# What sort of stuff to get with a 10x30 lathe?



## Creativechipper (Jul 10, 2018)

Hello Everyone, new member here. I have been reading for about a month and finally jumping in!!

 I am looking to make some steel and aluminum flashlights eventually.

 What sort of tooling should I be on the look out for, as I only have a 1/4" carbide turning tool plus a SCLCR lathe boring internal bar holder with carbide tips.

 I am thinking about making a machinist hammer as a 1st project.

 I have a spare room inside my house, is it ok to set up inside vs a garage?

 Please let me know any advice, ideas, etc as I am completely new to machining.

 Thanks for any help you can provide, I need it..lol


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## Z2V (Jul 10, 2018)

Welcome to H-M. I’ll offer this, if you have the option of setting up shop in a controlled environment such as a spare room instead of the garage, go for it. Less rust to deal with on your tools.


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## Norseman C.B. (Jul 10, 2018)

Welcome, Buy your basic tooling, and enjoy spending all your allowance for the never ending need for more tools, to make more tools
so you can buy more tools to make more tools and.........................


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## Creativechipper (Jul 10, 2018)

Thanks, I see a never ending amount of tooling in my future..haha


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## shooter123456 (Jul 10, 2018)

I have the same lathe! Good choice, I am very fond of mine. 

First, if you can set it up inside, do it. My shop is in the garage and it gets really hot and humid in the summer. That means I am always fighting rust and some days its just too hot to work. But know that these machines are messy so if there is carpet, it will probably be ruined and you will probably fling oil onto the walls. 

For stuff to get:
1. If you didnt get the QCTP (is it standard now?), get it. 
2. Get some extra holders. You can get by with what comes with it, but it is nice having more because you will rack up tooling. 
3. Carbide insert threading tool. I didnt get one until recently, and I wish I did it years ago. I got an insert and holder for $15 or something and not only does it cut nicer threads than my ground HSS tools, it threads up to a shoulder by default, it threads harder materials with ease, and no more dealing with chipped tips halfway through a threading operation.
4. Dial indicator and holder are very helpful for a lot of things.
5. Carbide insert grooving tool. I got one of these pretty inexpensively and it is much more rigid than a parting blade in the included holder. I still use both since my grooving tool only parts 1" or smaller, but the grooving tool is definetely the tool of choice if I can swing it. 
6. I recently got a SCLCR1212 holder + 10 inserts for $13. It does turning and facing and takes CCMT or CCGT inserts so it can be used easily for steel or aluminum. It has replaced my triangle inserts as my main turning and facing tool. 

I think that is where I would start. Not necessarily in any particular order, but those are what I use regularly with good results on my 1030. You already have a boring bar, so you should be pretty well covered for all the major lathe operations (Turning, facing, boring, threading, parting).


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## BGHansen (Jul 10, 2018)

Congrats and welcome!

Your projects will drive what tooling you need.  For example, if you bore deep holes, you'll probably want a solid carbide boring bar instead of steel for less deflection.  Really good suggestions above.  Personally, the QCTP is #1.

Some basic set up gauges are nice.  I have center gauges (think the slang term is fish tail) for setting my threading tool square to the work.  Also use telescoping gauges for measuring the inside diameter.  A set of thread wires for measuring the pitch diameter of your threads.  A set of thread pitch gauges too.

I jump back and forth between micrometers and dial calipers for checking diameters.  Mic's are more accurate.  A 2" travel indicator on a magnetic base is nice for longitudinal accuracy.  Also an indicator to check run out when setting up a 4-jaw chuck.  I use a wiggler to adjust work to center on the 4-jaw (to set a center-punched hole on center).

Enjoy and don't be shy asking questions.  We're here to help you spend your money!

Bruce


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## westsailpat (Jul 10, 2018)

Hmmmm....  Set it up in your house ? That would not be my choice for many reasons , one is you need a garage door to your shop . You also need the garage's concrete slab floor , setting up the lathe on a wood house floor will create problems for the lathe . Down the line you will want to add a mill and drill press and a bench grinder and a compressor  . For all that stuff you will need a breaker panel inside the garage . You being up in Sacto area get some awesome heat in the summer time , I would insulate and drywall and some type of A/C . Good luck .


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## shooter123456 (Jul 10, 2018)

westsailpat said:


> Hmmmm....  Set it up in your house ? That would not be my choice for many reasons , one is you need a garage door to your shop . You also need the garage's concrete slab floor , setting up the lathe on a wood house floor will create problems for the lathe . Down the line you will want to add a mill and drill press and a bench grinder and a compressor  . For all that stuff you will need a breaker panel inside the garage . You being up in Sacto area get some awesome heat in the summer time , I would insulate and drywall and some type of A/C . Good luck .


Perhaps those would be issues with larger machines, but with a 1030, I don't see it being a problem.  

Most house floors should easily be able to handle the 500 lbs (high estimate) of the machine, especially if placed near a load bearing wall.  It would be worthwhile to double check where you plan to place it, but I wouldn't say a garage concrete slab is a must.  

These machines will easily fit through a standard doorway, the garage door isn't needed.  It might need a few strong guys to carry it, but fitting it wouldn't be an issue. 

As for extra tools, again, not necessarily an issue.  A standard 20 amp line can run these small lathes, small mills, and drill presses, etc.  Just not all at the same time.  I used a single circuit for all my machines and air compressor without any trouble, so long as I only run them individually. 

Those are all certainly valid concerns to look into, and absolutely problems with larger machines, but I think putting a 1030 inside is doable.


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## Creativechipper (Jul 10, 2018)

Alright, lots of good ideas here, I knew joining the forum would help.

 So I do have the QCTP feature on the lathe.

 I am looking at dial calipers by anytime tools 6"/sae plus metric dial reading. 
 I will keep a look out for the carbide tipped grooving tool.

 Is there a certain size range of useful tools for 10x30 lathe.  I recall hearing some tools wont fit in the tool holder?

 Thanks for all the tips!!


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## shooter123456 (Jul 10, 2018)

Creativechipper said:


> Alright, lots of good ideas here, I knew joining the forum would help.
> 
> So I do have the QCTP feature on the lathe.
> 
> ...


The tool holders are for 1/2" tools, but there is also a larger one available for something like $3 more that will hold 5/8" tools.  You can get away with probably 1/4 to 1/2" tools with the standard holders.  When you go smaller than that, it might run out of room before you get to center and need to shim the tool.


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## markba633csi (Jul 10, 2018)

Only problem with bringing machines in the house is tracking chips all around


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## jdedmon91 (Jul 10, 2018)

shooter123456 said:


> Perhaps those would be issues with larger machines, but with a 1030, I don't see it being a problem.
> 
> Most house floors should easily be able to handle the 500 lbs (high estimate) of the machine, especially if placed near a load bearing wall. It would be worthwhile to double check where you plan to place it, but I wouldn't say a garage concrete slab is a must.
> 
> ...



My shop is on a wooden floor and I have a full size mill in it. Now the floor joists are 16” on center the supports are 6’ apart. The original floor was 3/4 plywood and under the lathe and the mill I added another 3/4 plywood. Both machines are solid and don’t cause a problem. 

Now the building was here when I moved here, if I was building a shop I’d have concrete floors 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Creativechipper (Jul 10, 2018)

I don't want to track chips all over the house, wife would not be happy..lol

 Maybe some sort of vacuum assist I can add on with my shop vac. What sort of mess precaution solutions you all use?

 I have an oak dresser low top model that I am considering putting the lathe on. Maybe add a backsplash with a shelf and lighting. I see most videos show people standing when using the lathe and a few pics of chairs by them. Whats a good height for this lathe? I am 6'

 Shooter, thanks for all the tips, I will limit my viewing to 1/4-1/2" tooling for now. I enjoyed your suppressor build, and may attempt a muzzle brake someday.

 I am limited so far on tooling like mills , bandsaws etc. I have a hand drill and a 60 gallon compressor, but its in the hot garage. Maybe a grinder can be made with the 3/4hp motor I had planned on spinning a case trimmer for reloading.

 I see great potential in the lathe for making everything from tools to jewelry to knife parts to RC parts for my helicopters.

Loving all the great threads here in the forum and thanks so much for all the kind replies!!


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## Aaron_W (Jul 10, 2018)

Creativechipper said:


> I have an oak dresser low top model that I am considering putting the lathe on. Maybe add a backsplash with a shelf and lighting. I see most videos show people standing when using the lathe and a few pics of chairs by them. Whats a good height for this lathe? I am 6'




I have a small 3.5x17" lathe that started out in a room. When I added a mill both were relocated to the basement. The lathe is sort of messy, but not too bad. I just put a 2x4' hardboard panel under mine and it caught most of the mess. The mill is another story, it is an oil and metal flinging slob.

I wouldn't think the weight of a 10x30 would be too much of an issue. I have a 100 gallon fish tank which is not a terribly uncommon size, and there are no warnings against putting those in a house. Just the water in the tank weighs more than 800lbs or about 1 1/2-2x the weight of your lathe.


As far as height, I set mine up on a large table and sit in a standard office chair. I'm not happy really with that arrangement. I find I frequently have to look over to the back side of the work which means I have to stand up. I'm planning on building a taller work bench for my machines, not certain on the height yet, but I've got the new 30" stool and will be basing the height around that. I had a similar work bench in the past and that height stool worked well for me because I can sit on the stool or stand at the bench and if sitting it is a handy height if you have to reach for something because it only takes a slight weight shift to go from sitting to standing.


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## shooter123456 (Jul 11, 2018)

Creativechipper said:


> I don't want to track chips all over the house, wife would not be happy..lol
> 
> Maybe some sort of vacuum assist I can add on with my shop vac. What sort of mess precaution solutions you all use?
> 
> ...



Unfortunately, chips in the house will be inevidable no matter where the machine is.  Even with thorough cleaning, they will get caught in socks, on the bottoms of shoes, in hair, etc and find their way inside.  I have even found chips at my parents house 2500 miles away from my shop.  They must have hitched a ride on me somehow.  But by having a pair of dedicated shop shoes, making sure people don't walk through your shop, and cleaning up regularly, you should keep the mess to a minimum.

I am the same height as you and built a 42" bench for the 7x12 lathe I had, but now with the 1030, I need to stand on a stool to get a good view.  I think dropping it down to 36" would have been better.  

Stick with the half inch tools if you can.  I have some 1/4" tools, and they are dwarfed by the half inch ones.  Much more sturdy for sure.  I am glad you liked the suppressor, its been a long time since anyone mentioned that one.  The lathe is certainly capable of muzzle brakes and the other things you mentioned.  

Good luck when it arrives!


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## Creativechipper (Jul 11, 2018)

Thanks, good info on the height.
 I have a workbench in my room but its tall for standing and running a dillon 550 reloader.

Will look to get a set of 1/2" tooling soon, man this stuff really adds up. 

So much to read, its like the difference of a picture is worth a thousand words vs a video must be worth 100k
Little things like difference in ER32 vs 40 I have looked up and what is a dividing plate..lol Takes a bit of research when you have never seen something or heard of it.

 Having lots of fun learning, you all are a great group!!


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## Creativechipper (Jul 11, 2018)

Well I moved my room around, then measured the 2 spots, 33 1/2" and 30" to the top surface. Now I am thinking my current bench 33 1/2" already has power, light, shelf and pegboard. No brainer, I should reconfigure the bench for the lathe.

Received the 1/4" indexable carbide cutters today, wow they are tiny. The wooden box looked cigar box size in the picture and it fits in the palm of my hand now..lol

The packing company called today and I will take delivery tomorrow 

Only slightly apprehensive about a big power tool and potential bodily harm from it.


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## Creativechipper (Jul 14, 2018)

Lathe arrived yesterday and had some help setting it on my bench. We used the engine puller with 3 straps around the frame, avoiding the lead screw and handles. Balanced it with a 4th strap through the other 3 and hooked up to the puller. All went smooth)


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## starr256 (Jul 16, 2018)

When are you intending to "play" with the machines? Compressors, grinders, shop vacs and even lathes and mills can be very noisy. Setting up in the house, be it a room or the basement will limit play time, unless you live alone. For me, the hours between 5:00AM and 8:00AM are mine and when I tend to want to work. Hence my shop is in a converted old one car garage with some added sound insulation. Smells are another item that is often overlooked.


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## Bi11Hudson (Jul 16, 2018)

Wow, lots of pointers. And a chance to brag on my shop, too. I'm in a *little *different situation than you, I bought the house next door (after a fire) to use as a shop. After tearing down about half of it, and repairing the roof, and rewiring, and yada, yada, yada. 

The most sensitive issue to me would be to reinforce the floor. I have a beam of 6 inch steel bearing the middle of the floor joists. Duly shimmed before any load was brought in, of course. And then an extre layer of 3/4 plywood over the whole mess. All the carpet came out to repair the(100+ y/o) floor. Since I am an electrical man with a conservative outlook, extra circuits were added to allow each machine it's own breaker. Pets are not allowed in. Period. Although I sweep regularly, the dogs are smaller than me and find places where chips fall but I don't reach sweeping. The chips still manage to get in the big house (residence) but wife is a good housekeeper.  Noise isn't really an issue. I keep the window closed toward the big house when I work late. But being a shift worker has innured wife to noise anyway. Within reason*........ *Then too, I "play trains" in the same building. One room is taken up with my models. What got me started in machine work to begin with, way back when.

The machines have "grown" over the years. I started out with a 9X19 Taiwanese machine. Equivilent to Grizzly's G4000 in most dimensions. And a benchtop shaper. Since then, I have added a number of others. The lathe is now a(archaic) Craftsman 12X36 and the horizontal Atlas milling machine and it's stand were the heaviest. 

The thing(s) I wanted to bring to your attention are mostly covered in the posts above. All I can do is confirm them through actual usage. My doors are 32 inch doors. For heavyier stuff, and my welding shop, I have an external building. The 100+ y/o wood structure is never exposed to any flame or flame causing instance. Or fuel oil or gasoline, or kero, or diesel*...* well you get the idea. I'd give my left ugh-huh for a basement. But in this part of the country, they're scarce. Since I inherited the house, I can't justify that sort of money.

What you will be bothered with more so is vibration. In the furthest part of the house from your shop, the subsonics *will* be felt. Over time, that can cause structural consequences. You may not spot it, but a *good* inspector could. I could babble on all night, but you have the gist of things. So, good night...

Bill Hudson​


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## Creativechipper (Jul 16, 2018)

Oh no what have I done, its in the house now...

I will think about putting some plywood down over my old carpet.

I have a downstairs storage but its not sealed, it floods in the winter and only 3 walls are sealed, one is a vented lattice type.

 I am amazed with all the knowledge on this forum. So much to learn about and do before making my 1st chips.

 Hope you all get a good laugh about this being my second lathe, tons of experience on it...HAHA


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## Creativechipper (Jul 17, 2018)

I have started a shopping cart for critical items that I need to set up and make 1st cuts on my lathe;
                                                                                                                                                                      starrett 98-4 4" level
                                                                                                magnetic base with fine adjustment &SAE dial 1" travel, accuracy 0.001 mag base MBDIAP
                                                                                    anytime tools premium dial calipers 0-6"/.001" precision double shock proof hardened stainless                                                                  
 
    Just checking to make sure its not junk?
    I think this is about minimum measuring devices just to level and check alignment on the lathe.       
    But I have no experience so I am looking to you all, thanks!!


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## starr256 (Jul 18, 2018)

I do hope you have a machine shop supply house near by. Either that or enough cash to buy out a retiring machinist's tool box. It is amazing the number of items that are needed to complete a project. I started with nothing, have spent a goodly amount on shipping, let alone the tools. Its like home repair jobs. Three trips to the lumber yard, two to the hardware store and you still aren't done. At some point, you will have accumulated enough tooling to make what you don't have, but it's going to be a chicken and the egg scenario in the beginning.


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## Creativechipper (Jul 18, 2018)

That rings true here.
  I rate a home fix job by how many trips to Home depot it takes..haha

 So not a lot of opinions on my measuring items I am about to get.

 I was told the 6" precision micrometer / dial caliper was a required item for the lathe. My friend said they had him by the starrett one for his lathe class 20 yrs ago.

 The dial indicator, with the push pin that measures on a magnetic base is another measuring item I thought was required for any machine work. Just not sure if this item needs a 1" travel or a .0125" travel, confused on this one.

 Sounds like the precision machinist level is not needed now, very confused on this item as well.

 No machine shop within 40 miles of me. I here a blue collar supply shop is in Sacramento.

 Should I even bother with the level?  Will the 4" or 6" starrett level be better/ more useful than a 8" precision leveler graduation .005 bar measurement ruler Vgroove base?

 Or would a kit like Fowlers 52-229-780 indicator, mag base, dial caliper & micrometer combo set be a good deal to start with?


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## jdedmon91 (Jul 18, 2018)

shooter123456 said:


> Unfortunately, chips in the house will be inevidable no matter where the machine is. Even with thorough cleaning, they will get caught in socks, on the bottoms of shoes, in hair, etc and find their way inside. I have even found chips at my parents house 2500 miles away from my shop. They must have hitched a ride on me somehow. But by having a pair of dedicated shop shoes, making sure people don't walk through your shop, and cleaning up regularly, you should keep the mess to a minimum.
> 
> I am the same height as you and built a 42" bench for the 7x12 lathe I had, but now with the 1030, I need to stand on a stool to get a good view. I think dropping it down to 36" would have been better.
> 
> ...



I have the same issue, the shop is 30 feet from the house, sweep and keep as many chips off of me, do not wear shoes in the house from the shop, and keep the shop clothes separate. With all that an occasional chip gets in the house then it’s the madam who steps on it 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Creativechipper (Jul 18, 2018)

That sounds about right. 
 I am getting a comfortable set of work shoes and thinking some short sleeve cover-alls should work nice.

Also looking into getting my shop vac set up with extra hose to help suck up chips easy.


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## francist (Jul 19, 2018)

Creativechipper said:


> Or would a kit like Fowlers 52-229-780 indicator, mag base, dial caliper & micrometer combo set be a good deal to start with?




One thing about buying a starter kit, such as the Fowler one or others, is that it gets you pretty much up and running right out of the gate. No, the tools are not likely going to turn into family heirlooms, but unless you are extremely unlucky they will all work right out of the box. And for a novice who is maybe not sure of the tools and instruments this can be very useful at the beginning. You will second guess your own skills enough without having to wonder if your second-hand gauge is measuring correctly. Save that for later when you know what to expect out of the instrument.

The less expensive starter set also gives you an opportunity to try the tools on for size without spending a whole whack of cash. Depending on what types of things you make, you may find you want tools more specific to those things. Smaller, more sensitive test indicators versus more standard, larger travel indicators. Different strokes for different folks, as they say, and rest assured that if you stay with this hobby for any length of time the first set of tools will be a long way from your last. But by then, you will be able to make your own informed decisions based on the likes and dislikes you've discovered along the way.

And then there's always the "what if you drop the fancy mic or crash your machine into the pricey indicator?" It happens, and it's a lot easier to swallow $25 versus $250, at least when you're just starting out.

That's just my suggestion. There is, as usual, lots of good advice from many experienced people and an equal amount of ways to approach the situation. Good luck!

-frank


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## Creativechipper (Jul 19, 2018)

Thank you so much for shining a light on this for me.
So many things to learn with a metal lathe for me, it gets a little overwhelming.

I have changed my mind on so many things, I wanted a little guidance on this.  I like to take my time and figure out exactly what I need and then hunt it down.  Thank God for copy google search on items and there model numbers so I can see specs on the tools and find out more info on terminology and such. I glossed right over layout fluid. Thanks for the suggestions.

Thanks for the help!!!


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## francist (Jul 19, 2018)

Interestingly, a lot of people seem to have shifted away from layout dye in favour of "sharpie" type markers. Seems to get them to the same place without fussing with the liquid. I still like using the liquid myself, but I can see the appeal of the marker. Easier to come by, too.

-frank


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## Creativechipper (Jul 19, 2018)

Thanks for the input, never heard of the sharpie trick.
 How bad does layout fluid smell? vs sharpie?


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## shooter123456 (Jul 19, 2018)

Creativechipper said:


> I was told the 6" precision micrometer / dial caliper was a required item for the lathe. My friend said they had him by the starrett one for his lathe class 20 yrs ago.



I would tend to agree.  I have an inexpensive iGaging caliper that gets used at least 20 times every time I an on one of the machines.  Note that there is a very big difference between micrometers and calipers.  A micrometer is going to be much more accurate.  Calipers are sometimes called guestimators, but they are plenty good for most things.  If you need a measurement more accurate than .003", I would use a micrometer over the calipers.  For this reason, I don't think its necessary to get super expensive calipers.  The ones I have were about $20 and are accurate to the best I can tell.  They measure my 1-2-3 blocks within .001" compared to when I measure them with micrometers.  



Creativechipper said:


> The dial indicator, with the push pin that measures on a magnetic base is another measuring item I thought was required for any machine work. Just not sure if this item needs a 1" travel or a .0125" travel, confused on this one.



Make sure you know the difference between a dial indicator and a dial test indicator.  They both have their purposes, and you will eventually need both, but they are slightly different.  The dial indicator is going to have the rod sticking straight out the bottom and will be pushed up through the indicator when you take your measurements.  A dial test indicator has a lever that gets pushed to make the measurement.  The test indicator will have much less travel than the dial indicator but will let you measure things that are harder to get to.  For example, a test indicator is much easier to use for tramming a vise.  For the lathe, a dial indicator is often used to get more precision when cutting, since you can place it against the moving axis and use it to measure the distance traveled.  Both can be used when you are setting up parts in the chuck, and I find the dial indicator is better for the rough adjustment, and the test indicator is better for the fine adjustment.  If you can only get one, I personally would start with a dial indicator with about 1" of travel.  



Creativechipper said:


> Sounds like the precision machinist level is not needed now, very confused on this item as well.



You may get different opinions from different people on this.  Some say you must level the lathe or you are wasting your time.  Other say it isn't necessary unless you are doing very precise work.  I decided to use my lathe without leveling, and if I found precision to be an issue, I would buy a level and level it.  Well its 2 years and hundreds of parts later, and I haven't had a single issue related to my lack of leveling.  I think up front, there are a lot more important things to worry about and more important tools to purchase.  If you have someone near you that has one you can borrow, that would be the best case. 



Creativechipper said:


> Or would a kit like Fowlers 52-229-780 indicator, mag base, dial caliper & micrometer combo set be a good deal to start with?



That might be a bit overkill, but they are likely quality tools.  I personally would go with less expensive options unless the budget allows for the purchase of those along with the other tooling you need. 



Creativechipper said:


> How bad does layout fluid smell? vs sharpie?



I think sharpie has a much stronger smell.  I have come to like the smell of layout fluid.  It must be an association thing since I smell it when I am machining, machining makes me happy, so smelling it makes me happy.  That and the dead brain cells thing maybe.


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## starr256 (Jul 19, 2018)

Layout fluid smell?....... Nice, yeah, nice.


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## Creativechipper (Jul 19, 2018)

Lots of good info, thanks
 Figured I would ask about smell, I haven't a clue as I have never played with the stuff.
Haven't turned anything on this yet.
Hopefully getting close.


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## Aaron_W (Jul 19, 2018)

Depending on what you will be making, and unless you have a bottomless budget you don't necessarily need to start off with high end name brand stuff. I bought my lathe to make model parts. It was a huge step up in quality chucking stock in a drill and using files, so extreme accuracy wasn't needed.

I've got a 6" General Digital Caliper I bought new for about $40, it seems to be accurate as it shows my parallels to be their stated sizes, and it reliably gives me the same repeated measurements. My tolerances are rarely as fine as thousandths so it works fine for my needs.

A lot of hardware stores including Home Depot and Harbor Freight carry the basic measuring tools you will need to start off with, except for the Dial Test Indicator. Not sure why but I had no problem finding a cheap dial indicator, but a DTI seems to be more of a specialty item and I had to hunt one down on ebay.   

Once you have the basics so you can start working, you can always start shopping for upgrades as necessary. That also buys you time hunt down good deals. I've gotten a lot of good used tools from ebay that I never could have afforded new.


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## Creativechipper (Jul 19, 2018)

Definitely not a bottomless pit here.

Looking to get stuff that is inexpensive yet not trash and a waste of money. This is why I wound up with a 10x30 lathe instead of a harbor freight lathe. I was told a smaller lathe would not be a satisfying experience. That combined with eventually I want to turn steel.

Thanks for all the help.


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## Creativechipper (Jul 20, 2018)

What do you all think of a set of Mitutoyo 193-211 rolling outside micrometer 0-1"  for about $35 used but looks good condition.  Is this the sort of thing thats a good deal?


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