# Matts Precision Matthews 1236



## zoom zoom (May 10, 2016)

You guys are rediculous.


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## brav65 (May 10, 2016)

Being a new guy with no experience myself, all I can recommend is to take your time and explore the machine.  Cleaning, adjusting and repairing minor issues allow you to become familiar with how the machine works.  This forum is an awesome group of people who will answer any question you have, so don't be afraid to ask for help.  Nobody will give you a hard time about "stupid" questions here, so do not be afraid to ask.  Make sure that you work safely, being focused on doing something new can cause you to forget safety.  

Congratulations and enjoy your new toy!


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## David VanNorman (May 10, 2016)

Good luck with your new machine.


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## MSD0 (May 10, 2016)

Congrats on the new lathe. It looks like the shipping company did a good job and didn't do any damage. If the safety shield bothers you, it's easy to remove but you'll have to bypass the limit switch inside. Have fun and take your time setting it up.


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## zoom zoom (May 11, 2016)

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## Stonebriar (May 11, 2016)

Congratulations on your new lathe.  I am very happy with mine. Good job on your write up and pictures/videos.  

Rick


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## tmarks11 (May 11, 2016)

That motor is way too hot.  Unless you have been cutting for hours, that is unusual.

If its the cover of the junction box is getting hot, I would definitely open it up and check the connections on the wiring and make sure none of the terminal screws are loose.  Take some pictures of the inside and post them.

Also, check to see if you can feel airflow from the fan that is mounted inside the end-bell on the motor (somebody who just bough a green mill from another company who will be unnamed, got a TEFC motor... without a fan....),


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## zoom zoom (May 11, 2016)

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## mksj (May 12, 2016)

You may have a bad motor start/run capacitor or the motor start capacitor may not be disengaging.  Based on similar machines, that looks to be the RUN 20 mfd capacitor that is getting very hot. I would see if it is just one capacitor or both, I would call QMT to  see what they recommend before something goes south. If the breaker is tripping with starting the machine, they sometimes need to have a different trip curve that allow a longer time before tripping (C or D) and/or increased the breaker size from 20A to 25A to prevent nuisance tripping. You need to check electrical code to see what is acceptable. This spreadsheets provides recommended fusing/breaker for a 2Hp single phase 230V: http://www.schneider-electric.us/do...-and-online-tools/nemamotordatacalculator.xls


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## llamatrails (May 12, 2016)

Verify the motor wiring is configured properly for the 220v  1 phase ?


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## zoom zoom (May 12, 2016)

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## tmarks11 (May 12, 2016)

zoom zoom said:


> The heat was coming from the cylindrical motor housing, or something inside it rather, causing the motor housing to get hot. I didn't know these motors were supposed to have a fan.



This is a Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled (TEFC) motor.  That black end bell on the motor is secured by two or three screws, and underneath it is a plastic fan that is attached to the back end of the motor shaft.  It pulls air over the motor while it is operating.

If the motor reached that temperature after an hour of breaking-in the lathe, then it is okay.  I was more worried about the junction box temperature being high than the motor surface.  You can see the article below from Leeson, where they state on-contact readings off 176-212F for a continuous operating induction motor is acceptable.

http://www.leeson.com/TechnicalInformation/hottopic.html



			
				Leeson said:
			
		

> Another point: for safety's sake, no one should be touching most electric motors in the first place, unless they are specially designed to have safe surface temperatures. Such motors include those used on bench grinders, power saws and the like. For those applications, Underwriters Laboratories sets maximum acceptable surface temperatures for a metal "surface subject to casual contact" at 70° C(158° F) after 30 minutes of operation in a 25° C(77° F) room. Even at that temperature, however, you do not want to touch the surface for long.
> 
> The surface temperature of continuously (and correctly) operating general purpose industrial electirc motor will easily be 80° C (176° F) and perhaps as high as 100° C (212° F). You cannot keep your hand on a surface that hot long enough to discern differences, and if you try, you could get a nasty burn.


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## zoom zoom (May 12, 2016)

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## zoom zoom (May 13, 2016)

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## MSD0 (May 13, 2016)

Bummer that it broke. Is there a chance that you engaged the feed lever with the half nut engaged?


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## zoom zoom (May 13, 2016)

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## JimDawson (May 14, 2016)

Could you have had the carriage locked?


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## zoom zoom (May 14, 2016)

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## JimDawson (May 14, 2016)

If the carriage is moving freely by the handwheel, then there shouldn't be enough force to pull the lead screw out of the gear box.  The lead screw bearing at the tailstock end should have held it anyway.  You might take a look at that end to see what happened there.  I'm not familiar with the mechanics of that particular lathe, but there should be a drive pin or something there that keeps things together.

BTW, while the long curly chips look cool, they can be dangerous when they wrap around the work and chuck and turn into a rotary razor blade.  I normally interrupt the drilling operation by pausing the hand wheel momentarily to allow the chips to break up.


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## tmarks11 (May 14, 2016)

zoom zoom said:


> I don't *think* so, I was only trying to use the leadscrew to make the carriage move toward the headstock.


Lead-screw is used for threading only.  You engage the lead-screw with the knob (right-most knob on the apron) that closes the half nuts on it it.

Carriage feed occurs when you push the feed handle down (central knob on the apron that slides right then down for carriage feed or left than up for cross feed) and the feed rod causes the carriage hand wheel to spin, driving the carriage.

Go get some 5/32" (or whatever size your lathe takes, maybe 3 or 4 mm) brass rod from ace hardware to use as a shear pin.  Cut it to size, insert it in the hole, then peen each end to keep it there.  Then you don't have to keep worrying about the broken shear pin pieces falling out.

Or you can buy the G0750G shear pin from Grizzly; bet it will fit.
http://www.grizzly.com/parts/p0750g0960


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## TOOLMASTER (May 14, 2016)

your cutter should be centered  top/bottom height


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## frostheave (May 15, 2016)

zoom zoom said:


> I wouldn't know what to look for to see "if the motor is configured correctly for 220V 1 Phase." I ran 14/2 wire from a dedicated 20A breaker, should be way more than enough, it was powering a 2HP motor on a homemade (engine) air compressor for a couple years.



I believe a 20A breaker requires #12 wire.  14 gauge is good for 15 amps.


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## pdentrem (May 15, 2016)

Brazing rod work very well for a shear pin. Knock off the coating and cut to length.
Pierre


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## zoom zoom (May 15, 2016)

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## Muskt (May 15, 2016)

At the risk of coming across as an arrogant butt-head (or worse), I feel compelled to add a few comments.  Please treat the following as constructive criticism, and not belittling or making fun of you.  

I own a PM 12x36, and before that used a Grizz 9x19 for many years.  I understand your excitement and your desire to learn quickly. HOWEVER, (and this is a big HOWEVER)--I feel strongly that you need to SLOW DOWN a bit. 

I have watched a couple of your videos, and quite frankly, I was very nervous about your safety.  For example:  using your fingers to remove swarf (even the aluminum) while still cutting--extremely dangerous.  Leaving the machine running while searching for pliers to remove the swarf (instead of using your fingers -- excellent choice)  Parting off with the live center in the work.  

These may seem like I am picking on you, but I am not--just pointing out a couple of things that jumped out at me.

On one vid, your tool was at least 1/4 inch above the center of the work.  Another member pointed that out earlier.

I never observed you checking the parting tool for perpendicular alignment prior to parting the aluminum--it must have been close, because you were successful.

You stated that you don't know what the knobs do--the chart on the headstock does list the settings and the feed rates that those settings yield.

Please, please, slow down a bit and get to know the machine.  Then start with the basics and advance gently--adding operations one at a time.  

MrPete222 on YouTube (a retired shop teacher) has hundreds of videos covering every aspect of lathe operations.  Mostly, they are very good.

If you feel you are ready for threading, I have a short treatise on that subject on my website that I created for the 9x20.  It may be of value to you--it is not lathe specific.  Here is a link:  

http://www.akpilot.net/Threading Setup/Compound Setup For Threading.html

Again, please do not think that I am belittling you--I AM NOT.  I really don't want to read a post from you about losing a finger or an eye.

Best to you, & enjoy the new machine
Jerry in Delaware


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## zoom zoom (May 15, 2016)

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## Muskt (May 16, 2016)

Great!  I'm glad you are thinking about things.

With a center installed while parting, there is a very great chance for the work to flex away from the operator resulting in a pinch on the tool, which frequently results in unpleasant things happening to the workpiece and also the operators underwear.  Generally accepted practice requires the parting cut to be as close to the chuck as possible (eliminating the need for the center).  In your case, it appears that it would not fit in the spindle bore -- Steady rest, maybe -- Or hacksaw, then facing cut.  

With very rare exceptions, virtually everything I have ever read calls for the tool to be exactly on center height. 

Good on the previous adjusting of the parting tool.  I have recently learned that only a few degrees off perpendicular is usually not good.

Here is another link to my site.  This one is also about threading--very old pamphlet from South Bend.

http://www.akpilot.net/How To Cut Threads/How To Cut Threads.pdf

Best to you
Jerry in Delaware


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## roadie33 (May 16, 2016)

I was always told that 10 gauge is the smallest wire to use for 220v and the minimum a 30 Amp breaker. Just a thought.
May also be the cause of tripping breaker and excessive heat at motor too.


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## zoom zoom (May 16, 2016)

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## mksj (May 16, 2016)

The NEC code and local electrical code describe the required wiring standards in different applications. Although you may see just about anything when it comes to wiring, it does not mean it is safe or acceptable. If you see a washer, dryer, dishwasher on a 20A breaker, it is connected to a 15A receptacle. That you are having issues with the breaker tripping on occasion and the motor making noises on start up are indicators that there is a problem at hand, as this should not occur in normal use. Since this seems to be occurring when the motor is starting, the voltage is probably being pulled down as the motor can draw 4-8X its rated current at start-up. The motor may also not be coming up to full speed for the start capacitor to disengage. This is why the breaker calculators for this size motor usually specify a 25A breaker for  2Hp single phase 230V.  A 20A circuit/outlet per NEC should use a minimum of 12G copper wire. On longer runs, it may require 10G when one factors in the voltage drop. Motors come in all types and ratings, suffice it to say, they are not all created equal, and when you take into account the power factor/efficiency the motor could be drawing a lot more current than you think. I often have a good laugh at HD when they talk about a 3 or 5 Hp motor in their vacuum cleaners/ compressors/etc. that can be plugged into a 120V 15A socket.


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## Steve Shannon (May 16, 2016)

roadie33 said:


> I was always told that 10 gauge is the smallest wire to use for 220v and the minimum a 30 Amp breaker. Just a thought.
> May also be the cause of tripping breaker and excessive heat at motor too.


The voltage has no relevance to the wire size for residential applications. Wire should be sized according to ampacity, or current carrying ability. 
Voltage is definitely a factor for choosing wire type.


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## zoom zoom (May 16, 2016)

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## daveharris (May 17, 2016)

Just a question, why are you not using 12/3... e.g. installing a ground wire to the machine?


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## zoom zoom (May 17, 2016)

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## llamatrails (May 17, 2016)

zoom zoom said:


> I have a stockpile of 14/2. It has a ground!! 2 coated wires and one bare inside a 14/2 wire. 110 has one hot and a neutral+ the optional GFCI grounding wire, 220 is 2 pole, with 2 hot (110v) legs and one optional neutral. A lot of 220 accessories will be internally grounded, but this lathe does have the third neutral wire and it is hooked up. The wires off the machine appear to be 16ga to me, but I could be wrong.



The ground wire in your 14/2 is thinner than the 2 coated wires.

Thinks of it this way: with 110v on 14/2, the hot and neutral path are the same gauge so the power on the hot and the return to ground at the panel are equal.

With 220v on 14/2, each of the 14 gauge wires is a different 110v phase.  Now we have the hot path on one phase returning to ground at the panel on a thinner wire, then the other phase does the same.  Using 3 wire with ground, 10/3 or 12/3 or 14/3, has the the return gauge the same as the power.

As for the thinner wires off the machine, it has to do with the length of the wires.  Longer wires, more voltage drop.


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## Deleted member 41770 (May 17, 2016)

I'm a new guy here, but I would really like to make a comment about your wiring situation.
I am a Fire/Arson Investigator for major suburb of Dallas Texas.  I have investigated many residential fires.  I say all that to say this; you are taking a big chance on burning your house.
No one here wants to hear what I am about to say, but please for the safety of your home and family call an electrician.  The breaker is tripping for a reason, that reason is the amperage draw of the circuit is causing the breaker to over heat.  If the breaker is overheating (which is what makes them trip), the wire is also heating up.  If the wire heats up enough it can and eventually will cause a fire inside the wall of your home.  That fire will travel into the attic and void spaces fast.  Remember, the purpose of the breaker is to protect the wiring in the circuit, it is not to protect the machine or appliance which is plugged into it.

The more times a wire or electric plug over heats, the less heat it takes to start a fire.  For example, a wire that heats up one time to 300*F may not do any damage.  If it heats up to 300*F 10 times, the 11th time it may start the insulation on fire when it reaches as little a 200*F.

Please, you have spent several thousand on a nice lathe, and many hundreds on tooling for it.  Please spend a couple hundred for a licensed electrician to make sure you can use it safely and not burn your house and family.


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## daveharris (May 17, 2016)

Sorry guys, must have had a Homer Simpson moment when I typed my reply.  I was intending to say the same thing as Rick above but wholeheartedly agree with "Mr Fixit's" comments above.

will try to make sure head is pulled out of A$$ before any more comments. 
Dave H.


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## zoom zoom (May 17, 2016)

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## Steve Shannon (May 18, 2016)

Once upon a time the ground was smaller. As far as I know all three conductors are the same gauge in 12/2 with ground or 14/2 with ground. Don't use the uninsulated ground wire as neutral. It's only for ground. Really, getting an electrician would be a good idea.


 Steve Shannon


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## zoom zoom (May 18, 2016)

I'll leave this post up as a small contribution to this site, for posterities sake, I feel I did a good job of contributing my experience as a first time buyer and machine owner but you guys are absolutey ridiculous, ridiculing me several times over AFTER THE ISSUE WAS FIXED! Good riddance.

I had to change the oil since I drained the feed box to fix the lead screw. It was close to the recommended time to do the first change anyway.

I had put this magnet in on day one. I stuck my hand in the oil that came in the machine and I felt a LOT of tiny particles, I thought the magnet was going to be worse but that really isn't too bad.






Youtube video





Back right corner





Better pic of the whole right side.






This left side was pretty much clean and clear of any debris.







I used rags to soak up the remaining oil and clean out the straggler pieces of metal shavings.






The thing took EXACTLY 1 gallon of oil to refill to the sight glass.





I don't have any good pics of the feed box, but it was pretty clean.


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## jocat54 (May 18, 2016)

What oil did you use for the change?


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## zoom zoom (May 18, 2016)

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## sanddan (May 19, 2016)

Make a very light cut without using the live center, I repeat the cut without changing the settings (called a spring cut) to reduce any chance flex with through off the readings and then measure the test bar. This will check for bed twist and head stock alignment. My lathe new had .006" taper over 7" which I adjusted out using the headstock adjustment bolts. Fine tuning can be done by tweaking the leveling feet which affects the bed twist if present. The test you did using the live center is for checking the tailstock alignment. In your case the tailstock would be adjusted to eliminate the .003" taper. You should do the bed twist/headstock alignment test first before messing with the tailstock. Wait for a better level before adjusting anything.

On these smaller lathes bed twist can be tough to adjust as the stand tends to not be stiff enough to affect the bed when adjusting the leveling feet. You'll just have to see how your lathe reacts. You do need to do these steps in the proper order, here's how I do it.

1. Level lathe end to end.
2. Level lathe front to back. Set up level near headstock end  either on the ways or cross slide. Recheck level end to end.
3. Check for bed twist. Check level at headstock end and then tailstock end. Any difference in level is due to bed twist. Preload the leveling feet to remove twist.
4. Once the lathe is level in both directions use the test bar unsupported to check for alignment. Adjust as needed.
5. With any taper in the bar removed next check for alignment of the tailstock. You can use the same test bar. Adjust the tailstock if you have any taper.
6. Make beautiful parts and have fun. Be safe.


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## koba49 (May 19, 2016)

on your last photo on cutting threads, that tool you are using is a turning tool, you cannot use it to cut threads, check with who ever you bought the tools from and see if they sell threading tools that will fit your tool post holder


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## tmarks11 (May 19, 2016)

koba49 said:


> on your last photo on cutting threads, that tool you are using is a turning tool, you cannot use it to cut threads, check with who ever you bought the tools from and see if they sell threading tools that will fit your tool post holder


Strongly recommend you spend a little time watching some youtube videos.  This isn't the sort of thing you are going to pick up by trial and error and from the forums.

The 45 degrees for the compound, using a turning tool, etc, shows me that you are trying to plunge straight into this without learning the basics.


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## zoom zoom (May 19, 2016)

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## MSD0 (May 19, 2016)

Are there any community colleges in your area that offer machining classes?


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## tmarks11 (May 20, 2016)

MSD0 said:


> Are there any community colleges in your area that offer machining classes?


++1.  That is what I did.


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## extropic (May 21, 2016)

zoom zoom said:


> I wouldn't know what to look for to see "if the motor is configured correctly for 220V 1 Phase." I ran 14/2 wire from a dedicated 20A breaker, should be way more than enough, it was powering a 2HP motor on a homemade (engine) air compressor for a couple years.



A 20 amp circuit requires 12 AWG conductors.  14 AWG is suitable for use with a 15 amp breaker. I don't know what your motor specs are but if the breaker is 20 amp, the conductors need to be 12 AWG or larger.

Edit: After reading the rest of the thread, I see the subject had already been well covered.


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## zoom zoom (May 21, 2016)

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## sanddan (May 21, 2016)

Mr zoom zoom, you do not need to beat up on people who are only trying to help. Good luck with your new lathe.

Over and out.


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## brav65 (May 21, 2016)

I think we are all concerned with safety. I work in construction and have unfortunately seen too many injuries and deaths, the last thing I want to see is someone getting hurt doing a hobby.


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## Muskt (May 21, 2016)

It appears that zoom zoom has departed.  Too bad!!  I hope he is still lurking and will reconsider leaving.  I can understand his frustration.  I participate in several forums on various topics.  One, in particular, is about the Linux operating system for computers.  I have displayed some relatively unprofessional judgement there, and even threatened to leave permanently--Lucky for me, I reconsidered and one or two of the more patient members talked me through the rough spots and eased my frustrations.  ( I still do not understand the intricacies of Linux, but I continue to plod along gaining knowledge and experience with every failure--or rare success.)

Sometimes it may appear that a poster is unwilling to listen to advice, and that frequently leads to hurt feelings and rash actions.  Sadly, the printed words in a forum seldom convey the deeper meaning of what was intended.  Sometimes goodwill messages end up being perceived as belittling of "making fun of" when the real reason was genuine concern for personal safety or not ruining a tool. 

Although I still feel that he needs to slow down and take a more systematic approach, I can totally understand his excitement and desire to hustle along and skip the basics.

So, zoom zoom, if you are still out there, you may contact me via email, or phone, or just drive out to Delaware and we can spend some time in my shop with my 12x36 till you get comfortable.  You can make a post here so that we can connect.  I do not claim to be an expert, just a hobby tinkerer.

Jerry in Delaware


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## tmarks11 (May 21, 2016)

zoom zoom said:


> I'll leave this post up as a small contribution to this site, for posterities sake, I feel I did a good job of contributing my experience as a first time buyer and machine owner but you guys are absolutey ridiculous, ridiculing me several times over AFTER THE ISSUE WAS FIXED! Good riddance.


Going back and reading through the thread, I see a lot of people spending time to give you advice on how to fix and use your lathe correctly. 

I see a few people commenting on wiring it up in violation of the National Electric Code.

I see absolutely nobody ridiculing you.  I am sorry to see so many people here waste their time offering good advice.

This is the friendliest machining forum on the internet.  I suggest you go over to Practical Machinist and post a similar set of threads to what you posted here and see what happens.


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## lpeedin (May 24, 2016)

tmarks, unfortunately, I have seen this happen several times over with other hobbies that I have.  One in particular is target archery.  It seems that every time a new guy gets "the bug" and decides to dive in whole hog, they want to jump straight to a high level of shooting.  It doesn't work like that.  Mistakes are made often, and often they are the best teachers / lessons.   I have seen many a newbie get ****** off and quit because they didn't want to slow down, put in their time, and learn how to do things the right way.   As you can imagine, safety in a sport where deadly weapons are involved, is paramount.  Too often I have seen people pulling way too much draw weight for them to comfortably handle, all in the name of having the fastest bow possible.  Then when they grunt and strain to get the bow pulled back, after pointing in towards others, they get completely offended when someone politely corrects them.  Inevitably, they storm off and often never return.  

Sadly, we are in an age of instant gratification and quickly obtained knowledge.  The problem comes in when people try to apply their quickly obtained knowledge without any experience.  People think that they are able to instantly become whatever they seem in a youtube video.  However, experience is only gained through time and practice, neither of which some people are willing to devote.  

I can also say that this is truly the most polite, respectful forum that I have ever been a part of.  I have never seen anyone call someone else a derogatory name, insult someone else, or belittle anyone else.  Everyone here is helpful.   Hopefully zoom zoom will return when he cools down and realizes that the people here actually give a crap and don't want to see him get hurt or burn his house down.


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## Deleted member 41770 (May 24, 2016)

3dshooter80 said:


> ....
> Sadly, we are in an age of instant gratification and quickly obtained knowledge.  The problem comes in when people try to apply their quickly obtained knowledge without any experience.  People think that they are able to instantly become whatever they seem in a youtube video.  However, experience is only gained through time and practice, neither of which some people are willing to devote. ......



Probably not the right forum for this question, but it is relative I believe;  What would you gentlemen recommend a new guy with a new(to him) lathe to practice first?  Is there any recommended order of things to do first?  For instance, step one practice turning an outside diameter to specific measurment +/- .005? After that is 'mastered' practice facing, etc?

In other words, If I want to jump in, where would I start to build my skills and what order of skills should I practice?  This would be especially helpful to those who can't for whatever reason attend a community college or other organized training class.


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## dlane (May 24, 2016)

Strange thread , am I missing something?


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## koba49 (May 24, 2016)

MF that is a good question. First thing I would advise is understand how the machine works, lathe or mill. Know what the different knobs and levers do, and how they are used in operating the machine. I did go to different schools, but you really do learn by doing this for a living. I did keep all of my military school training material, I found it all up in the attic last week. Give me some time, and I will see if I can find some information on learning how to use a lathe and try to post it on this  forum. it may help a lot of people with questions.


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## JimDawson (May 24, 2016)

dlane said:


> Strange thread , am I missing something?




Yes, there are a number of replies missing from zoom zoom.  It seems he was not receptive to accepting suggestions from more experienced members regarding technique and safety.  The following quote pretty much says it all.



zoom zoom said:


> I'll leave this post up as a small contribution to this site, for posterities sake, I feel I did a good job of contributing my experience as a first time buyer and machine owner but you guys are absolutey ridiculous, ridiculing me several times over AFTER THE ISSUE WAS FIXED! Good riddance.


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## lpeedin (May 24, 2016)

Koba, I think you are on the right track with your response to Mr Fixit's question.  As a relative newbie myself, I can appreciate the sincerity of the question.  For me, the one thing that I made absolutely sure about was that I knew what every knob and lever on the machine did BEFORE I tried to turn anything.  I spent a few hours "machining air" to get used to the controls.  Then when I did start, I started with basic operations followed by measuring as precisely as I could so that I could observe my results.  I did all of my work initially with a 3-jaw chuck.  Now pretty much all I use is the 4-jaw unless a special need arises for the 3-jaw.  I did make a couple of minor mistakes, but  I took my time to actually learn what I was doing.   The main thing I understood from the beginning was that the machines could seriously hurt me.  I have tried very hard to not just rush into things without thinking them through.


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## mksj (May 24, 2016)

mr fixit said:


> Probably not the right forum for this question, but it is relative I believe; What would you gentlemen recommend a new guy with a new(to him) lathe to practice first? Is there any recommended order of things to do first?



I concur with 3dshooter80, you can either do a lot of damage to the lathe, or yourself, so getting familiar with the controls and getting some learned reflexes is a starting point. Each material and project uses different skills. It is also important to understand the accessories and tooling for these machines, how they are setup and how they are used. One can ask questions if one is unsure, review what others recommend, and then decide what works best for you. 

As far as the sequence,  start with the basics in easily machined materials such as aluminum an mild steel. Learn how to face and size material first, then center boring/drilling, and then threading/more technical turning. One nice source of YouTube information that starts with the basics and then advances into more technical turning was the MIT Essential Machining Skills: Working with a Lathe. I also found this and reading some of the South Bend Lathe training materials to be very helpful in explaining how the lathe works and the reasoning for machining a particular way. I always learn from others, so I watch how they do machining and then ask questions if I am unclear or I do something different. I am always learning new things, and I greatly  appreciate the information exchange. 




https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC79QdJW2rayvCzqNq-SAM-g

I am a bit disappointed that site moderators do not restore wholesale deletion of posts like this thread and a few others that were inappropriately and completely deleted. I think there is important information to be learned by others, and the information provided was reasonable and factual.  This is one of the forum rules, and by posting in this forum, one agrees that the information is not deleted because one gets mad or frustrated. It is  very reasonable to make corrections or clarify content after the matter of the fact, but I find that valuable learning information should be maintained when appropriate.


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## koba49 (May 24, 2016)

3dshooter80 said:


> Koba, I think you are on the right track with your response to Mr Fixit's question.  As a relative newbie myself, I can appreciate the sincerity of the question.  For me, the one thing that I made absolutely sure about was that I knew what every knob and lever on the machine did BEFORE I tried to turn anything.  I spent a few hours "machining air" to get used to the controls.  Then when I did start, I started with basic operations followed by measuring as precisely as I could so that I could observe my results.  I did all of my work initially with a 3-jaw chuck.  Now pretty much all I use is the 4-jaw unless a special need arises for the 3-jaw.  I did make a couple of minor mistakes, but  I took my time to actually learn what I was doing.   The main thing I understood from the beginning was that the machines could seriously hurt me.  I have tried very hard to not just rush into things without thinking them through.



I have been going through my Navy "A" school material, there is a lot of useful information in there I just have to figure how to scan it, and then upload it to the learning part of this forum


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## john.oliver35 (May 24, 2016)

I have always observed that the members here are concerned about safety first and bravado last.  I had a wake-up call this weekend when I caught a finger between a three-jaw chuck jaw and the bed on a tiny SHERLINE.  Given the power and size all I got was a two-bandage wound.  On zoom-zoom's 1236 I would have lost a hand.


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## tmarks11 (May 25, 2016)

mr fixit said:


> What would you gentlemen recommend a new guy with a new(to him) lathe to practice first?  Is there any recommended order of things to do first?  For instance, step one practice turning an outside diameter to specific measurment +/- .005? After that is 'mastered' practice facing, etc?


In the courses I took, the first step (after identifying parts of the machine and what they did) was to turn a 2" chunk of iron down to a stepped series of sizes.  Start from the middle, turn it completely down to 1.95" +/- 0.002.  Then move back 0.5", turn it down to 1.75" +/- 0.002.  And so on.  Taught taken measurements, doing incremental cuts, dimensioning along the length of the piece.

Things to focus on: calculate the spindle speed, select the right feed rate, try different depths of cut (carbide cuts best if you try to avoid taking a cut of less then 0.020"... you can't "sneak up" on a dimension.  We cut half the piece with HSS, the other half with carbide.

Then flip the piece around and cut the other end the same way.

So it looks like this:







The next step was doing something similar with aluminum.

Then we made a hammer out of aluminum:  cut a tapered shaft, threaded the end, cut the head, tapped for the screws for the head, hurled the length.


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## Firestopper (May 25, 2016)

Well fellas, I just found this and read through all posts. I was compelled to reach out to ZZ only to find it blocked. I was hoping to start a private conversation and offer any help I could provide. I'm still learning a ton, but believe everyone deserves help. Its clear from all your posts that his safety was paramount as well as home and machine. You guys are incredibly helpful, however he's not ready to listen,learn, and execute operating his lathe safely. No room for egos around dangerous machines. Like the old saying goes, "you can lead a horse to water, but can't make him drink". 
The truth is, if he was to come back (and I hope he does) you folks would pick up where you left off trying to help him out.
Keep on keeping on!


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