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Catdaddy

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 18, 2002
Messages
592
City & State/Province
Charleston, SC
I received a small metal lathe this week and finally tried to figure out how to use it this afternoon.

Man! This is sooooo fun! I am not much for reading directions so I just started experiementing and figured out where the cutting tools go and how they cut. I started out with a Brinkmann LX head. This was so easy and so fun! There was just something about watching the metal streaming off and the flashlight taking on a new custom shape. I can't believe I waited so long to try this.

No portly flashlight bodies or heads are safe around here tonight!!!
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Larry
 
i'm interested in hearing more!

i've got the hf 7 x 10...

what tooling do you have?

look forward to hours of frustration! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Rothrandir is right about the fustration. Parting is difficult, requires patients and always gets to me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

If you think the lathe is fun wait until you try milling. Congrats on your new lathe, enjoy! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
parting sucks!

i recently bougth a cheap parting tool...which helps a lot, but before,i would make a groove with a regular cutter, and use a hacksaw to cut through the piece /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif ...took forever.

it helps if you take more space than you need to with the parting tool... go in a littl bit, then move over and match it. so you have a wider groove than parting too. really reduces stress.

one thing i can't stress enough:
it is easier to take metal off than put it on
 
Cool Catdaddy!! There is something therapeutic in cutting chips; like making a pile of sawdust in a way. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Parting does suck! I don't even try on Ti or stainless. I cut a v groove for reference and then hold the hacksaw to the turning piece. Probably breaks a bunch of rules but I have been doing it for years!

- Don
 
[ QUOTE ]
Rothrandir said: parting sucks!

[/ QUOTE ]
LMAO, Amen!


Rothrandir- I found that using a mini 5mm cutt off tool with holder works a lot better then the 1/2 inch blade.

I am also guilty of the hacksaw trick. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Im happy to hear I was not the only one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
oh, and something i just learned today...

don't force a thread onto another thread.

i was working on a 5/8-28 outide thread today, and when i testfitted it to the minimag...it got stuck.

and i mean stuck there is no way in hell i will ever be able to get it out /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Thanks for all the responses guys. I need to go back and read about parting. I don't have a clue right now. I just came in from more "Lathe Love".

I will take some pics and get info tomorrow.
Good night.
John
 
Rothrabdir - Rubber grip wrench?

Catdaddy - Congrats! Sounds like you're having fun already, you do know getting the lathe was the cheapest part...
So when are you going to start turning out little light sabers? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Parting:

Slower RPM than you would think, faster feed than you would think. Use a cutting oil to help keep the AL from building up on the cutting edge.

Parting demands the most rigid setup. Part off close to the chuck, set the center hight of the tool just above center (.010), keep the tool length only as long as needed.

You can also sharpen the cut-off tool at a 10 deg. angle, and then grind a small groove on the top of the tool. This will tend to make the chip fold up a little so it is just narower than the grooove you are cutting.

I can't stress enough that you have to use a very aggressive feed. At work when I have to use a manual lathe, it's like I'm trying to break the tool.

If you are cutting AL. with carbide tooling you can use very fast speeds (RPM) and feeds.

Get a $20.00 electronic calaper from Harbor Freight Tools. Well worth the $$.
 
This is a good web site for mods and techniques applicable to mini-lathes and mini-mills. It also has plenty of links to associated sites. Follow all safety recommendations and have fun. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Dan
 
So how much do you have to spend to get enough of this stuff to do interesting flashlight modding? Not just on the lathe itself, but also on whatever tools and accessories are required along with it. Also, how realistic is it to want to mod the lathe to CNC operation? Thanks.
 
I tried to force two threaded aluminum parts together after cleaning off the oil and ended up with galled pieces. Aluminum apparently bonds at the molecular level unless it's lubed. I had to run down to Sears to pick up two strap wrenches, but got the pieces apart in the parking lot within seconds. Note: Sears sells two models of strap wrench, one is a shop tool for $10 and the other is a kitchen tool for $5, both in the tools department. They're functionally identical, even appearing to use the same strap!

I've been using a T-shaped parting tool from LittleMachineShop, part number 1929, which seems to work well. I'll take CNC Dan's advice the next time I try this.
 
[ QUOTE ]
paulr said:
So how much do you have to spend to get enough of this stuff to do interesting flashlight modding? Not just on the lathe itself, but also on whatever tools and accessories are required along with it. Also, how realistic is it to want to mod the lathe to CNC operation? Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]
How much do you got??

You often spend more on tooling than the lathe.

CNC conversitions are popular, and there are many kinds of them. For the Home Shop Machinist (HSM), a stepper motor CNC conversion is probably your best bet. If you have lots of cash, you can get a servo motor conversion. You can ask about these things and general machining questions over on the newsgroup REC.CRAFTS.METALWORKING.
 
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