Chuck plus live center? Also a pic of my Sherline

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stainless

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Chuck plus live center? Can I add sealed bearings to my steady rest?

Hey guys. I want to turn 6 inch pieces of 6061 rod. Can I just center drill the end and use a three jaw plus live center? Seems like it's not a typical setup. I need to center drill the pieces anyway.

Here's the Sherline 4000 lot I picked up for $500 this weekend. Three jaw, four jaw ind, steady rest, auto feed, tail chuck, cutoff tool, bits, two tool holders and collet adapter. All barely used.

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Yes using a live center for any thing over a couple of inches is the perferd way.
 
Thank you, gentlemen. The steady rest was going to cause me to waste material.

Also, can I add mini sealed bearings to the tip of my steady rest arms? Seems like that would be a better setup than the bare brass/bronze tips. I can always flip the arms around if the size is too big or small.
 
stainless said:
Thank you, gentlemen. The steady rest was going to cause me to waste material.

Also, can I add mini sealed bearings to the tip of my steady rest arms? Seems like that would be a better setup than the bare brass/bronze tips. I can always flip the arms around if the size is too big or small.
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You can do anything you want...Bob

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Like spin up the three jaw chuck without tightening it down? I stopped it maybe 10 seconds before happy fun time. I am now reading books and asking questions.

Thank you for your help!
 
Stainless I have an old 4000 and a new 4400, and I have done exactly what you are talking about on both. It works great, as using the steady rest on a short piece or in the short lathe gets in the way real quick. I only use it on long items in the bigger lathe and that was normally just while I cleaned something up.

And yes you have to watch spinning the thing up without setting the jaws tight first. it will do some damage. Also never start with the bars in place. Have seen that one and it is also dangerous.

Give me a shout any time, I'm just learning a lot but always ready to discuss stuff, and it does not seem like there are a lot of us with what is called micro, or watchmaker size lathes on the site. But they can be fun to use and seem to follow the same principles as the bigger ones, so you can learn a lot from what others have to say. I also have the 5400 Mill

kvt
 
kvt said:
Stainless I have an old 4000 and a new 4400, and I have done exactly what you are talking about on both. It works great, as using the steady rest on a short piece or in the short lathe gets in the way real quick. I only use it on long items in the bigger lathe and that was normally just while I cleaned something up.

And yes you have to watch spinning the thing up without setting the jaws tight first. it will do some damage. Also never start with the bars in place. Have seen that one and it is also dangerous.

Give me a shout any time, I'm just learning a lot but always ready to discuss stuff, and it does not seem like there are a lot of us with what is called micro, or watchmaker size lathes on the site. But they can be fun to use and seem to follow the same principles as the bigger ones, so you can learn a lot from what others have to say. I also have the 5400 Mill

kvt
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Excellent, thank you, kvt.

I have been wanting a lathe for some time, but it was never practical for the small number of small items I need. I only recently found out about the Sherline lathes and it's perfect for me. For example, there's a special small brass thrust washer that I have to pay over $2 each for. I can knock these out fast on the Sherline.
 
first was one I inherited, but it needed a bunch of replacement parts, (stock and head did not line up). But the second was a present. some of the items I have done on this I would think would be hard on a big lathe, 1/4 inch 6061 about 8 inches long, and turned down to less than 3/16 in spots. That is where the live center worked great. Even on this it took me a little bit to keep from damaging it while turning it down smooth. Just a little bump and it was broken. But the finished products worked great.

Just think you can now have custom thrust washers as you need them, vice having to pay the arm and legs for them and the shipping.
 
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