1st Attempt with Lathe
- Thread starter K Powers
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OccupantRJ
Well-known member
Gotta start somewhere. Keep the metal extending from the chuck as little as possible so it will be more rigid during cutting, and you are on your way.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
^^^^THIS^^^^
You don't want your material to chatter, and you sure as heck don't want it to catch and have a wreck. And don't worry, you will have a wreck someday. Every one has had their one or two accidents when running machines. You just want the first one to be painless and without bodily harm.
Becoming a machinist is something that does not come easy, and comes harder to others. So always think through every thing you do. Always think ahead and try to think what the consequence will be if you move this or move that. Learn to read you material and understand what it does. All material will flex to a certain degree. Also remember that heat expands. Try to visualize what will happen when cutting material and is starts heating up. Your dimensions will change. Learning to become a machinist is hard in one respect, but also easy in another. Take your time, learn to read your material. Learn to listen to your machine and what it is telling you. Yes, it will speak to you all the time it is running. Once you learn that, you'll find that machining can be a real blast.
And once you totally grasp the concept of machining, you will look at all sorts of things differently. Look at the items in front of you, and it hard to find anything that has not been machined in one way or another, or had machine work done to a tool(s) to get that part.
Keep at it, and you will love it. I know that I do, did, and will for years to come.
Good luck and make sure you post up some more projects that you get to machine up
OccupantRJ
Well-known member
Kind of funny how I got hired into the job I have been doing for 27 years. I was referred by my neighbor to take his place. When I went in for the interview, the owner asked me if I had any machining experience. I told him I had been running my 12" Craftsman lathe at home on the side to modify Powerglide transmission parts for a rebuilder. He asked me if I had ever run a Bridgeport. I told him no, but that the principles of operation seemed similar as far as controls and principles of metal removal went. He never blinked an eye and said "You're hired!" Trial by fire followed. Still running old school manuals with no DRO, due to it being a small company. Production runs CNC. Don't spend as much time on the machines these days due to other duties, which are rather multi-faceted, but I still love to twist those dials.
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Thanks for the advice on choking up on the material. Only one one close call bit dug in think I messed up finding material center. Had some misc tooling tried a few and even to an amateur it was amazing to see how well sharp bits cut vs. dull.
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Looks good for a first shot. The guide line I use is try to have only 3x the diameter of the meterial unsupported sticking out of any chuck/tool holder etc. This is a max. Less is better.
rsanter
Well-known member
Sonthenquestion is did the diameters you turned come out to the desired dimensions?
If you were not targeting a specific dimension then that's the next step. Choose a dimension to turn diameter and length to. Then see how well you get there
Bob
If you were not targeting a specific dimension then that's the next step. Choose a dimension to turn diameter and length to. Then see how well you get there
Bob
No it was really a experiment. Got the lathe back together and couldn't resist. I need to work out a few kinks then I'll dig in to trying to turn to a spec. The carriage is a little sticky on the ways and both the tool post and compound slide have tons of backlash.
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Tubalcain on youtube is a retired shop teacher and has 100s of lathe/mill videos. From turning it on to rebuilding machines.... Very informative to watch, even if you have experience.
yes, Ive been watching them, great videos. I plan on making his plumb bob when ready.
ilovevocs
Well-known member
One of the first things I made with my lathe was a punch out of o1 drill rod. Hardened and annealed it with my propane torch and a coffee can of oil. Its a simple first project and you end up with a useful tool.
LX-Markham
Well-known member
665.0coupe
Member
Looks good. My word of advise, NEVER leave the chuck key in the chuck.
When I learned that lesson the hard way it only hit the ways and slipped the drive belt. I have seen people throw it across the room.
When I learned that lesson the hard way it only hit the ways and slipped the drive belt. I have seen people throw it across the room.
Those projects suggested are good ideas! Stuff you can make and lean, and not worry too much about tolerances... Brass punches, another good idea is a hammer with interchangeable heads (brass plastic copper) Useful stuff that doesnt matter if its perfect or even good looking!
Been using a lathe myself for about a year now and the Tubalcain videos on YouTube are great.
You'll really start learning once you need to make or modify something. So far I've made bushings, spacers, bushing drivers, adapters for the shop press and for precise drilling and tapping.
Check out Ebay for lots of round stock and get a bunch of different sizes and have at it.
You'll really start learning once you need to make or modify something. So far I've made bushings, spacers, bushing drivers, adapters for the shop press and for precise drilling and tapping.
Check out Ebay for lots of round stock and get a bunch of different sizes and have at it.
OccupantRJ
Well-known member
12L14, otherwise known as Ledloy, is a good steel to practice on the lathe with. It is a pleasure to machine, and is good for a beginner. I do my work machining on steel, copper, brass, stainless, aluminum, bronze, polycarbonate, Bakelite, Teflon, nylon, wood, thermoplastics, thermoset plastics, rubber, and probably some I have forgotten. Most of my machining is repair, modification or prototyping. You will get better as you practice, and every day will be a new learning experience. I find running an engine lathe very relaxing.
hunter1151
Well-known member
Rule #2............don't leave much sticking out the other end of the lathe either. It will smear your lipstick quick.
kazlx
Well-known member
Threading is addictive...
raddksn
Well-known member
Yes it is, and relaxing!
I'm still not comfy with internal threads but I try!