I was given a Metal Lathe., Help me choose projects. Options

[Series9]

The moment you learn to speak English/American/Canadian, I would love to hear what you have to say. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[r_towle]

Shirts should say "turning stuff into shit"
Or "turning shit into stuff"

[veekry9]

From the Latin.
Plagiarism:plagiarism is the "wrongful appropriation" and "stealing and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts,ideas,
or expressions" and the representation of them as one's own original work.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiarism
'It isn't brass you ass',an observation by journeymen of apprentice's errors.
Not knowing the difference is a signal of ignorance and or negligence,a result of lack of knowledge.
Attempting to machine and sell an aircraft part without the oversight and endorsement of an Engineer is a felony,punishable by life imprisonment.
The material selection of vital automotive components likewise,requires an engineer's approval,as a failure of control parts causing harm,may be grounds for prosecution.
Discovering a trig error in a preliminary ruf op,it was determined that the entire 900kg lot of S5000 was scrapped.
The machinist responsible was questioned,he attempted to cover his ass,not wishing to be held accountable,he was.
I learned a few years later from a disgruntled journeyman,a former employee,that they had replaced the material with 4340,the availability of that specified,untimely.
The switch was discovered by the client,a suit was brought,the vendor forced into surrender and loss.Military helicopter flight control components.
http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMater...?bassnum=M434AE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_spectrometry
http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a231588.pdf
http://standards.sae.org/amss5000/
Caveat emptor.
http://www.goltens.com/in-situ-machining/f...ing-on-schedule
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babbitt_(alloy)
To something like this,actually,exactly like this,steel mill shears to heavy crushers and their power transmission gears,shafts and boxes.
Hydrostatic conversions are economical life extenders,for heavily loaded shafts,on legacy large capital equipment.
Several decades later,I recall,a 44"ID bearing was repaired in record time,prompting the prez to remark to the gm,"Now he's a machinist!".
He made it worth my while,we continued until he retired the chair and passed away shortly afterwards,a decent selfmade man,100M+.
Having had the privilege of working with these men over the course of four decades and more,a common attribute is a low tolerance for bs.
Clearly,some of the 'advice'extended here by charlatans and neophytes is of that nature.
/

[Mueller]

Fantastic information. Some of the tools have a wax-like protective coating on the tips. That's probably what you're seeing as "poor resolution".

Again you’re most welcome!
The wax on the tool ends comes on new HSS tools to protect them in transit and storage, so hopefully if the cutting edge is intact, they should be good to go.
As Nathan says Carbide, Ceramic tool tips come in box sets 6, 10 12 etc and at $20 a tip it’s a big initial expense. You also need the correct tool holder that can be anything from $50 to $200 to fit them in.
Yes you flip them once the edge is chipped so you get 2 or 3 cutting sides per tip but you CANNOT sharpen them, just throw them in the trash can. Speed, feed, material, angle and depth of cut need to be right for these type of tools (as Nathan has said) they chip and break real easy.
Generally used for high spindle speed turning 1000rpm upwards by operators with a good knowledge.
This is why I’m steering you away from this type of tool as a beginner. Besides you can do pretty much everything you need at home with HSS tools for less cost and lower lathe speeds.

If you ever see a pot of this stuff don't be tempted to stick your finger into it like one could do with a melting candle!

Much, much hotter and it doesn't come off as easily...and no, I didn't do it. Some other knuckle head did it a few years ago in our tool cutter and grinder shop.

[Series9]

Fantastic information. Some of the tools have a wax-like protective coating on the tips. That's probably what you're seeing as "poor resolution".

If you ever see a pot of this stuff don't be tempted to stick your finger into it like one could do with a melting candle!

Much, much hotter and it doesn't come off as easily...and no, I didn't do it. Some other knuckle head did it a few years ago in our tool cutter and grinder shop.

Is he on the "9 Finger Edition" of his T-shirts? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)


You guys are warning and warning me about how dangerous machine shops can be, but they appear to be filled, at least partially ( (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ) with idiots.

[Series9]

Got the new tool post.

Now I have to take the base to a machine shop with a mill to cut the base of the T nut.

Dammit.

[Series9]

Two questions:

Given a narrow bushing, like a clutch pulley on a 914:

How do you accurately chuck something so thin?

How do you chuck this in a way that you can machine the outer diameter?

I have a feeling that the answer is to make a tool to insert in the chuck and then mount the bushing with a bolt.

[Series9]

Perhaps a better route to this question:

If I were going to make this bushing from brass, I think the steps would be:

1. Chuck up some solid brass stock.

2. Face the end.

3. Bore the inner diameter.

4. Turn the outer diameter.

5. Create the contour on the face (although it's not necessary to the finished piece).

6. Groove the OD for the cable.

7. Part the pulley from the parent stock, leaving a small amount to turn the other face.

8. Then what? How do I put it back in the lathe in a way that I can turn a parallel face on the parted side?

[toolguy]

How to hold something on the inside with a small diameter
Use expanding arbor collets, just another in the line of the many tools you'll need. .

How to hold thin wall tube. . . 6 jaw chuck is best, make percision inside bushing so you don't distort the tube.

[914forme]

Got the new tool post.

Now I have to take the base to a machine shop with a mill to cut the base of the T nut.

Dammit.

Wow that is an old school Apple Mouse

[Mikey914]

You have the right idea, we did leave off the grove detail on the delrin ones as it's not necessary, and would require a second operation to add to the back side. We finish off the back side on the part off.

[Series9]

You have the right idea, we did leave off the grove detail on the delrin ones as it's not necessary, and would require a second operation to add to the back side. We finish off the back side on the part off.

So, is that a parting tool that contains the profile?

[Darren C]

Joe,

You have 2 options here.

Face off the bar stock.
Machine the "hub" profile on front face.
Machine large diameter and cut cable groove.

Here's where you choose option 1 or 2

Option 1

Using parting tool cut reverse of pulley down the the Largest diameter of hub profile.
Second run with parting tool closer to the chuck (and to the overall width of the pulley at the hub and to the smaller size of pulley hub bevel NOT hole size)
Grind a thin tool for hub bevel, fit down double width parting slot and cut Hub profile on reverse of pulley nearest chuck.
Now drill hole through centre (left until near the end to retain strength).
Finally part off to over all width.

Option 2

Buy some reverse jaws for your chuck

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i265.photobucket.com-18255-1457298117.1.jpg)

Part pulley off fully extra wide, flip and cut hub profile in reverse jaw chuck.

Hope that makes sense?

[Mikey914]

You have the right idea, we did leave off the grove detail on the delrin ones as it's not necessary, and would require a second operation to add to the back side. We finish off the back side on the part off.

So, is that a parting tool that contains the profile?

Yes, and it's possible to and the detail on the bacside, but you waste more material handling have more machine time per unit.

[Series9]

You have the right idea, we did leave off the grove detail on the delrin ones as it's not necessary, and would require a second operation to add to the back side. We finish off the back side on the part off.

So, is that a parting tool that contains the profile?

Yes, and it's possible to and the detail on the bacside, but you waste more material handling have more machine time per unit.

I have no intention to compete on this part, so for my education as a machinist, may I see a picture of the parting tool that you use to accomplish that in one pass?

Please. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Series9]

Option 2

Buy some reverse jaws for your chuck

I infer from this that the lands on the jaws on the chuck should be perfectly perpendicular to the X axis (or turning axis).

I assumed this at first, but have found this assumption to not be true (no pun intended). That assumption ruined that brake rotor I first turned last month.

I actually faced the outside of the jaws on my chuck in an attempt to be able to simply chuck a piece up square with the jaws. I haven't had any real success in that respect.

[mbseto]

Hey if you're still looking for projects to make, I have a 4" telescope objective lens with a fine thread. Need to thread a tube for it, or at least a short section I can weld on to the end of a tube. If you're game for something like that, I'll come up with exact measurements.

[Darren C]

I actually faced the outside of the jaws on my chuck in an attempt to be able to simply chuck a piece up square with the jaws. I haven't had any real success in that respect.

Jeeez Joe...That's a bit harsh!!!

Standard orientation chuck jaws can clamp around the metal bar in the most conventional way; but also open outwards to clamp inside large tube. (subject to it being a short length of tube or supported in a lathe steady. or have a rotating centre at the other end)

With a reverse jaw set you can clamp around the outside of larger diameters (that conventional jaws wont open up far enough to hold) or where the metal doesn't need to pass through the eye of the chuck. The beauty of the reverse jaws is that you use the shoulder "step or land" of the jaw to push up against and get the "job" flush and square. (Ideal with your pulley example where its too thin once parted off to clamp and get it running true without great effort to machine the reverse side)

I'm not sure what condition your chuck is in but you should NEVER need to turn down chuck jaws! Besides, good quality jaws are hardened steel and at best you'll ruin your lathe tool.

What you need is a good 4 jaw chuck with conventional jaws and a good 3 jaw with conventional and reverse jaw set and you should be able to turn most things.
Anything big, you need a bigger lathe and faceplates which is completely different territory that you aren't ready for just yet and to be fair I doubt you'll ever need in a garage.

[Series9]

Hey if you're still looking for projects to make, I have a 4" telescope objective lens with a fine thread. Need to thread a tube for it, or at least a short section I can weld on to the end of a tube. If you're game for something like that, I'll come up with exact measurements.

I am not up to threading yet.

[Series9]

Lathe update: I still have ten fingers!


I'm still not up to threading, but I do get much more reliable results these days.


Here's a little thing I did today that saved me at least five days of waiting. I'm working on making a fuel injector kit for Vanagons where I'm going to use EV6 injectors and CB fuel rails. Well, good fittings to go in the rails are hard to find here, so I went to Lowe's and got four crappy barb fittings and then "fixed them".

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)