bar stock, either normalized 1018 crs or 6061 aluminum. Make it of three layers, as in the drawing below. Use recessed socket head cap screws from the bottom to hold it together.



[This message has been edited by Evan (edited 05-13-2004).]

[eperkins]

Don't forget an alternative;

Many people use a simple piece of rectangular stock, aluminum or steel, and drill several rows of holes say 3/4" on centers. It's kind of a shortcut way to solve work holding problems when you don't want to go to the trouble of machining "T" slots. If you have enough holes, you will probably have plenty of flexibility in terms of clamping arrangments.

Perk in Cincinnati

[eperkins]

Forgot to mention, the holes of course need to be tapped, probably 5/16-18, or 3/8-16 TPI.

Perk in Cincinnati

[Cass]

For try out purposes you might just drill some attachment holes in a piece of plate or some slots. You can get the T-slotted plate when you are more sure of what you need. You might modify something small out of the Enco catalog like an adjustable angle plate which may have some T-slots.

[DICKEYBIRD]

Wow, as usual...great responses! I was considering building it up from flat stock as suggested, that would work. I just found out a few minutes ago that a fellow here at work has a "big 'ol mill" at home in his shop so I might just pick up a tee-slot milling cutter and give it a whirl. He says it has a 42" table so it oughta be able to cut my little project with ease!

Thanks again

[Rich Carlstedt]

You don't have to reinvent the wheel.
A company called (I believe):
Metal Lathe Accessories,
has such castings already.
I do't have their address or phone, but
they display at NAMES each year.
A friend of mine bought some castings from them and said the quality was very good.
Maybe someone here knows them.

[Evan]

That would be here:

http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/A-11.html

[Paul Alciatore]

Evan,

Great site. Thanks!

(My wife is gonna hate you.)


Paul A.

[Bruce Griffing]

Here is another alternative pre made item

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...ProductID=1664

[DICKEYBIRD]

Thanks guys. A fellow emailed me the Little Machine Shop mill table link a couple days ago and I ordered it yesterday. Couldn't buy the metal and a t-slot cutter for that price!

I received the 4" cast iron angle plate and some other goodies from Enco yesterday to mount the compound. Now I just have to wait for the mill table, t-slot nuts and screwless vice to come in and I should be able to make some mill style chips.