Subject: Re: WTB used Emco Compact 8 accessories

From: John Stewart <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 08:47:44 -0400

Almus Kenter wrote:
> 
> JIMMY ARAKAKI:INDUSTRIAL DESIGN/VISUALIZATION SM2-SFO ([email-masked]) wrote:
> : I'm looking for some used EMCO Compact 8 (lathe) accessories to fit my
> : budget.
> 
> : I'm interested in obtaining the following:
...

> Does anybody else make accessories for this lathe? (eg chucks)
> The lathe mounting is via a DIN standard (DIN 55021)

Threads on the compact-8. (in the news sense, not in the machining
sense!)

I have a compact-8, and love it. Yes, the lack of spindle accessories
is a "problem", but it isn't.

My faceplate came from a far-eastern copy, that I picked up in
europe. I hand-scraped it into a beautiful fit - my first attempt
at hand scraping. My wife lost a tube of gaudy red lipstick (used
it for marking high spots) and I got a few hours practice.

The face plate, btw, had a center hole that was too small for the
compact-8's.

My lathe came with chucks with home-made backplates, and they all
fit very well. 

Someone a while ago here suggested that the backplates should
register on the OUTSIDE of the spindle; that is parallel. This would
make making backplates really easy.

Metalmart- or something similar - sells cast iron circles by the
inch - they would make dandy backplates - I have been looking for
cast iron for this purpose. My lathe came with steel backplates,
but I'd think that cast iron would be easier to machine.

Yes- the above is a "pain", but at least the chucks, when they are
eventually mounted, are really secure. I like the mounting arrangement,
and quite often turn things "backwards" because it is easier to do
that than it is to re-work the tooling.

Sorry for the rambling;

John Stewart

---

From: [email-masked] (Honor� de Gronckel)
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 1996 18:54:46 GMT

>			---almus
Chucks can be had from any european/asian manufacturer I believe (and
they always are expensive :-( ). You could also consider using one of
the readily available chucks by making a 'backplate' with on the
backside the tapered DIN seating. I think I've still got the
dimensions of the DIN taper lying around. If you need them mail me.
Best, Honoré.

---

From: [email-masked] (Honor� de Gronckel)
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 1996 19:06:02 GMT

>			---almus

Just something that sprang to my mind: there are taiwanese and chinese
copies of the Compact 8 on the market. Some are real carbon copies, so
most parts and accessories should fit.  Maybe that would be a way to
get accessories Emco hasn't. Don't expect Emco quality however!
Regards, Honoré.