I got my quick change tool post in the mail the other day and ,as most of you probably know, they come with an oversize plate for the t-slot and have to be milled to fit your machine. Well,I just got this lathe and I dont own a mill. I've been waiting for a chance to get this milled for me but I had an idea tonight...and it actually worked!
I drilled a hole in my face plate to accept a 1/4'' bit. Then I drilled and tapped another hole for a 1/4'' bolt to use as a set screw to hold that bit.
I have a cross slide vice that I use with my drill press.Remember the "Hillbilly Mill"? It's not a very good one. It's an $80 cheapy from Northern. It doesn't run straight,but the gibs set good and it does sit solid. So I went to work getting it mounted to the carriage of the lathe.Well,the top half of it anyway. I set these two blocks of metal down to space it off of the ways for the compound.The carriage of the lathe gives me one axis left to right,the top half of the cross slide gives me the other.
The top half of the cross side has this hole cast in it that worked out just right for mounting.
I slipped a bolt through the center of the carriage with a heavy washer underneath to clamp the top half of the cross side down.
Lo and behold,the durn thing was actually rigid enough to work! Uhh,first pass the bit wasn't as sharp as it shoulda been. I'm still learning how to grind these things.I've been told it's a lost art. Well,it's definitely lost on me.
After fiddling around I finally found an angle that seemed to work out alright. Not a bad cut if I do say so myself
I'm on cloud nine right now. I can't believe this actually worked out this well! woo hoo!
Locked
That was good. I did not even think of it like that. Just because we , you have the ability or know how to make something work. Should we ? More tools. 
