So I Decided To Go Buy This Lathe........

civdiv99

Registered
Registered
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
19
image.jpeg I have been considering the g4003g for several years. Not to get into politics, but I do have concerns about potential impacts to imported goods and so forth, and Grizzly does give veteran discounts on veteran's day, so here we are.

I spent some time setting it up, but not enough reading on various options with the bases and leveling. It is anchored to the floor and shimmed such that the bed is within about a division or 2 on machinist level. That'll do for now, but I plan to take it down and make a adjustable foot system such as I have seen in a number of posts.

Having had the mill for about 12 years, I have a lot of various accessories, indicators, chucks, etc. I had accumulated a few dozen carbide and HSS cutters over the years for potential lathe purchase someday, so cool.

I guess next is to make test bar and see what added shimming tweaks to do now that the level is at a reasonable starting point.

I was also pondering the issue that I have 2 variables - the lathe bed twist, and whether or not the tailstock is lined up perfectly since a bar between centers won't be good if the TS is off.

Maybe I put a MT arbor in the headstock, turn what would have been the JT taper for a drill chuck to straight, indicate off the toolpost in some fashion, then put the MT item in the TS and if it's lines up with HS it should so indicate, right? That takes out any error of the chuck or its mounting?

Am I correct in thinking the MT in the HS and TS are the key indicators of alignment given chucks mount and dismount, maybe came from the discount shelf, etc?

It is interesting that after years with a mill where I select speeds and feeds based on material and goals, with the lathe I am a babe again, looking at charts and pondering the variety of variables.
 
Last edited:
Every time that you turn a part is a test bar, rough turn then measure, if there is taper adjust as needed before finishing.

As far as speed and feed is concerned remember that single point turning will try to generate a single chip unlike a milling cutter. This you will find difficult to control at best and damage tools at worst, making the chip come off thick enough to break is important, large DOC and feed rates are required.

Good Luck
 
Every time that you turn a part is a test bar, rough turn then measure, if there is taper adjust as needed before finishing.

As far as speed and feed is concerned remember that single point turning will try to generate a single chip unlike a milling cutter. This you will find difficult to control at best and damage tools at worst, making the chip come off thick enough to break is important, large DOC and feed rates are required.

Good Luck


Good "points!"
 
No test will ever be more accurate then turning a part in place on the machine that you are using, every machine has its own deviation from nominal, Hardinge, Mazak or Lagun will not make you "the perfect part" this you must do yourself.
 
Before long that bare wall will look like this.

I bought this one new in 1981. It has many thousands of hours keeping up with my hobbies.

upload_2016-11-26_21-36-40.png

More tooling on the wall to the left of the lathe:

upload_2016-11-26_21-38-35.png

Buy all of these you can find they are very handy.

upload_2016-11-26_21-39-44.png

This guy sits next to it:

upload_2016-11-26_21-41-15.png


Keep in mind that level is not as important as twist. You want zero twist in the lathe bed.

Level? Think about all the machinery and lathes in a military ship. They ain't level.

But skillful use of a pair of levels will give you an idea of where the twist is in the bed.

Test bar is more important for aligning the tailstock.

Make sure your centers for the lathe are true. Seat them and check run out with a dial indicator. Knock them out and re check if needed. If they are 0.001" or more off, then witness mark to the spindles and grind true with a tool post grinder. I want mine 0.0002" or less.

Don't have a tool post grinder? Make one as I did. You have the lathe and vertical mill, all you need is stock, a motor and bearings. Plus vacuum cleaner belts.

upload_2016-11-26_21-46-10.png


upload_2016-11-26_21-48-59.png
 
Last edited:
No test will ever be more accurate then turning a part in place on the machine that you are using, every machine has its own deviation from nominal, Hardinge, Mazak or Lagun will not make you "the perfect part" this you must do yourself.

Quite agree but when I was new to metal turning, systematically running some of the inspection tests helped me understand the principles involved in using the lathe properly. It also gave me confidence in myself and the lathe.
 
Back
Top