Just Tooling Around

[Tennessee Whiskey]

There are some pretty good videos on UTube concerning lathe operations. I find it helps me sometime to see how someone goes about a procedure. With video you can watch as many times as needed and usually have 2 or 3 of the same procedures shown being done different ways.

Eric

[arnoldb]

So...what you're saying is that I should cut with the apron? 

Yes! - And to clarify your earlier question about the apron's accuracy:

The apron and saddle are made to be used like this and should ride closely but smoothly on the lathe bed ways.  A part of the money you paid for the lathe is in fact to get this accuracy on the bed.  It's also the only way to make full use of the travel of your lathe to turn longer workpieces.

As to knocking your knuckles, that is a bit of a problem with the smaller lathes unfortunately.  I recall seeing somewhere where a person actually changed the cross-slide handwheel to make it smaller to overcome this problem.  Unfortunately your lathe don't have a handwheel on the end of the leadscrew.  That's a good modification to make at a later stage, as you can also add graduations to it to help you measure travel along the bed ways when machining.

I'd suggest you don't worry about modifications to the lathe yet.  First work with it a bit and get to know it and how it behaves with different kinds of metal and so on.  You'll start getting it's "feel" - and only then start thinking about modifications. 

Kind regards, Arnold

[Goldstar31]

Have you stripped, cleaned and re-built the lathe? From what seems believable here in the UK, but one firm actually strips their lathes down and does precisely that.

Have you used the traditional alignment tests for any lathe: Have you a cut and miked a piece of bar in the headstock? Have you chucked a pair of levels across and along the bed?  Have you clocked your headstock and tailstock with a between centres test bar?

[Rayanth]

I did completely strip down the lathe all the way to the bones and clean everything thoroughly (documented on ThatOtherForum in detail) -- I have since torn down the compound a few times for different reasons... one was to reclean the top-slide's screw just the other day, and I also broke it all the way down to add a thin (0.020") piece of sheet over the Apron's gears to keep swarf out, per suggestion from I think Dave but it may have been someone else. That's just held on by superthin doublesided tape right now, but it won't hold up to oil, so at a later date I may screw it in.

I've not performed all the 'traditional' alignment tests... not even sure where to begin for that. I've got a length of roundstock that might be long enough to stretch from chuck to tailstock, will have to centerpunch it though... and mount the tailstock... have it unmounted right now just to reduce clutter.

What all do I need to do for these tests? I don't really have anything I'd be willing to 'sacrifice' just yet, at least not beyond a few inches long... we all know metal isn't cheap, and I only bought about three times as much as I'd need for the EZ project. Been mostly fudging with the brass because it's the only round stock I have. the aluminum's square or plate.

-- Rayanth

[Goldstar31]

I'm sorry but there is no substitute( in the amateur's workshop) to carry much more than a check of a how the lathe is performing at the headstock end.  You chuck a bit of round bar about 6" long and cut two collars- one at each end of the bar to determine whether the lathe is reasonably set up.
Again, you should check -using centers in the chuck and tailstock ends to see  if the lathe is reasonably aligned. Ideally, you should obtain a ground test bar and clock it.

I had little money to devote to my little workshop at one time- but my test bar is a morse taper ended reamer which a mate ground all the teeth from.
I suspect that it cost more for a worn out grinding wheel- for the sake of a friend.

So I do appreciate costs but model engineering is not cheap- and you should be prepared to accept this.

As an aside, I looked at the Gadget Builder site and the 7x14 site run by Yahoo. Both give a great deal of constructive advice and I can only suggest that you read- and re-read what is written. On the 7 x14 site, my late and very lamented 'friend' Jim Early wrote about his machine. Read old JWE's stuff with even more dedication- he knew his stuff.

What you must remember is that if you were to have some old machine from the past, you would have far more troubles. There was no manuals to speak of, there were no dials or having to think in 62.5 thous on a dial and the whole caboodle was running on layshafting. A mike- a 0-1" one, was something only for the rich and famous.

I wish you success but you will have to put the hours in - and be prepared to have mistakes.

[Rayanth]

I did not mean to sound like I was tentative towards the hobby. I have great respect for the work everyone here does, and even more for those who do/did it with less. I look forward to the day that I can be considered even a quarter as good as these peers. My comment regarding the cost of metal was not intended to sound like I'm being a cheapskate... I know full well that the hobby isn't cheap, SWMBO reminds me constantly, and I haven't even gotten started in it yet =)

The purchase of DRO/QCTP/etc mentioned earlier was a huge splurge. I have a budget set aside for the hobby. Probably a pittance if considered at face value - my VA disability is quite small, but it's enough to buy some toys from month to month, and whatever is left is permitted to be used for this new hobby. This is until I have a significanta mount of the rest of my debts paid up, and then I can be a little more free with the checkbook. If I should order a length of a cheaper material to use for testing, then I will do so, I was just saying it won't be immediate.. I've blown that budget for the next 4 months, if I stick myself to it. Won't be buying any material for a bit, probably. Just don't want to waste brass.

Maybe I can find something at the Museum of Flight that'll work.. I haven't been by that shop in a while, and a friend who still volunteers there offered to get me spun up on their Bridgeport one of these Saturdays....

I remember prodding at the yahoo 7x14 site a long while back, I'll have to find it again. Gadget Builder is a new name to me, I'll look into that too. I think there was a few others I might be able to dig up from a dead drive's Bookmarks folder, if it still exists... my memory is terrible, so I'm sure I've been told some of this before, but it takes a reminder to joggle the noggin a bit. I wish I could blame that on age...I'm probably among the youngest here 

-- Rayanth

[Chris J]

"Gadget Builder is a new name to me"

I have found it a good site.

http://gadgetbuilder.com

[Jo]

Rayanth,

If you want some material to learn how to use your lathe may I suggest you take a walk around your local industrial  estate, find the jobbing shop, explain what you are doing and want to make and ask for some of their noggins out of the scrap bin.

Chances are once you explain that you are looking to make model engines they will find some better quality stuff as well as the odd ends  .

Jo

[Rayanth]

Next month I plan on ordering :

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=4555&step=4&showunits=inches&id=256&top_cat=60

It looks to be a reasonable price for a wide variety of aluminum bar. Just gotta wait on the budget to reset. Might be a looong month 

-- Rayanth

[Goldstar31]

Basicly, you should plan your hobby. I would be loathe to start on a regime of what appears to be in the midst of 'unknowns'
Get your lathe set up right- and then start making accessories and only then start making- whatever you fancy.

Once you have sorted out 'your troubles', you should be making your turning on the lathe easier and with it, extending your experience.
From - a not so wild guess, you are actually buying the fancy stuff rather than the bread and butter items. Fine, you'll need them but wouldn't you be better off by making a 'something' to grind up little boring tools and these you will need to poke little holes to make engines.
For a bit of silly studding- and a few nuts and washers, you could make a tool to tell you exactly where your lathe tool bit should be.  It will not win prizes in a competition or even merit taking a photograph- but it will work. It will have taken but a few minutes- and precious little money.
Again, you want to be able to determine lengths and depths but do you really need DRO's when a bit of rusty scrap metal will make up a capstan depth stop- and use the back ends of twist drills to act as gauges. Mine - well, it came to grief when the snows came and then the winds took my workshop roof off but I am making a new one -out of bits of rusty steel that corroded . The cost- was time. Oh and a lot of rust in my lathe tray!
I bought a set of 8mm studding and for a party piece some 6mm stuff- and I'm making a few more holding down bolts and things - but in cheaper metric sizes because here in the UK, Imperial stuff is costly and difficult to get.  The cost -again- a few very small notes.
With minimum 'disposable income', I bought a great lump of Meehanite as a scrap marking out table. I hacked it into usable pieces by chain drilling- and clouted it with a home made chisel to make it separate. I made up a tool and cutter grinder using a scrapped washing machine motor. The cost was pennies plus the all  important correct abrasive wheels.

Perhaps the foregoing will prove of interest- who knows? Photographs? I've still got my old cheap Russian Leica copy- and it don't work because I can't get 35mm film.

[zeeprogrammer]

Rayanth,

You mention 'online metals'...I don't know where you're located but also check out 'speedy metals'.
Depending on what you are buying, when, and what might be on sale, one or the other can be significantly cheaper than the other. I usually check both out when buying food for my lathe. Both will cut by the inch. Both have been good to me. Stay away from the kits...you'll have a lot of metal you'll never use or at least not for a long long time.

I don't remember what lathe you have...when I started out, I found this useful along with the links it contains...

www.mini-lathe.com

[Ian S C]

Sorry about the taper, I didn't read the thread correctly, and asumed the taper was the other way.
When I learned lathe work at school, the old Harrisons that we had(pre ww1 I think), had no dials on the control wheels, but we were told that =/- .002" was expected, and I think we all managed.     Ian S C

[Captain Jerry]

Metal is expensive but freight is even more so.  Search out local sources.  Scrap and Junk yards are a possibility.  Even hardware stores and farm supply stores.  If you can avoid freight cost you will be way ahead.

Jerry

[Goldstar31]

Perhaps for a beginner- and he is, tackling unknown scrap is a very doubtful recommendation.
Certainly, I would say get in a supply of a leaded steel which we Brits used to call EN1A. It is a known quantity whereas you can get a daft situation- as we did- when I made vee pulleys to change from a flat belt on a Pools Major.

The scrap yard stuff was a left over from making tank turrets at Vickers Armstrongs . Very educative- if you like such a thing!

[tel]

Perhaps for a beginner- and he is, tackling unknown scrap is a very doubtful recommendation.

Can't say I agree with that, scrap has been the mainstay metal supply for manys of us for eons. Yous soon learn to sort out just what will do what. Metal is all around us, a walk around the block (any block) should produce enough odds and ends laying on the grounds for several practice sessions. Also spread the word amongst your friends and acquaintances - soon they will be beating a path to your door with old bits of stuff and wore out appliances that are usually rich in pieces.