Carriage Lock

I made this Vikki Ford style carriage lock when I first got the mini lathe. It made a huge difference to the quality of facing cuts, as the the half nuts do not lock the saddle.

I milled the slot by clamping the block on top of the compound.

The Ball lever was made by taking a bunch of roughing cuts to about the right profile and then finishing off free hand with a file.

It locks the saddle firmly in only about 1/8th of a turn.