How did you learn?

[lagweezle]

I like the idea of practicing on PVC pipe. Low risk, low cost and gets a feel for the machine and forces involved.

Slowly making my way through the thread, but as a caution ... PVC like to shatter and explode with shards that have sharp edges. So it's mostly safe, but there are still some pretty unpleasant failure modes.

 

[Tim9]

David...good question and now pages of responses. All great suggestions.
Read all of them, get How to Run a lathe. You can pick that up on EBay. Get the book even though it’s available free on the net.

DON’T be afraid. Go buy a lathe. Atlas lathes and South Bend 9” lathes are really great for beginners. They are abundant and kind of underpowered compared to industrial grade lathes. And compact. That’s a good thing when just getting started because it’s a little harder to seriously hurt oneself. One still needs to respect the machine. But still forgiving in my opinion.
I wish I would have purchased my first lathe 40 years sooner. I missed my calling. Don’t make that mistake.

 

[DavidR8]

David...good question and now pages of responses. All great suggestions.
Read all of them, get How to Run a lathe. You can pick that up on EBay. Get the book even though it’s available free on the net.

DON’T be afraid. Go buy a lathe. Atlas lathes and South Bend 9” lathes are really great for beginners. They are abundant and kind of underpowered compared to industrial grade lathes. And compact. That’s a good thing when just getting started because it’s a little harder to seriously hurt oneself. One still needs to respect the machine. But still forgiving in my opinion.
I wish I would have purchased my first lathe 40 years sooner. I missed my calling. Don’t make that mistake.

You've missed the news!
This coming Saturday, a mint 1973 SB 10K is going to arrive at my garage doorstep.
It still has scraping marks along the ways

 

[Tim9]

Had shop classes in junior high, nothing since. My dad was a high school shop teacher who I'd shoot ideas past. He commented once when I was grinding aluminium on my bench grinder that he'd yell at a kid for doing that in the shop as it loads the wheel. Now use a sander.

I've learned by making many mistakes. Also watched too many hours of Tubalcain videos. He's a good teacher, but I find myself now looking for other avenues as he takes too long to get to the point. I wish he'd do 2 videos, one that gets directly to the point and a second one like he typically posts. I don't always have 30 minutes to listen to his editorial views of life. I also watched all of Tom's techniques videos who gets right to the point though he doesn't cover all of the stuff Mr. PETE does.

Like others have said above, there's really no right way to do anything other than always be safe. Don't be afraid to make mistakes because you will. I was told by a retired tool and die maker that the sign of a good machinist is how well they can hide their mistakes. Don't be scared to try something as long as you're going to be able to walk away with all of your fingers and toes.

Bruce

Bruce....the key to watching Mr Pete...aka Tubalcain is to change the playback speed to 1.5 times normal playback speed. That said...he is doing a great service in my opinion. He’s the real deal.
******
Awesome David. That’s a very nice machine. You’re going to love it in my opinion !
Just noticed it even has big dials. Very nice.

 

[rock_breaker]

I didn't have access to any kind of shop courses. So I just started doing stuff. Asking questions on this forum and watching videos. Especially Mr Pete's videos. I practiced on ordinary pvc pipe. Nothing to any kind of measurement. Just going through the process of threading and turning. I think that my first real project was to make an axle bushing for an old home build utility trailer that had been left abandoned on my property by the previous owner. This required fairly precise turning to both ID and OD and also to width. Instead of buying a qctp I decided to make one. I made a norman style qctp. This was a great learning experience. Lots of turning to precise diameters. Drilling and threading holes. Milling slots. Then on to other projects. Made a chuck for my er32 collects. Metric and imperial threads, turning an internal taper.

That's how I have been learning this stuff. It is a slow process for me.

My father taught me how to dress armatures., the rest has been up to me. Dad had a book for Clausing lathes or possibly Atlas, that is still in the shop. I bought a text book, "Machine shop Operations and Setups" from Amazon that I treasure very highly. This website has been extremely helpful as well. My thanks to the founders and crew that keep it going.
Like you said doing the more simple projects leads to great learning experiences and more complex projects. After tool and drill bit sharpening, collars that are bored undersized then heated to fit a shaft is probably my more precise work. Current long term project is a dividing head built around a 40 to 1 ratio gear box.

 

[Downunder Bob]

Apprenticeship, back in the "olden days" of the 1960s; gone forever, it seems.

Same here, I started a 5 year apprenticeship in Jan 1961. Still learning. I've picked up lots of tips and ideas from this site. It's amazing how many ways there are to do almost anything.

Imagination is your best friend.