Member postings for not done it yet

A length of bicycle valve rubber?

So everyone has to change their answerphone message every time they do something different?

Depends. Would you tell anyone phoning that you were on holiday? Especially if a sole trader, or trade from home!

An ansafone system and reliable return call should be sufficient.

Edited By not done it yet on 24/10/2016 15:32:46

Clive,

The usual 'buy cheap, buy twice' applies. Yes, some brand names are over-priced because of the name, but the cheap imports are often for the 'use once' diy-er. I avoid bee and queue, if at all possible. Neither cheap nor good quality for most things.

Any tap beyond the first tapered tap will have already cut threads to keep it aligned, so they do not need to be so long. Even in deep threads, the tap will only be cutting threads over a short distance.

Oh, and there are ways to avoid extreeemly deeply threaded holes for pulley bosses or similar - thead at the outside and remove the threads from the screw towards the end, or for avoiding marring a shaft, use a brass insert to bear against the shaft.

As above, buy better files. It makes the job so very much easier (and almost enjoyable!). Most of my favourite files have been bought at car boot and farm sales. Carefully selected and mostly made in Britain (yes, that old!).

The other thing that used to bug me was 'once only' wood screws and useless screwdriver tips. Reisser screws and screwdriver tips solved that over 20 years ago!

You will also find that cutting tools vary greatly in quality. Whether woodworking or metal. Even carbide tips can be good and tough or poor and very brittle. Learned that with router bits.

Long travel is engaged for screw threading. The cross slide should be set at the initial 'touching point', and moved back or forth to clear the already cut thread before the cutter is returned for the next pass. The cross slide is always returned to that initial 'touching point' setting (usually the dial would be set at zero and the cross slide returned to that point in the same direction clockwise or anticlockwise (to avoid backlash)). The cutter advancement is by the top slide only, the new cuts being linear but proportional to the sine of the thread angle. That should mean that the cutter only cuts on one side as it is advanced into the work (pushed or pulled). The other side traditionally (for ease of setting up with setting guages) will simply rub on the already cut surface.

If using a lathe with thread dial, all backlash is removed by the machine before engaing the halfnuts, but if the machine needs to be reversed, with the lead screw engaged, allowance for leadscrew backlash effects, when starting subsequent cuts, must be taken into account as the cutter will momentarily travel in the wrong direction!

Best to look at the innumerable U-toob vids on the subject, but remember that there are some videos that

are rubbish! Doubleboost explains it well (at times), at least on his later offerings.  

Edited to add that the threading dial (on both imperial and metric lathes) allows half nut engagement for multiple start threads as well as single start threading (which you will, no doubt, be mastering first). 

Edited By not done it yet on 23/10/2016 12:03:36

Not followed this thread, but have now looked back at replies, and editing times in particular. It seems that (perhaps) we can guess that some information or other has been deleted/changed since some original post(s)? If that is the case, it would be better all round if mistakes were highlighted with an edit to make the correction clear.

Surely the length for the 16'' between centres would be 12''shorter than that for an identical lathe, but of 12'' less between centres? Only if the lathes have different layouts, other than the bed length, would the splashback need to be different other than in length - or are we missing some other details?

The only doubt seems to be the actual bed length of the longer lathe (you say''it appears to be for the long bed).

One question might be whether the tailstocks are identical for both variants (look at lathesdotco pics?).

Why should parting off from the rear and running the lathe in reverse be any better ?

Probably because there is less wear on the rear side of the ways? They are not advocating running the lathe backwards in this thread (a 'must not do' if the spindle is threaded for chuck attachment, as stated above)?

While facing from the centre, the cutter will be using a different part of the cutting edge, so perhaps that is the reason?

Thread is now a bit muddled, perhaps, as it started with an inverted parting tool with the lathe direction reversed and changed to an inverted tool, at the back, with the lathe running in the normal direction.

Certainly it may be simply the question of an inverted cutter not loading up with swarf/chips and either riding on the already cut metal (or the typical galling while cutting aluminium when hot metal sticks to the cutter tip).

I've not tried using an inverted cutter from the back, but parting off was never an easy task until I changed to my 'old iron' lathe. So now there is very little incentive to change as parting is so much easier and predictable.

Possibly there is something to do with rigidity on small lathes, but in that case why not do all turning from the back with the lathe running forwards? There may be more questions than answers on this one! But if it works for you, then so be it - parting is not a large percentage of lathe work, after all.

stated the biggest He did was 18".

Any idea of the width of his parting off tool?

Re reversing a lathe - the manufacturers would not have fitted a reversing switch unless deemed an advantage in use. Even fitted on lathes with threaded chucks (these should not be operated in reverse under load because the chuck can unscrew!). Some cheaper lathes require either reversal of direction, for long travel return after a cut, or laborious winding back manually. As above, non standard (for the lathe) thread cutting necessitates keeping the lead screw engaged at the same setting for the full operation.

I've seen videos of people turning cutters upside down to direct dusty cast iron swarf to a more collectible area (Keith Fenner, for one) in order to keep the mess away from the ways - perhaps not the best practice as loads on the saddle and ways is opposite than designed.

It is a shame, and probably illegal, to not display the electrical ratings. If not in the manual, they shoud still be on the device. A decision of maximum power transferrable can then be made. A soft start motor will draw less peak current at start up, a parameter required to detetmine the excess capacity of the product, compared to normal running. So HP rating is not necessarily the best 'yard stick' for determining the switch's capability. There is a difference between switches and isolators - they are not the same and these reversers should be treated as isolators, something many do not comprehend.

As Hopper, but simply test as you have done, between centres but do it with the tailstock retracted, then extended? Clock on the extended tail stock? That would not be as apparent as a further overhang of a drill tip, of course. Using a test bar between centres means any error is being reduced as you move towards the headstock, not increased as when drilling.

I don't know about lining pens never heard of them I have proper lining brushes.

then:

A friend bought one last year with magnetic strip when he tried he was very disappointed.

A little, err shall we say, inconsistent? Or 'one swallow does not make a summer' type comment? I would not usually jump to a conclusion in that small time period.

Try 'letraset' transfers like the loco numbering?

I wonder why the UK is so backward?

Not backward at all. When did Thailand actually get a grid? Power is transmitted over the grid as 3 phase. Wiring for small items such as most domestics is so much simpler with three wires, or even only two. There are very few domestic air conditioning systems, and commercial ones do use 3 ph. A belt from the 230V mains can be fatal from a single phase, let alone getting one from 415V.

What voltage is your domesticc wiring? The Americans clearly put safety before I^2R losses and/or heavier guage conductors. The Uk is much the same as all of Europe, so not alone being 'backward' as you suggest.

There was at least one exhibitor, at the Midland mex, with lining pens, etc. Looked good, and easy (for the experts, anyway).

Most farm houses would have a 3 phase supply - well, ours did. But normally only the one phase for the house electrics.

Running adjacent houses on different legs of the three phase allowed better load sharing. A large property might have used two phases (so care required with connecting extensions between them!).

Just not really needed, these days, with VFDs, for most domestic requirements. Only really need extra phases for all-electric heating, running hard-start motors in excess of 3HP, or really heavy duty welders, I would suggest. Our lights dim considerably when I use my welder and we have a 100A supply (I think)! Not sure what the extra running cost of a 3 ph supply might be, but installing extra phases normally costs an arm and a leg.

Mostly it will be making stud, bolts, pivot screws, bearings etc mostly from M2 up to around M6.

Just lost my comprehensive post, but basically you need to consider the extremes, not the 'mostly'.

A 250mm swing is OTT, in my opinion, for threading M2 (some will clearly disagree, I suppose). Most operations can be done on a mill with appropriate tooling.

But your choice. If going on to model making, the small threads can be be carried out with taps and dies at much lower cost, so a larger lathe might be a better choice.

I prefer old iron over the shiny new Chinese offerings. My priority choices would be a QCGB with separate feed and lead screws. QCTPs can come later.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Arten-Arrowsett-arrow-straightener-/122062884256?hash=item1c6b83cda0%3Ag%3AaZ0AAOSwENxXmkq2&nma=true&si=X7Sg%252FtPXLwpPF9zngwdoj4ojn%252BA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

A newer version, sold on epay reentlly. An 'unused' one fetched £76 since.

Nice one, John. If no hydraulic ram I suppose lesser mortals could rrange a means of pulling it down with threaded jack bolts, or even a threaded cap and suitable washers beneath.

I have progressed from my initial findings (of melting acetal and casting), thu drill core size and squeeze, to this method over a few months.

The heat and squeeze method is still more appropriate for Richard's half nut, I think, but yours for round is good. Next logical step might be whether a lathe leadscrew nut might be made in all delrin (with just a metal insert for the holding bolt/screw), rather than using delrin as an insert in the old worn out body.

Edited By not done it yet on 19/10/2016 08:15:40

No, but there is a set of videos on U- toob.

I suggest you go for the 'eccentric' option and avoid the chrisb257 effort.

Tania can supply the official 'eccentric' build booklet/instructions for a relativly sensible price.

Presumably you have chosen 'C' for your particular battery charger? These bought in chargers have already been set for bulk charge, and standby charge. So only ideal for the battery sizes anticipated/programmed during manufacture?

,The numbers EP at the end of the specification that's how ,

Just not true. EP (extreme pressure) grades are for things like anything but straight spur gears! Most EPs are limited to use where there are no 'yellow' metals present. Go figure!

The 'W' rating really relates to cold oil and the other to normal operating temperatures. Nothing more, as it means that the oil will not congeal (and not pump/circulate) at starting temperatures for an engine, provided the minimum temperature is adhered to.

I doubt that any gear oil has a 'W' rating? It would mean the gears were just lubricated by 'grease'!