Tricks of the Trade

[benmychree]

In the trade, an air hose does the job.

 

[Suzuki4evr]

I love this idea Terry, I wish I had something to contribute.

You do David......hit the like button.

 

[erikmannie]

I have been using the blue nitrile surgical gloves lately. I think that those are safe to use (I won’t get pulled into the machine).

 

[bollie7]

Some taps have a centre hole in the drive end. So easy to use a centre in the tailstock to locate when hand tapping in the lathe. However some taps have a point on the end instead of the centre. So I use my Jacobs chuck almost closed up and use that to locate the point of the tap.
If using a button die to cut a thread in the lathe (we have all done it). If the back of the die stock is flat, use the end of the tailstock ram (no tool in it) to push against the back of the die stock when first starting to cut the thread. This will hold the die straight.
This should be obvious, but I'll mention it anyway. Both these operations with the machine spindle stopped.
Peter

 

[tjb]

Great responses, guys. I've already learned a couple of things for future use.

Here's a suggestion: It may help if we put a brief title at the beginning of a post. For example, on my original post, I could have started with, "How to Indicate the z-axis on the Mill", or some such identifier. That may expedite searching through some of the tips.

Thanks to all for the responses. Keep 'em coming.

Regards

 

[tjb]

I imagine that everybody knows about using a magnet to help clean up a machine tool (I use a cheap cow magnet), but have you tried a telescoping magnet to get in there & remove chips while you are boring on a lathe? It works great & it is safe.

View attachment 355743

I keep one in my tool box for clean-up but never thought about using it while boring. Great idea. I also have about a 3" tip section that broke off a very small telescoping magnet (the magnet itself is smaller in diameter than a pencil eraser). Don't have a clue where I got it, but I've used that more often than I would have ever imagined to clean out chips in tight places.

Air hose works great, too, no doubt.

Regards

 

[Braeden P]

place a rule on a piece of round stock in the mill and get a pointy thing in the spindle like a tap follower and put pressure on the rule when it is perfectly level you are on center

 

[tjb]

place a rule on a piece of round stock in the mill and get a pointy thing in the spindle like a tap follower and put pressure on the rule when it is perfectly level you are on center

Oh, very nice! I'll use that one today!

 

[Doug Gray]

I keep one in my tool box for clean-up but never thought about using it while boring. Great idea. I also have about a 3" tip section that broke off a very small telescoping magnet (the magnet itself is smaller in diameter than a pencil eraser). Don't have a clue where I got it, but I've used that more often than I would have ever imagined to clean out chips in tight places.

Air hose works great, too, no doubt.

Regards

Also great for retrieving parts that have retreated back inside a collet!

 

[Braeden P]

Also great for retrieving parts that have retreated back inside a collet!

for that cup your hands around the hole in the back of the spindle put you mouth up to it and blow very hard and it will fly out the front remember cup your hands around the through hole and put your mouth up to your hands because lathes are dirty and oily this works well for alum