- Joined
- Apr 12, 2013
- Messages
- 562
I'm trying to learn the quirks of my Atlas QC-54. After learning how to adjust and tighten the gibs I went back to practicing turning...this time on a aluminum rod. A thick (about 2.5" diameter) solid aluminum rod.
I'm actually trying to salvage some scrap. This aluminum rod had a piece of aluminum angle welded to the end, so I band saw cut that as close as I could, and then chucked it up and started turning the rough pieces and welds off the end. I'm getting nice long curls of aluminum most passes (once I got the rough ends off and started truing the whole rod), BTW. Kinda mesmerizing to watch.
Questions for the experts:
First, when not making a continuous cut, like starting to take the square piece of angle off this rod, the gears clang every time the bit contacts. I'm in back gear mode, running the first (motor) pulley in slow and the second (headstock) pulley on fastest slot. Is this clanging gear clash normal? It sure concerns me that the constant impacting will damage things. I have greased them well, and it is better but still not good to me. Am I being over cautious? Simply dragging 2 fingers on the chuck keeps enough tension on the gear train to eliminate the noise.
Second, the tool post sure does have a lot of flex. It quite visibly shifts when the bit engages metal, and several times when trying to square off the end it would dig in, gouging out a chunk of metal. I'm using a standard 1/4" cobalt tool steel bit and engaging about 1/8th of a turn of the cross feed per pass. Is this just part of the light duty nature of these lathes?
I'm actually trying to salvage some scrap. This aluminum rod had a piece of aluminum angle welded to the end, so I band saw cut that as close as I could, and then chucked it up and started turning the rough pieces and welds off the end. I'm getting nice long curls of aluminum most passes (once I got the rough ends off and started truing the whole rod), BTW. Kinda mesmerizing to watch.
Questions for the experts:
First, when not making a continuous cut, like starting to take the square piece of angle off this rod, the gears clang every time the bit contacts. I'm in back gear mode, running the first (motor) pulley in slow and the second (headstock) pulley on fastest slot. Is this clanging gear clash normal? It sure concerns me that the constant impacting will damage things. I have greased them well, and it is better but still not good to me. Am I being over cautious? Simply dragging 2 fingers on the chuck keeps enough tension on the gear train to eliminate the noise.
Second, the tool post sure does have a lot of flex. It quite visibly shifts when the bit engages metal, and several times when trying to square off the end it would dig in, gouging out a chunk of metal. I'm using a standard 1/4" cobalt tool steel bit and engaging about 1/8th of a turn of the cross feed per pass. Is this just part of the light duty nature of these lathes?
