Craftsman model 109 advice

Trainman3450 · Oct 2, 2014

Hello all. I've recently purchased a Craftman model 109 lathe and I'm looking for some advice on how to go about running it, what kind of upgrades I can get for it or have made for it, and just in general how to use it properly, as well as the best way to use a parting tool with this lathe.

Also, if this isn't the right place to put this kind of thread, I'd like it if the admins could relocate it to the proper place for me.

werowance · Oct 3, 2014

that sort of depends on what all tooling if any came with it? mine only came with a single dead center, no motor not idler pulley. i have since upgraded (some may not see it as an upgrade) to a chinese all in one. that said, a few of my favorite things i purchased for my 109 when i had it were: live center, a2z quick change tool post - i never learned to get along with the lantern style tool post, and a 3 jaw chuck -at the time i hated 4 jaw independent chucks. if yours didnt come with it, id also suggest locating a multi step pulley to go between the motor and the lathe pulley to provide more speed ranges. if you dont have a full set of change gears, thats something else to look for on ebay as well.

some other things would be a dial test indicator to square things up in that 4 jaw chuck, a caliper, some hss tool blanks ( i liked buying used ones from estate sales and such on ebay that i learned by looking at how someone else ground the tips and tried test cuts with each, and most had plenty of room to regrind to different shapes if need be)

of course there are others much more "learned" than i am as i am still learning my self, so take that into consideration when looking at my advice on things to buy for it.

canadianhorsepower · Oct 3, 2014

you might want to read this also

http://www.deansphotographica.com/machining/projects/109/109a.html

Trainman3450 · Oct 3, 2014

My lathe came with an odd boring tool/finishing tool combo, two dead-centers, one 4-jaw chuck and that's about it. I'm thinking there might be a little wear on the spindle bearings and it may need a new gib for the carriage, do you know of anywhere I can get those parts?