# I Lathed!



## mike837go (Aug 17, 2015)

Yesterday, my first machining project went nightmare on me.

As I was assembling the new parts with the reusable parts and the refurbished parts.....

I discovered one of the refurbished parts was actually faulty. I should have tried to position the shaft properly when sizing things up last week.

There was a worn down section in the 1.25" shaft (the worn area measured 1.182" and appeared to have properly machined shoulders).

So I cleaned the worn area smooth and chamfered the shoulders. Then found a piece of scrap that I curled and fitted it into the grove. I TIG welded the scrap into the grove while still in the lathe.

After it cooled a bit, I reduced the diameter of the filler and the scrap so that the bearing and collar would slide over and lock in place.

An extra 3 hours when I thought I'd be done in under one.


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## coolidge (Aug 17, 2015)

So basically you describe what happens on virtually all my projects.


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## mike837go (Aug 17, 2015)

coolidge said:


> So basically you describe what happens on virtually all my projects.



Ummmm, yeah, sorta....

Unforeseen problems and delays are part of life. But this was an excessive delay based on not seeing what was right in my hands!

Using the lathe and welding and then using the lathe again, is fun. No bout-adoubt that. Just frustrated that it took so darned long.

When I quit for the day, the whole transmission was assembled and ready to hang on the tractor.


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## Holescreek (Aug 17, 2015)

> I Lathed!


 
  I didn't even know that was a thing!


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## mike837go (Aug 18, 2015)

It's not a thing its an event.


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## kvt (Aug 18, 2015)

Congrats on getting it done.    Now I have a question,   I would be a little scared to do any welding on my actual lathe without a lot of protection for everything.   My luck something would spit and put a nice bad spot on my ways or something.   But then again my luck is so bad if there are 2 of us in a drawing the other guy will always win.


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## Smithdoor (Aug 18, 2015)

Congrats on your first job done
I never weld in my lathe
I have work at place that did not care if any welded in the lathe but welding may damage the spindle bearings

Dave


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## mike837go (Aug 18, 2015)

I understand your concerns about welding on a workpiece while chucked in a lathe. I kept it there since I had to weld all the way around the shaft. Twice. Weld both edges of the patch, turn the chuck, weld... repeat...until done. The tool post really helped to steady my torch hand.

If you recheck my original posting, you'll notice I dragged over the TIG torch.

I was running 85 amps and using as little filler as possible. No drips or sparks flying. TIG is just soooooo wonderful!  Until you dip the tungsten.

The rest of the workpiece never got too hot to hold.

Thinking about it now, a damp rag draped over the shaft at the chuck end and a piece of sheet metal over the ways would have totally eliminated any risk to the lathe.

There's a sheet metal project: A set of 4" covers to drape over the ways with a couple of 2" so the carriage can be positioned anywhere. Then a set to go over the crossfeed & carriage.

------------------------

This fall or winter the 3 shafts for the blades will be given similar treatment (filler only, no patch). The grease seals (or grit & water on top of them) have worn grooves/pitting into them.


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## Firestopper (Aug 18, 2015)

The risk might come from a poor grounding practice, resulting in possible arcing in bearings. As you mentioned, tig welding does not produce spatter, so protecting the ways is  not the real concern. I have mig welded on the plate roller, but the ground clamp is serviceable and next to the hot work (on the actual plate not on the machine).  Always ground the work piece and not the machine. I have not welded on the lathe, but have used positioners in the past.


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## mike837go (Aug 19, 2015)

Sending welding current through bearings is an absolute NO! in my book. Other than the potential for damage to the bearing, the oil film that the bearing needs to operate properly, is an insulator.

I was trained as an electronics technician, so I can spot poor circuits easily.

When I welded the piece on Sunday, the ground clamp was right on the workpiece, 3" from where I was welding. Nice clean steel, near the weld zone.


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## Ulma Doctor (Aug 23, 2015)

you have all the ducks in a row, great job!
tig may be the only process i would consider near a lathe or other machine tool, it's the perfect process.


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## The Liberal Arts Garage (Aug 23, 2015)

May I extend the advice a bit? Think of the current path in any welding job
and bypass ALL bearings........BLJHB


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## mike837go (Aug 25, 2015)

[QUOTE="...snip... tig may be the only process i would consider near a lathe or other machine tool, it's the perfect process.[/QUOTE]

I would argue that TIG is not "the perfect process". When doing precision work, you-as-the-weldor, are right in the middle of the process and are constantly making minor adjustments to make the weld as close to perfect as humanly possible.

But you can not beat the amount of heat-and-filler for big jobs that is stick. For quick jobs on thin-to-moderate materials, the electric glue gun that is MIG is just sooooooo handy.

When I started with TIG, I fell in love with welding all over again. But "perfect"? There is no one process for everything.


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## mike837go (Aug 25, 2015)

The Liberal Arts Garage said:


> May I extend the advice a bit? Think of the current path in any welding job
> and bypass ALL bearings........BLJHB



As I mentioned above, bearings and welding don't mix.

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I've put about 7 hours of run time on the repaired shaft. The whole kit-and-caboodle is operating better than it has since we bought it!


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## Grumpy Gator (Aug 25, 2015)

_ For what it's worth I'v built up a lot of  shafts on my lathe using spray weld just cover the ways with a piece of plywood._
_ Real handy since you can turn shaft with your hood down and build up 360° all the way around the piece._
_********Just Saying*************G***************** 
	

		
			
		

		
	



	

		
			
		

		
	
 **********************_


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## kvt (Aug 25, 2015)

Yea, would be handy, but you have better luck than I have.   Mine would be on fire just to because it was me.


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## mike837go (Aug 25, 2015)

grumpygator said:


> _ For what it's worth I'v built up a lot of  shafts on my lathe using spray weld just cover the ways with a piece of plywood._
> _ Real handy since you can turn shaft with your hood down and build up 360° all the way around the piece._
> _********Just Saying*************G*****************
> 
> ...


By "spray" you mean spray transfer MIG? Kinda messy, innit?


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## Grumpy Gator (Aug 25, 2015)

_ No mig. Oxy/ac tourch. Easy just heat till cherry red then flip the torch over and hit the big lever and the bottle will feed the powder into the flame and stick to the work piece._
_ Give me a minute and i'll post some pictures._
_*****************G*********************_


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## Grumpy Gator (Aug 25, 2015)

_As promised pictures of Ox/Acl Spray welder_
_

_
_ Mine is a little different but this will do._
_**********Just Saying****************G*********_


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## mike837go (Aug 25, 2015)

Wow! Neat!

Just need to keep the finely ground steel power dry between uses.

Bernoullli principle, like a sandblaster. Only it adds material. Kewl.... er. Hot!


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## GarageGuy (Aug 28, 2015)

Adam Booth (Abom79) did a nice YouTube video using this method to build up a shaft surface.  Very cool to watch.

GG


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