# You Won't Believe What This Newbie Made.



## ThunderDog (Mar 31, 2016)

I just wanted to share some inspiration work for beginners, who may be in a similar situation to me.

I'm 100% self taught, mainly from the L.H. Sparey book, "The Amateurs Lathe".

Here is my most recent project. It's a two part series and I also made a video which explains how I indexed on the lathe without a dividing head.  Anyway, I hope this inspires others to learn this amazing hobby and never give up.

And before any nay sayers jump in, I completely understand that this is not a "precision" build.  It's more of a confidence build/project.


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## FOMOGO (Mar 31, 2016)

You just never know when you are going to need a good mace, although it's much less messy now that they put it in a can. Nice job. Mike


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## Paul in OKC (Mar 31, 2016)

You're right! You newbies are something else, sometimes, so unconventional


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## TOOLMASTER (Mar 31, 2016)

that would be a cool cnc out of one piece video.


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## jeff_g1137 (Mar 31, 2016)

Hi
Nice work & the video was good as well.


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## seasicksteve (Mar 31, 2016)

They would love that on Walking Dead. More effective than the bat with the barbed wire wrapped around barrel. Only downside is you gotta get closer to the zombies. Seriously, nice work


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## Billh50 (Mar 31, 2016)

hmmmm....no pictures, video's or links showing for me


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## TOOLMASTER (Mar 31, 2016)

weird


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## ch2co (Mar 31, 2016)

ThunderDog
Cool job. Thanks for the video, BUT if you consider yourself a *newbie* and you turn out stuff like this, there has to be 
a new category named for a lot of us who thought that we were newbies and are obviously still in kindergarten!
Nice work, and no,I don't think that I would want to meet you in a dark alley. 

Chuck the grumpy old guy


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## tertiaryjim (Mar 31, 2016)

A mace would certainly be handy when the zombies break through the fence again but what I really need is a elephant gun. Never know when one might start tearing up the garden.
Well done!

Jim in Colorado


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## Paul in OKC (Mar 31, 2016)

As a "seasoned" machinist, I do envy newbies at times. I really think that they don't know any better, so they go for it. While I and others think too hard about why we shouldn't!


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## jpfabricator (Apr 1, 2016)

That mace would do good for the TEXAS size mosquitos around here!

Sent from somewhere in East Texas Jake Parker


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## silence dogood (Apr 1, 2016)

For a newbie, that is pretty darn impressive.  Now do us all a favor.  Please, please, roll up the sleeves, take off the ring and watch.


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## burdickjp (Apr 1, 2016)

silence dogood said:


> For a newbie, that is pretty darn impressive.  Now do us all a favor.  Please, please, roll up the sleeves, take off the ring and watch.


Seriously! We want you to keep making things. It's much easier with all appendages where they belong.


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## wrmiller (Apr 1, 2016)

Thanks for sharing. Interesting design.


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## steve323 (Apr 1, 2016)

I like the ability to replace the inserts after smashing a zombies head and he happens to have a metal plate.

Steve


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## hobby ist (Apr 1, 2016)

Just wow! Awesome!


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## cozmogeek (Apr 3, 2016)

That is really damn cool. How long did it take to make and what was the total materials cost?


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## ThunderDog (Apr 3, 2016)

WOW! Thank you for the positive feedback and actually taking the time to check out the work.  It took a while (many evenings) because I have a regular job, wife, kids, dog,  ...life.  I'm working on a variety of projects and I'm going to put out more videos to chronicle the experiences of a beginner.  Like I said, I hope these inspire others to try.  As Paul in OKC said, the newbie ignorance is sometimes a good thing.  But more importantly studying, reading, and planning are still a necessity especially with such a huge potential for injury or machine destruction.  Yes, I need to roll up the sleeves and tuck in the draw strings on my hood.  But, it was so darn cold. 

As I already said, "Thank you".

I do have a question actually 2 questions.  Should I gather the equipment and learn to scrape ways or just pay the quote I received of about $500 to have the ways resurfaced?

Second, I'm going to be making a spindle cartridge and I'm still not getting an ultra smooth finish.  I end up sanding/light filing.  On something like this I want tight fits, but I'm afraid of spoiling accuracy due to sanding.  Suggestions would be appreciated.  I know I should take light cuts and try higher speeds but it still isn't happening.  The steel is 12L14 and I'm cutting with hss bits ground to the "knife" profile and I've also tried a right hand turning tool.  So frustrating.

Ok that was a long post.


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## jeff_g1137 (Apr 3, 2016)

Hi
You could buy a new lathe  lol


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## rock_breaker (Apr 6, 2016)

From numerous contributors, try making the tip of your cutting tool slightly round. Two other suggestions:
run your cross slide slowly with the light cuts and reverse the direction of carriage travel without changing the cutting depth.
Ray


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## Cheeseking (Apr 6, 2016)

Nice work


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