"xray" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 00:52:43 -0700, "Harold and Susan Vordos"
wrote:


"xray" wrote in message
.. .

To be sure, I guess I should buy an MT 5 center and try it.

No, don't do that. There are spindle adapters that permit the use of
smaller centers, which should be your objective. Look for a #5/#3
adapter,
and use a #3 center, or one the same size as the tailstock center, if
it's
different.

What size is your lathe?

It has a 13" swing. But this is digressing from my original question
about a separate piece of tooling.

I'm happy to hear about these suggestions/questions but I think I'd
rather hear about how to make or buy an adapter as I described.

Well and good, but is that in your best interest? Wouldn't you prefer to
learn things that are useful instead of things that may not be?

I worked as a machinist for 26 years of my life, including running my own
business for 16 of those years, and never encountered any such a setup.
Frankly, I wouldn't be too interested in one, either. If for no other
reason, on small machines, the more you add to length, the greater are your
machining problems. There are other methods to improve holding
capabilities, most of which would be more useful. Soft jaws is a good place
to start your learning curve, but reserve that for the time when you better
understand cutting tools and how to apply them. At this point, you're
worrying about things that may never be an issue when you are more familiar
with machining techniques.

Regards holding objects between centers, it's easy enough to chuck a short
length of stock and turn a 60 degree center if you'd like to avoid buying a
headstock center, which you'll find gets very little (if any) use when you
get better at machining. Working between centers is precise, but a complete
PITA as compared to holding your work by other methods (speaking of soft
jaws).


The spindle adapters are something that I might should learn about too.

The more I learn on this stuff, the more I find I have to learn.

We have no idea what you do for a living, but if you think you can master
machining in a few days, you're likely to be very unhappy. It takes most
guys that work in the trade several months to become even remotely
competent, assuming they're doing work of any quality. Anyone can make
chips, but it takes skill, talent and considerable experience for one to
make parts per print, reliably, and with reasonable speed. You'll come to
respect the talent of others as you struggle with what you may think are
simple procedures.

You're right about the more you have to learn. Few, if any, machinists
that have worked in the trade for a lifetime are well rounded enough to be
comfortable in all machining processes. There's just too much to know to
learn it all. You could easily spend a lifetime on gear cutting alone.
Don't let that bother you-----simply learn to do the things that are
important to you.

Harold