# Useful Lathe Accessories?



## Spokerider (Mar 10, 2020)

The Craftsman 101.07301 that I bought didn't come with much...….a 3 jaw chuck, carriage and compound, the tail stock, Jacobs chuck with 1MT for the tail stock, and that's about it. I have added an OXA tool post holder and I found some metric change gears for it. I still need some of the original gears on the side of the lathe.....a 64 tooth and 54 me thinks.....which ever ones the lathe came with from the factory. 
Wondering......what other accessories would you guys consider "useful" and "needed" for this little lathe? What else to up-grade? 

 Looking at the you tube vid on the milling attachment.....it looks to be a poor attempt for any real milling, and IMO, not worth the coin that guys seem to want for this attachment. 

 I do have another question please, I'll add to this post.
  How much free lash *should* there be in the carriage wheel before the little gears engage the rack? I have about 3/8ths of lash at the circumference of the wheel when turning the wheel CW to CCW. Good? Poor? How much / little lash did this carriage wheel have new from the factory? 
 Can I adjust it? Yes....the has to be "some" lash, I know. Too little lash is not wanted.

 Thanks for your input guys.


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## benmychree (Mar 10, 2020)

Backlash on the carriage handwheel does not seem to have any particular effect on operations; 3/8" is no cause for concern.  I guess that a milling attachment on a lathe that is none too rigid itself would not be very helpful for much of any use, given that most of them do not have a good vise incorporated in the design, but I suppose that it would be better than no milling capability at all, price not being counted as a factor.


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## DavidR8 (Mar 10, 2020)

Hey @Spokerider I think that Steve Jordan on Youtube has the best video out there on using a milling attachment on a small lathe. He's got a mini lathe and what he does with it pretty impressive.

Before I found my milling attachment, I was going to build one similar to what he did.

What are you using for cutters?

Other than that I would get an independent 4-jaw chuck so that you can turn stock that is not round or hexagonal.
@francist would be a good resource here as I know he does some great work on the same lathe.


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## Spokerider (Mar 10, 2020)

Thanks Guys.
 Yes, I'm still looking for a 4 jaw independent chuck. Haven't decided upon any particular brand yet. 

I did get some sort of milling attachment for ? some lathe / tool? Perhaps I can make it work on the lathe, dunno. I'll post some pics of it when I can. Maybe you guys will know something about it.
 Not wanting to put much $$ into milling parts for this lathe......would rather just buy a real milling machine at a later date. I'm already finding out how much $$ can slip through the fingers just buying lathe tooling and measuring instruments!

Steady rest? Worth the $300 plus it will cost me to buy one from ebay? Yes...….to Canada....we pay double.


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## DavidR8 (Mar 10, 2020)

Spokerider said:


> Thanks Guys.
> Yes, I'm still looking for a 4 jaw independent chuck. Haven't decided upon any particular brand yet.
> 
> I did get some sort of milling attachment for ? some lathe / tool? Perhaps I can make it work on the lathe, dunno. I'll post some pics of it when I can. Maybe you guys will know something about it.
> ...


Based on your handle I'm going to guess that you are making bike parts, moto or human powered.
I think a steadyrest depends on your need to turn longer work that needs intermediate support in addition to tailstock support.
I'd get a live centre before a steadyrest IMHO.

(correction:  I think that he means a Follow Rest.  A Steady Rest would be used if you needed to machine the right end of a part and so couldn't support the right end with either a Dead or a Live Center.  But that aside, I agree that a live center should be acquired before either type of rest.  RD)


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## Spokerider (Mar 10, 2020)

Oh yeah...….I bought a live center already, just forgot to mention it. I have the slightest wiggle with the Jacobs chuck in the M1 taper hole of the tail stock, and a little less wiggle with the brand new M1 live center. I either need to better-clean the inside of the M1 hole, or gently hand ream the M1 taper with a finishing reamer...….another tool to buy...…..

 I have not made anything on this lathe yet, as I'm brand new at this. Bike parts, auto parts, custom made tools, repairing parts, modding parts, etc.... I guess the limit to what can be made is one's imagination.


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## MrWhoopee (Mar 10, 2020)

I can recommend the Sanou brand of 4-jaw. I bought one for my SB Heavy 10L. My only complaint was that the jaws were too tight in the body. When I say "too tight", I mean it took both hands on the chuck wrench to move them. I lapped them in so they now work very smoothly. Other than that, it's a decent chuck.


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## DavidR8 (Mar 10, 2020)

I can second the Sanou reference. 
I had a 3” on my mini lathe and it was very well made. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Spokerider (Mar 10, 2020)

I'll look at the Sanou, thanks for the thots.

 Is this a worthwhile / accurate chart? 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/WALL-CHART...821368?hash=item1f0bd9fbf8:g:CPcAAOxyKh5R-Za8


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## Aaron_W (Mar 10, 2020)

As far as needed? If you have a decent 3 jaw chuck and a drill chuck for the tail stock, you are pretty good to go. While I've got a lot of neat toys for my little lathe, I've probably done about 80-90% of my work so far with just what you've got now. Add a 4 jaw chuck and the rest probably falls into the nice to have category.


I think the concept of a milling attachment is useful but not at the price many are asking for the Atlas ones. I think it only sells that much because of collectors who want all the accessories for their lathe. If you were able to find one for $150-200 it might be worth considering, but what many are asking for the Atlas attachments you are well into the price of a mini-mill which even the smallest will probably be more capable. For one off jobs it isn't that hard to cobble together a set up to do some light milling on the lathe.

Steady rest is worth looking for, but unless you make stuff that will make a lot of use of it, you can take your time to find one at a decent price. I personally haven't used mine much. For stuff smaller diameter than the spindle bore you just run it through the head, and you usually have the option of using the tail stock to support the end if you don't have a steady rest. A follow rest might actually be more useful, although again I've had little need for mine.

If you want an ER32 collet chuck, Beall makes a nice one and they offer it with 1"-8 threading which I think is what the little Atlas / Craftsman lathes use. I like the design of theirs for a small lathe as it gives you a few inches to hold stick larger than your spindle bore.
I've found Beall's collets to be good, but they charge a lot for them so it might be worth getting just the collet chuck and shop for the collets separately.  Beall collet chuck


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## T. J. (Mar 10, 2020)

If you don't have one, the Atlas/Craftsman Manual of Lathe Operations (MOLO) is useful.  It has detailed threading charts and pictures/diagrams of the gear setups.  It also has instructions for basic lathe operation, tool grinding, etc that are useful if you are new to machining.  I believe you can download a copy from the downloads section here if you are a paying member.

My Craftsman lathe came with a Jacobs headstock chuck (I don't remember the model number off the top of my head).  I used it often because it had less runout than my regular 3 jaw chuck.  I may have just been lucky though - I later purchased one for my Logan lathe that has terrible runout that makes it pretty useless.

I wouldn't pay that much for a steady rest unless you have an immediate need for it.  Just keep searching on eBay and you might get lucky and find a cheaper one.


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## Spokerider (Mar 10, 2020)

Collets and collet chucks. Thanks for the link.
  Although I'm not sure when / why I would need to turn small precise stock.....perhaps for making screws and such? I'm thinking that I'd likely get more use with collets [ in time ] than I would with a spendy steady rest. I need to learn about collets and their uses I guess.

When you use the Jacobs chuck on the spindle, which is preferred / less runout more accurate version for these little lathes? The Jacobs with female 1 x 8TPI or mounting with a MT2 adapter into the spindle taper?

Also......what about knurling with these little lathes? Asking too much of them? If knurling is *acceptable* to do....which knurling tool to choose? and mounting of the tool.....into the OXA tool post holder? or other method?

The MOLO book. I have it. It came with the lathe. I read it often, but it's packed with so much info, it makes my head spin trying to remember it, lol


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## Aaron_W (Mar 10, 2020)

Collets are more accurate than a 3 jaw and easier to use than a 4 jaw when you need to remove a part and then replace it to do more turning. They are also gentler on the part than a chuck, leaving fewer marks so can be good for holding a threaded part or one where you have a nice finish.
Last if you are doing work up close to the chuck, they are smooth so will not cause as much damage as hitting the jaw of a spinning chuck if you get careless and make contact. ER32 will hold parts up to 3/4" which on a 6" lathe is not tiny.


You can knurl on even smaller lathes, but you want a scissor or clamp type knurling tool, not the cheaper bump type. I don't have a good knurling tool yet, so can't offer any specific recommendations.


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## WCraig (Mar 10, 2020)

What accessories you need depnds on what you want to do!  (Duh.)  For example, the steady rest.  You don't need a steady rest...until you absolutely do!  

However, I would suggest you make sure your lathe is in good mechanical condition before buying more stuff for it.  Well-secured to a sturdy bench.  Bed levelled and headstock aligned with tailstock.  Check the bearing preload.  Gibs adjusted.  Check the leadscrew half-nuts and the cross-feed and compound nuts.  Replace if worn.  Etc.  Of course, eveything well lubricated:  aka dripping with oil!  

Then make stuff!  You'll soon figure out what you need.

Craig


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## Spokerider (Mar 10, 2020)

Sage advice Craig, thank you.
Yes, I've spent weeks now going over every detail of the lathe. I have replaced the cross feed nut with new. The compound nut is still ok and tight. I do have new spindle bushings coming, although the originals aren't very loose. I can "just" get a perceptible wiggle up/ down on the spindle with vertical hand pulling / pushing. New belts too. everything was disassembled, cleaned and oiled. Ditto for the 3 jaw chuck.....all cleaned and lubed.
 The lead screw half nuts are tight.....whether they are original or not, I dunno. They seem good tho. 

 I need to find two new nuts for it however. M6-263 for the compound handle and M-262 for the carriage wheel. The current ones are not oem Atlas parts.....just normal too-thick nuts. Bugs me just seeing them as incorrect. 

I do need to learn how to align the tail stock with the head stock. Alignment will be off, no doubt.


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## ericc (Mar 10, 2020)

That 4 jaw chuck is the only item that I think is really necessary.  A steady rest is useful.  I've needed one once a year or so, but the Ebay prices were just too high, so I made one.  Almost anything will be good enough for one quick use; it just takes longer to set up.  Threading gears are useful, but you can do a lot with taps and dies.  I'd say no to the milling attachment unless you really need it and you can make it yourself.  They look so precarious and cheesy.  One thing I like is a faceplate, but then I'm kind of old school.


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## T. J. (Mar 10, 2020)

Spokerider said:


> When you use the Jacobs chuck on the spindle, which is preferred / less runout more accurate version for these little lathes? The Jacobs with female 1 x 8TPI or mounting with a MT2 adapter into the spindle taper?



The one I was speaking of threaded onto the spindle nose (mine was 1"-10tpi).  I wouldn't recommend using one with a Morse Taper shank in the spindle unless it was held in with a drawbar.  And honestly, an ER collet chuck would be better if you're going to buy something.


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## pontiac428 (Mar 10, 2020)

A steady rest, in my opinion, is essential equipment for any general purpose kit.  Same goes for a follow rest (lunette), but the latter depends on more factors than just work length.  I use the steady more.  I wouldn't even buy a lathe without a matching steady.

I say that a face plate and set of dogs is essential, but that is because I read old textbooks that say absurd things like "work between centers whenever possible."  I've taken that to heart, and I work between centers whenever possible.  Others don't, so you can make up your own mind.

I have a milling attachment.  I've never used it.  I don't think I ever will use it; I have a milling machine that does the job bigger and better.

I have a carriage stop, and use it all the time.  You can buy one or make one, there isn't much to them, but you'll be glad you got one when you realize you need it.

Tap holders, die holders, and an assortment of chucks are nice to have, but don't rush out and get them until you realize the need for one.


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## erikmannie (Mar 10, 2020)

The accessories that I use for my lathe are:
(1) a great deal of QCTP tool holders,
(2) boring bar kit (I use inserts),
(3) drills,
(4) tailstocks chucks for up to 3/4” drills,
(5) slimline live center,
(6) lathe dogs,
(7) dead center for chuck (for turning between centers),
(8) HSS blanks,
(9) presharpened HSS tool bits,
(10) threading kit (I use inserts),
(11) parting blades, and
(12) turning & facing insert kit.


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## Surprman (Mar 11, 2020)

If you can pick one up, get a large diameter (~3/4”)MT2 taper drill bit.  Very handy to make a big hole for subsequent boring jobs.  Much easier to just jam it in as opposed to putting in your drill chuck , then chucking-up a bit and then having to later change boring bars from tiny to large during boring.

Rick


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## WCraig (Mar 12, 2020)

Surprman said:


> If you can pick one up, get a large diameter (~3/4”)MT2 taper drill bit.  Very handy to make a big hole for subsequent boring jobs.  Much easier to just jam it in as opposed to putting in your drill chuck , then chucking-up a bit and then having to later change boring bars from tiny to large during boring.


Um, the OP has a 6 inch Atlas/Craftsman lathe with MT1 in the tailstock.  I don't think MT1-shank drills go up that big.

Craig


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## Aaron_W (Mar 12, 2020)

WCraig said:


> Um, the OP has a 6 inch Atlas/Craftsman lathe with MT1 in the tailstock.  I don't think MT1-shank drills go up that big.
> 
> Craig



True, but the idea has some merit just needs to be scaled down to fit the machine. I've never given any thought to MT drill bits, but that isn't a bad idea particularly on a small lathe where bed length can get tight real quick.


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## Spokerider (Mar 12, 2020)

I guess tooling is an off shoot of "accessories"... and thus I have a few questions about 6" lathe tooling please. 

 To be used in an OXA tool post holder...….3/8ths or 5/16ths HSS tools? I have some 3/8ths already, is there a benefit to also having 5/16ths? 
 Parting blades. I have 1/2" x 1/16th HSS......nothing fancy, just China HSS tools. Is there a benefit to going to 1/2" x 3/32nds? Will the 1/4 hp motor have the torque to cut with a 3/32" wide blade? 
 What about HSS / cobalt blades or T15? Needed? If so, when? 

 Thanks guys.


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## pontiac428 (Mar 12, 2020)

You'll probably do the majority of your work with 3/8" tools.  In my 1/4 hp 10" Atlas, the 1/16" cutoff tool has been the best for me.  I also use 3/32", but it's harder on the machine.  Cobalt is what you'd want when your work generates a lot of heat.  HSS starts losing its heat treat before cobalt steel does.  I use "regular" HSS most of the time.


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## cjtoombs (Mar 12, 2020)

Here are a few more:
Taper attachment (you will have to build it for that lathe)
Bull nose center
Collet chuck (ER would be good for that machine, you will have to build)
There was a milling attachment on eBay that was sold for the Myford lathe out of India that looked pretty good, and probably sized right for your machine. 
Boring table (T slotted table, you would probably have to make this)
Carriage stop
DRO (not much room to put the scales on a machine that small, maybe some of the IGaging scales would work, I could barely get a low profile scale on my 12x36 Atlas crossslide)

Good luck.  You've got a few years of work just getting the lathe tooled up


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## mikey (Mar 12, 2020)

Spokerider said:


> To be used in an OXA tool post holder...….3/8ths or 5/16ths HSS tools? I have some 3/8ths already, is there a benefit to also having 5/16ths?
> Parting blades. I have 1/2" x 1/16th HSS......nothing fancy, just China HSS tools. Is there a benefit to going to 1/2" x 3/32nds? Will the 1/4 hp motor have the torque to cut with a 3/32" wide blade?
> What about HSS / cobalt blades or T15? Needed? If so, when?



Your lathe will be fine with 3/8" HSS tools. You can also use 5/16, and the benefit is that they are not nearly as popular as 1/4" and 3/8" tooling so they tend to be cheaper. If you happen onto them for a good price, grab them because they will work just fine on your lathe.

You might be better off with a P1-N blade that is 0.040" wide. Cuts with lower cutting forces IF your lathe is rigid enough. HSS is more than good enough for stuff that a 6" Atlas can cut. Cobalt is nice to have but its hard to justify the cost, and that goes for T-15, too.


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## erikmannie (Mar 12, 2020)

And don’t forget a rotary broach. We all have those, right?


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## chippermat (Mar 12, 2020)

I'd like to have a MT1 holder for my OXA quick change tool post.


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## erikmannie (Mar 13, 2020)

One could also consider reamers, a test bar, tool post grinder, tailstock die holder set, taps/tap handles/spring loaded tap guide, tailstock end mill holder, tailstock turret, tailstock or tool post chuck, or a tailstock taper turning attachment (I just bought the one pictured below for $51.22 including shipping).


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## wa5cab (Mar 13, 2020)

With reference to several posts in this thread (that I'll not attempt to list), and prefaced by the fact or statement that I have never had my hands on any OXA (or is it 0XA) cutter holders, are you guys sure that the 001 and 002 OXA holders are actually made for 3/8" square cutters instead of either 5/16" or 1/4"?  The reason that I ask is that AXA 101 and 102 holders are made for 3/8" square cutters because the slot is 3/8" deep and the set screw centers are 3/16" out from the bottom (right side) of the slot and the outside side or surface of a 3/8" square cutter blank is flush with the outside surface of the holder.  However, the 101 and 102 holders will physically hold a 1/2" square cutter blank because the slot is a little taller than it is deep.  But the 1/2" square blank hangs out the left side of the holders by 1/16".  

Or in other words, how deep is the slot in a 001 or 002?


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## Spokerider (Mar 13, 2020)

How deep [ width ] is the tool cut in an OXA tool holder? Good thot.
I bought this;
https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=3112









						Quick Change Turning & Facing Tool Holder, 0XA 3114
					

QCTP Tool Holders 3114 Tool Bit Capacity of Up to 1/2"; Hardened and Ground; Compatible with 0XA, or Series 000, Tool Post; Turning and facing tool ho...




					littlemachineshop.com
				




Have yet to measure it. The ad doesn't actually state what the optimal size tool to use is. I'm guessing that is not advantageous to have the tool wider than the width of the slot.....


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## pontiac428 (Mar 13, 2020)

wa5cab said:


> Or in other words, how deep is the slot in a 001 or 002?



May be different from Aloris, but Shars has the capacity.


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## wa5cab (Mar 13, 2020)

OK.  The two drawings reminded me (I've seen them before but with the dimension were for the AXA) that Shars doesn't seem to have an isometric drawing of a 002 or 102.  It does not show the location of the groove in the bottom of the slot.  And only someone who didn't grow up speaking English and using the Imperial measurements system would use dimensions in increments of 1/24".    However, if I didn't know where the holder came from, I would probably assume that the designer intended it for either 1/4" or 5/16" square tooling and couldn't make up his mind which so he/she split the difference.  I guess that what we really need is the location of the groove in the bottom of the 002's slot.

In any case, although you can apparently fit 3/8" and 1/2" square tooling in the slot, they will not be as stable as either of the two smaller sizes.


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## erikmannie (Mar 13, 2020)

pontiac428 said:


> May be different from Aloris, but Shars has the capacity.



You might want to take that drawing with a grain of salt because the part number on the drawing is 250-101 which is the most common AXA tool holder. I have a lot of these, and you can definitely fit a 1/2” tool bit in there. There is a part called a 250-101XL which will certainly fit a 5/8” tool bit.
     I thought that Spokerider was trying to determine the max size tool bit that could fit in an OXA; I am almost 100% sure that 250-101 is AXA. This would be a good time to research further before you start buying a bunch of 1/2” tool bits.
     This (“turning & facing”) tool post for OXA is 250-001. For AXA, it is 250-101. For BXA, it is 250-201. For CXA, it is 250-301.
     Another fine point would be that a 250-101XL can also be marked 250-101T, and I take T to stand for a taller slot.
    One other thing I noticed is that the 250-101 does not have a trough at the bottom. A 250-102 has a trough at the bottom for use with a circular boring bar, but all of the boring bars that I have ever bought are flat on the top and bottom. People use the trough if they buy round HSS tool bit blanks.


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## erikmannie (Mar 13, 2020)

The Grizzly website seems to indicate that you can use a 1/2” tool in an OXA tool post. The value is .512” in this picture:


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## wa5cab (Mar 13, 2020)

Eric,

The drawings may have been inherited from Yuasa who Shars apparently bought the design from.  And Shars didn't completely eradicate the Yuasa part number from the drawing when they used it to advertise their OXA smaller holders,  I happen to have a complete Yuasa AXA or 250 set purchased new many years ago when I bought my 3996.  The drawings uploaded by pontiac428 show dimension C (the depth of the slot) as being 7/24" which I poked fun at earlier.  But that is 0.292".  The depth of the slot in a 250-101 and 102 is 0.440".  So the drawings may be of a 250-101 but the dimensions are not.  And after checking the dimensions of my AXA holders, I will say that although you can fit larger ones into them, the OXA holders were made for 1/4" square cutters.

The AXA or 250-101 and -102 tool holders were made to fit 3/8" square cutters.  The 0XA ones were not.

On the subject of boring bars and the 250-102 holder, it is made to hold a 1/2" diameter round boring bar.  If you lay a 1/2" diameter rod in the 250-102, when it is fitting the groove in the bottom of the slot, it is also touching the back wall of the slot.  And almost all of my boring bars are round.  Although the diameters vary from 1/4" to I think 1/2", Atlas sold a HSS boring bar set back in the day all of which were round  They also sold a boring tool holder that accepted 1/4" square cutters.  I forgot to check the diameter of mine just now but it is also round.  So some boring bars are not square.  It just happens that yours are.


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## erikmannie (Mar 13, 2020)

So what should we figure as the (1) recommended and (2) maximum tool bit heights for OXA and AXA tool posts in the very common 250-001 and 250-101 types? You seem to have said 1/4” for OXA and 3/8” for AXA. That sounds like your answer for (1) recommended height.

I would prefer to work with the size that the tool post was primarily designed for, and only use a larger tool if necessary.

In any case, it sounds like if your tool bit is hanging a lot outside of the tool post (with regard to width (e.g. using a 1/2” bit in an OXA tool post)), then you may be using too large of a tool bit.


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## erikmannie (Mar 13, 2020)

Here are some turning tool holders for a 1/8” square tool bit.

The shank on these holders is an 8mm square. They are intended for use on an OXA or other Mini Lathe tool post.


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## erikmannie (Mar 13, 2020)




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## Aaron_W (Mar 13, 2020)

This is easy enough, I have a Little Machine Shop OXA QCTP, with 1/4" and 3/8" tool bits. Just eyeballing the tool holder is about 5/16" in depth, as a 1/4" bit has about 1/16" to spare, and the 3/8" sticks out about 1/16" or perhaps just a hair under. I don't have any 5/16" bits but they would likely be a perfect fit.

I didn't check 1/2" I think it would fit in height, but obviously would stick out quite a bit (3/16" or so).


Considering the power of a lathe running an OXA tool post (typically 1/2hp or less?) I doubt using a 3/8" tool bit in an OXA would result in any substantial loss of performance. Then again, I'm not sure it would provide any substantial gains, the benefit primarily being the ability to share tool bits between lathes of different sizes or use a random selection of used bits bought in a lot. 3/8" bits are often longer as well which could prove useful in some cases.

1/4" bit in OXA holder



3/8" bit in OXA holder


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## erikmannie (Mar 13, 2020)

Maybe the OP has need of a (micrometer) carriage stop.


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## Aaron_W (Mar 13, 2020)

erikmannie said:


> Maybe the OP has need of a (micrometer) carriage stop.



True, there are things other than cutting bits where being able to fit a larger shank than the ideal cutting bit would be very helpful.


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## WCraig (Mar 14, 2020)

wa5cab said:


> although you can apparently fit 3/8" and 1/2" square tooling in the slot, they will not be as stable as either of the two smaller sizes.


Robert, generally I take your word as gospel but I'm not sure about the above.  I've got a 0XA QCTP on my Atlas 618 and I have a mixture of 1/4" and 3/8" HSS tooling in Shars toolholders.  The 3/8" bits fit perfectly.  I don't have any 1/2" tooling but I think it would be adequately secure.  More than half the width of the tool bit would be within the body of the tool holder and the set screws would have sufficient 'meat' to clamp down on.  

I don't think there is any advantage to using 1/2" tooling but I don't see any significant drawback.  Certainly 3/8" tooling has worked well-enough for me.  (As has 1/4" tooling.)  Am I missing something?

Craig


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## erikmannie (Mar 14, 2020)

WCraig said:


> Robert, generally I take your word as gospel but I'm not sure about the above.  I've got a 0XA QCTP on my Atlas 618 and I have a mixture of 1/4" and 3/8" HSS tooling in Shars toolholders.  The 3/8" bits fit perfectly.  I don't have any 1/2" tooling but I think it would be adequately secure.  More than half the width of the tool bit would be within the body of the tool holder and the set screws would have sufficient 'meat' to clamp down on.
> 
> I don't think there is any advantage to using 1/2" tooling but I don't see any significant drawback.  Certainly 3/8" tooling has worked well-enough for me.  (As has 1/4" tooling.)  Am I missing something?
> 
> Craig



If I had to guess, I would say that having a surface completely under the tool bit would optimize rigidity of said tool bit.


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## phubbman (Mar 19, 2020)

I have the same lathe and am learning the basics on it.  Sounds like you've got a good handle on the chucks and QCTP cutters and such.  For this lathe, i'd focus more on HSS tooling/cutters.  It's a light duty lathe and relatively slow - not ideal for carbide cutting.

I made a carriage stop that holds a dial indicator.  I use it all the time.  I keep a 2" indicator in it for most of my work, but sometimes swap it out for a 1".  I also have a milling attachment that never gets used.  And since they cost about 1/3 or more of what a factory reconditioned benchtop manual Taig milling machine (which works much much better for milling) goes for, they're not worth it in my book.  Before i got my little benchtop mill, i found light milling on the drill press with a cross slide vise worked better than the milling attachment on the little lathe.

Other things you'll probably want/need:
magnetic base or two,
dial indicator(s),
a test indicator,
micrometers (i usually use a 0-1" and a 1-2"),
calipers (a 6" ought to cover you),
a machinist's 6" steel ruler,
center drills,
a surface gage,
a bottle of dykem fluid,
a tube of prussian blue (for test fitting / finding high spots),
a decent grinding wheel with a good tool rest to sharpen your HSS tooling,
some honing stones or diamond sharpeners (also for the HSS tooling),
way oil and spindle oil,
some sort of chip tray (i use a small plastic tray from IKEA),
good work lighting,
an acid brush and old paint brush (for sweeping away chips),
a work apron to keep your clothes from getting too messed up),
and, if you don't already have one, a threading dial.
I also find that a set of T-handle allen wrenches is easiest to use for the various lathe adjustments.

Also, regarding collets, i picked up an ER 25 / MT 2 collet chuck and set of collets.  If you use the MT 2 collet chuck, you'll need to make or buy a draw bar for it.  I made one up using some threaded rod, which is OK.  I do plan to make an ER 25 chuck that threads onto my spindle, which will allow long pieces to pass through the head stock.

I'm also making up a clamp for my rotary tool that will mount in my QCTP.  Not ideal, but it will allow me to do some light tool post grinding when i need to.  I've got a little Proxxon rotary tool with good bearings and a 20mm diameter ring machined on it at the working tip.  It should work well enough.

You may or may not find a reversing switch for your motor useful.  I've used mine more than once, but it's not necessary.

Have fun with it.  I enjoy using mine.  I'm learning a lot.

paulh


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## macardoso (Mar 20, 2020)

I have a 12x36 lathe. Here are my most used accessories (nearly all are Shars imports):

Machine Accessories

6" 3 jaw chuck
8" 4 jaw chuck
Live Center 
AXA Toolpost and maybe 15 total holders (don't need many to start)
1 lb dead blow hammer 
Little cylinder of lead melted inside copper pipe (1.5-2" Dia x 3" long), great for centering parts in a 4 jaw
5/8" keyless drill chuck 
Measuring tools

Noga style magnetic indicator base
.001" Dial Drop Indicator 1" 
.0005" Dial Test Indicator (Fowler extended travel, I use this every single day, if I could keep one tool, this would be it)
.0001" Dial Test Indicator (Interapid, get one when you start thinking of higher precision stuff)
Thread pitch gauges (cheap and very useful)
Calipers
0-6" Micrometer set
6" Steel rule
Cutting Tools

115 piece drill set
Center Drills 
Taps 
Assorted indexable tools 1/2" shank (HSS is perfectly fine if you prefer)
CCMT RH (most used)
CCMT LH
SCMT 45 Deg Chamfer
VCMT RH
VCMT LH
Ext Threading
3/8" Boring Bar
1/2" Boring Bar (most used)
3/4" Boring Bar
Grooving Tool

HSS Parting Tool
Over/Under Reamer set
Assorted Reamers
Misc.

Needle bottles with various cutting fluids
Bottle of Steel Blue layout fluid
Copy of Machinery's Handbook, particularly for the threading tables (very useful)


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## Spokerider (Mar 20, 2020)

phubbman said:


> I have the same lathe and am learning the basics on it.  Sounds like you've got a good handle on the chucks and QCTP cutters and such.  For this lathe, i'd focus more on HSS tooling/cutters.  It's a light duty lathe and relatively slow - not ideal for carbide cutting.
> 
> I made a carriage stop that holds a dial indicator.  I use it all the time.  I keep a 2" indicator in it for most of my work, but sometimes swap it out for a 1".  I also have a milling attachment that never gets used.  And since they cost about 1/3 or more of what a factory reconditioned benchtop manual Taig milling machine (which works much much better for milling) goes for, they're not worth it in my book.  Before i got my little benchtop mill, i found light milling on the drill press with a cross slide vise worked better than the milling attachment on the little lathe.
> 
> ...




Thank you for sharing your lathe accessories info. It's useful.

 I have some of that already. I just bought a CBD wheel and EZ Lap diamond pads for grinding some HSS tooling. 
 I plan on making a carriage stop, although, since I don't own milling machine, it will likely be a crude version of one. 

 What is a "threading dial"? My lathe has the oem threading screw......

 I Have spindle oil, 3 in 1 oil for the time being. My way oil is a mix of ATF and chainsaw bar oil. Most of you will prolly scoff at that, but, hey, it's what's available in my parts. No machine shops here locally and I ain't buying a gallon of it from the USA somewhere. 

 Thanks for your thots on the Craftsman 6" milling attachment. It just re-affirms my decision to not buy one. I will be buying some form of a bench top mill or mini mill in the future......but that's a whole different topic!


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## Spokerider (Mar 20, 2020)

macardoso said:


> I have a 12x36 lathe. Here are my most used accessories (nearly all are Shars imports):
> 
> Machine Accessories
> 
> ...




Thanks for your post macardoso.
 I do have a couple of dial indicators.....the ones with the post and nub on the end...….travels back into the dial unit itself. No, I don't know the correct terms for these instruments yet.  What is a Fowler Extended Travel Indicator? 
 I've been looking at the dial indicators with the little flipper arm [ vs the kind I just described ], but I'm not sure when this type's use is indicated over the post and nub type. Clarification please anyone? 

 Cutting oils. I need to get some and some dispensing containers, like needle oilers perhaps? I do have a bottle of sulfur cutting fluid, but, it's got that big flip up tip on the cap that is rather large and non-accurate, as far as putting the oil just where it's needed on the work piece, goes. 

 Kerosene? 
 What you all using for cutting oil dispensers?


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## phubbman (Mar 20, 2020)

I've gotten a lot of my measuring tools and other accessories / tooling used.  I avoid used end mills and carbide cutters, but HSS is so easy to sharpen, used is fine in my book.  Helps stretch the dollar. 

For the carriage stop, i made one of these:



It works great.  The website "Deansphotographica" shows how to make it. http://www.deansphotographica.com/machining/atlas/atlas.html

He uses a mill, though i made mine easily with a hack saw, bench grinder, a file, a bench vise, a hand tap, and a drill press.  Just get yourself a piece of aluminum and a couple of screws.  I picked up a cheap Harbor Freight dial indicator.  They're certainly accurate, jut not as durable as higher quality instruments.       

The threading dial came standard on this lathe.  It's attached to the carriage and engages the lead screw.  It looks like this (in red):
	

		
			
		

		
	



If you want to cut threads single point (as opposed to using a die), you'll need one.  If you don't see thread cutting in your immediate future, you can get up and running without one and pick one up after you've settled into using your lathe.  They show up on ebay all the time.  Yours will have the small gear (at the bottom) to engage the lead screw.  Later versions used a larger gear (i believe with twice the teeth).  Either will work.  The Atlas Manual of Lathe Operations (mentioned earlier by someone else) is a great resource and includes, among all the other essentials, instructions for cutting threads on your lathe. 

I firmly second the recommendation to get and read the Atlas manual.  Reprints and pdf versions are easy to find on line.  The VintageMachinery.org site has them here:



			Atlas Press Co. - Publication Reprints | VintageMachinery.org
		


You can click on "Pub Type" at the top of the list to sort and scroll down to the "lathes" section.  Since your lathe is made by Atlas and is 98% the same as the Atlas 618, the documentation for that lathe is, for the most part, directly relevant.  

The South Bend "How to Run a Lathe" book is another time tested standard read, also easily available in hard copy or pdf.  South Bend also issued an excellent booklet on grinding/sharpening HSS lathe cutting tools.  It's available in pdf here:



			South Bend Lathe Works - Publication Reprints - How to Grind Lathe Tool Cutter Bits // Bulletin #35 Early Edition | VintageMachinery.org


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## Aaron_W (Mar 20, 2020)

phubbman said:


> I've gotten a lot of my measuring tools and other accessories / tooling used.  I avoid used end mills and carbide cutters, but HSS is so easy to sharpen, used is fine in my book.  Helps stretch the dollar.
> 
> For the carriage stop, i made one of these:
> View attachment 317500
> ...



That looks like a great use for the cheap plunger indicator I bought when I started out.




phubbman said:


> The South Bend "How to Run a Lathe" book is another time tested standard read, also easily available in hard copy or pdf.  South Bend also issued an excellent booklet on grinding/sharpening HSS lathe cutting tools.  It's available in pdf here:
> 
> 
> 
> South Bend Lathe Works - Publication Reprints - How to Grind Lathe Tool Cutter Bits // Bulletin #35 Early Edition | VintageMachinery.org



I got a copy of this off of Amazon for about $5, the title varies and some don't include South Bend in the title although inside South Bend appears prominently. Possibly due to Grizzly owning the S-B name now? It would cost me $5 to print out a free pdf so buying a hard copy seems quite reasonable to me.

I have this one which is well printed and includes an "oil resistant" cover. There are many others at similar prices. How to run a lathe - The care and feeding of a screw cutting lathe


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## wa5cab (Mar 20, 2020)

I will mention that if you have an Atlas lathe, which most people reading this Forum do, "Manual of Lathe Operations and Machinists Tables" (MOLO for short) produced by Atlas from 1937 to 1988 contains about the same information but the photographs used are of Atlas lathes like the one that you may have, not South Bend lathes with flat belts.  Somewhat like the SB book, the photos changed over the years whereas the tables and charts generally didn't.  Any information that includes spindle RPM will use speeds that your machine (at least as it was when new) can produce.  For that reason if no other, you would be better off with the Atlas book of the proper vintage. 

Years ago, I wrote two short "books" with file names of MOLO HistoryREV6.pdf and MOLO To Machine AppRev3.pdf .  The second one will tell you which version of the MOLO comes the closest to matching your model of lathe and the first one among other things will tell you why.  They are both in Downloads and in this Forum only are also in the Sticky area at the top of the Forum.


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## macardoso (Mar 21, 2020)

Spokerider said:


> I do have a couple of dial indicators.....the ones with the post and nub on the end...….travels back into the dial unit itself. No, I don't know the correct terms for these instruments yet. What is a Fowler Extended Travel Indicator?
> I've been looking at the dial indicators with the little flipper arm [ vs the kind I just described ], but I'm not sure when this type's use is indicated over the post and nub type. Clarification please anyone?
> 
> Cutting oils. I need to get some and some dispensing containers, like needle oilers perhaps? I do have a bottle of sulfur cutting fluid, but, it's got that big flip up tip on the cap that is rather large and non-accurate, as far as putting the oil just where it's needed on the work piece, goes.



I was referring to a Dial Test Indicator. These typically have a higher resolution and a smaller measuring range than your dial drop indicator that you described. I prefer them for their flexibility as they can be used to center on holes, align a milling vise, align stock in a lathe, measure flatness on a surface plate, precision edge find, and about a million more things that are difficult to do with another indicator.

Normal Dial Test Indicator




"Swiss Style" Dial Test Indicator (Note the built in stem and the extra dial on the face)




I have come to love the "Swiss Style" dial test indicators. These allow for multiple revolutions of the dial (double the travel of normal indicators) and have a sub-dial that counts the revolutions and direction. The also usually come with a swivel stem built in that makes them even more flexible. I own a Fowler X-Test .0005" test indicator (Link) and an Interapid .0001" test indicator (LINK). I got good deals on both used. I personally would pay more for this "Swiss Style" indicator if I needed to buy another.

For cutting fluids, I mostly use semi-synthetic coolant. It is very inexpensive (even if you end up buying a gallon of concentrate), doesn't rust if used correctly, dries off without making a mess, and can be washed off your parts. I also keep bottles of WD-40, tapping oil, Mobil Vactra #2 way oil, and Mobil DTE circulating hydraulic and gear oil for my lathe gearboxes. I also try to avoid using oil when cutting because smoke in my tiny basement workshop is a no-go.

For dispensing, I've settled on these needle bottles being the best thing ever. I use a needle size that keeps me from going too crazy with the amount of fluid I am using. They are also perfect for hitting ball oilers on machines.









						McMaster-Carr
					

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.




					www.mcmaster.com


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## Shotgun (Nov 19, 2020)

If you want a milling attachment, get yourself an X-Y drill press vice, and 6" or so of 3/4"x3/4" or more steel bar.  Drill a couple holes to mount the bar to the vice, and then a couple more on the sides to mount it onto the crosslide with T nuts.  I used this method with a Harbor Freight vice that was way to large until I got my benchtop mill.


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## Larry$ (Nov 19, 2020)

As has been said, wait until you have a need before getting stuff you may never really need. I have a larger lathe so may not appreciate the differences in "need." I've rarely used either the follow or steady. I have a good 5C collet chuck that I use quite a lot. A good extended nose live center is useful on my lathe. The first one I bought had too much run out, bought a better one.  A bump type knurling tool came with my lathe, I don't think I'd use one on a small lathe. I bought a clamp type, works but is real sloppy. Need to remake it into something useful. HSS seems like it would be best on a low powered lathe. It is easy to grind whatever you need, cheap also.

Micrometer &/or digital caliper or both actually. When you get into measuring instruments, It gets difficult to make a recommendation.  Cheap ones seem too likely to be frustrating. They may not repeat or may go by jumps, can you trust the measurement? Name brand stuff is expensive. A good indicator holder like a Noga with a base mounted fine adjust is a joy to use compared to all the fiddling that comes with the cheap ones.

The best accessory for a lathe is a milling machine.


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## DavidR8 (Nov 19, 2020)

I can attest to the difference between cheap and name brand. 
I have an inexpensive 4" digital caliper that I use for quick measurements. I recently bought a used Mitutoyo 6" and the difference between the two is quite astounding. The Mitu feels solid and smooth whereas the other is light and is more fussy to use.
Likewise with mag bases. Bought a Noga PH2040 and it's in a completely different league compared to my import two-arm holder.


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## sycle1 (Nov 20, 2020)

There is another hobby machinist that does milling on his small lathe, he is on youtube.
His youtube page is called Ades workshop.
He has a lot of informative videos on the lathe.
He is a happy chap with a lot of machining experience.
Happy to say I have learnt heaps from watching his video's.


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