Tool Holders / Name Brand vs. Knock Offs?

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Dennis_in_VA

New member
I have a lathe at my beck and call but no tool holders of my own (lathe belongs to a friend that lets me practice).

I don't have the cash to buy authentic Aloris tool holders so I have been looking at purchasing a couple of the knock offs.

Are there any that you would recommend?

I'm looking for a couple of CXA #1 and #2 holders right now.

Thanks for the help.
 
I recently bought one of those

and I like mine. It came with 5 holders, one of which has a Knurling head on it. Works very well for me. Got mine, a wedge type, off Ebay for $125. You probably can find the holders there as well. They run around $25. You can also buy a tee nut to fit the slot on the South Bend section
 
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there is an online store called "Shars", and another called "CDCO" they both have cheap knock offs, but I buy the real deal whenever possible.

Paul
 
CDCO IS AN EXCELLENT SOURCE OF TOOL HOLDERS......
some have commented on the set screws...think the hex hole is not any correct size, some said soft...me thinks it was the hole being an odd size and thus allowing the wrench to twist thru the hex when going real tight,,,so i bought a bag od new set screws and moved on...

mike in co
 
I have seen the offerings that CDCO has.

I am inclined to try a couple.

If the only complaint about them is the set screws... well I can buy a WHOLE bunch of set screws for the difference in the cost of just one tool holder.

Besides, I don't own a lathe (yet) so I don't want to sink a bunch of cash in a set of tool holders (yet).

Thanks to all that replied.
 
I have the knock offs, as you stated the set screws are junk, the rest of the assembly works just fine. add good set screws and have fun.
 
the Alorus is the best by far when it comes to repeatability, and being square. But I ran accross another by a company called Darius (sp) that used a different dovetail. I think it might have been better than the Alorus. The nice thing about tooling blocks is that it sets up the correct angles for inserts, and is really good for using negative rake tooling. But as good as one of these tooling blocks is, it's still only as good as the paralleism of the top of the compound (most of the time it means little unless your tooling very small grooves)
gary
 
squeakie said:
the Alorus is the best by far when it comes to repeatability, and being square. But I ran accross another by a company called Darius (sp) that used a different dovetail. I think it might have been better than the Alorus. The nice thing about tooling blocks is that it sets up the correct angles for inserts, and is really good for using negative rake tooling. But as good as one of these tooling blocks is, it's still only as good as the paralleism of the top of the compound (most of the time it means little unless your tooling very small grooves)
gary
Click to expand...

You're talking about Dorian. Dorian and Aloris are both very good quick change tool posts, mine is an Alorus CXA I have mostly Alorus Tool holders but I did but one of the CDCO tools holders, there was a problem with it that I fixed. Only because when I called to talk to somebody about it all I got was some Chinaman in Chicago that didn't "Habla Engles" for all I know he might have thought I was ordering Shimp Fry Lice". I would never get another one from that company but the price was right when I needed a cheap knockoff. Don't count on customer service though.
 
I have a BXA Dorian post, but have always used Phase II tool holders, They are Chinese, but are(were) nicely machined and hardened and have performed well for me once I changed out the set screws. They cost a little more than the usual Asian stuff, but are worth it or at least were worth it. I have not purchased any in about 6 years so I can't vouch for the current crop. The importers seem to change suppliers periodically in pursuit of a lower price, so what was once OK may no longer be.

RWO
 
At our Shop, we have Aloris Holders from the smallest to the largest. The Dorian tool holders, (we have quite a few), enterchange, except the Aloris uses a 1/4 allen wrench, and the Dorian uses a 6mm.

I visited a friend who had bought a nice lathe and what he thought was a Aloris Tool Post with holders. It didn't take but one look to see it was a cheap Chinese knockoff. I thought it was a piece of junk. He had four tool holders, the handle would cam around to a different position on eavery one,one was barely tight, even with the handle as far as it would go.

This is another item whereyou get what you pay for..........jackie
 
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I've had a real Aloris and now a Phase II. The Aloris is nicer and I'll get another one some day when there's plenty of money around. But the Phase II is nice enough and it works. Enco and others sell them. http://www.tools4cheap.net/ is good and you can communicate with the American owner. He sells cheap stuff and Aloris.
 
pbike said:
You're talking about Dorian. Dorian and Aloris are both very good quick change tool posts, mine is an Alorus CXA I have mostly Alorus Tool holders but I did but one of the CDCO tools holders, there was a problem with it that I fixed. Only because when I called to talk to somebody about it all I got was some Chinaman in Chicago that didn't "Habla Engles" for all I know he might have thought I was ordering Shimp Fry Lice". I would never get another one from that company but the price was right when I needed a cheap knockoff. Don't count on customer service though.
Click to expand...

the one thing I like about the indexing tool blocks is that once the block is squared, everything after that is square. Most of the time it dosn't mean alot, but when your cutting threads it can (Acme for one). Also I've yet to find a better Vee threading tool than the Alorus. Don't mean alot till you have to pick up an old thread and chase it. It also uses a high speed insert affair that can be resharpened hundreds of times without ever effecting the Vee form. They also make blocks that use carbide threading inserts, but have also noticed that the inserts impart a good deal of stress in the part if it's a pretreat steel or one of the higher grade tool steels due to a much higher tool pressure.
gary
 
jackie schmidt said:
At our Shop, we have Aloris Holders from the smallest to the largest. The Dorian tool holders, (we have quite a few), enterchange, except the Aloris uses a 1/4 allen wrench, and the Dorian uses a 6mm.

I visited a friend who had bought a nice lathe and what he thought was a Aloris Tool Post with holders. It didn't take but one look to see it was a cheap Chinese knockoff. I thought it was a piece of junk. He had four tool holders, the handle would cam around to a different position on eavery one,one was barely tight, even with the handle as far as it would go.

This is another item whereyou get what you pay for..........jackie
Click to expand...

with a disclaimer (I don't know or care what they do in China), let me add here that an Alorus tool block is adjustable when it comes to the cam lock for the wedge.
gary
 
Compaired to the "Lamp Post" tool Holder that came with my South Bend, the ChiCom tool post with it's sucky set screws is light years ahead. If I were a full time machinist I would probably spring for the Aloris but just as a hobbiest and a damn poor machinist I didn't feel justified in spending the money for one.
 
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The Aloris wedge style tool post is the best. Buy the best - cry once, buy cheap - cry every time you use it! When it comes to tool holding, you truly get what you pay for.
Individual results may vary,
Nic.
 
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