Is it my turn? Anything to do with lathes, mills and other shop tools

[atom4488]

As life goes on, I “try” to buy less and purge more. My storage and work space is barely adequate. Some say if you haven’t used it in one year, get rid of it. I’m working towards that, but am currently at - “if I haven’t used it in 20 years….”

That's a little too simplistic as a rule of thumb for me. I accept that I accumulate too much stuff, but often find that I resort to that accumulated stuff to fulfill a current need. I have taken to purging the stuff kept for a rainy day or just in case or for the day that I have the time to get to it, but still find it difficult to get rid of potentially useful stuff. That's the chronic hoarder in me!

 

[Downeaster]

That's a little too simplistic as a rule of thumb for me. I accept that I accumulate too much stuff, but often find that I resort to that accumulated stuff to fulfill a current need. I have taken to purging the stuff kept for a rainy day or just in case or for the day that I have the time to get to it, but still find it difficult to get rid of potentially useful stuff. That's the chronic hoarder in me!

I can't count the times I've "saved the day" with stuff I've squirrelled away over the years. I ain't throwing away NUFFIN! Best I can do is stop stripping everything for hardware and think really hard before accumulating more "stuff".

Let the kids/grandkids deal with it when I assume room temperature.

 

[gggGary]

 

[Downeaster]

Got my adjustable machinery feets in today. Installed them in the conveniently existing holes in the legs of the lower cabinet of the Atlas and got it roughly leveled with a torpedo level.

That'll do until my precision level arrives.

 

[Downeaster]

And my level arrived this afternoon! I guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow.

If you cock yer ear toward New England, you'll likely be able to hear the cussin'...

 

[Downeaster]

Well, that went better than feared...

The hardware fastening the lathe to the base wasn't even finger tight and I was able to get everything within a couple of thousandths by snugging them up.

I also confirmed my suspicion that getting it down to an RCH was pointless because:

1. It's going to change with temperature
2. It changes when I move the slide
3. It changes when I fire up the machine
4. I'm not building rocket ships here, within a couple of thou is plenty good enough

Next project (when my finances heal up a bit) is to do the feed screw speed mod. With the QCGB the minimum feed is .004 per revolution which leaves a VERY rough finish, sometimes described as a "really fine thread pitch". A little "watch my eyes don't watch my hands" with the gear ratios between the spindle and the QCGB will cut that in half to .002/rev which while still not perfect is certainly better.

After lunch, I'm going to go down and indicate the 3 jaw chuck, check center on the tail stock and maybe turn a test piece to check for taper. Again, not critical for a junkyard machinist, as long as it's not waaaayyyy out of whack.

 

[RC4MAN]

Good enough for an Alabama Throw Fit

 

[atom4488]

Well, that went better than feared...

The hardware fastening the lathe to the base wasn't even finger tight and I was able to get everything within a couple of thousandths by snugging them up.

I also confirmed my suspicion that getting it down to an RCH was pointless because:

1. It's going to change with temperature
2. It changes when I move the slide
3. It changes when I fire up the machine
4. I'm not building rocket ships here, within a couple of thou is plenty good enough

Next project (when my finances heal up a bit) is to do the feed screw speed mod. With the QCGB the minimum feed is .004 per revolution which leaves a VERY rough finish, sometimes described as a "really fine thread pitch". A little "watch my eyes don't watch my hands" with the gear ratios between the spindle and the QCGB will cut that in half to .002/rev which while still not perfect is certainly better.

After lunch, I'm going to go down and indicate the 3 jaw chuck, check center on the tail stock and maybe turn a test piece to check for taper. Again, not critical for a junkyard machinist, as long as it's not waaaayyyy out of whack.

Took me a minute or two...consulted my Logan Operator's Handbook and found no such reference !

 

[Downeaster]

Took me a minute or two...consulted my Logan Operator's Handbook and found no such reference !

Approximately half of a BCH...

 

[Downeaster]

I think I'm ready to make chips.

.002 end play on the spindle cold. You're supposed to run it for an hour to get it up to "operating temperature" whatever that is, but if anything it'll get a little tighter as it warms up, so I'm not going to mess with it.

Runout 1 inch out from the jaws on the 3 jaw is about .0005 which is likely margin of error on my dial indicator. Again, as far as I'm concerned, it ain't broke, I ain't gonna fix it.

Turned a 6" test bar and no measurable taper within the limits of my equipment and skills. Good.

Another nice thing is that the machine is rigid enough that I can actually use a cut-off tool. Every time I tried that on my old Seneca, the cross feed would move and pull the cutter under center and ka-BAM!

Played around teaching myself how to cut threads and after a few boo-boos I think I have the basics down. Don't foresee a need to cut my own, but wanted to give it a try just in case.

Tomorrow I'll try doing a little boring and test drive the inside grooving tool that's been sitting in my tool box for months. Maybe years. Also need to set up my coolant system.

 

[gggGary]

Good stuff DE.
Turning with a radius nose cutter smooths a lot of sins.
Many/most carbide insert tools do this.
there's some cool DIY roller/burnishing devices to be found on yootoob.
Who doesn't keep a file. edge breaker wetRdry paper to hand on the lathe?
Inherited from dad this hand champher tool



is very handy to smooth a sharp edge, gotta be careful you don't stick the tip into the bore opposite, it goes south fast when you do that, so I've heard....

 

[atom4488]

I think I'm ready to make chips.

.002 end play on the spindle cold. You're supposed to run it for an hour to get it up to "operating temperature" whatever that is, but if anything it'll get a little tighter as it warms up, so I'm not going to mess with it.

Runout 1 inch out from the jaws on the 3 jaw is about .0005 which is likely margin of error on my dial indicator. Again, as far as I'm concerned, it ain't broke, I ain't gonna fix it.

Turned a 6" test bar and no measurable taper within the limits of my equipment and skills. Good.

Another nice thing is that the machine is rigid enough that I can actually use a cut-off tool. Every time I tried that on my old Seneca, the cross feed would move and pull the cutter under center and ka-BAM!

Played around teaching myself how to cut threads and after a few boo-boos I think I have the basics down. Don't foresee a need to cut my own, but wanted to give it a try just in case.

Tomorrow I'll try doing a little boring and test drive the inside grooving tool that's been sitting in my tool box for months. Maybe years. Also need to set up my coolant system.

Excellent results on the runout test... I would guess that most three-jaw chucks aren't that accurate. Mine certainly aren't! Rigidity rules!!! I have always struggled with parting-off operations on my Logan 820 due to chatter caused by lack of rigidity. I have found that this comes from a number of variables; chuck "overhang", inadequate compound rest / tool holder stiffness and carriage movement. Working on solutions for all three.

 

[bosco659]

I’d like to see someone put this in their basement!

 

[Its been a long time]

I’d like to see someone put this in their basement!

View attachment 341140

Serious machinery.

 

[gggGary]

Basically scrap iron.

 

[Miker Vee]

I’d like to see someone put this in their basement!

Well... not in my basement, buttt...

Just another one of those 'projects' on the to-do list.

 

[Miker Vee]

Just like this one

 

[Miker Vee]

Or...

 

[Adamc]

This is a cool bit of workshop kit

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[Downeaster]

^^^I bet the price tag on that would make yer bag sag!