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Technical New lathe...now what!?!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Katuna, Feb 27, 2015.

  1. Katuna
    Joined: Feb 25, 2005
    Posts: 1,822

    Katuna
    Member
    from Clovis,Ca.

    So my father in law surprised me yesterday with this as a thank you for all the time I've spent building his 30 Chevy Coupe. Blew me away to say the least! Never had anyone do something like that for me. I've mentioned on a couple of occasions that I would like to get a lathe but never did anything about it other than scan Craigslist periodically.

    The problem is, how the hell do I use it? Any suggestions on books or online info? Haven't even unloaded it as we got back late after picking it up. Clean little unit.

    ImageUploadedByH.A.M.B.1425057735.631075.jpg

    A huge thank you to Johnnie Cox for the awesome gift! Now if I can just figure out how it works...
     
  2. '51 Norm
    Joined: Dec 6, 2010
    Posts: 829

    '51 Norm
    Member
    from colorado

    Once you have one there is no going back. One of those things that after awhile you begin to wonder how you got along without it.

    I learned how to run mine by breaking things. That may not be the best way.

    There are lots of online videos and instructions available. Since there are such a variety of things to make or modify look up what you are doing today and go for it.

    Good luck!
     
  3. My suggestion is this either become friends with a machinist or take a machinist course (a beginners course will suffice they should cover light machine work plus safety and tooling) at the local community college. Either of the afore mentioned will save you a ton in material and fingers.
     
    Dick Stevens likes this.
  4. Katuna
    Joined: Feb 25, 2005
    Posts: 1,822

    Katuna
    Member
    from Clovis,Ca.

    Thanks Norm! That's the one thing I want to avoid is breaking things! Unavoidable I guess.
     

  5. mt shasta steve
    Joined: Mar 26, 2010
    Posts: 270

    mt shasta steve
    Member

    I taught machine shop and welding at the high school and junior college level. Get a beginners machine shop book and go from there. You'll need a set of calipers, and lots of round stock to practice on. Have fun!
     
  6. Fedcospeed
    Joined: Aug 17, 2008
    Posts: 2,011

    Fedcospeed
    Member

    Pretty good problem to have!! My son and I just got one for ourselves also.That machine will open up a whole new level for you in your shop or garage.One can never have too many tools!!
     
  7. you know, they use to teach "metal shop" in high school. That is where I learned....but I guess that ship has sailed.
     
    JimSibley likes this.
  8. yeah, bummer. the first project they had us make was a hammer head.......still have it.
     
  9. Man, that's a pretty damned cool gift! It's on my wish list.
     
  10. Does he need another son in law?:D
     
  11. blowby
    Joined: Dec 27, 2012
    Posts: 8,661

    blowby
    Member
    from Nicasio Ca

    Learn how to grind bits...
     
  12. TagMan
    Joined: Dec 12, 2002
    Posts: 6,295

    TagMan
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Nice gift !! Eventually, you'll be wondering how you ever got along without it !!

    Ask around and try & find an old timer that was once a machinist. If I had an inquiry, I'd be more than happy to get a younger person interested with machining.

    Buy a copy of the South Bend company's booklet "How To Run A Lathe", which are available online. There's various editions of it, so look for the latest one you can find. Wealth of info in that little booklet.
     
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2015
    stimpy likes this.
  13. Dick Stevens
    Joined: Aug 7, 2012
    Posts: 3,710

    Dick Stevens
    Member

    Wow, a great father-in-law, and you must be a very good son-in-law too. So neat of him to get this for you, now, as beaner said, look into an evening or summer course at a local community college in basic machine work. Then it is a case of experience.
     
  14. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    video of operating the same basic model lathe

    Looks like he did good some research before buying that one as it has a good reputation.
    Link to the specs and list of optional pieces. http://www.machinetoolonline.com/PM-1127-VF.html

    Wish I had one but I'll probably end up with a 70 year old used one.
     
  15. One word.... Tooling. You have the lathe, now you need tooling. Cutting bits (different kinds for different metals and cutting angles), cutting fluid, cut-off blades, bit holders, dial calipers/micrometers/dial indicator, live and dead centers, the list goes on... A quick-change toolpost is a very useful accessory (well worth the money IMO). You can find all this stuff at http://www.use-enco.com . They have both cheaper Chinese stuff and high-$$ bits. The cheap stuff will be fine for 99% of what you can do with that lathe (a guy at a aircraft machine shop turned me on the them). HF has very little of this stuff, and what they do have isn't very good.

    A couple of good beginners books are 'The Amateurs Lathe' by L. H. Sparey and 'The Home Machinist's Handbook' by Doug Briney; both are available at Amazon (along with other titles).

    Have fun! As you get better with it, you'll find this can be addictive... LOL!
     
  16. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,143

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    [QUOTE="tb33anda3rd, post: 10867983, member: 126584"
    ]the first project they had us make was a hammer head.......still have it.[/QUOTE]

    Yep-- me too, near 40 yrs ago, before that though; they gave us a rough cut block of 1018,
    a T-square and a file, and told us to "machine" this square and smooth.
    First two things I would recommend getting is a pair of safety glasses and a machinery handbook,
    best money you will ever spend.
    P.S.--Measure twice, cut once, unless you need a paper weight.
     
    tb33anda3rd likes this.
  17. Katuna
    Joined: Feb 25, 2005
    Posts: 1,822

    Katuna
    Member
    from Clovis,Ca.

    Wow, thanks for all the replies. Yes, Johnnie is a very special dude. One of the members of his car club had brought this out from Denver from another family member and was looking for a buyer. I only saw it in the dark last night. We're going to unload after work.

    I've got a ton of Starret stuff so the measuring part is covered. Would the HF stuff be good enough to learn with? Figured they would have stuff but not GOOD stuff. Already been hitting YouTube.
     
  18. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,942

    squirrel
    Member

    I didn't think anyone (but me) did that any more!

    They have all those fancy new insert things and quick change holders and whatnot. I still do it the old way on my old South Bend 9
     
  19. ratrod72
    Joined: Sep 23, 2014
    Posts: 80

    ratrod72

    Yes you definitely need to know the basics before you start... Speeds an feeds grinding tools an always wear your safety glasses!!! The lathe is one of my most versatile tools in the shop but can be very dangerous if you don't know the basics...
     
  20. Katuna
    Joined: Feb 25, 2005
    Posts: 1,822

    Katuna
    Member
    from Clovis,Ca.

    "Wish I had one but I'll probably up with a 70 year old used one."

    Mr48- That's what I originally wanted. A cool old lathe with lots of exposed rotating things waiting to rip an arm off. Now that's traditional!

    However, with just the quick amount of education I've received in the last couple of hours, I see that I've got a pretty sweet machine, especially for a total novice.
     
  21. dos zetas
    Joined: May 10, 2009
    Posts: 175

    dos zetas
    Member

    Little red book from the 40s by the LS Starrett company, "How to run a lathe". Amazon for $2.00 and the best beginner's reference ever. It's sized to fit in the center draw of your machinist's chest. While you're there, get a old (before 1970) copy of "Machinery's Handbook", one thousand pages of vital info...speeds, feeds, characteristics of materials, everything. Also fits in the center drawer.
    Classic books for our classic builds, don't pass them up.
     
  22. Is this the modern name for a parting tool? Most dangerous tool in the shop.

    I have a little place on my forehead from a parting tool that got crowded a little too much. We had a kid fresh out of school in our shop and he was parting a piece off, I noticed he was hanging his head over the tool and I moved him aside and warned him about the tools penchant for snapping off. So he listened and kept his face out of the way, he snapped it and off got it stuck in my forehead I was about 20 feet away. That'll teach me to watch out for someone else. :D

    I still use high speed steel when I am working the proper material. It is also good for making tools to do a specific like cut a radius.
     
  23. GearheadsQCE
    Joined: Mar 23, 2011
    Posts: 3,375

    GearheadsQCE
    Alliance Vendor

    If you don't know a machinist, find a friend who does. Most of these guys feel that they're the last ones on earth that know how machining is done and would love to pass it down. The other thing is many times when guys retire from a shop, they sell off their stuff, literally for pennies on the dollar. My dad was a machinist and I will never have to buy a tool bit as long as I live and probably my sons won't either.
     
  24. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,143

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    Katuna--if you meant 70 year old Machinery's handbook; it will more than likely have most anything you will need to know for now.
    Short drive for you to Turlock swap meet or Bako CHRR (NHRA) swap meet, there is always an older guy there with lots of tooling, prices seemed fair too, I have seen quite a few handbooks there.
    Doug
     
  25. Last edited: Feb 27, 2015
  26. Katuna
    Joined: Feb 25, 2005
    Posts: 1,822

    Katuna
    Member
    from Clovis,Ca.

    I think Mr48Chev meant a 70 year old lathe.
     
  27. Katuna
    Joined: Feb 25, 2005
    Posts: 1,822

    Katuna
    Member
    from Clovis,Ca.

    Don't even know what came with it. It's was dark and we picked it up from another guys shop out of town so we were trying to get out of the guy hair.
     
  28. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,143

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    [QUOTE="GearheadsQCE, post: 10868102, member: 145496"
    ]If you don't know a machinist, find a friend who does. Most of these guys feel that they're the last ones on earth that know how machining is done and would love to pass it down.

    Partly true--my experience has been; many newer generation CNC trained "machinists" don't even know where to find the on/off button for a manual machine.
    In all fairness I am the same with CNC.
     

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