A manual should have come with the lathe showing the correct turning
speed for the diameter you are working with. At this point you should
be using the highest speed possible for your lathe. Second possibility
is your tool is not exactly centered on the shaft you are turning, and
finally, the tool may not be sharp enough. Any and all could
contribute to what you are experiencing, and there are probably some
other possibilities, but check these first.

Paul


On Jan 3, 10:53*am, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
I am trying to make my first real part. *A replacement pivot pin for a lock
blade knife. *It's a cheap knife. *I could have thrown it away and bought 50
of them for the time I have spent so far, but it's a learning process. *Its
taught me a lot so far, and the knife was a gift from my son a couple years
ago for Christmas.

Here is my problem. *I Can turn down to about .250 with no problems. *Since
the cap on the pin is .383 that part is easy. *The shaft of the pin is ..204
however. *Whenever I get down to about .225 - .230 the tool bit wants to
climb down under the work piece. *At this point several things go wrong all
at once. *My tool post tilts towards the work piece no matter how tightly I
have adjusted the slide tension bolts (and the slide will still move)
forcing me to have to adjust it again. *And it usually bends the work piece.
Also, sometimes I get nasty gouges and galls on the stainless steel rod I am
working with. *Also it chips the carbide cutter and I have to resharpen it.

Not sure what I should do. *Obviously finding a way to stiffen the tool post
would help, but I am not sure how to do that. *The first idea I have had is
to put the slide tension adjustment bolts and spacer on the back side of the
slide. *Then there is no mechanical room for the tool post to lift up on the
front side. *That in itself will require some work on the mill. *It would
make it more difficult to adjust tension on the slide, but I think it would
need to be adjusted less often as well.

The other idea I had is to make a tool holder for a good quality flex shaft
handle, and chuck it up in the tool post with a small end mill. *I would
have to watch the speed very carefully as in one direction I'll get a
combined cutting speed of the lathe and the end mill. By cutting in two
directions simultaneously I should get a very good finish, and with the
cutting surface at the middle instead of the top edge of the tool should
greatly reduce the tendency of the tool to try and climb under the work
piece. *I'm wondering if this is one of those things where a combination
machine might be able to do the job faster and easier.

Or maybe I am totally missing the point.