Lantern tool posts information

[mickri]

The unasked question is how much money do you have/want to spend. Took a quick look on Ebay and saw lanterns from $30/$35 to well over a $100.

Sounds like you are new to this hobby. I was in your shoes when I got my lathe. Didn't know squat about machining. My lathe came with a lantern and a 4 way. I used the lantern and the 4 way to get started. Have you watched any of Mr. Pete's video? He is a retired high school shop teacher and knows how to teach. Best of the best IMHO for a newby just starting out. Start at the beginning of his videos and work your way through them.

My advice is to get a lantern tool post to fit what you have and start practicing. I practiced on pvc tubing until I had the motor skills down. Probably spent 40+ hours just practicing on pvc. Then made a few things in steel. Nothing fancy. I didn't have the money to spend on the commercial QCTP and holders. I was looking at how to videos to make another 4 way when I came across a video on Norman style QCTP. So I made one. The tool post and enough steel to make 10 or so holders cost me around $80. It was a great learning experience.. All you need is your lathe, a drill and a hacksaw to make the holders.

On the other hand, if money is no object buy the fancy commercial QCTP and holders.

 

[robsig]

Very sound advice, thank you. I don't have unlimited funds. Fortunately, however, I believe I have more patience than money. I hadn't thought about practicing on pvc- that's a wonderful idea and probably least likely to kill myself or others, or end up on the evening news. As much trouble as I have learning the lathe, learning how YouTube works is really a nightmare! I can't seem to figure out how to follow sequential tutorial videos. I start with episode 1 and the next one that comes up is episode 74. I think I should give up on the lathe and go back to beating on hot steel with rocks...

 

[Jimsehr]

I think using a lantern tool post is like buying a model T Ford to do door dash.
They were obsolete in production shops when I started to work in a shop 71 years ago.
Sure they work but why would you use them ? Carbon steel cutters and drills work. But why would you use them when modern tools are so much better.
I have no problem setting them up . But if you have two or three operations to do on a part like (1) face and turn (2)groove (3)thread (4)cut off you need to reset tools each operation.
With a qctp you go to same dial reading and same tool setting for each part.

 

[robsig]

I completely understand your point. For me, however, machining is not my primary line of work. I am a metal sculptor and I do very large, (primarily forged) public art sculpture. I need to use a lathe for making the occasional tool to facilitate a particular piece I may be working on. One of the things that I find fascinating is how things used to be made, and this fascination drives and influences my artwork. I certainly don't disparage modern technology. It's just that for me, doing things using earlier technology is like looking into an old black and white photograph and imagining the life of the people I'm seeing.

 

[mickri]

Here are the links to Mr. Pete's beginner videos. These are called play lists.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBC69869E8CB708F2 1 to 100

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6HIFled82YXCXpWVcoMvHxr7_qQsXkzR 101 to 200

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6HIFled82YWKUcmFudcnSsaWlvgidGdP 201 to 300

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6HIFled82YWP4Pko8Ta1yxN4iiMm-yQd 301 and up

That should get you started.

 

[robsig]

That's wonderful! Thank you so much!

 

[Jimsehr]

I completely understand your point. For me, however, machining is not my primary line of work. I am a metal sculptor and I do very large, (primarily forged) public art sculpture. I need to use a lathe for making the occasional tool to facilitate a particular piece I may be working on. One of the things that I find fascinating is how things used to be made, and this fascination drives and influences my artwork. I certainly don't disparage modern technology. It's just that for me, doing things using earlier technology is like looking into an old black and white photograph and imagining the life of the people I'm seeing.

I also do metal what I call metal sculpture on my old Logan lathe.
Google Jimsehr metal sculpture. And also wood carving

 

[CJ5Dave]

Most machine equipment owners have a big pile of stuff that came as a package deal, won’t fit, labeled wrong, costs too much to ship back, etc. It makes for a nice estate sale, and somebody else will buy it and not use it either.

 

[matthewsx]

IMHO, don’t fiddle with a lantern toolpost. Especially if you would have to go out and buy parts to make it work.

My Seneca Falls had one and I used it for a while. So much better when I fitted a QCTP, not even a comparison. They are cheap and the holders are plentiful.

Eventually you will obtain a lantern and get to play with it. Heck, if you post in the “wanted” section here someone might even send you one for postage.

Seriously, if you want to make things with your lathe you need to be able to mount multiple different bits and have them on centerline. The QCTP makes this simple compared to fiddling with shims and rockers and such.

John

 

[robsig]

I also do metal what I call metal sculpture on my old Logan lathe.
Google Jimsehr metal sculpture. And also wood carving

WOW, WOW. WOW!!! That is beautiful work! You really capture the movement with the horse and baby pieces.