[Newbie] First Ten Things You Need for a Lathe....

[HMF]

This is for a person who just got a LATHE. What ten things should they buy FIRST? (Please add to this list)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ER Collets for the lathe
HSS Steel for making bits A bunch of 3/8 High Speed Steel (HSS) tool bits. They're just tool blanks, about 3/8 x 3/8 by 2" or so.
Quick change tool post
a handfull of brazed carbide bits
drill-chuck
Dial indicator and base
A set of center or combination drills. (CDCO has a decent set for cheap)
Calipers/Mic A good quality 6" dial caliper. I prefer B&S or Starrett, but Mitutoyo is very good too. About $100, less if you find a good sale.
Decent bits. A decent 115pc drill bit set. Plan to spend $100 or so

 

[Plastic Fantastic]

That's nine, what's number 10?

How about "A Video/DVD on basic operations?"

 

[Arved]

0. Credit card with lots of available credit. ;D

 

[madigandj]

I agree with the 6 inch scale, you can measure instant coffee, creamer, and sugar. slice cheese and baloney. spread mustard and other condiments and even measure something if you get the urge.

 

[madigandj]

One item I have used to save time and money over the years is a six jaw chuck because of the versatility, you have a 6 jaw, more support for soft and thin materials,a 3 jaw,and a self-centering 4 jaw. I always bought Buck Ajust-Tru chucks ( I owned a shop) they are a bit pricey but INMHO the best. You need to consider the amount of use when buying tooling occasional use anyone will do daily accurate work you are better off buying one made of steel, just has better wear.

 

[Conrad Hoffman]

A Huot box with #1-60 drills (some splurge on the triple set of numbers, fractions and letters)
A block of wood with holes containing the standard fractional reamers from 1/8" to 1/2"
Some commercial or home made boring bars.
Get an 8" grinder, not a 6" because the 8" gives you the clearance to grind the other face of the tools!
Bend up a piece of coat hanger to make a thread cleaner for the threaded chuck.
Lay in some cheap stock of standard sized oil and/or water hardening rod to make boring bars and stuff.
Hard and soft centers.
Dogs.

 

[madigandj]

A small surface plate is mighty handy to have around for layout work and inspection. gives you a solid reference plane, I have a 18 x 24 and it serves me well. As an old geezer, I have many things that i think you need, but I have been. collecting over 40 yrs. my basic rollaround is a Snap-On KR 1000 w/ 2 5 drawer Kennedy boxes on top and I still look for tools angle plates, V-blocks and 1 2 3. blocks are handy to have. You should have seen some of the set ups we have come up with over the years. You could always tell when you had a great set up, everybody around you would go get coffee as you got ready to take the first cut. Cowards!

 

[MarkBall2]

Milling attachment, end mill holders & import endmill set.

Carbide tipped lathe bits, the insert style is fine.
Lots of replacement lathe inserts (10 minimum), restock when 10 inserts are left.
Small set of HSS lathe bits, including round & square stock.

Turning stock, steel, aluminum, brass, bronze.

Light, lots of light. When you think you have enough, add more.

 

[oscer]

A small surface plate is mighty handy to have around for layout work and inspection. gives you a solid reference plane, I have a 18 x 24 and it serves me well. As an old geezer, I have many things that i think you need, but I have been. collecting over 40 yrs. my basic rollaround is a Snap-On KR 1000 w/ 2 5 drawer Kennedy boxes on top and I still look for tools angle plates, V-blocks and 1 2 3. blocks are handy to have. You should have seen some of the set ups we have come up with over the years. You could always tell when you had a great set up, everybody around you would go get coffee as you got ready to take the first cut. Cowards!
[/quote
I've seen afew pieces of heavy steel all snug in the chucks one second and gettin some good hang time the next. Didn't scare me though

 

[Amigo]

If a guy wants to be a machinist he only needs two (2) books one is sworn on the other is sworn by, Machinist Handbook.