My first lathe tool set

[Kermit]

I found the pictures for the tools in a book

here is the books title page.


Books, books books...what'd ya expect from an owl.

Kermit

 

[arnoldb]

Kermit, it's funny how books disagree... I'm also an Owl (Read a lot ) and even worse a parrot - I repeat anything ;D

I have to agree with Steamer though, the bit shown in that picture for brass is wrong - brass needs a 0 to negative rake. I also have to "disagree" with the thread cutting tools shown, but this is (pretty much) personal opinion. It will work (well) if the angle is compensated for the rake on the tool (i.e. a very slightly wider angle), otherwise the thread you cut will be at too narrow an angle. More experienced machinists than myself might prove me wrong though

Regards, Arnold.

 

[mklotz]

The best advice would be to get your lathe set up, grab a fistful of tool blanks, grind some shapes and use them to turn some simple forms. You'll learn more about what works and what doesn't in your first eight hours of turning than you'll likely ever learn from studying old texts. If some of the tools you grind don't work well, regrind them. That's the beauty of HSS.

There's just no substitute for hands-on experience in this hobby.

 

[steamer]

Kermit,

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=4329.msg45224#msg45224

Try this thread....there's an attachment on one of my posts you may find useful.


Dave

 

[Kermit]

The best advice would be to get your lathe set up, ...
There's just no substitute for hands-on experience in this hobby.

On THAT note I called my son yesterday and lit a fire of guilt under his lazy butt. Hopefully he and his roommate and their landlords offspring will all be here this evening to have bench capping party.

The lathe is going to be sat on her throne. I just can't do it with only the wife for help.

(Kermit puts a hand to his ear - He's sure he heard a brass fanfare starting as he typed those words)

Now you poor fools will have to suffer the outrages of my freshly mangled metal objects. I'll be calling them parts, due to lack of experience. 8)


HEY FOOZER - you'er about to be out newbied!
Kermit

 

[mklotz]

Once you get the lathe mounted, you'll want to get it leveled, i.e., un-twisted. This can be a fiddly procedure but don't let it deter you from making some chips and getting some practice. Things don't have to be clinically organized for you to make some practice cuts and get a feel for how things work. Don't let preparation interfere with practice.

Besides, a heavy lathe on a wooden bench is going to deform the bench. Hopefully, not much but enough to matter at the level your micrometer can measure. When you get around to leveling, I would check it every week for a month after the initial setup and every month for a year thereafter. Since it's wood, it might be worth recording the temperature and humidity along with the alignment results to give you a feel for how things are affected by the ambient conditions.

Do you have access to a sensitive machinist's level? If not, you may want to start thinking about where you might borrow one. Since you're in Houston, you may want to connect with the local HSM club

http://www.homemetalshopclub.org/

There's probably someone there who could help you out.

 

[Kermit]

Thank you for the suggestions Marv.

I have a "date" of sorts with a machinist friend of mine from work. He has promised to help me with any alignment issues and after the lathe is mounted I expect I can have him visit me in the coming week sometime.

;D


Did I hear someone say "'Bout damn time"? 8) I need to tell her to quit reading over my shoulder
Kermit

 

[mklotz]

Did I hear someone say "'Bout damn time"?

I didn't realize I said it that loudly.

 

[Kermit]

And after the long wait.


It will take a 1/4" bite out of this tube of 1018 and has not chattered or shivered. If I go to fast the shavings turn yellow and blue. I think that is telling me to slow down my feed. No coolant just a squirt of wd40 every once in a while when I clean away the little slinky spring coils. Should the metal break and give more/smaller chips vs these infinite coils?

Don't know - but it cuts smooth and quiet.

Kermit

 

[Maryak]

Kermit,

At last Eh

With steel, you need to have a chip breaker ground on your tool to get chips rather than long spirals of swarf.

Hope this helps ???

Best Regards
Bob

 

[Kermit]

Well, after TWO clean ups on the lathe from two cutting sessions.

I have to say...seeing as it has caused no harm and the cutting angle and action remain the same in both...Iprefer the Loooong stringy curls. When I need to clear something away, a light tug from behind pulls ALL of the metal off the cross slide base. When it's time to pick it all up, one big hand full picks up everything but some dusting and odd bits here and there. Easy to get with a throwaway rag! ;D

If its all the same to you fellas, I'm gonna keep making looooong stringy spirals of swarf with this rod of deliciously smooth cutting steel. I had thought it was 1018 like 99% of the odds and ends from work(cutoffs), but am beginning to think this might be something else. Anyone know a quick and easy way to test for leadalloy(12L14?)

There. That should be sufficient. (Kermit dusts his hands together and puzzles a new problem) How to cut off the piece from such a loooooong thick wall tube?(I'm really using that looooong word today) No other answer than to stop putting off putting the bandsaw together. Opened once last month, and upon seeing the huge number of bags of parts and slats of sheet metal, immediately closed back up and set upon the 'todo' shelf. There's a reason for all my procrastination, but I'll not bother anyone with that drivel.

Time to do what must be done. You're rid of me for now, eh?

Back with some pics and greasy finger prints then,
Kermit

 

[Kermit]

Put together successfully. But close inspection revealed a dent and further investigation showed a busted motor run capacitor.

Will get another one come monday. 35uf and 240 VAC was marked on the old one. I've got one in mind good for 320 VAC but only 32 uf... might be just the thing if the fit is right. otherwise will have to jury rig that as well.

;D Just the kind of thing this old tech has been missing since turning QC. Lots of cooked up solutions to the problems at hand from the material at hand(or close by at least) Damn the waiting, but free almost never comes with 'fast and easy included ;D


Here ya go

damage

 

[Kermit]

Okay...........

I just needed another reminder it seems.