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                  Do you want to be a better CNC'er in 37 Seconds? Get Better Tool Life, Surface Finish, and Material Removal Rates Fast. It's that easy. You can install and get results now.  | 
            
| Lathe Modifications Catalog | 
We can make it better, stronger, faster: the $6 million lathe! This page is my catalog of all the lathe modifications I've stumbled across in my web travels. I couldn't begin to tell you how good they are, but they sure make interesting reading! Read through these to get a sense of what's possible. Once you decide on a particular modification, look at all the different ways people have approached it. Many of these modifications are done by multiple folks, and the variations are worth understanding to make your project the best. Be sure to also check the Random Pix page for mods that didn't have a whole article associated with them.
| Chris's Hobby Machining Site | 
Lathe Carriage Stop
        Clamp-style Knurler (look's a lot like Guy Lautard's)
        Ball Handles
        Ball Bearing Carriage Rack Drive w/ Covers
        Mini-Lathe Maintenance Recommendations
| CNC Zone and Issi International | 
A CNC Lathe Turret
| Dave Hyland's Page | 
 CNC Lathe Conversion for Threading
        Taper Turning Tool: Convert a boring head to offset the center
| Dave's Home Machine Shop | 
 Apron Gear Cover
        Taper Turning Tool: Convert a boring head to offset the center.
| Dragonworks | 
 Quick Change Tool Post
        Tachometer
        Cam Lock Tailstock
        Lathe Autostop
        Tailstock Dial Indicator
| Frets | 
 Lathe Cross Slide Lock
        QCTP Indicator Holder
        Mini-ball Bearing Follow Rest (Attaches to QCTP)
        What to do with a Giant Tool Holder? Put a Dovetail in it for your QCTP!
        Improve Your Import Cut-off Toolholder
        Lathe Hand Tapper (Tailstock Tapper)
        A "Wiggly" Lathe Center
        Refurbish a Hardinge Tailstock Turret
        Lathe Tool Height Setter
        Freehand Tool Rest
        Lathe Carriage Stop
        Lathe Slotting (Shaper) Attachment
      
| Frugal Machinist | 
Toolpost Grinder
        Variable Speed Cup Wheel Tool Grinder
        Gingery Metal Shaper
        Lathe Drawbar Collet Closer
        Tool Post Indicator Holder
        Carriage Stop and Indicator Holder
        Tailstock Drill and Tap Holder
        Horizontal Bandsaw Modifications Page
        Making Aloris-Type Toolholders
        Making Insert-Type Mills
        Splashgaurd
        2 Piece Milling Vise
         
| Gadgetbuilder | 
 Cam Lock Tailstock
        Ball Bearing Cross Slide
        Taper Attachment
        Ball Turner
        Carriage Lock
        Cross and Compound Dial Locks
        Combination Carriage Stop and Dial Holder
        Clamp Knurler
        Die Holder and Tool Height Guage
        Center Finder for 4-jaw Chuck
        Tangential Toolholder for QCTP
        Milling attachment: Just 
        made a bracket to fit a milling vise into a QCTP holder. 
| Harlan's Hangout | 
Homemade Optic Punch
        Hand-powered Rotary Table
        Small Dividing Head for Gear Cutting
        Ball Turning Attachment: A little different variation, very nice. 
      
| The Hobbyist's Machine Shop | 
 Carriage Stop
        
         
| Home Shop Machinist & Machinist's Workshop Forums | 
 Straight 
        Cut Knurling: Excellent for splining shafts
        
         
| Houston Metalworking Club | 
Electronic Leadscrew Control
| Metalshop Borealis | 
An electric leadscrew drive for a South Bend 9" lathe (complete controller plans).
An electric crossfeed drive for the South Bend 9C lathe
A milling attachment for a South Bend 9" lathe.
A shop made faceplate for a South Bend 9" lathe.
Metric threads on a South Bend 9C lathe without buying a transposing gear
Indexing with change gears
A cross slide threading stop
A drill press for your lathe
A hand hobber/shaper/slotter for the South Bend 9" lathe
An adapter to use a log splitter as a hydraulic press
Miscellaneous projects in metal: A micrometer carriage stop
| Metalwebnews | 
 Machining a lathe chuck mount
        Adjustable chuck backing plate
        QCTP
        Ball Turning
        Cutting Gears
        Make a digital caliper height gauge
        Build a Collet Chuck
        Back Gearing (Planetary gears to increase torque on spindle)
| Micro-Machine Shop | 
 DRO: My vote for best lathe DRO. The integrated spindle tachometer 
        is sweet!
        Spindle Tachometer
        4-bolt Compound Mounting Bracket
        Quick Change Tool Post
        Tool Bit Height Guage
        Ball Turner
| Mini-Lathe.com | 
 Handles for Crossfeed and Compound
        Brass Saddle Strips
        Quick Change Tool Post with Cam Action
        Carriage Gear Chip Guard: Seems to be a must to keep the chips from jamming 
        the gears.
        Tailstock Alignment Guide
        Tailstock Cam Lock
        Carriage Stop
        Carriage Lock: The cam lock versions like Vikki Ford's are better!
        Making a Chuck Backplate
| The Model Engineer Support Page | 
 Indexing Carriage Multistop
        Rear Toolpost: A step up from a simple boring bar holder.
        Dividing Head
        Headstock Dividing Attachment
        Lathe Center Finder / Wobbler
        Taper Turning Attachment
        Punch Guide for Stamping Numbers on Dials
        Lathe Mandrel Handle
        Tailstock Sensitive Drilling Attachment
        Tailstock Tap and Die Holder
        Jacot Drum Filing Attachment
        Tailstock 3-Jaw Spindle
        Lathe Chuck Back Stop
        Taper Turning Attachment #2: A more elaborate approach.
        Profile Copier
| Pat Hutcheson | 
Larger cross slide leadscrew, handwheel, and ball bearings.
| Stellar International | 
 Chipguard
        DC Motor and Variable Speed Control
        DRO & Tachometer
        Microswitch Feed Stop
        Way Wipers or Bellows Protector
        Tailstock Cam Lock
        Quick Change Tool Post
        Saddle Cam Lock
        Revolving Tailstock Drive
        Spindle Hand Crank
        New Handwheels
        Powered Cross Feed
| Steve Bedair | 
 Quick Change Tool Post: Adapted from a Harbor Freight model.
        Tumbler Reverse
        DC Motor with Variable Speed
        Top Slide Ball Bearings
        Larger Leadscrew and Ball Bearing Mount
        Adapting a Bison 3-jaw Chuck/Building a Backplate
        Tailstock Cam Lock
        Tachometer
        Saddle Lock
        Larger Gib Adjusting Screws
        Ball Turning Tool Post
        Chipguard
        4 Bolt Compound Clamp: Said to be the first mod to make on a 9x20 import 
        lathe.
        Larger Cross Slide Handwheel
        Tailstock Set Screw
        Way Protector / Scraper
| Terry Brown's Shed Stuff | 
Making Toolholders
        Beefier Saddle Clamp
        Improved Splashgaurd
        Backplate for 4-Jaw (or other) Chuck
        Wobbler
        Tailstock Ram Stop
        Modifying the Compound for Longer Travel
        Adapting the machine lathe for wood turning
        Dial Indicator Toolpost Mount: A nice little toolholder for your dial 
        indicator
        Modify the Saddle for More Travel
        Magnetic Rail for Dial Indicator
        Spindle Turning Handle
        Tailstock Tap and Die Holders
        Rear Saddle Lock
        Safety Clutch Bearing Mod
        Tensioner Pulley Mod
        Four Bolt Clamp and Support Plate
        Ball Turning Tool: A bit different style, very nice, fits toolholder.
        Solid Toolpost Mount: Does away with compound to achieve a very rigid 
        mount when needed
        Make Your Own "Set-Tru" 3-Jaw Chuck
        
| Ty's Mini-Lathe Page | 
 Steady Rest
        Dummy Spindle Nose
        Making a Backplate
        Scratch-built Quick Change Tool Post
        Scratch-built 5C Collet Chuck
        20 TPI cross-slide leadscrew 
| Vikki Ford | 
 Saddle Cam Lock: One of the best!
        Quick Change Tool Post: This one is built from scratch.
        Ball Bearing Carriage Handles
        Tailstock Die Holder
        Tapered Saddle Gibs
| Yahoo 8x18 Lathe Group | 
 Shumatech DRO for 8x18 in Files section
        Reverse Tumbler Photos
        
| Yahoo 9x20 Lathe Group | 
 Crossfeed Leadscrew Extension
        Electronic Leadscrew Files from Houston Metalworking Club
        4-Bolt Compound Clamp
        Excel file modeling 9x20 gear train
        Several Reverse Tumblers
| Wrathall.com | 
 Carriage Lock
        Tailstock Die Holder
        Quick Change Tool Holder
        Lathe CNC Conversion
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 Do you want to be a better CNC'er in 37 Seconds? Get Better Tool Life, Surface Finish, and Material Removal Rates Fast. It's that easy. You can install and get results now. 
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