Hemingway rear toolpost

[Jim BeagleyParticipant @jimbeagley46363]

I’m just finishing a rear toolpost from the Hemingway kit to try and improve my parting off.
ive all but finished it and this evening bolted it in place and attempted to part something.

First thing I noted was that as in did up the bolts in the T-Slot the cross slide became very stiff.
Can anyone imagine why this could be?

Pics of the project.

[Jim BeagleyParticipant @jimbeagley46363]

Couple of snags with the build

[Clive Brown 1Participant @clivebrown1]

The cross slide is being distorted. Check that the underside of your newly made toolpost completerly flat.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

It’s unlikely not to be, but check the crosslide is flat as well, also check nothing has been trapped between post and crosslide.

Mike

[Jim BeagleyParticipant @jimbeagley46363]

Hi Clive.

That’s the obvious conclusion of course.
The bottom of the post does seem flat – It was machined on a mill as were the holes for the studs.
One thing I didn’t do was machine the stud holes 1/64 oversize as per the instructions as the studs were a perfect fit through the holes and into t-nut. I suppose if they are not perfectly perpendicular to the base it could be an issue?

I dont have a surface table so used my cast iron bench saw table – is this flat enough?

cheers
Jim

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Plate glass is flat enough.

Those tee nuts are very close together how tight are you doing them up? Using a short spanner I hope?

Edited By Dave Halford on 31/10/2020 20:32:53

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

The tool post should be flat and the top slide needs to be flat as well. Check both as well as making sure there are no burrs or trapped debris. If you tighten one bolt there should be no gap under the tool post, check with a light and feeler gauges. Do up one bolt just past hand tight and check all round for gaps. Loosen the first bolt then tighten the second bolt and check again.

How was the base milled? A single pass with an out of tram fly cutter can produce a dished surface. Multiple passes with a smaller diameter (eg end mill) can give a flatter surface.

Martin C

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