Because lanterns work better for some things. And Blocks work better for some other things, so you should have one of those, too. Likewise a QCTP and lots of tool holders to fit it. Depends on what you're doing as to which is best.?
Lantern will let you push the size limits of your lathe a bit better than the others. A block tool post works better if you have a small number of tools you usually use, and a QCTP is is best for high volume production work on complex parts.?
One advantage to the lantern post is that you can forge specialty tools in a high carbon tool steel and get incredibly sharp edges for tricky work. With a couple hundred years of fantastic work to back it up. ;)?
Blocks & QCTPs are more convenient but not quite as versatile. Which is best depends on what you need to do. And you can still do good work even if you don't have the best toolpost. It's probably going to be a bit slower, but still doable. I put a QCTP on my Atlas TH42 when I bought it, but kept the lantern post. And if I ever get my SB Heavy 10L restored, it's getting a QCTP also, but I'll be keeping the lantern post too.? Never can tell when you might need a bit more reach.
Bill in OKC?
William R. Meyers, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)
Aphorisms to live by:
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.?
SEMPER GUMBY!
Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome. Physics doesn't care about your schedule. The only reason I know anything is because I've done it wrong enough times to START to know better.
Expect in one hand, expectorate in the other. See which one gets full first.
On Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 02:00:35 AM CST, eddie.draper@... via groups.io <eddie.draper@...> wrote:
Why are people still using lanterns?? Get yourself a chunk of square steel, hold in 4 jaw, hole through the middle, clamp down on top of compound, milling cutter in chuck, 8 tapped holes & you've got a 4 way that holds any sort of tool.? This assumes you don't want to lay out €?$ on a QCTP.