"fatpie" wrote in news:1133546763.144414.134650
@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com:

It was bought second hand off ebay, so it's not such a huge loss if we
sell it. I'll see how it goes with this lathe, and maybe in a while,
when I have a budget of my own, I can buy a new one or put some money
in that direction.

You've got it now so you might as ell take advantage of it and use it.


My dad drove a huge way across the country to get this (because it was
bought off ebay) and also a huge amount of effort getting it up the
stairs into our outbuilding, it'd be a bit ungrateful not to do
anything with it.

Sounds like you dad is a good man. Based on you're appreciation I'd have
to say you are too.


Just so I know, what are this lathe's deficiencies. If it is
absolutely essential in your opinion for me to get rid of it, could you
please tell me it's faults?


It should work just fine if you stay within the lathes limits. It's a
great way to learn in your own backyard. If you can, see if you can take
a class at a local tech school or community college.

There are loads of small projects that you could do to gain experience.
Start with something really simple. Make a scriber or two for yourself.
Get some 1/8" or 3/16" drill rod (Oil hardening O1). Chuck it in the
lathe and file the end to a sharp point. You can then heat treat the
steel by heating it up with a torch and quenching it in oil, or even a
bar of soap. Then temper or draw it down by re-heating it with the torch
and slowly cooling it. You can gage the proper temperatures by the color
of the heated steel. Once the scriber is heat treated you can put it back
in the lathe and polish it up with some emory. If it lost its sharp point
along the way you can stone it sharp in the lathe. This project is a good
way to get a feel for removing metal by hand. I think it is an important
step to take before you start cutting with bits under power.

Next project you can make yourself some brass drifts or pin punches.
Brass is free machining and is ideal for your first cutting project. Make
nice ones with knurled handles.

Next use some more O1 and make yourself some center punches, prick
punches, and a set of pin punches. These tasks will require you to learn
how to properly sharpen HSS tool bits. Forget carbide on this machine,
it's not worth the effort.

By now you'll be itching to do some milling. Blue up some flat stock and
use your scriber to lay out a machinist square. Cut it out using a hack
saw. Mill it as square as you can get it in the machine. Then file it
square by hand. This is a very trying and difficult thing to do, but it
was one of the tasks I had to do when I was learning and it is
worthwhile. Hopefully by now you have some better way of heat treating by
now than a torch. Say a friend, or your own equipment. Then you can heat
treat the square and then stone and lap it to final squareness and
finish.

Just a few ideas to get you started. I know I didn't include a lot of
detail, but when you're ready, ask for instructions here. You'll get
plenty of advice.


--

Dan