Monty has sent several sets of pictures this year, I finally got around to updating the site and blog so here they are! Sorry for the delay!
“I don't know if I had a senior moment or you missed a few photos of my power feed flexi support bracket for the Delrin coupling modification of Dec., but just in case I took a few more.
Tailstock- I finally got round to rejigging my old quick change wind it/lever action drilling system for the now vertically configured lever. Just 2" of 20 tpi rod and a little piece of angle bolted under the overhang, so I can wind it in slow rotate the pin 90 degs., to disengage and yank it back fast, if required.
I was about to work on my compound slide, by adopting the Ed Maisey solution, however I was short of 3/4"ally, but I did have some 1/2" left over from my first slim line attempt that proved to be secure but fiddly to clamp. I decided to swap the configuration over and mount the male part of the annular dovetail on the cross slide and recess the compound slide, two fixed tabs and one adjustable tab would secure and lock the compound to the cross slide. The original Taig working height is retained so no riser blocks would be req'd. I started making swarf.
Half way through the machining it was looking untidy, so I stopped. But a few hours later I had the inklings of an idea so I started on a new piece. I find it easier to rub out marker pen than sweep up swarf.
Now if I can refrain from making a pigs ear of it. A 3" piece of 2"X1/2" ally bar was milled down to .44 thick and the edges cleaned up. After drilling 1/4" hole for the lead screw and milling a recess for the Taig split nut
I drilled a parallel hole and tapped it 5mm for the 2" clamping bolt. I then turned it over and machined a 1 1/2" diam.,x 0.125" deep recess.
I thought I was being clever using a dovetail cutter to undercut the recess, not recommended, I finished up grinding myself a cutter to do a proper job.
Things are that tight, there is not much in the way of clearances, more like alignments.
The dovetail machining is a case in point I had to stop short of the hole and raise the cutter to keep the profile workable.
Looked impressive, so I cut it in half! 
The disc is finished to 10 thou., less than recess depth, the diam., is turned down until it seats in the recess and the clamped gap is about 1/16". The T nut/cs screws set up is critical, heads machined flush with the disc surface, length about 0.37" if I remember right. The screws should be tightened until the assy., just slips along the T slots on the xslide. Now peen or Loctite the little blighters or you will start swearing when it fails.
The assy., is left in situ.
At last! 2" of travel, does not wobble. Would recommend full engagement of split halves when adjusting angular/lateral position on top slide.
I was looking into the possibility of mounting my quick retract tool post design on my compound slide. With the workings centred 0.25" over the base things were going to be more than tight. I thought about turning things upside down but the simple solution was to move things from the attic to the basement and invert the spring drilling.
So I started making swarf and then stopped, I had an epiphany. My original design has a 1/4" bushing cross drilled for the 3/8" clamping shaft (not a lot of clearance!) so I swapped things around and made the bushing 3/8" and cross drilled 1/4" for the clamping shaft, easier to make too. I just added a 1/4" threaded portion to the shaft end initially for clamping in the tool post when cross drilling to take the 1/8" tool bit, then removed it after. The clamping collar had tweek too, just a saw slot instead of a drilling.
The lever/cam assy., was just as much fun setting up. Both tool-posts function a treat, but in hindsight you only need to make the version with the workings at the base, and make a 1" spacer! (and a long bolt). Another advantage of this system is that the toolbit can be clamped in any position in the tool post and ground using a spindle mounted stone.
After I set everything up on the Taig I find I now have to remove a few thou., off the diam., of my zero-able dials, when will it end?
I have finally purchased a very nice 3 jaw scroll chuck, I sabotaged ( modified ) a spare backplate and persuaded it to fit. It dials in OK! As I had a bit of spare time I thought I would give it my 50,60&72 indexing treatment. The years are taking their toll and I had to resort to scanning back to January 2011 to remind myself how I did the job! Well I located the gears and spacers and with an additional spacer to cope with the thickness of the backplate, I set too. The '72' row nearly finished and no cock ups!
The '72' row nearly finished and no cock ups!
Time for tea after the 72&60.
The new gear spacer made coped with the new '50' location. And now a new pin/slotted lever assy., with an extended slot is req'd for this (next job).
The next quick mod., was most welcome when carrying out the indexing job, just a stubby knob 180 degs., out from the spinner on the hand wheel, great for feeding in with finger and thumb.
And finally my Threadbox, at last I have sorted the design of the hand crank/auto feed option, so really I just need to sort the engraving/etching of the front.
I performed an installation exercise, it took. 40 secs., to hang the unit on the headstock.
The Spindle, pulley, belt and hand crank a further 20 secs.
Couple up to carriage, 15 secs..
Now it just so happens that as I installed the system it was set up for 6 UNF, but if I fine off by 48 divs., then I have gone metric at 0.6.
Another further input of 1-48 divs., and I had a pitch for 6ba, we use that a lot this side of the pond, and no swapping gears about.
I found myself with some more metal and too much time!
