Finally bought a lathe, now I need tooling!

[zmotorsports]

Jesus! I was gonna join in and say I got my first lathe as well this week... but compared to your lathe, mine is like a toy! I'll hide in a corner I think.

Well congratulations on your new lathe anyway. Post up some pics and let us take a gander at it. Don't be afraid to brag a bit.

Mike.

 

[Slayer_MN1]

Jesus! I was gonna join in and say I got my first lathe as well this week... but compared to your lathe, mine is like a toy! I'll hide in a corner I think.

Don't be ashamed of the size, dynamite comes in a small package haha.

i only went with such a large machine because I wanted a spindle bore through hole at least 1.5" to be able to run barrels through the headstock. This one has a 1.560" bore I believe.

lets see your new toy!

 

[drs23]

+2 or 3 on the HSS tooling when you are starting out. Grinding an adequate tool is pretty simple and when you do something stupid, you can just re-sharpen it. I switched over to carbide some time ago, but I am coming back to HSS. I find I get a better finish with it in lots of applications. As mentioned above, carbide chips very easily and, after a while, it is tough to keep throwing away $9 inserts. As far as what to get started with I'm not a big fan of just buying one of everything in case you figure out what it's for later on. As you will find, tooling up costs as much as the machine. Beyond getting a QCTP and a couple of basic cutting tools I wouldn't go hog wild yet. I try to get tools as I need them for specific tasks. Most stuff can be had in a day or two off the internet. I like McMaster-Carr. If I order by dinner time today, it comes tomorrow. You can find better pricing if you hunt, but I don't think you'll find better service. So, pick a project and get the stuff you need for it as you go along. Don't jump right into trying to modify the breach block of a rifle. The chances of a disaster are too great. Down load some plans for a wobbler steam engine and see how that goes. I think you will find that having a project will give you a specific direction and some goals to meet much more than throwing a piece into the machine and reducing it to chips. For operations that are new to me, I always do a rehearsal piece or two to learn how that operation works before I try it on a part that I want to keep. I think one of the most important things to learn in lathe work (or about any other) is how are you going to hold the part while you work on it. If you need to make a 1/2" thick part 1.1"dia with a hole concentric to the OD it is relatively difficult to hold onto that and work on the OD and a hole in the middle w/o some extra stock to hold onto so you don't start with a 1/2" slice of round bar.
Basic stuff that you will need: QCTP, drill chuck for tailstock, three jaw chuck for spindle, four jaw chuck for irregular parts, probably a face plate, but not right away, decent set of drill bits, center drills, three or four cutting tools, book about basic lathe operations like the classic "How To Run A Lathe" originally from South Bend but available all over the internet. Haven't looked, but it can probably be downloaded for free someplace.
Good luck, it looks like you have a nice machine to start with.

Pretty sure his G0709 came with all that. The QCTP is a button type but it served me well until I could spring for an import wedge type. Probably will need to true the face plate. I know mine was neither round nor flat! I called Grizzly and they shipped a replacement the same day! It was worse than the first one! :angry:Trued it and faced it and now the world is round again. )

 

[Slayer_MN1]

Pretty sure his G0709 came with all that. The QCTP is a button type but it served me well until I could spring for an import wedge type. Probably will need to true the face plate. I know mine was neither round nor flat! I called Grizzly and they shipped a replacement the same day! It was worse than the first one! :angry:Trued it and faced it and now the world is round again. )

Just out of curiosity, What is better about the wedge type? I have very little experience so i'm trying to pick up on as much as I can early on.

 

[drs23]

Just out of curiosity, What is better about the wedge type? I have very little experience so i'm trying to pick up on as much as I can early on.

They're sturdier/more rigid. I really didn't have an issue with my OEM QCTP until I was doing some interrupted cuts and then it would loosen up somewhat and it flexes more than the wedge type. Believe me though, you can turn out some fine work with the one that came with your lathe, I know I did. I would chase several other things first and make this move when you're flush or a little ahead of the game.

 

[Coomba]

That's a mighty fine lathe, you have there,very nice! If your interested in barrel chambering,and action truing you may want to watch this video. Bob has chambered some, maybe most of the top rifles in F class. After watching his videos I arranged a trip, and spent two days training from him. I think you will find that most of you barrel work will be with stainless steel,and you'll find that HSS works very well.Go to Bob's web site, get his number,give him a call, he will welcome it. http://www.viperbench-rest.com/

Checkout his chambering video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErVOUVszFjY

 

[muscleflex]

Here's my 'toy' compared to your giant!

I received my mini lathe from Armadeal here in the UK today. I think I might have sprained my right middle finger lifting it out of its box

Anyhow - I have no lathe experience... I bought this to learn and hopefully make stuff useful for my RC Helicopters and planes.
The pack came with plastic gears... what do I do with them?

The first photo shows a 6mm alum rod I inserted in the chuck just to check.
View attachment 81118View attachment 81119View attachment 81120

 

[zmotorsports]

Just out of curiosity, What is better about the wedge type? I have very little experience so i'm trying to pick up on as much as I can early on.

The nice thing about the wedge type toolpost is that as the toolpost is tightened, the wedge pulls it down and back, away from the lathe centerline. This places it firmly against the fixed part of the toolpost at the front and makes for a solid and more importantly, repeatable placement of the toolholder. Each time you remove a toolholder and reinstall, you can rest assured that it is going to be very accurate of the previous position.

Mike.

 

[Cadillac STS]

The nice thing about the wedge type toolpost is that as the toolpost is tightened, the wedge pulls it down and back, away from the lathe centerline. This places it firmly against the fixed part of the toolpost at the front and makes for a solid and more importantly, repeatable placement of the toolholder. Each time you remove a toolholder and reinstall, you can rest assured that it is going to be very accurate of the previous position.

Mike.

There it is. With the piston type you might have the tool too high and it tightens it where it is and not down against the top as it should be. Both can be used with good results but Wedge is preferred for that reason. Thing is no one has really complained about the tools not being right with the non wedge type but wedge is better for an extra $5-10. A careful machinist can make either work.

 

[Slayer_MN1]

Thanks for all the info guys, I ended up getting the following tools from AR Warner to start with-

http://www.arwarnerco.com/p-12-kit-8-38-inch-turning-c-right-hand-left-hand-and-boring-bar.aspx

http://www.arwarnerco.com/p-19-kit-16-35-degree-profile-v-right-hand-left-hand.aspx

http://www.arwarnerco.com/p-22-kit-18-12-inch-threader-nv.aspx

I have some HSS blanks to play around with as well.

Hopefully I didn't do too bad in choosing my tool kits.

Can you use carbide inserts in the Warner tools? I tried a search for CCMW inserts and only the warner stuff comes up, I assume the W stands for Warner?

Steve