Looking to buy a Metal Lathe

[SChop]

So it looks like I have found one and should be picking it up at the end of this month (thanks to this forum)

Any suggestions where I can get cheap scrap metals to play around with? Looking at eBay brass bar isn't cheap not the sort of prices you would want to be cutting spinning tops out of anyway

My other question I'll probably find the answer to on a forum search but in the men time.....

If I wanted.to get a mill would a horizontal mill plate on the lathe be passable for basic stuff or is there a danger it might bend the chuck with all the side force?

Cheers

 

[MusicMan]

I suggest you start with aluminium, which is cheaper and cuts fairly easily, but needs sharp tools for a good finish. Lubricate with WD40.

A mill attachment on the lathe is fine for light work.

 

[porker]

Sometimes engineering works have bar ends they will sell reasonably cheaply. I agree aluminium is good to start with. Try to get some free cutting mild steel as if you get any old scrap steel it may not machine well and make your learning much more difficult.

There are several cheap books out there that will get you started and youtube has some good channels. John Mills does a session every Sunday night that I like to watch (doubleboost) with bits and pieces of machining. I think one thing I learnt early on was that you need a fair few bits and pieces of tooling to get going. Cutting tools (start with HSS and grind your own), dial indicator(s), drill bits, chucks, taps, dies etc. but you can build these up as you go along.

I started milling on the lathe before I got my mill. One thing to remember here is that its not a good idea to try to hold a milling cutter in a three jaw chuck (DAMHIKT)!

 

[SChop]

Thanks chaps
I drove past a metal works place near me the other day that had a skip full so will stop in and see how friendly they are

What's the best option for the milling chuck do you think poker?

The lathe I'm set on comes with either a 4 or 5 inch chuck for turning

 

[porker]

To hold a milling cutter in a lathe I would use a collet. Something like ER25. Can't remember their name but there is an outfit based in Hong Kong that ship very good value machine tools to UK. Will post a link later. Problem with a standard 3 jaw chuck is it can't grip the hardened shafts tight enough and the cutter gets pulled into the work with unpleasant consequences.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[porker]

CTC Tools

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[graduate_owner]

Hi Ctchop,
I think you have been trying to pm ms but somehow not getting through. Can you email me please?

Thanks.

K

 

[SChop]

Hi Ctchop,
I think you have been trying to pm ms but somehow not getting through. Can you email me please?

Thanks.

K

I've sent you an email G-O but not sure they are going through let me know if you get it

Thanks

 

[graduate_owner]

Hi Ctchop,
No, I have not had an email from you since 10th Oct, and PMs don't seem to getting to me either, although I do get a forum email notification saying there is a new PM from you. So helpful.
I have emailed you - have you had any emails from me?
Are you still considering my Myford or did you find something else? No problem either way, it's not going anywhere for the moment so take your time to make sure you get the lathe you want.

K

Edit - I will try contacting you again NOW on your gmail address

Edit 2. - email just sent.

 

[SChop]

Hi Ctchop,
No, I have not had an email from you since 10th Oct, and PMs don't seem to getting to me either, although I do get a forum email notification saying there is a new PM from you. So helpful.
I have emailed you - have you had any emails from me?
Are you still considering my Myford or did you find something else? No problem either way, it's not going anywhere for the moment so take your time to make sure you get the lathe you want.

K

Edit - I will try contacting you again NOW on your gmail address

Edit 2. - email just sent.

Hi mate yes I am still on for your Myford, not received anything from you yet will have a look in my spam folder

Last email I received from you was the batch of photos and I have sent so replys

Edit 1- not received anything checked all spam folders etc have sent you a fresh new email to see if that goes through

Cheers

 

[graduate_owner]

Well I really do not know what is going on, I am not getting your emails and you are not getting mine. I will try sending you a pm with my email address again. In fact I have 2 so I will send you both and we'll see if anything gets through? If not I will just post one of my email addresses here. We will sort out something - eventually.

PM coming up.

K

Edit

PM sent

K

 

[SChop]

Well I really do not know what is going on, I am not getting your emails and you are not getting mine. I will try sending you a pm with my email address again. In fact I have 2 so I will send you both and we'll see if anything gets through? If not I will just post one of my email addresses here. We will sort out something - eventually.

PM coming up.

K

Edit

PM sent

K

This is very strange, I have received your PM and mailed both addresses
If you don't get them I'll try from my work email tomorrow morning

Thanks

 

[graduate_owner]

Hi again,
We seem to be back to the problem of emails not arriving again. Are you sure you are typing in mine correctly? I seem to be getting PMs from you but no direct emails. Use the btinternet.com address rather than the yahoo one - that seemed to work last time.
AND - keep trying. We will get there with patience and perseverence.

K

 

[Wildman]

the Myford "M" is actually a Drummond, ~The war ministry passed production on to Myford. They are a very capable machine with one big drawback. The carriage feed is opposite to every other lathe so turning the wheel towards the tails stock actually runs the cutter towards the chuck. Many people have modified it by adding another gear in the train to reverse it and make it safe.
The best small lathe handbook by far was written by Lawrence Sparey a brilliant Engineer. The book is called " The Amateurs Lathe", old it may be but often reprinted because it has never been bettered.

 

[SChop]

the Myford "M" is actually a Drummond, ~The war ministry passed production on to Myford. They are a very capable machine with one big drawback. The carriage feed is opposite to every other lathe so turning the wheel towards the tails stock actually runs the cutter towards the chuck. Many people have modified it by adding another gear in the train to reverse it and make it safe.
The best small lathe handbook by far was written by Lawrence Sparey a brilliant Engineer. The book is called " The Amateurs Lathe", old it may be but often reprinted because it has never been bettered.

Hi wildcat, thanks for the info what is the hazard this causes?

 

[TFrench]

It's the opposite way to what you expect it to work, and different to every other lathe so it would be quite easy to wind the tool into the chuck unless you were used to it!

 

[SChop]

It's the opposite way to what you expect it to work, and different to every other lathe so it would be quite easy to wind the tool into the chuck unless you were used to it!

Ah OK no worries I'm sure I can work round that,

 

[dickm]

It's the opposite way to what you expect it to work, and different to every other lathe so it would be quite easy to wind the tool into the chuck unless you were used to it!

.......which shouldn't be a problem if the OP has not used another lathe! Until he tries to do this and finds he's hardwired the wrong direction of rotation into his muscles.
Used to be fun when we had two Volvo 120s; SWMBO's was automatic, with the indicator switch on the right of the steering column and the gearchange on the left. The otherwise identical steering wheel on my manual estate had the indicators on the left.... Used to do some strange things unless mind was in gear.

 

[DTR]

My ML4 and ML7 had opposite turning handwheels; you soon get used to it. Although I once had a vice that closed up when you turned anticlockwise, I never got used to that one......

I second the recommendation for The Amateur's Lathe, it's a very good book.

 

[SChop]

Thanks guys for the heads up on the book will add it to my Xmas list

What are people doing for metal to learn on?