Is this lathe worth buying for constructing small engines.

[gipetto]

I got the table up the stairs and into my room, adjusted the leg screws so there's no rock and bolted down the lathe with several offcuts to spread the load in order to avoid mushrooming the surface.

tell me, is it possible to create a hole without using drill bits? and if not what size drill bit should i use to create a hole i would enlarge with a 10mm boring bar.

[Jasonb]

If your boring bar is end cutting then with care you can move back and forth slowly working your way in. But it is slow and risks chipping an insert.

Better to drill 14mm which will then give you clearance for a 10mm dia boring bar. The drill size does vary a bit from one maker to another but any half decent one will give a minimum bore, aim just a little more than that. Also 14mm is a bit much to drill in one cut so on your hobby machine go with say 6mm, 10mm and then the 14mm drill bits

https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Cutting-Tools/Lathe-Turning-Tools-Indexable/ARC-Indexable-Turning-Tools/ARC-S-SCLC-R-95-Boring-Tool-Holders

[gipetto]

How do i use the lubricating nipples on the lathe saddle. the manual says to lubricate them I am used to the type of fittings that are on tractors that have a gripping mechanism. is there a specific greasing tool that i need to purchase or is it a matter of holding the ball depressed while some oil is dropped over the nipple.

[Jasonb]

They are oil points don't use grease.

Push end of small nozzel oil can on the ball to depress it and squeeze.

[gipetto]

Could you show me a pic of a suitable oil can, or alternatively is it sufficient to wind out the leadscrew to one extreme, oil that half, other extreme oil that half.

[Jasonb]

The one that comes in the toolkit supplied with the lathe will do for now.

You can do the leadscrew as you say but all the other button oilers will need the can.

[uuu]

Some lathes come with an oil gun like this. 

https://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/MYFORD-OIL-GUN-15472.html

Just to be awkward my lathe has male-ended oilers and my mill has female.  On upward-facing oilers you can drizzle oil in quite easily, but sideways ones are better with a gun (especially on my mill where the slide overhangs the oiler).

Wilf

[Michael S.]

Hello gipetto,

I use a pump oil can like this. You can use them in all positions. It works quite well. The oil press in the picture ( by uuu )above is the right device for these oilers.
But it works with mine too.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd8oi4e_mrA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd8oi4e_mrA</a>

Michael

[gipetto]

I found the can and filled it with engine oil. sorry for the dumb questions.

[Laurentic]

Engine oil is better than no oil, but it is not the right oil for a lathe - think oil additives and what conditions engine oil works in.

Check your users manual - that should specify what oil is required for what part of the lathe.

Hope this helps,
Chris

[Michael S.]

You can buy so-called Bett Bahn oil on German eBay. Especially for the lathe. I once bought a small bottle. I've been using gear oil since the bottle was empty. The same oil that is in the transmission of my tractor. You probably have oil like this in your workshop.

Michael

[gipetto]

what change gear do i use for turning down 1" brass rod in semi unattended fashion? 

[Jasonb]

You are likely to need more than one gear as feed rates are derived from a train of gears.

Also you need to have an idea of what feed rate you want and what the actual machine is capable of, this will depend on finish, rigidity of machine, power of machine as well as the depth of cut as a deeper cut puts more load on the machine.

I'll stick my finger in the wind and suggest you use 0.05mm/rev as a starting point and adjust from there up or down depending on what finish you get and how the machine handles it.

EDIT looks like the supplied gears will only give you two feed rates so start with the fine one which is 0.11mm/rev. The chart on the machine and in the manual gives the order the gears need to be fitted to get that feed rate.

[gipetto]

I fitted 0.11mm/rev gears on and it's perfect thanks. when you mention two feed rates are you talking about the a and b belt.
A few days ago I made a threaded brass pipe for a ball cock. it came out perfectly, i was quite proud of it. the cement troughs we have on the farm have a thick wall that doesn't allow over the counter ball cocks to work.

[Jasonb]

No A&B are spindle speeds.

On the top of the chart on the front of the lathe are the feed rates, looks like you may actually have three different rates there and not two.