Newbit Londoner

Good morning all,

I have been fascinated with model engineering for a while now, and have just (literally this morning) ordered a small lathe. I'm looking forward to learning some new skills and hopefully putting it to good use.

All the best,

B

Edited By Robert Bowen-Cattry on 24/05/2021 10:58:08

Welcome Bob,

Expect to spend a fair bit on tooling and accessories to kit your new lathe.

What are you thinking of building?

You'll get plenty of help and advice here

Regards

Roger

Thanks Roger.

Yes, i'm currently in the process of ordering various ancillaries, up to around another £200 so far.

A lathe is something I've fancied getting for a number of years, in terms of making parts eventually I would like to make parts for scale models and some bits for my firearms.

Cheers,

B

Welcome!

Apart from the advice freely available on here, may I suggest some reading matter, to help you?

Depending on what lathe you have ordered, some on list may not be appropriate, but will relate basic principles.

Without understanding the basics, life can be very frustrating, and difficult!

You will find a set of Zeus Charts extremely useful. I have later editions, but still use mine, bought in late 1958!

Both Neil Wyatt and Dave Fenner have written books on the mini lathe..

In back issues of Model Engineers Workshop, Alistair Sinclair and Mike Cox have written articles on modifications that they have made to their mini lathes.. Some of which, I have incorporated into mine.

Ian Bradley "The Amateur's Workshop" Not exclusively about lathes, but lots of useful information.

L H Sparey "The Amateur's Lathe". Written some time ago, so tends to be aimed at owners of Myford ML7, but an extremely useful book, all the same.

Tubal Cain "Model Engineers Handbook" An extremely useful reference book, filled with useful information.

Harold Hall "Lathework"

Some of these will advise on how to install the lathe and set it to perform at its best. You will also become familiar wit names for lathe parts and machining processes.

What you learn from the books, and your early experiences, will enable you to move from crawling, through walking to running more quickly.

Make mistakes on metal that is just stock material, in preference to ruining an expensive casting!

As you progress, you will find a need for others. (browsing the bookstalls when Model Engineering Shows resume, later this year, you may find some others.

Do find a local Model Engineering Club, and join. You will find like minded enthusiasts who are also prepared to advice, guide and possibly demonstrate.

Extras for which you will find a need, eventually, no doubt, are likely to include.

Cutting tools: High Speed Steel will allow you to learn how to grind tools, (sometimes for specific tasks, for which no other tooling is available, such as a form tool ). At 8:00 pm on a Saturday, you can regrind a HSS tool when no one will be open to replace a carbide tip that you have just chipped!

Carbide has its uses. It will will cut steel that has been hardened, where HSS cannot. It was developed for industry where time is money, to run at much higher speeds to remove metal fast.

I use a Tangential turning for a lot of mwork. One of my nhobby bhorses!

Bench Grinder, Digital calliper, Dial Test Indicators (Plunger and Finger types, if the budget will allow) and a Magnetic Base.(My preference is for the non adjustable type, because they are more rigid.)

Soon you will find a need for a four jaw independent chuck. This is where the DTIs will be needed.

On the subject of chucks, unless you are EXTREMELY lucky, your 3 jaw will not hold work concentric. A new one can have run out in the region of 0.075 mm.

Do not expect micron accuracy from a hobby lathe. You get what you pay for! Not that they are bad machines; just that for the price, they cannot match precision industrial toolroom machines costing fifty times as much.

Here ends Volume 1 of "War and Peace"

HTH

Howard.

Should have added to your purchases, Drills, followed afterwards by Taps and Dies, to allow you to produce Internal and External threads. Again, drill come in Metric and Imperial sizes.

You may well accumulate lots as time passes. probably, you will start with Metric, but later, you may encounter British Standard Whitworth, British Standard Fine, possibly British Association, and even Unified National Fine or Unified national Coarse.

The different threads have different forms (60 degree, 55 degree or 47.5 degree ) and different pitches (Imperial threads are often described in term of Threads per Inch - tpi ) Consequently, different threads are not interchangeable with the others, because the diameters, pitches and forms differ..

With most of the Metric threads that you encounter, the tapping drill will be (Nominal thread diameter - pitch ) Thus to tap a M6 x 1, you drill 5 mm, and so on.

Howard,

Thank you Howard, a most informative post.

I already have a couple of books as this purchase has been several years in the making. I also already have calipers, micrometers, taps & dies, a bench grinder, drills, and a dial indicator & base which I have collected and used for other things over the years. I have however had to order a live centre, tailstock drill chuck and some turning tools (I ordered a basic set of HSS and insert tools to try out), along with some other bits and pieces.

The lathe is coming with both a 3 and 4 jaw chuck, which is handy.

Ah, you are already well on the way! Handy to have a lathe with both 3 and 4 jaw chucks.

FWIW remember when trying to centre work inn the 4 Jaw, only adjust by half the run out.

Soon, you will be enjoying yourself.

Making small bits and pieces will help you to become familiar with the machine, and equip you with useful tools..

A Centre Height Height Gauge will save time, and frustration setting tools.

FWIW, when parting off, don't force things, but do keep up a steady slow feed. Don't let the tool rub!

Howard