So, I was given a lathe that had electrical problems.

I sorted those problems, and I am now looking for some simple projects so I can learn the machine.

My first thought is to turn some clutch pulleys out of brass. Do you have other suggestions?

Bronze suspension bushings.

Make a mount for a 911 head to spin the head on the main body of the lathe and then you can resurface heads.....probably not a beginner thing to do, but if you have some junk heads it might be good to learn how to make a decent jig.

Pedal cluster bushings.

Thanks for the input.

As far as surfacing heads is concerned, that is advanced,professional-level machine work. I am going to have to get some experience first.

Suspension bushings and pedal bushings are already readily available, but would make good practice projects.

Practice projects to get a feel for it.
Learn how to be precise and how much you can cut.

It's easy to start with store bought bushings from the hardware store and cut them from there, for instance the side shifter rear bushing...that is store bought, then turned to fit the exact need.
It wastes less material also.

Good advice. Those plastic rear shift bushings all fit like shit. I'm definitely doing some of those in brass.

Look for tephlon impregnated bronze, not brass.
Grainier has them....just find one that needs material removed, not added.

That's a pretty big lathe for making fairly small bushings. Drill bits and reamers aren't cheap either. That sucker looks like it was made to cut 3 feet of threads. Nice score.

Nice unit, we have the same one in our shop at work. Pretty easy to run, I use it from time to time on stuff...Enjoy !

Find an old retired machinist to teach you how to first-
1. grind cutter edges
2. set up a cutter in the toolpost at correct height and angles. . that's a 4 way toolpost and requires shimming cutters to correct height
3. show you the correct chuck rpm speed and correct cutter feed speed. The tendency is to turn too fast.
4. after all those, start on PVC or wood. . .
5 remember no matter how fast you think your reactions, hands and fingers are,
the chuck is always faster and a lot stronger.

It's not rocket science but it's easy to hurt yourself badly. . You might want to start
by positioning the machine and leveling the bed. Then make sure the headstock is parallel and perpendicular to the bed and center of tailstock. Determine the off center runout of the chuck. .Those Chinese chucks are usually spec'ed at .003 off center as the normal limit when new . If not set up properly, no matter what you do, your finished project will have taper and be out of square and off center.

There chucks are rubbish and they pop gears in the drive,good score for light work however,go for it.

I practice on the lathe at work and did some door stop rollers out of aluminum. Yes they are available but I figured the machine is there why not try it. Simple part.

2nd that,safety 1st.
An intro course at a local school will get you up to speed on the operation of lathes,the inet is a fount of info.
Loss of body appendages is a distinct possibility if not properly trained.
Due diligence is the primary impetus and fear of agony the second.
It's a machine,and will not ask if you are competent,just prove if you are not,instantly.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfcukAV_Zhk


A simple op,one that requires practice to perform correctly and accurately to a honing tolerance.
The Wright brothers machined their engines on a lathe far cruder than the one you have there.
An expert tuneup of the hard parts is likely in order if the hours are beyond 20K.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Taylor_(mechanic)

(edit)oh yeah,keep it spotless clean,do not spit in the sump.

/

I agree with all of the above, start small projects that at not important till you get the feel for it. Lots of on-line resources, it's a bigger learning curve than you think.
Don't forget the damn key in the chuck

I agree with all of the above: especially those about safety. Make sure that you wear proper clothing when operating this machine. Loose clothing can be deadly (around your neck) when picked up by the machine. Same goes for long hair, a necklace etc.

A good medium to start with is Teflon/Teflon. Get yourself a few chunks of that stuff and start with that. Teflon is quite soft so it will not affect your cutters too much.

One of the first things I did on a lathe was a knob for my Triumph's gear lever. First a specimen made from teflon, the second one from a alloy billet.

Menno

Get some Delrin or brass and make some of the rear trunk rollers for the torsion bars.

And watch those carbide bits. When they shatter they are like shrapnel- Safety glasses at all times!

Hey Joe! How bout a present or Christmas ornament for the new beh-beh? Congrats BTW Dad!

Nice .............. Beautiful Machine
I bought a 1930's belt driven version to check for out of round and cleaning up burrs. Not a clue on how to use it.

Chrome bezel gauge rings would be cool.

Wow!

Thanks for all the responses.

I'll try to post updates as I figure this thing out.

Make something square....

Click to view attachment

A test trinket,tolerances of +/-.003" ,in various alloys.
The nicest one I've seen was on the desk of the pres's office in chromolly,heatreated and ground,+/-0.0005".
Another was in hardened 52100,32 rms,CBN tooling,beautiful homogeneous finish.

Turners Cube made on a lathe.


http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCTurnersCube.html

I read all of that. Pretty cool stuff and certainly good training.

Without the use of a mill, chucking up a square piece in a 3-jaw chuck looks like a challenge.

Invest in a 4 jaw chuck, each jaw is independent so you can dial it within .0005" if you have the tools and patience.

Let's start with the basics.

What's the turning speed for various metals and other media?

How do I set the correct tool height?

Get a copy of Machinery's Handbook. It's the standard text for speeds and feeds and looks impressive on your bookshelf. If you have a half-price bookstore nearby, they often have a copy.

Speed is dependent on diameter in addition to material. Surface feet per minute (at the tool) is the basis for selecting the correct rpm.
Generally, Aluminum under 1 1/2 inches can be spun at 1000 rpm or faster in most cases. Steel should be below 500 rpm for anything over 3/4 inch.
Carbide tools accept higher rpm than Cobalt steel. Cobalt tools can be run a little faster than High Speed Steel. Ie., they will operate at higher temperatures without ruining the tool.
Rule of thumb with steels, if the chips turn straw or amber color your at the max rpm. If they turn blue, slow the rpm down.
If a high speed steel tool turns color you are going too fast and ruining the cutting edge quickly.

Use a feed rate that gives a good surface appearance without taking too long to reach the other end. That will usually be around .005" per revolution, plus or minus, depending on the specific cut.
Depending on the equipment and the specific tool shape, you can run at cutting depths of .010" to .050". Deeper cuts will lose some accuracy, so best to leave a small cut for the last passes.
The crossfeed dial measures change in diameter, so turn the dial in 50 for a cutting depth of .025".

To lubricate aluminum, add 50% kerosene to your cutting oil.
You want some smoking of your cutting fluid to occur.
That usually indicates a good temperature for cutting.

The tool needs to be very close to the centerline, or just slightly above (< .060") in many cases.

http://blog.cnccookbook.com/2015/02/10/tur...peeds-g-wizard/

^I'm a fan of the GWizard above, I use it for my CNC mill once in a while.

Nothing wrong with the Machinist Handbook as well, but sometimes it is nice to just punch in numbers and get a result to start off with.

I'd learn with the standard dials, but if you really want to get jobs done quicker and with a little bit less chance of messing up I'd recommend a DRO (digital read out)

http://www.dropros.com/
and
http://www.acu-rite.com/index.html


We have been using the Acu-Rites with good results when the shops don't want the extra expensive of the normally used Magnescale DRO units.

Thanks, Chris and Mike.

Mike,
He should make 5 lug conversion hats for front rotors...

You can make anything you put your mind to. . .
My Chevy V8, most from scratch.
Crank took 2 weeks, cam 1 week. . both from solid round stock . the
roller rockers were the hardest because I needed 16 identical. .

That's impressive!

A pistol silencer, so you can be James Bond?

Just WOW!

Click to view attachment

You are in the fla machine belt,supporting nasa and have experts all around you.
Take advantage and prepare yourself accordingly,this is not an overnite,instant gratification endeavor.
I have seen and heard of too many horrible industrial accidents and have become skeptical of selfproclaimed 'gurus'.
Grenade training in the military is defined by strict protocols,so too should be the instruction and manual study of your new lathe.
Bone up on the tech,it's a tool of great versatility with which you can test yourself to get good at.
Getting great at it requires decades of practice and application.
The machine you have for cheap must be supported by the acquiring of tools of telemetry,500$ basically to start.
Electric drills and saws may be your experience to date,and if so,a period of training is needed,because it's the right thing to do.


Click to view attachment
Broaching allen sockets in titanium bolts on a manual lathe,circa 1981,<10pcs.

(edit)
Come to think of it,an ad for a part time machinist of skill may be an alternative way to part cost in labor and time.
Hire a machinist to make your swingarm bearing barrel or front upright to carry a driven axle!

I think I'll be getting this set:

This is all excellent advice. Trust me, it is clear to me that this could be a very dangerous machine. It's also clear that I have almost everything to learn.

No gloves, no long hair (female grad student died this way a few years ago at one of the universities) , long sleeves also a bad idea.

Don't leave key in chuck and turn on lathe....I did this before, luckily the key went straight up in the air and not into my face...it did almost land on the hood of my car!

Don't be tempted to put a chuck into a chuck! Yes, people have done it!

http://littlemachineshop.com/products/prod...20Tools%20Lathe

http://www.yellowpages.com/orlando-fl/mach...hop-tool-supply


These are some basic tools to get started,do try to be a csob as a money pit is right in front of you.
Planning is everything,make your plan,work your plan,plan to make a profit.
A wee Scotsman told us that in '68,the instructor of the course,of WW2 machining experience.
Know what you are doing before you start making chips,or you'll make chips of gold.
Much to learn of turning,there is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za0t2Rfjewg

I'm guessing the lathe has no toolpost holders,which is why you're looking to purchase a set.
You won't need a large capacity,3/4" will suffice.
(edit)I see in the photo up top,the post you have will do fine for your application.
The quickchange holders are for production speed and repeatability,can be useful for toolroom applications,setup speed.


btw,
If your sump smells like shit,it is because there is shit in it.
You'll want to keep it as clean as a toilet bowl,at minimum.
An extreme biohazard,keep it off your skin,eyes,mouth.
Steph and staph out of the sump.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necrotizing_fasciitis
http://fluids.doallsawing.org/products_det...roduct=DOALL014
http://www.zepcommercial.com/product/Heavy...itrus-Degreaser

I used to operate Lathes and Mills when I was a kid. My dad owned a machine shop so I learned from one of the best machinists. Of course I chose not to follow in his footsteps and haven't operated any machines since I was 18.

My suggestion is that you take some classes at a local vo-tech just to get a better understanding of the basics, which includes all the safety lessons.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=miniature+v8...yA95qXWQQ22M%3A
Ya gotta appreciate the massive workload to achieve these works of machining art.
(edit:01/06/16)
http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/dahlberg.htm
Mindboggling,dedication,talent,perseverance,skill...
I happen to have made a plastic model of this car along with a Stutz Bearcat in the early '60s.
Why I like it,the time and talent as applied to machine sculpture,as you would a fine Swiss watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoDFV_-FPrc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08Rfvu7k2nI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L4Hj85Kb5o

(
You may find this illuminating.
" Here we show that a dense uniform dispersion of silicon carbide nanoparticles (14 per cent by volume) in magnesium can be
achieved through a nanoparticle self-stabilization mechanism in molten metal. An enhancement of strength, stiffness, plasticity and high-temperature stability is simultaneously achieved, delivering a higher specific yield strength and higher specific modulus than almost all structural metals."....wow!
I've worked with some amazing hitemp alloys,if they are referring to the top 3%,we have a new paradigm of power to weight across all applications.
Magnesium-SiliconCarbide Composite(MgSiC) conrods,pistons,valvegear,chassis.
Big changes coming.Wow.
http://gizmodo.com/new-magnesium-composite...h-to-1749578336
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v528/...ature16445.html
)
/
(edit:2/22/16)
Think of an engine block with cylinder bores of < 3mm wall thickness,an engine of half the weight.
Pistons weights allowing high rpm use,the temp stability to allow much higher velocities.
Who will be the first to offer a superleggara boxer engine for a ridiculously exorbitant price?
A 40 Kg advantage will eventually find it's way to a 914 engine bay.
/

Dammit, it came with a small chuck and I thought that was how it was used.

I figured out how to remove the 6" chuck and it's attached by 3 cam-locks. The small chuck has a shaft with threads on the rear portion, so it appears the small one is for another type of lathe.

I have some tools. I'll take pictures and ask for more advice.

Look up KDK toolpost and holders. . The best and most versatile design
There are some knock off's on EBay that are just as nice.. . this is the 100 size set. . that is what you want for a 12 inch lathe

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-PIECE-KDK-STYLE-...5-/231314112361

I marvel at guys like you with these kinds of skills. . . AMAZING!!

When it's done and running you have to post-up a video!!

Warning!
This is not a drill!
Graphic content of industrial accident within!Gore.
An example of not following rules of MC 101.
http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41444

(edit:01/12/16)
He looked as surprised as anyone could get.
I found this while searching for 'Mas' engine lathe.

(edit:05/22/16)
Photobucket has taken down the pix of the accident,
I suppose the horrible nature of accident investigation is too offensive.
Civil War pix,or plane and train crashes.
Boer War,WW1 and WW2,Korea and VietNam and so on.
Used to be,the dead were front page news,all around the world.
Surely,they were more offended than the viewers,decades or centuries later.
They were professionally taken for reference in law,an inquiry for recommendations to regulation changes.
The purpose,to avoid more accidents,like the carnage on the highways.
Teaching more people about the results of ignored rules or seatbelts might have an effect on the number of casualties.
/

Like this.

Yes, exactly like Wills' souvenir.

Maybe the small chuck is for the tail stock for drilling holes. That is how ours is done.

12X36 and 13x40 import {China or Taiwan] lathes almost always come with a 6 inch camlock chuck with a D1-4 spindle mount. . Going up to an 8 inch chuck is double the rotating weight, A 6 in chuck is around 20 pounds, 8 in is about 35+ pounds,
You lathe looks to be a 12x36 with probably a 1 1/2 motor at best. A 6 inch chuck is what it is best suited to turn.

Consider what the HP is on the motor on yours. . .and the weight of the piece you are turning when considering a larger chuck. . Wanting to hold larger objects is why the chuck jaws are reversible and have 3 steps, once you exceed the limit of the chuck you should consider a bigger lathe to match a larger chuck. . .

A drill chuck is what is used in the tailstock, just like on a drillpress but with a Morse taper mount.

Once again, just my 2 cents, but think safety here. . flying metal is hard to stop.