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Matt,
I pretty much bought all of the accessories that HF sells for my little lathe. Which is only five or six items. I may buy a quick change head in the near future, but some things I actually worked projects up to learn how these accessories worked.

Jerry

Matt,

Looks like you will soon have the first one, a tailstock drill chuck.
What to get next depends on what sort of work you are undertaking, I
would consider a faceplate or steadyrest.

Craig

--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "kf4zgz <kf4zgz@n...>"
<kf4zgz@n...> wrote:

What are the first two accessories I should get now that I have a
lathe. I'm on a quest today. Off to see the wizard...no , off to

find

a mt2 arbor for a Jacobs chuck.

Matt, kf4zgz

Hi Matt,
What do you intend to do with your lathe? Although it is impractical to run out and buy tooling only when you find that you need it, until you actually plan a project or job, you could be spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on things you may never use or not use for quite some time.
So, the first thing to do is decide on a project. Then, plan the project and get the tooling/accessories needed to complete it.

Hope this helps.

- Charlie

What are the first two accessories I should get now that I have a
lathe. I'm on a quest today. Off to see the wizard...no , off to find
a mt2 arbor for a Jacobs chuck.

Matt, kf4zgz

Dean,

As David said, having your elbow at about 90 degrees when operating
the cross-slide is optimal. This same recommendation was made by
Sparey 50 years ago, so it's probably withstood the test of time. The
mini-lathe cross-slide handle center is about 6 1/8 inches from the
bench top when the rubber feet are installed. Discover the height of
your wrist when the elbow is comfortable in the range of about 90
degrees and build/locate/buy/scrounge a bench that is about 6 1/8
inches less than that measurement.

Craig

--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "Dean Gebhardt <craftsman@n...>"
<craftsman@n...> wrote:

What have the members here found to be a good working height for the
mini-lathes (bed height) ? I'm considering using the lower half of

a

roll-away tool box, or something similar. Any comments?

Dean

Dean, I am 5'11" and I have some minor back problems. I like the
table top to be 41" from the floor. It puts things at a comfortable
level for my back and my elbows are just under 90 degrees to the
controls. I feel for me it also puts everything at a comfortable
viewing distance. I also work standing up. If you plan to be seated
while working, the roll-away should be a good height.

David Edwards
nitehawk at ABCS dot com



--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "Dean Gebhardt
<craftsman@n...>" <craftsman@n...> wrote:

What have the members here found to be a good working height for

the

mini-lathes (bed height) ? I'm considering using the lower half of

a

roll-away tool box, or something similar. Any comments?

Dean

What have the members here found to be a good working height for the
mini-lathes (bed height) ? I'm considering using the lower half of a
roll-away tool box, or something similar. Any comments?

Dean

More sites:








Roy
--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "kf4zgz <kf4zgz@n...>"
<kf4zgz@n...> wrote:

Hi gang!
I've been playing,er, working with the lathe and learning a
lot....now fer some info.

1- What type of tool is best for what job?
considerations: cost, main material is plastic (PVC), some metal
involved to keep if interesting.
is there a general purpose tool for most use?
HSS or carbide....pre-made or grind my own?

2-Is there a way to hold square or odd pieces in a 3-jaw chuck?

3- Is there a good book to learn these things from...i.e. 'Metal
Lathes for dummies"

4- Suggestion for a good 1st time real project, thats easy!

Thanks , Matt

For most stuff, a well sharpened HSS tool gives the best results.
However, there's a lot to be said for the convenience of a pre-ground
carbide tool. HF sells a small insert style set of holders, the
inserts are appreciably nicer than the cheap, brazed shank tools.
The 3-jaw is mostly for round/hexagonal pieces. It's possible to
hold squares in it, but, they're off-center & not very secure. A 4-
jaw can hold just about anything to whatever degree of accuracy
you've got the patience to set it to. There are some 4" body ones
that are more capable than the 3" body sold by HF, Grizzly, etc.
The classic lathe book is, "How to run a lathe" by the Southbend
Lathe co. Lindsay books has it & lots more reprints of old books.



Roy
--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "kf4zgz <kf4zgz@n...>"
<kf4zgz@n...> wrote:

Hi gang!
I've been playing,er, working with the lathe and learning a
lot....now fer some info.

1- What type of tool is best for what job?
considerations: cost, main material is plastic (PVC), some metal
involved to keep if interesting.
is there a general purpose tool for most use?
HSS or carbide....pre-made or grind my own?

2-Is there a way to hold square or odd pieces in a 3-jaw chuck?

3- Is there a good book to learn these things from...i.e. 'Metal
Lathes for dummies"

4- Suggestion for a good 1st time real project, thats easy!

Thanks , Matt

--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "kf4zgz <kf4zgz@n...>"
<kf4zgz@n...> wrote:

Hi gang!
I've been playing,er, working with the lathe and learning a

1- What type of tool is best for what job?
considerations: cost, main material is plastic (PVC), some metal
involved to keep if interesting.
is there a general purpose tool for most use?
HSS or carbide....pre-made or grind my own?

HSS is good for most turning. I only recently used a carbide
cutter for the first time with little difference, but I'm not very
experienced. Of course, you have to grind the HSS blanks.

2-Is there a way to hold square or odd pieces in a 3-jaw chuck?

Sparey mentions this in his excellent book "Amateur's Lathe", but
also mentions not stressing or straining the self-centering chuck.

3- Is there a good book to learn these things from...i.e. 'Metal
Lathes for dummies"

The book mentioned by bflint, "Work Holding in the Lathe", by
Tubal Cain is also excellent, and Wise Owl is a good company. They
also have Sparey's book.

The www.mini-lathe.com web site, by Frank Hoose is an excellent
source of information on the mini-lathe.

4- Suggestion for a good 1st time real project, thats easy!

The first thing I made was a cylinder for a small engine that I
just designed on the fly. I made it of 1" aluminum round stock with a
1/2" bore, tapered exterior with fins, a small unfined area ending
with a crankcase mounting flange, and a gasket surface for a cylinder
head at the other end. Finished length is about 1 3/8".

You can see model engine pictures at websites by search for
various things, like model engine, or Sparey diesel, and other similar
things.

Craig

Matt,
There are lots of books out there. Check your library first if you
want to save some money! Here's a link to an onsite selection of
good books on machining.



See #15 on the list in particular for one on "Workholding in the
Lathe" regarding your question #2. Odd shaped pieces are best
handled in an independent 4-jaw chuck, or by mounting them to a
faceplate mounted to your lathe's spindle.

Online, MIT has a nice set of pages with some general machining
tips, including some video clips that help you see what they are
talking about.



Regarding tools, I find HSS toolbits best for general all-around
use (for aluminum, brass), but there are different bits for different
applications and materials.
Flint

--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "kf4zgz <kf4zgz@n...>"
<kf4zgz@n...> wrote:

Hi gang!
I've been playing,er, working with the lathe and learning a
lot....now fer some info.

1- What type of tool is best for what job?
considerations: cost, main material is plastic (PVC), some metal
involved to keep if interesting.
is there a general purpose tool for most use?
HSS or carbide....pre-made or grind my own?

2-Is there a way to hold square or odd pieces in a 3-jaw chuck?

3- Is there a good book to learn these things from...i.e. 'Metal
Lathes for dummies"

4- Suggestion for a good 1st time real project, thats easy!

Thanks , Matt

bflint@... mumbled:

Neil,
Yep, been here almost 6 years. You?

That link you posted for the other manual is chapter 7 of the same
one that we're just getting the index for on the 7x10 group!
I see that we can all go right to the source (the Army) and get
the full manual online at:



B Flint

Speaking of Army docs, read this quick page, and then
download anything you ever thought you wanted asap
before it all disappears...



Been in Austin since 1999, but been unemployed for some time
now, so I rented out my house (Steiner) and have been travelling
for the last four months. Should be back in Austin in Feb
sometime ... for our annual Shelby Cobra event.

Cheers,
-Neil.

Hi gang!
I've been playing,er, working with the lathe and learning a
lot....now fer some info.

1- What type of tool is best for what job?
considerations: cost, main material is plastic (PVC), some metal
involved to keep if interesting.
is there a general purpose tool for most use?
HSS or carbide....pre-made or grind my own?

2-Is there a way to hold square or odd pieces in a 3-jaw chuck?

3- Is there a good book to learn these things from...i.e. 'Metal
Lathes for dummies"

4- Suggestion for a good 1st time real project, thats easy!

Thanks , Matt

Neil,
Yep, been here almost 6 years. You?

That link you posted for the other manual is chapter 7 of the same
one that we're just getting the index for on the 7x10 group!
I see that we can all go right to the source (the Army) and get
the full manual online at:



B Flint

bflint@... scribbled:

Thanks for the links.
Is the full manual available on the 7x10 site? All I see with your
link below are the index and the table of contents.

Same thing I'm getting. See my prev email for another
good doc.

Anyway, I notice from your email that you're an Austinite
as well. Woo-hoo!

Cheers,
-Neil.

roylowenthal scribbled:

I think we're reaching the readability limit for interspersed
replies!

Really? ...you should join some of the other lists I'm on :-)

There's a machining manual here:

20Manual%20TC%209-524/
and another one here, for people who can read without moving their
lips (guess which branch I served in):

I get an index and TOC on the first link, and I've joined the latter
to get access, so hopefully will get that soon.

In the meanwhile, this is the doc I'm reading...


At the rate I read, I'll be back with you all in a few
months :-)

Cheers,
-Neil.

Frank Hoose scribbled:

I recently made a housing for a small halogen
reflector lamp that is very similar to your plan -
including the threaded bezel. You can hold the bezel
or the tubing from the inside by extending the chuck
jaws outwards until they firmly grip the inside
surface of the work.

Only prob here is that the inside of the bezel is
also an aesthetic part.

Cheers,
-Neil.

Thanks for the links.
Is the full manual available on the 7x10 site? All I see with your
link below are the index and the table of contents.

--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "roylowenthal
<roylowenthal@y...>" <roylowenthal@y...> wrote:

There's a machining manual here:

USAR%20Machinist%20Manual%20TC%209-524/

I think we're reaching the readability limit for interspersed
replies!
There's a machining manual here:

20Manual%20TC%209-524/
and another one here, for people who can read without moving their
lips (guess which branch I served in):



--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "Neil" <cobra_neil@a...> wrote:

Hey Roy,

Thanks for the info. Comments interspersed below...

- Is the cut on the inside of the bezel easy with a lathe?
I'm still not sure if the cutting tools will get in there
easily.

A boring bar (or boring tool) is designed to do this easily.

I'll assume this is one of the cutting tools available for a
lathe.

- Are internal threads easy to cut with a lathe?

Easier than trying to cut a short, large diameter thread any

other

way. It's less exciting if there's an unthreaded relief at the

blind

end and if you run the lathe in reverse, to have the tool moving

away

from the chuck while making a right hand thread.

After much thought, I've decided to get away from the threads
and make the parts snug-fit, with a small set screw to hold them
together.

- Can I do the bezel w/o damage or marks to the outside
surface?

With difficulty. You'll need to make some sort of fixture that's
softer than the bezel, yet, able to hold it securely &

accurately.

It'd be easier to machine the outside & front after it's

threaded.

(Screw it onto a mandrel for final machining.)

Sound like you're saying that the threading process will
be the problem in this respect. Sounds plausible since
the bezel will need to be gripped tight. Since I'm leaning
away from threading now, I may be okay? If not, I guess I
can lightly machine the outside to clean it up.

- What's a good way to cut thin, clean slices of the rings?
I'd like to avoid manual polishing/cleaning as much as
possible. Is there some way I can cut it on a lathe so
any marks are circular (so it looks more like a pattern)?

The good way is a parting tool and a lathe large enough to pass

the

tubing thru the spindle! The practical way on a 7xX is to rough

out

the blanks with a chop/band/hack saw and face them to size.
Alternately, with lots of waste, part some off a piece of tubing

held

in a chuck/on a mandrel. After a few are done, start with

another

piece of tubing - there's a limited range between too long to fit

the

lathe & too short to hold. You may need to use a steady rest,

which

tends to mark the outside of the tubing.

I'm a bit confused about what you mean here, since I'm not that
familiar with the lathe yet, until I get one. But I'll look it up
in the lathe docs I downloaded.

With a large lathe, the tubing can pass thru the spindle & be parted
(sliced) off a long piece of tubing. The spindle on the 7xX's only
has about a 13/16" bore, so you have to chuck short sections of
tubing, part a few bezel blanks off the section & start with another
section, leaving a waste piece that was held in the chuck. It's hard
to hold large tubing in a chuck without distorting it, some sort of
mandrel works better, but takes up more of the length of the tube to
hold it. Alternately, use a saw and face each bezel on both sides.

- Alternate option is to not use threads, and instead let
the body slide snugly into the bezel. Then I'd use a
small set-screw going vertically from the bottom of the
bezel to hold the body on.

Boring & cross-drilling is easier than boring, threading internal

+

threading external.

Good. This (threading) option eliminated.

- Any easier way to attach the cover to the body? I don't
mind welding (to avoid cutting the tabs), but not sure
how to do this w/o a tig welder, and that's way to
expensive for me now.

Supposedly, you can buy drawn cups. I've never done it, so I'm

just

passing along a shop rumor <g> ...

Have never been able to find this, but I recently realized that I
need the back cover off to assemble the unit (mounting a part on
the cover for use as a heat-sink).

... If the end can be thicker, you can
turn a shoulder on a purchased disc or blank some out of plate

with a

hole saw. If you've got a drill press, a hole saw without the

pilot

drill will produce solid discs (it also howls enough to panic the
cats & annoy SWMBO <G>)

Yep. This was my first thought, but I thought I'd ask otherwise
since I need to experiment with the available standard hole-saw
sizes to see if one fits my app.

It's possible to tweak a hole saw by modifying the tooth set, but
it's tedious. For Al pieces, I just use carpet tape to hold the
blank to a chucked piece of wood, helped by pressure from a live
center, and take light cuts. For a shouldered part, eyeball
centering before turning both diameters is quicker than accurately
centering an existing major diameter before turning the minor
diameter.

Cheers,
-Neil.

I recently made a housing for a small halogen
reflector lamp that is very similar to your plan -
including the threaded bezel. You can hold the bezel
or the tubing from the inside by extending the chuck
jaws outwards until they firmly grip the inside
surface of the work.

Frank Hoose



--- "roylowenthal <roylowenthal@...>"
<roylowenthal@...> wrote:

--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "Neil"
<cobra_neil@a...> wrote:

Hi all,

Here is a sketch of what I need to make (> 20

pieces).

The unit will be used for gauges for my, and a

friend's

car.

This will be my *excuse* for purchasing a lathe,

and other

appropriate tools. Wondering if someone can

assist my

letting me know if I'm on the right track.



The Plan:
=========

BEZEL: Only aesthetic part. I'm using 2.25" ID,

1.75" ID

for the ring, as I can get tubing with these

dimensions from

places like McMaster. I'd need to cut thin slices

(about

3/8" thick) from the tube to make a ring, then use

a lathe

to cut back a part of the inside to ~ 2" ID.

BODY: I'll use 2" OD, 1.9" ID tubing here, cut to

a length

of approx 2". Only lathe work here is the

threads. I can

make the tabs by using a fiberglass cutoff-wheel

or other

saw.

BACK COVER: I'll use sheet-metal for this, but

not sure

what's the best process to cut clean consistent

circles.

My Questions:
=============

- Is the cut on the inside of the bezel easy with

a lathe?

I'm still not sure if the cutting tools will get

in there

easily.

A boring bar (or boring tool) is designed to do this
easily.

- Are internal threads easy to cut with a lathe?

Easier than trying to cut a short, large diameter
thread any other
way. It's less exciting if there's an unthreaded
relief at the blind
end and if you run the lathe in reverse, to have the
tool moving away
from the chuck while making a right hand thread.

- Can I do the bezel w/o damage or marks to the

outside

surface?

With difficulty. You'll need to make some sort of
fixture that's
softer than the bezel, yet, able to hold it securely
& accurately.
It'd be easier to machine the outside & front after
it's threaded.
(Screw it onto a mandrel for final machining.)

- What's a good way to cut thin, clean slices of

the rings?

I'd like to avoid manual polishing/cleaning as

much as

possible. Is there some way I can cut it on a

lathe so

any marks are circular (so it looks more like a

pattern)?

The good way is a parting tool and a lathe large
enough to pass the
tubing thru the spindle! The practical way on a 7xX
is to rough out
the blanks with a chop/band/hack saw and face them
to size.
Alternately, with lots of waste, part some off a
piece of tubing held
in a chuck/on a mandrel. After a few are done,
start with another
piece of tubing - there's a limited range between
too long to fit the
lathe & too short to hold. You may need to use a
steady rest, which
tends to mark the outside of the tubing.

- Alternate option is to not use threads, and

instead let

the body slide snugly into the bezel. Then I'd

use a

small set-screw going vertically from the bottom

of the

bezel to hold the body on.

Boring & cross-drilling is easier than boring,
threading internal +
threading external.

- Any easier way to attach the cover to the body?

I don't

mind welding (to avoid cutting the tabs), but

not sure

how to do this w/o a tig welder, and that's way

to

expensive for me now.

Supposedly, you can buy drawn cups. I've never done
it, so I'm just
passing along a shop rumor <g> If the end can be
thicker, you can
turn a shoulder on a purchased disc or blank some
out of plate with a
hole saw. If you've got a drill press, a hole saw
without the pilot
drill will produce solid discs (it also howls enough
to panic the
cats & annoy SWMBO <G>)

Roy

I'm trying to make this a science rather than an

art, so

I get consistent repeatable results. So I don't

mind

making jigs where necessary. Any other info

towards these

goals is much appreciated.

Thanks much,
-Neil.

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