Are CDCO Machinery - BXA Tool Holders Any Good

[steran50]

HI ALL, I need to Buy some extra Tool Holders for My Quick Change Tool Post which is an 'Aloris 201 BXA' . After doing some Searching I found them on the CDCO Machinery Website listed at $9.00 for the BXA - Turning and Facing Tool Holder CDCO Machinery Corp. and $10.00 for the BXA - Boring, Turning and Facing Tool Holder CDCO Machinery Corp. . The Tool Holders are Listed in the Sub category of Lathe 'Tooling' which is in the Category of 'Machine Tool Toolings'. I was wondering if Anyone has Bought them and if they fit OK. I was only going to Buy four extra Tool Holders, but at that Price if their OK I will get six of them.

[Big Shed]

No direct experience with the BXA size tool holders, but I have a number of the AXA size ones from CDCO, they're fine, fit well and so far are lasting well. Some people have complained about quality of the grub screws to hold down the tool, I haven't had a problem.

Easiest way to order from Frank at CDCO is to send him an email with what you would like to buy, he will then give you a postage cost, usually based on one of the Flat Rate USPS boxes. He will happily fit more in for no extra postage cost.

[Ueee]

I have a BXA set from CDCO, the post is pretty bad....not that that will bother you.
However, as Fred said the grub screws are appalling and needed replacing, and the dovetail widths are all different so the lock handle locks in different places......

Often BXA toolholders come up on ebay at decent prices, not $9 each mind, but cheap enough to at least think about it. Personally i am going to make a stack of my own.

The other option would be to contact CTC, they now sell the sets, they may have holders too. I always find the CTC quality better than CDCO (less hit and miss anyway)

[bob ward]

I bought 14 BXA holders a while ago, the dovetails were a little tight but that was easily rectified.

"Why 14?" I hear you ask. The cheapest delivery for small quantities from the US is the US Mail 20lb (9kg) flat rate box, costs about $60 at the moment, and 14 BXA holders happen to weigh just under 9kg. Check on the USPS web site for flat rate and standard parcel rates.

[matthew_g]

I have bought 32 of the CDCO tool holders as Frank was getting 16 into 1 flat rate box for $54 per box.
I can live with the quality, but as others have said, replace the grub screws. I must have got lucky becausr the dovetails on mine seem fine and fit well. I have the wedge type tool post if that makes a difference I dont know..
Matt

[steran50]

HI ALL,
Thankyou all for the Replies. It sound like the CDCO BXA Tool Holders are OK, but not as good in quality as what You would Buy from say CTC Tools. Not forgeting the Chinese Grub Screws, the ones that when You put a Hex Key in to tighten or undo them You distort or round the Hex out of the Grub Screw - Yeah been there.

I didn't know that CTC now had QCTP's - Thanks Ueee, I will Send them an Email first before I try Frank. I have never brought of CDCO, but everything I have ever brought of CTC has always been Good. One Day I might have a go at making My own too.
Out of interest Bob who did You Buy Your Tool Holders from ???.

WOW Matt, You must have a lot of Lathe Tools. My QCTP is a Wedge Type the same as Yours Matt. With some of the Tool Holders being tight, the Wedge Type should be better suited to them Tolerance wise. The reason being is, because the Wedge has to expand slightly to lock the Tool Holder onto the Tool Post. Where as with the Piston Style the Tool Holder just has to drop on, because the Locking System is central to the Holder itself - so very little room for error. If the Tool Holders ones I end up getting are to tight, I am sure that something can be set up on My Tool & Cutter Grinder to rectify the problem.

Thanks again Guys.

[bob ward]

mathew g 16 in a 20lb box rather than 14 eh? Good to know next time I get some.

steran50 My holders came from CDCO. Re some of the wedges being tight, fixing that problem involved no more than polishing up the mating surface on 120 grit paper on a flat plate. I'm right for holders at the moment, but if you really don't want all 14 or 16 holders I'll go you halves in the order.