# Journey to Journeyman series using my Atlas 618. I made a drawbar spacer on my lathe



## jster1963 (May 8, 2014)

This is the drawbar spacer I made on my Atlas 618 lathe. Once again guys I'm proud of myself. I know this is not a NASA rocket, but I'm so happy with how this turned out, especially with the huge handicap I had on this project. I discovered it when the part was almost complete. (I won't tell what it was yet so I don't ruin it for the guys who want to see it on video.)  I was so frustrated, I almost thought about taking up some easy hobby, like golf;-)

This is the second project in my series "Journey to Journeyman" where I'm using my Atlas 618 to try to become a profecient hobby machinist. If you want to see me make this, you can watch my You Tube video. I don't usually make long videos, but this one is 32 mins. If you are interested in seeing all of the mistakes I made in this project, here is the link. Thank you......
http://youtu.be/k8irEo-8F9w


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## itsme_Bernie (May 8, 2014)

I look forward to watching!  Again, kudos for posting!  I saw two minutes for now, until I finish working hah hah..  Great safety reminders...  



Bernie


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## jster1963 (May 9, 2014)

Thank you so much Bernie!  It really is a journey.....


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## David S (May 9, 2014)

Jster, I enjoyed your video, and especially the reminder about safety.  Regarding your shop coat you could shorten the sleeves .

I have the same lathe as you do and was wondering why you were having so much difficulty turning the spacer.  Well a loose head stock would be a big part of that for sure.  You are lucky that big bad things didn't happen.

I drooled over your recent purchases..that wasn't fair.

Keep at it and looking forward to your next video.

Much success

David


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## fastback (May 9, 2014)

Jster, you have a real good attitude about your machining and journey.  I am sure you will get to where you are going.  

I enjoyed your most recent video.  I do have a question.  Is there any reason you did not put a taper (maybe 45 degrees) on the end instead of a step?  It would have been self centering.

Keep up the good work.

Paul

- - - Updated - - -

Another thing you could try for lubrication is bacon fat.  I personally have never tried it, but I have heard of others having success.  That is if you don't mind the smell.  If your wife likes it she may even supply the eggs.

Good luck

Paul


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## Andre (May 9, 2014)

Nice job, never seen your videos before. Nice series of videos, informational and fun to watch.


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## jster1963 (May 9, 2014)

*David S:* Thank you very much! I'm so glad I didn't have a BIG problem too. Holy cow that loose headstock could have been a doozy! Also, sorry about the tools.....nah, no I not LOL;-) I have some tools now, but very little "know how"! I sure hope to use them soon. Thanks again....

*Fastback (Paul):* Thank you. And the reason I didn't do a 45 deg is..... I didn't think of it. That would have been the way to go! That is how the real one is made. So why didn't I think of that? Oh well, it's the big fish that got away. I sure hope I don't do this on every project. Thanks again....

*Andre: *I decided to do this series because I learn better from video than reading. So I hope other novices can see they can do this too, mistakes and all*. *I just hope they don't make the same mistakes that I do. That's what I'm hoping some get out of this series. Thanks you so much for watching and I hope to be making something cool soon.......


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## mgalusha (May 9, 2014)

Love your videos, I really like your honesty. Keep it up.

Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk


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## rustychuck (May 10, 2014)

jster1963,

Cool vid. I am also just starting out with a Craftsman 6" 101.07301. I also did a recent refurbishing, I hesitate to call it a restoration because I painted mine black. Checked my head stock all is well for now. But I just started using my carriage feed more than before and the lead screw mounting screws the 4 that hold it against the bed loosened up. It stopped feeding and i couldn't figure it out started wiggling things and found it. Just went through the whole machine and everything else is tight.

I guess its a good idea to check these things more often, especially after a refurb.

Working on a Oscillating engine now from mrpete222 vids going to take some pic for a project thread and maybe a few vids also.

Good to see you at work. I am having lost of fun. How about you?

Edit: Doused everything with oil also. Nothing works like a well oil machine they say.

Ron


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## VSAncona (May 10, 2014)

Nice job on the videos. I've watched all of them and I really admire your enthusiasm and positive attitude, even when things go wrong.

Did you replace the broken bull gear and back gear yet? If not, I might have those parts kicking around in my drawer of extra parts. I can check and see.


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## chuckorlando (May 10, 2014)

Typically I would never watch a video as long as yours...... But I truly enjoy watching yours. You seem like a great guy with a awesome attitude. I greatly respect a man that desires to learn for pure enjoyment and not a pay check. I have found in school that the few guys who are there because they want a job have a totally different attitude and out look. Frankly they learn ALOT slower as well.

You mentioned sneaking up on the dimension... The best think about slowing down is you can catch your mistakes before the parts scrap. Every mistake I mae tends to come back to going to fast and just not observing whats really going on. Well that and order of operation which you learned. ahaha

One thing I notice that could just be camera angle, but worth a mention. It seems you like to reach over the chuck. That practice seems very unsafe to me. I try to stay in front of the head stock and reach towards it. Dont take much for a sleeve to get caught in that clutch if the sleeve is over the clutch. When reaching from the tail stock forward you eliminate that concern. I dont think your lathe is big enough to eat you but it's big enough to break bones.


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## jster1963 (May 10, 2014)

*mgalusha:* I really like to be honest with people, because I want honest myself. Thank you very much! 

*rustychuck (Ron):* I am going to go through and tighten everything with the torque of "Hulk"! Well.....proper torque;-) I love MrPete222! I was thinking about doing the same project as you, but I decided to go doctorate level and try Tom's Techniques carriage stop. It is something I can really use on the lathe. And YES, I'm loving this stuff. And thank you so much!

*VSAncona:* A lot has gone wrong so far too! But I really am enjoying myself with this machining hobby. It really is rewarding. I don't need any parts because I have a spare headstock with all the parts I need, but thank you very much for the offer! I will put them on before my next video. Thanks again....

*chuckorlando*: I usually don't like to watch videos that long either, so thank you so much for watching. That is a real pat on the back from you and I sincerely thank you! I really wrestled with posting something that long and I hope to keep it shorter on the next project. I am having such a great time even though I know a skilled machinist could do that project in 30 mins. It took me 3 days! I will say I get very frustrated too when I can't get a technique to work. I sometimes let the project "cool off" for days while I think about the next way to tackle it. Also, the most important thing....I do reach over the chuck because the tripod and camera are in the way. I will change that! I really mean it when I say there is no reason to get hurt doing a hobby. So....I will be safe, slow down and sneak up on dimensions, and really think about my order of operations. Thanks so much!


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## chuckorlando (May 10, 2014)

Yea I have to walk away as well. Some times it's best to just think about it then keep trying to muscle it.

The length of your vids dont bother me at all. I enjoyed the whole thing. Same with the first one. 

Awesome tools by the way. 

So when does the mill arrive AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


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## wa5cab (May 11, 2014)

Jeff,

As I wrote elsewhere, the way that you made the spacer actually works better overall than the one with the 45 deg. taper.  With the tapered spacer, it takes both hands to free the tool holder or collet from the taper without risk of dinging either the taper or the spindle.  And unlike what I wrote earlier, there is something that the right hand can be doing - pulling the workpiece out of the collet and inserting the next, changing cutters, or holding the collet or holder as you finish backing the drawbar out of it.

Robert D.



jster1963 said:


> *Fastback (Paul):* Thank you. And the reason I didn't do a 45 deg is..... I didn't think of it. That would have been the way to go! That is how the real one is made. So why didn't I think of that? Oh well, it's the big fish that got away. I sure hope I don't do this on every project. Thanks again....


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## Kroll (May 11, 2014)

Jster,that has to be the best informative Utube I have seen.Myself I learn better seeing vs reading.This morning while drinking coffee,I watch and learn through some of your mistakes and accomplishments so thank you for posting.One of the best things that I like here is the white board with drawing and OPS,we need a good laid plan.On another forum and here I also post my mistakes which I now use the word mistakes most of the time but sometimes I use the word ignorance.But,I do feel better now about some of my ignorance mistakes thanks to another poster explaining mistakes/ignorance which I paste here.It makes me feel better and so does this Utube,thanks again and looking forward to your next quality Utube---kroll


About ignorance;

You don't have it to share anymore --in the process of seeing what you would have done in a different way you cured the ignorance.

Long ago, in a far and distant galaxy, we used to call this process of curing ignorance 'learning' --and it was actually a respected thing to do!

In this far distant galaxy, when someone showed stuff they had cured their ignorance of, we used to call that 'teaching' --and again it was a highly respected activity!

So, from this old man that often feels like he's far from the place and time he was raised in: Thank you for sharing what you have learned, as it teaches us all how to do stuff better, and what we should be thinking about as we plan our next projects.

This sharing of experience is what actually separates humans from animals (not opposable thumbs or tool use, etc. --the ability to share complex concepts defines 'human').

So really, thanks for doing that most human of things; teaching. )

Zero.


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## jster1963 (May 12, 2014)

*chuckorlando:* Are you a mind reader?  Cuz I sure have been eye-balling the mill sections;-)  However, I better learn the basics before I jump into the deep end of the pool.  And thanks you.....

*wa5cab:* That does make sense.  I will soon find out.  I hope to use my mill attachment real soon.  Thank you very much.

*Kroll:*  WOW!  Thank you very much!  I really appreciate the kind words.  I hope that my mistakes can help others from making the same ones as me.  And I hope I can show someone that wants too do this, but is scared....that even though mistakes are made, it's still do-able.  Once again......thank you


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