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Delta Midi Banjo modification

Not a Delta midi lathe, but I have a Woodfast lathe that had the same kind of banjo......screw end bears directly against the tool rest shaft. I rounded and polished the end of the screw, and that was much better for keeping the tool rest shafts from being marred. This isn't as solid a grip as the clamping mechanism on some of the other lathes, and I ended up purchasing a Robust banjo that fit, without modification, on the Woodfast lathe.......one of the best decisions I ever made! :D

The Robust banjo has a Powermatic style clamp which pinches the tool rest against the receptacle walls of the banjo......so, that there is now three points of contact, instead of two. This allows a more positive, and firm grip of the tool rest. :D

-----odie-----

edit: Point to consider. The simple screw represents a single point and a line of contact for holding the tool rest shaft, while the Powermatic clamping mechanism represents three lines of contact.......much firmer grip because of that. :D
 
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Get an after market tool.rest. I have a Delta midi and I really havent had a problem with scoring the tool.rest. however I do use a tool.rest I made and a tool rest from Bestwoodtools.com and their tool.posts are harder steel. I made my rest from Drill rod which is not hardened but is high carbon steel and pretty hard from the factory.
 
While you save for a Robust (I am!) the locking screw can be drilled about 1/4" deep to accept a brass rod that can be silver soldered into the tip. Keep the extension short.
 
You can use a bolt that is softer than the tool rest mounting shaft which will prevent the scoring of the shaft. They also make bolts that have Delrin balls recessed on the end of the bolt to prevent scoring.
 
I looked at our club Delta today. I would simply grind off the bolt to make it flat instead of cupped. Drilling and putting brass in would also be a good choice. I may do that to mine tomorrow if I remember. I'll let you know now it goes.
 
john lucas said:
I looked at our club Delta today. I would simply grind off the bolt to make it flat instead of cupped. Drilling and putting brass in would also be a good choice. I may do that to mine tomorrow if I remember. I'll let you know now it goes.
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John this makes me wonder if when the Delta is new was there something in the screw hole like a piece of leather (as the Novas have under setscrew) have to solve this problem? I think on the Midi I bought new something fell out and I could not find it .
 
I'm not certain, but could it be that end of the clamp bolt is cupped for a reason? Could that be part of the reason the rest doesn't slip? There is very little contact area if you make it flat. My rests are marked up a LOT, but it only looks rough. I preforms very well.
 
Richard Coers said:
I'm not certain, but could it be that end of the clamp bolt is cupped for a reason? Could that be part of the reason the rest doesn't slip? There is very little contact area if you make it flat. My rests are marked up a LOT, but it only looks rough. I preforms very well.
Click to expand...

I guess you have to ask yourself which is more important to you ... holding the toolrest so that it won't move or having a toolrest that looks like it has never been used. :D
 
Robert Waddell said:
Has anyone out there modified the tool rest holder to keep the bolt from scoring the tool rest shaft? This seems to be a common problem in mini and midi lathes. Appreciate any comments
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Bob,
Both of my Conover lathes have brass bolts for locking the tool rests. They work very well and Myron Curtiss can attest that they get heavily used.
Terry Brown
 
I forgot about this discussion. I'm lining my Delta to the club for a day of turning with Mark St Leger and was going to add the brass plug. Of course I'm in Atlanta and will forget by the time I get back home.
 
I just added a brass plug to my Delta Midi. However after looking at my various tool rests they aren't dinged at all. How hard are you locking them down. I have loaned this lathe out to the club many times so more than one user and they probably hog down on it more than I do. Anyway I thought the brass plug was a good idea so made one this morning. Took a 3/16" piece of brass and turned a tenon on it smaller than that. Then center drilled the threaded portion of the locking handle. Glued those together. Done. I do have a metal lathe which made center drilling the handle easier. Would take some figuring to do it on the wood lathe but it could be done. Here is a photo along with the shaft of my short tool rest to show how little damage is done with the regular cupped center on the locking handle.
 

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