My new toys

[herman]

I did not realize there were so many lathe owners on the board. I got one a while back and am just learning how to use it. I am keeping my eye out for a milling machine. Any good books on lathe use? I checked with the local tech school, they use to actually teach tech stuff but for some reason now only teach computers, how to start a small business and English as a second language.

 

[350xfire]

I have been told by a machinist that "Machinery's Handbook" is the bible for machining. It runs about $100 new but you can get older versions much cheaper. They are up to 28th edition or so.

 

[DIWdiver]

I have a copy of "Machinery's Handbook" that's not quite as old as I am. I refer to it once in a while, but it's really more of a reference than a "how to". I recommend getting it, but don't expect to learn how to run a lathe from it. I also have a copy of "How to Run a Lathe" from South Bend Lathe Works. It's much older, and more helpful in learning what to do. Both were purchased on eBay, where they are normally readily available.

D

 

[kawaboy]

Hi all

I also am a mill/lathe addict in between dives.

Here are a few sites that were very helpful to me when I first started out. I got the lathe/milling machine a few years ago with the intention (hah hah...) of building steam engines. The diving got the better of me so I now have a shed with all the machine shop toys.

My current project is to build an HID canister light.

Here ya go...the usual disclaimer about not having any vested interests in these companies applies:

LittleMachineShop.com - About Us

GadgetBuilder's MiniLathe Site

mini-lathe.com home page (very informative with a lot of links to other sites)

I hope these help.

Cheers

Joe

 

[350xfire]

Just got done facing the end of a 7" piece of 2.5" Delrin... Came out nice an straight. Next comes boring followed by turning the outside diameter to make everythigng nice... I think I'll knurl the outside a few inches...

 

[350xfire]

Canister is being put together... I am realizing every day that I need, yet another tool to do what I want. Drill bit extender, steady rest, 4 jaw chuck, MT2 live center, and so on and so forth... Like Pack said, the cheap part is the lathe. It's like a Playstation or a WII.

I used the mill to mill out the switch hole for the lid. Came out good, not perfect but good. The canister, while good, leaves a bit to be desired. Looks relly good on the outside, however, it moved a bit causing the bore to be a bit off. This will not hurt function, though and it really is looking good... It takes a loooong time to bore out a canister. I now know why they are so damn expensive!!!
Anyway, I'll post pics when I finish, I am waiting for some more tools before I go back to working on it...
For anyone wanting to tackle on a light project, I will be building some more cans and will be selling them cheap compared to the ones being sold by Dive Rite or what used to be Salvo, so let me know. I should have my skills developed after building this first one. This is just something I am doing for fun and to learn a skill so I am not looking to get rich off it.

 

[elmer fudd]

I've got that same mill/lathe combo in picture 1. While the lathe doesn't have an autofeed, I've still found it to be acceptable for the kind of work I do. The mill on the other hand is a pretty poor excuse for a milling machine. It works fine for small, light work, but the turret doesn't lock down securely enough and more than once I have ruined a piece when it suddenly decided to rotate a few degrees under load. If you're doing a bigger project, (I've inlet a few gun stocks now with my mill), the presence of the lathe and the relatively short adjustment length of your y and z axis will be limiting. It's just hard to mill anything that's more than about 3" high or needs a continuous line cut of more than about 8".

Still, for $250 you can't beat it. I paid $500 for mine and if I had it to do over again I'd plan on spending probably three or four times that for two separate machines, (some day I plan on doing just that). At the time though, I thought I was already spending a lot of money for something that I didn't know much about and might turn out to be unnecessary. My fears were unfounded however. If you're a tinkerer, a mill and a lathe will turn out to be two of the most useful tools you own.

 

[350xfire]

I've got that same mill/lathe combo in picture 1. While the lathe doesn't have an autofeed, I've still found it to be acceptable for the kind of work I do. The mill on the other hand is a pretty poor excuse for a milling machine. It works fine for small, light work, but the turret doesn't lock down securely enough and more than once I have ruined a piece when it suddenly decided to rotate a few degrees under load. If you're doing a bigger project, (I've inlet a few gun stocks now with my mill), the presence of the lathe and the relatively short adjustment length of your y and z axis will be limiting. It's just hard to mill anything that's more than about 3" high or needs a continuous line cut of more than about 8".

Still, for $250 you can't beat it. I paid $500 for mine and if I had it to do over again I'd plan on spending probably three or four times that for two separate machines, (some day I plan on doing just that). At the time though, I thought I was already spending a lot of money for something that I didn't know much about and might turn out to be unnecessary. My fears were unfounded however. If you're a tinkerer, a mill and a lathe will turn out to be two of the most useful tools you own.

I agree, had I not found the deal, I would not have own that one. I would much rather buy separates. I used the mill to open up the recess for the switch in the lid and worked pretty good. We are talking Delrin here so not much effort required.