Fitting Hobby Quick Change Tool Set to PD230/E

manufactured by phase II   (www.phase2plus.com)

The Proxxon PD230/E has a top slide with an integral tool holder and as such requires shims to raise the tool, which is 8mm as standard, quite a few for a 6mm tool. However if the tool, such as a parting tool is too high then some modification of the tool is required.  The top slide is only really essential for taper cutting, so I searched for a new tool post which would provide tool height adjustment.

The search of the UK sites found nothing useful, except for a possible adaptation of an EMCO quick change tool post, where all the parts are priced separately.  Searching worldwide produced a really comprehensive product which showed it would fit a PD230/E and was at a very reasonable price even taking into account the shipping and customs costs.

The web shop of the Little Machine Shop (www.littlemachineshop.com) has the Quick Change Tool Post Set, Phase II Hobby as follows:- QCT post, two turning tool holders, one boring bar holder and a cut-off blade holder (1/2 inch).

I paid for the recommended shipper (UPS Worldwide) and the goods were delivered in a couple of days, not bad considering it had to cross the pond.  I had asked for some details for fitting the tool post to my lathe, it transpired that there were none, so I was on my own!  After a few sketches I decided to keep it as simple as possible.

The top slide is bolted on via a M6 bolt into a flat nut in a T slot, the Hobby QCTP has the choice of M10 or M8 bolt. I elected for using the M8 bolt into a square block which would bolt onto the cross slide using two M6 bolts and two nuts in the T slot.

Here follows some shots of the tool post and mounting block in place on the cross slide.

So far only the indexable cutting tool has been used, I will add to this page when I have tried the boring bar and the cut-off  tool holder.