Beginner projects

I am still acquiring new skills on the lathe. I have a few tools, but not everything yet - no knurlier, parting off blade, or boring bar.

I’m looking for projects which will teach me the skills necessary for the next step, so I can improve.

Does anyone have simple examples of projects which i could build myself to assist with this? Maybe some easy boring bars to build, then a project which requires me to use it. Then another tool I need to build, and a project which needs that tool...if you get my drift. Then another project which requires both these tools...

Edited By Jeremy Smith 2 on 20/08/2020 02:06:27

Harold Hall's website probably has all you could need. **LINK**

Hi Jeremy,

As Hopper says, visit Harold Hall's website, and try and borrow his book "Lathework A Complete Course". Here are a few other links you may find useful:

***Link***

***Link***

***Link*** (Making a boring bar)

Thor

G'day Jeremy.

Look in my album (C3 Minilathe) for a few ideas. I was a beginner when I built most of these items.

The tailstock die holder is easy to make but comes in very handy.

(You did not state what kind of lathe you have. Such information is handy to know as some tips specific to your lathe might be offered by forum members whom happen to to own the same model).

* Danny M *

**LINK** can supply simple kits as well s some that are quite complex.

I have been on harold hall’s website before - great website, but I am really trying to dummy down the basics on the lathe skills before attempting his projects.

i have a myford ml10

Ah ok. Get yourself a copy of The Amateurs Lathe by LH Sparey. It is Myford specific and covers all a beginner needs to know and includes a few basic projects to get started with. Costs about 7 quid. The best 7 quid you can spend on your older lathe.

Get a copy of “ The Model Engineers Workshop Manual” by G H Thomas. Myford orientated, a massive source of information on techniques with many excellent tool designs. I made several of these (Centre height gauge, boring bars, tailstock die holder, boring head etc) 20-odd years ago when I was first setting up my workshop, and still use them regularly.

Mike

Already read it! Great book.

Then time to apply what you have learned to selected projects from Harold Hall or GHT.

A tailstock die holder maybe. Or tool height setting gauge. Or HH's tool grinding jig is a very useful perrenial favourite.

I've suggested this before ... https://archive.org/details/machineshopprojectsbysouthbendlatheworks

Hi Jeremy; Have a look here...a few nice little tools to get you started

**LINK**

From Stan Brays book on internet archive.

George.

I soon found a need for a 1/4" boring bar that takes a 1/8" cutter - drills will wander especially in brass.

Definitely a question I would have been asking, well asked and excellent answers very interesting 👌🏻

+1 for Mike Crossfield's list of "bits to make" All will be useful, as tools, and as learning aids.

Again +1 for Sparey, and for Tubal Cain's Model Engineer's handbook as a very useful reference book.

In particular, Sparey will show how to remove twist from the bed, and how to sharpen Highn Speed Tools,

At the risk of bringing wrath down on my head, carbide tips may be less suitable for a ML10.

Also HSS will be cheaper than replaceable carbide tips. I am still using the same HSS parting blade after 20 myears. My useage of carbide tip parting blades was an expensive experience. Others may well disagree.

One last hobby horse to ride, a Tangential Turning Tool needs only one face to, be ground to sharpen, and can be used for facing or turning. Really, you need a Centre Height Gauge to ease setting the tool to Centre height.

(Already one of the "learning" tools comes into its own, and will for years to come. A tool that is not on Centre Height will not cut properly and will leave a "pip" in the middle of the work when facing.)

You can buy, or make your own Tangential Turning Tool. At least two designs have been published in MEW over the years..

Another advantage of HSS is that you can grind tools to a particular shape ( form ) for screwcutting or a special job. Recently, I used a variant of a Tangential Turning Tool, with a 1/8" round HSS toolbit, to cut a semicircular thread!

If it is possible to fit one, make up a rear toolpost, for parting off.

Cut up tins for use as shims to adjust the height of tool holder shanks. (A lot of tins seem to made of metal that is about 0.010" thick. broken feeler gauges can serve the same purpose  )

As time goes by, and you gain experience, you can buy others from the Workshop Practice Series,

When you eventually graduate to screwcutting No.3, Martin Cleeve's "Screwcutting in the Lathe" and Brian Wood's "Gearing of lathes for screwcutting" will be useful.

Hope that all this rambling will be of some help.

Howard

Unintended Smilies don't make me smile 

Edited By Howard Lewis on 12/10/2020 14:36:41

A tailstock die holder, pin and centre punches, boring bars of various types, and grooving tools as shown below are all easy but very useful beginner level jobs. The grooving tool can be made from any scrap of mild steel bar that fits the hole to be grooved, the cutter can be made from a broken tap or twist drill, held in place by a setscrew. Flip the cutter over and you can groove outside dia's for e-rings or o-rings grooves too.