Dipping my toes into turning

[WobblyHand]

As @davidpbest noted, you might consider taking it apart to study how it works. He has excellent advice. He posted as I was writing this.

On my (smaller) lathe I have a compound clamp that will hold the compound in any direction. I made it based on the design by @RJSakowski . It uses studs and nuts which can be accessed in any position. The studs are below the compound. The nuts are recessed slightly. I can loosen the six nuts and have room for a wrench to tighten them. On the right, in black oxide, is the original compound clamp. It is much lighter and flimsier.

Don't think your tee nut issue will be too tough to solve.

 

[koenbro]

The T-nuts that the locking bolts thread into are binding in the circular T-slot. Take off the compound and inspect. You may need to round the corners of the T-nuts to prevent this. Others have have made replacement T-nuts that are longer and less prone to binding. You can see all this explained in this thread:

The Pm 1228 Vf-lb Arrives Today

After a few problems I got the lathe powered up and tested out everything, it was all good, but you should watch this video because I talk about the controls, and how to start up the lathe.

www.hobby-machinist.com

The T-nut was indeed the problem.

I took the compound off and the rear T-nut has fallen into the hole shown below. I had not manhandled it, so it was not jammed, and once lifted, they both ride smoothly in the track. From now on, I will only release these two screws the minimum needed to rotate the compound.

Thank you David for the astute and prompt diagnosis.

 

[koenbro]

On my (smaller) lathe I have a compound clamp that will hold the compound in any direction. I made it based on the design by @RJSakowski . It uses studs and nuts which can be accessed in any position. The studs are below the compound. The nuts are recessed slightly. I can loosen the six nuts and have room for a wrench to tighten them. On the right, in black oxide, is the original compound clamp. It is much lighter and flimsier.

Don't think your tee nut issue will be too tough to solve.

That is a very ingenious solution. I am still at the stage of learning the mechanical parts of the lathe but this discussion was very helpful.

 

[koenbro]

Mount the DRO on the headstock and attach the the electrical cabinet with a backing plate, last thing you want to be doing is reaching over a spinning chuck. Starrett 98 is not sensitive enough for leveling.

Level is relative and also depends on if you are measuring off the cross slide or ways. I prefer the latter with 123 blocks. You are only concerned with bed twist so there no need to be absolutely level, just that the reading is the same. Personally I would not spend big $ on a precision level that you may only use a few times, and the ultrasensitive one 0.0002"/8-12" are too sensitive and will drive you crazy. I usually recommend 0.0005"/8 or 10" sensitivity and no bigger than 8-10" for that size lathe. VIS is a good brand, if you to be able to find them in very good condition for $100-120, but looks like that is in the past and the we are flooded with the Chinese ones. I do not know what to recommend theses days that is decent quality (i.e. repasts well) and is reasonably priced. The Starrett 199 master precision level are way too long for this size lathe and are outrageously overpriced these days.

Right now I can't afford a better level, and as @mksj said I am reluctant to fork over a lot of coin for smth rarely used. Will try the cylinder method first.

Centering the tool: A machinist at the local university showed me this. You take a 6" pocket scale (ruler) and hold it vertically against the workpiece. Then advance the tool until it just touches the scale and holds it in position. If the scale is tilted top away from you, the tool is high, top toward you, tool is low. When the scale is vertical you are centered. To clarify, you are placing the scale against the curved o.d. of the round workpiece. You can also use a short section of a hacksaw blade in a pinch (grind teeth flat).

Does this make sense?

Chip shape will depend on the material you are cutting.

This is very ingenious and will give it a try.

 

[koenbro]

Have placed the DRO to what I hope is its definitive position.

Have also begun organizing the tools. I simply screwed a length of 8020 1010 profile and 3D printed holders. A few more are drying and will start with about 10. Will make custom holders for the keys as well.

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[Geswearf]

The university shop that I've used had a large old Clausing lathe. At the right end, students had fabricated a board that sloped back at the top and a horizontal board was secured to it at the bottom (Cross section would have been a 'lazy' L - instead of being vertical it sloped away from the user. Various milled shapes held the 3 or 4 open end wrenches that were used to lock/unlock the carriage, the compound rest, as well as a few tool holders, including a parting tool. All of these fit in the quick change tool holder like yours. Holes in the horizontal board held several allen wrenches.

A piece of heavy gage steel bent into an inverted U (with a flat top) held a couple of tailstock drill chucks, a live center or two, and the chuck key. This sat in the chip tray at the right end of the machine.

You seem to be making progress putting away your accessories.

 

[koenbro]

I have bought a MT3 taper precision drill chuck from Precision Matthews and was very impressed by its quality, and finish. Waiting for ER40 chuck and collets including a RegoFix nut. In the meantime was wondering if and when I replace the motor with a 3-phase one, will this one be suitable:
Marathon Black MAX 1-1/2hp, 3-phase, 230/460 VAC, 1800rpm, TENV, 145TC frame, rolled steel, C-face/rigid base mount.
and will this VFD be a good match for it:
DuraPulse GS21-22P0. ?

 

[koenbro]

Planning the electric enclosure for the lathe upgrade, which means the ELS and the VFD.

Is it safe to put the VFD in the same enclosure with the other components? I am concerned about radio frequency or electromagnetic interference. Will the Texas Instruments board be affected or will the VFD be affected?

The components are the 70V, 24V, and 5V power supply, the 70V power hub, a contactor, and breakers.Open to the idea of having two boxes one with the VFD plus breaking resistor.

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[koenbro]

Can anyone tell me how do I remove the gear shift levers from the control panel? They seem to have a pin, but before I start hammering I would like to know what are the best practices of removing them?

Reason Is I need to remove the front panel to work on the buttons.

 

[toprecyler]

Can anyone tell me how do I remove the gear shift levers from the control panel? They seem to have a pin, but before I start hammering I would like to know what are the best practices of removing them?

Reason Is I need to remove the front panel to work on the buttons.

Is it a thru hole? From the picture, it looks like a tension roll pin. If so, hopefully it is a thru hole. You just pound it thru with a pin punch or small shaft just a bit smaller than hole.

On older lathes, the pin was commonly tapered. You would pound it out from the small side.


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