lathe and tools

[series60]

What is the minimum required tooling for a lathe to build a easy first compressed air engine. I have a lathe and some cutters but not awhole lot else. my lathe only has a 3 jaw chuck. thanks. brian

 

[rake60]

Welcome to HMEM Brian.

My very first running engine was built using nothing but a drill press, a few drill
bits, a reamer, some files and a lot of emery cloth.

I only dreamed about having a hobby lathe at back then.

Rick

 

[Tin Falcon]

Knowledge of what the lathe will do. perseverance . Imagination.

there are three books you can download and read that will get you started

south bend How to run a lathe.
army tc 9-524
Navy machinery repairman manual.
concentrate on the lathe sections. and the hand tool bench areas as well as basic layout.

You may want to purchase this book:
Making Simple Model Steam Engines
Format: Hardcover
Author: Bray, Stan
Hardcover, Crowood Press (UK), 2005, ISBN# 1861267738
$31 2 wally world on-line.
if you read some of the old turn of the century 1880-1920 vintage modeling books you will see many techniques using simple tools. these are available on google books and Archive.org.

Tin Falcon

 

[kf2qd]

A usable drill set, some sort of small boring bar, some HSS tool blanks of the proper size. Fancier and better tools make it easier, but the basics will get the job done, albeit a bit slower.

The best work is not because the builder had the best tools, but the best skills. As you make stuff you will develop skills. As long as you are not too anal about looks early on you will develop skills and things will look better as you get experience.

Oh - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You may covet those perfectly polished engines, or you may be more interested in a working engine and not be so concerned about polish. Whatever fits your fancy.

 

[albertorc19]

"The Mini Lathe" by David Fenner is a nice little book for the beginner, with good information about cutters and tools. It costs about 10 dollars including S&H at The Book Depository. You can also find free e-books about lathework at the Open Library, they were published in the 19th century but much of the information is quite valuable. I've found a few free books on model engineering at the same place. Those old books describe the work model engineers had to do with lathes without electric motors and with very basic tooling.
For my first engine, a small 7 mm oscillator I used: 7mm, 1.2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm drill bits, right hand cutter, M3 tap. For me, part of the fun with every project is on the trips I have to do to the hardware store, just keep your expenses on check.

 

[Anko]

You should get some hss blanks and a bench grinder / sanding machine to grind the hss, some drills, a tailstock drill chuck is essential, some screw die taps as an engine will require some tapered holes to put screws.

If your lathe come with a faceplate, you could use that instead of a four jaw chuck.

And a bench drill.

That should be enougth to start turning projects, the web is full of little tools and lathe attachment projects that just requiere a lathe and the basics tooling listed above.

Nobody mention precision tools, those are very essential, they will allow you to measure your work, without them you are turning blind.

Some basic measuring tools are:
-Dial indicator with magnetic base
-Micrometer 0-25mm (or 0-1") as you like
-a Caliper
-Machinist square (at leas for me)

You can buy those very cheap (import) and they are very reliable.

Hope to help

Saludos

 

[Tin Falcon]

Anko is correct
basic hand tools measuring tools etc.
I intended to add these basics to the post but must have forgaot to hit the save tab.
1) 6" rule
2) 6" calipers
3) 0-1" Mic preferably reading by.0001
4) t Gage or gauges for measuring internal diameters
5)scibe
6 Prick punch & center punch
8) tap handle
9)Taps.

Also an introduction please.
Tin