turning small diameters

Perhaps someone with more experience can give me a few hints with turning small diameters. The new pinions I have to make with modul of 0,15mm have an arbor with a diameter of 0.45mm with a length of 6.5mm.

I have tried turning down the silversteel in small steps and in one go from about 1.2mm, both work but I would like to have a better surface finish. The finish on the old but damaged arbor made around 1810 is very good.

Thanks,

Niko.

Niko what lathe have you got? I would use my 6mm Lorch, very sharp tools highly polished, as I approached the 0.45mm I would start No2 cut Pillar files and a No6 cut dead smooth pillar/pivot file. I would finish using a well made burnisher.

Given a choice I would use annealed Pivot steel (Try Walsh & Co). If not silver steel and plenty of Dortan 25 neat cutting oil, but burnish dry or with traditional lubricant - spit.

I would make the gear wheels fit the arbours and not the other way round.

regds

Dick

Ps

Niko there is another way which is to use a Jakot tool.  You will probably need one to make the pivots at theends of the arbour.  

Edited By Richard Parsons on 28/02/2012 13:52:30

Jacot with a 'c'

Don't normally pick up on other's spelling as I make plenty of errors. But if Niko wants to google for it...

Neil

Ah Stub - mine has the word ‘Jakot’ stamped on it in a tombstone type. It also has an eagle and a swastika on it. I think it was ‘liberated’

Rdgs

Dick

Not as small prehaps but how to take 0.15mm from some 6.35 (1/4" mild steel rod . I want a polished surface finish on a 250mm long length. Suggestions please?

I tried doing it in steps but the suface finish is not good but from memory last attempt was silver steel. The end then gets screw cut M6 >it's for wood turning - making a pen mandrel !. Didn't fancy burnishing.

Regards Ian

I was intrigued by what you are trying to do Ian because I thought the mandrels were 0.250" dia until I went and checked mine and they are a gnats under.

Is it really worth making you own Ian because the complete "Planet" kit from "Turners Toolbox" is only about £19

Incidentally my mandrel is only 200mm long including the M6 screwthread.

I have used 6mm dia as a mandrel, bearing in mind that the ferrule is centered by the live centre one end and the mandrel drive centre at the other.

Len. P.

Fair deal Dick,

Now we know how the Nazis got the trains to run on time - they made their own clocks!

Incidentally google has 187 results for "Jakot Drum Tool" and over amiollion for "jacot drum tool".

But it also offers the 'c' spelling if you use the K fso my comment was superfluous.

Neil

Stub The whole lathe is a ‘Bittser’. The head and tail stocks are ‘from a ‘Britannia –The pre war (Kaiser Bills one) UK trade name for Lorch. The pulley with its dividing head is from a Swiss Boley as is one of the beds (I have 3) one the Normal (a Lorch), one Extra long (by Boley ) and the third one, a very short bed was made by me and finished ground by a well known defence company. The rest of the bits; collets, Jakot (Jacot) tools, centres (mostly damaged) wax chucks etc were in the box. Lots of them were made during the unpleasantness with 'Ole Shickelgruber'. It cost me £125 cash. Since then I have made drill chucks, fling rest, and other bits and bobs.

Am I imagining things, or has this thread been gutted of several posts, including some of my own?

Hi Tel

Comments and threads relating to spam have been removed.

That is all, nothing else.

regards David

Thanks Dave, but several posts of mine since 26/2 up until just now, have also gone missing.