Fibonacci
Member
I got a McNaughton Standard set for Christmas (remind me to make a pile of bowls for my brother...) and discovered that my Craftsman lathe has an oddball tool rest diameter.
The stock tool posts are 22mm, which from my reading seems to be unique to this particular lathe. The McNaughton set comes stock with a 1" tool post, but you can get 5/8" posts for it. They are only recommended for the mini set, but are compatible with the standard version.
As I see it, I have a few options:
1. Have a new tool post made for the McNaughton with the stock diameter on top and a 22mm post.
2. Buy the 5/8" post and make a bushing/adapter to fit that into the 22mm banjo.
3. Bore out my existing banjo to 1" and either make an adapter for my existing tool rests or buy new tool rests.
4. Buy another banjo from another lathe that is already 1" and swap them as necessary.
Option 2 just scares me. I don't think I want to use an undersized post, even if it is technically compatible. Option 1 is similarly bad, but the diameter difference is much less.
Option 3 seemed like the best idea to me initially because the adapter for my existing tool rests could just be a piece of 1/16" shim stock wrapped around the existing posts. The banjo currently has a hair over 1/2" all the way around, so taking 1.75mm off that wall thickness would not have a major effect on its strength. That also gives me the option of buying off the shelf tool rests in the future as it is now a standard size. The big drawback here is the price of a 1" drill bit and/or a long enough end mill to bore that out.
Once option 4 occurred to me, it seemed like a better plan. That way I don't have to do any mods to my existing equipment and I still get the benefits of having a standard tool post diameter. The problem here is that I don't really know how to determine if another banjo is compatible.
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Bottom line: I think the best option is to buy a banjo with a 1" tool post that will fit my craftsman 351.217170 lathe. Can anyone tell me how to determine if one is compatible or not? Does anyone have one they would be willing to part with (cash or trades)?
The stock tool posts are 22mm, which from my reading seems to be unique to this particular lathe. The McNaughton set comes stock with a 1" tool post, but you can get 5/8" posts for it. They are only recommended for the mini set, but are compatible with the standard version.
As I see it, I have a few options:
1. Have a new tool post made for the McNaughton with the stock diameter on top and a 22mm post.
2. Buy the 5/8" post and make a bushing/adapter to fit that into the 22mm banjo.
3. Bore out my existing banjo to 1" and either make an adapter for my existing tool rests or buy new tool rests.
4. Buy another banjo from another lathe that is already 1" and swap them as necessary.
Option 2 just scares me. I don't think I want to use an undersized post, even if it is technically compatible. Option 1 is similarly bad, but the diameter difference is much less.
Option 3 seemed like the best idea to me initially because the adapter for my existing tool rests could just be a piece of 1/16" shim stock wrapped around the existing posts. The banjo currently has a hair over 1/2" all the way around, so taking 1.75mm off that wall thickness would not have a major effect on its strength. That also gives me the option of buying off the shelf tool rests in the future as it is now a standard size. The big drawback here is the price of a 1" drill bit and/or a long enough end mill to bore that out.
Once option 4 occurred to me, it seemed like a better plan. That way I don't have to do any mods to my existing equipment and I still get the benefits of having a standard tool post diameter. The problem here is that I don't really know how to determine if another banjo is compatible.
--------------------
Bottom line: I think the best option is to buy a banjo with a 1" tool post that will fit my craftsman 351.217170 lathe. Can anyone tell me how to determine if one is compatible or not? Does anyone have one they would be willing to part with (cash or trades)?
