Lathe set up help for my shop

[rockfla]

Any machinist oriented Barner's have any tips on setting up a lathe in your shop. What is the longest items (on average) that you turn OR how long is a V8 Axle??? as that would "potentially" be the longest thing I could imagine chucking in my lathe. Because one spot I would like to put it limits the amount of room I would have on the business end of the lathe. ALSO....the two spots I can put my lathe, one is about 7" or so "taller" than the other SO any advice/experience on working height and possibly having it on a little taller work surface?? ANY other advice/experience welcomed. It's a 10 X 24. 1-1/8" diam. bore

[corvette8n]

Can’t help you but maybe Mart will chime in, he does a lot of lathe work on YouTube
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/member.php?u=3659

[rockfla]

I did some more looking AND the lower work bench is better suited for my height SO......NOW my only real concern will be just how far away from the corner and wall it will sit on my bench????

[19Fordy]

Make sure you allow enough room to feed bar stock thru the headstock and into the chuck.
What kind lathe do you have (Southbend)? I sure miss the lathes I had when I was teaching high school metal shop. Having a lathe is "heavenly".

I would not recommend having your lathe on a little taller work surface as it will be more tiring and difficult to change chucks and do machining work like turning between centers, using boring bars, making intricate cuts, cutting tool mounting, using the taper adjustment and adjustment, etc.. Keep it at floor level for easy access , adjustment and cleaning. You want your head and neck to be comfortable. Looking down is better than looking up.

Also, you want to be able to tighten and open the chuck easily and safely.

It is nice to have a rubber mat on the floor for your feet comfort.

Enjoy your new machine tool. It's solid gold.

[cas3]

congrats ! every growing boy should have a lathe. If its a benchtop, make sure its very strong, no movement at all. set up dead level, keep room to clean around it, have fun

[rockfla]

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Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Make sure you allow enough room to feed bar stock thru the headstock and into the chuck.
What kind lathe do you have (Southbend)? I sure miss the lathes I had when I was teaching high school metal shop. Having a lathe is "heavenly".

I would not recommend having your lathe on a little taller work surface as it will be more tiring and difficult to change chucks and do machining work like turning between centers, using boring bars, making intricate cuts, cutting tool mounting, using the taper adjustment and adjustment, etc.. Keep it at floor level for easy access , adjustment and cleaning. You want your head and neck to be comfortable. Looking down is better than looking up.

Also, you want to be able to tighten and open the chuck easily and safely.

It is nice to have a rubber mat on the floor for your feet comfort.

Enjoy your new machine tool. It's solid gold.

Its a Jet 10 X 24 bench top lathe. That's my only issue now is the room/access to the head stock. NOT sure how much I "should" allow but where it will have to go based on the height (which I figured out the lower of the two is much better for my height) I will be "pretty" limited as the bench is just off a corner SO I will have to measure tonight and see just how much room I will have. Keep you posted!!!!

[Mart]

I don't really know how to advise on this. It's not big enough for skimming drums. It's not big enough to hold an axle shaft. So in reality you won't be holding anything "big". So I don't imagine there are many things that you would want to have sticking all the way through the headstock.
Ideally you ought to have clear access in line with the spindle bore. But if not it just limits the length of bar you can hold. You should also have enough room at the tail end to be able to slide the tailstock off if necessary. If you have a steady you could have a long item hanging off the tailstock end.
I use my lathe most days, for all sorts of things.
99 times out of100 it is small items.

Mart.

[Ronnieroadster]

I learned a very long time ago when I was interested in getting a Lath. A wise older gentlemen told me a large lath can always be made small. A small lath can never be made big. That being said I have had excellent results with my lath a Southbend 16 inch swing by 6 foot length. Not only can an axle fit in this size I can also fit early Ford axle housings between the chuck and the tail stock. Plus with a slight modification of the bed in the area of the chuck wheels can also be mounted. The Jet brand lath is OK but it is an off shore product. So there is something to keep in mind if in the future any parts are needed would they be available?
Ronnieroadster

[Pete]

You need to determine what height is best for you, by trial. The easiest way for this is put a creeper on the floor with wood cribbing or boxes as needed to support the lathe. Stand in front of it and work the handles. Adjust the height till it is comfortable, then build a bench that height. Make the bench plenty heavy so it doesn't want to "walk".
We have a lathe at both of our shops. I have a 16 inch and we have an 18 inch at our other shop. The 16 will handle most automotive stuff and the 18 will handle driveshafts with ease.
We also have access to a lathe used to turn railroad car wheels. We have used this several times to turn the bell housing off of flathead 59a and Ford 60 blocks for race car use.

Be sure your lathe has adequate wire capacity to the motor. If you are adding a new circuit for the lathe make the wire a couple sizes bigger than needed for future expansion.
Lathes are a lot like yachts, eventually you decide you need a bigger one.

Oh, you can run the headstock close to a wall as long as the other side of the wall is clear. If you have to turn something really long, you make a hole in the wall in line with the spindle hole, with a cover for when not in use.

[Pete]

...

[19Fordy]

Never thought of making a hole in the wall. Unique idea.

[rotorwrench]

I just have a old Clausing 12" X 36" lathe but it has enough weight to keep it solid and it has a 1.5" bore through the spindle. A lot of parts are still around for them. I don't turn anything as large as an axle but do use it for making small parts and tools. I take the big stuff to a friend that has larger machines when I have a need. I can cut thread per inch but it's not set up for metric due to it's age. This is something else to think about when purchasing a lathe.

The bigger the lathe, the larger the footprint and the more difficulty in moving it when needed. Most folks find a place to set it up and leave it there until something major comes up to require it to be moved again. I don't have 3-phase power so I had to build up a phase motor to run the 3rd leg for 220-volt. I can still move it with a pallet jack so at least it's doable. Any larger a machine and it would take a larger fork lift to move it.

[cmbrucew]

We cut a hole in a rollup door for a twenty foot bar feeder for a cnc lathe. Lathe in warm shop, bar feeder outside in the weather. Never found out if he could hold tolerances.

Bruce

[rockfla]

Thanks for all the suggestive post. For now, as a home mechanic, this lathe should do me quite well. I have three customers who are ALL machine shops/machinist.......One of them went with me to check out the lathe and gave me thumbs up before I plunked down the $600.oo.........Anything to big, long OR critical I have them to fall back on. One has two CNC's as well as the usual hand machines, the second is an "old time" machinist/semi retired who will be coming over and teaching me "stuff" and the third is a ship fitting machinist who has a lathe with a 6 or 8 foot diameter head and some 30 feet long he turns prop shafts for ships and tugs with SO I'm covered "IF" need be!!! BEFORE anyone post here after, the tail stock I have at the house along with tooling, the live center, a couple of 1/2 chucks, the wrenches and a few other little doodad's SO I know its missing in this photo...But here she is!!!!!

[rotorwrench]

That appears to be an older model. Some of the stuff made back in the 80s was pretty decent. They kept changing colors over the years. Blue to green and finally white on a lot of the small ones.

The main thing is that it was cared for and not worn to where it is loose in certain positions. That one doesn't appear to have been abused. Looks pretty good in a photo.

[rockfla]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

That appears to be an older model. Some of the stuff made back in the 80s was pretty decent. They kept changing colors over the years. Blue to green and finally white on a lot of the small ones.

The main thing is that it was cared for and not worn to where it is loose in certain positions. That one doesn't appear to have been abused. Looks pretty good in a photo.

Thanks

It's a nice tight machine, not abused.....needs some cleaning and the one feed screw and nut replaced, the rest of the machine is as tight as new......My good friend and old school machinist just left from looking at it for me too, He is coming over this weekend and gonna pull the screw and nut and take it to his shop and make me a new one SO hopefully by next weekend I'll be "turning" nice and tight!!!! As I said my "other" machinist friend went with me and checked it out, ran it and gave me the "thumbs up" SO.......here we go!!!!

[Mart]

You're in good hands. Plenty of experienced friends to steer you right.

[19Fordy]

rockfla: Looks good. be sure to check the run out of the spindle with a dial indicator to make sure it is "tight" and will hold the chuck and stock "on center". You are fortunate to have such reliable and talented friends. It's exciting to have a lathe. I used to have the chuck key on a short chain attached to the headstock just in case I ever forgot to remove the chuck key. Safety first.

Keep you eyes peeled for a nice set of collets with drawbar.

Here's a site you will be interested in.
https://www.yuriystoys.com/2013/01/m...024-lathe.html

[rockfla]

Thanks Mart....I am very fortunate to "actually" have 6 machinist friend's/customers. I forgot to mention 2 more that I have. One of the two makes all the blower restraints for ALL the Top Fuel, Funny Car, Top Alcohol, Pro Mod etc etc for NHRA.



A huge thanks 19Forty.....especially for the link!!!!!



Once again, thanks all for the advice and encouragement.

[rockfla]

Okay 19FOrty



Collets and drawbar??? Educate me on the use and need???

[38bill]

Collets are used to hold small round parts instead of using the chuck. The drawbar holds the collets in the head stock arbor. I purchased a set when I bought my lathe and have yet to use them. If your chuck isnt great you may want collets. I do use expanding arbors a lot to hold things like bushings so I can turn the outside. Ebay has some arbors made in the US that look pretty good and are priced ok. The cheaper Chinese sets are pretty bad. Get a free catalog from CDCO and one from Shars. You can learn a lot just looking through them.

You may want to get a quick change AXA tool holder set up. Makes it much easier to change the cutting tools.

I work with a guy who just bought the new Grizzle version of your lathe. Yours looks much more heavy duty. Have fun and wear eye protection.

[rotorwrench]

Some folks like the collet type chucks with the release lever set up. I use a pretty good 6-jaw and have a 4-jaw independent chuck if I need it plus a multitude of dog chucks and all sorts of old stuff for turning off center. I seldom use any of that stuff and seldom need the taper attachment but they are nice to have if needed.

[rockfla]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

Some folks like the collet type chucks with the release lever set up. I use a pretty good 6-jaw and have a 4-jaw independent chuck if I need it plus a multitude of dog chucks and all sorts of old stuff for turning off center. I seldom use any of that stuff and seldom need the taper attachment but they are nice to have if needed.

Thanks 38Bill
I already have a quick change post coming. That was the first thing my two friends advised me to get and my one friend is making me a new feed screw and nut so I will replace the tool post then!!! One of them is giving me a 4 jaw chuck as he has a few SO he's passing one along. I look at the collet's and suggested catalog and I have been youtubing different lathe operations trying to learn and observe.

[cas3]

Yup, a quick change tool post is the way to go. Most likely, you will find you're 3 jaw chuck is not accurate, few are. Only good if you will be making the entire part, inside and outside cuts, then it doesnt matter. The 4 jaw chuck is as accurate as you want to make it, by perfect adjustment. I mostly only use the 4, and have a dial indicator mounted on a magnet that I slam up on the tool post to dial in the part. Seems a hassle at first, but you get good at it

[JWL]

With 5 lathes in my shop I feel less than rookie status but still learning. Mine range from 12" X 36" to 26" X 10 feet. Most of the work has required less than 12" from chuck face to tailstock. Your pictures show a reasonably rigid little machine which should give you much satisfaction to turn out good parts. Many suggestions have been put forth and many are good, especially those which recommend a very solid, stable, mounting. I suggest you buy a PRECISION level which measures .0002(2/10000) per foot and learn how to use it to level you machine. I have 3 machines with taper attachments which have been used VERY little. One has collets and almost never gets used. So, unless you specifically have jobs aligned do not waste money or time acquiring such options. Have fun.

[19Fordy]

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Originally Posted by rockfla

Okay 19FOrty



Collets and drawbar??? Educate me on the use and need???

Here's some info. on collets. A drawbar slides thru the spindle and holds the collet in place in the spindle and also tightens the collet around your work. JWL is correct. Collets are a bonus and not used a lot but nice to have if you are machining standard size small dia. stock.
https://www.google.com/search?q=lath...client=gws-wiz

[rockfla]

JWL
I have used a machinist level in the past, I used to sell Mitutoyo at a Mill & Industrial Supply Co years ago. I sold a digital readout system to local heavy equipment manufacturer of Forrest fire implements, they had a boring mill for center boring front end loader rakes and plows and I had to install it!!! Took me 9 hours to get 12' runs of the digital readout mirrors .002 level over a 12' run for both A & B axis!!! I have a piece of 1/4" plate steel I plan on mounting the lathe to before I put it on my bench and plan on using diameters of washers as shims to level the plate on my bench?? Good? Bad???


Thanks again 19Forty!!!!


CAS3 Right now I have a mag base and dial indicator to set up and run on my work piece to see IF the material is straight and true in the chuck before I start any work BUT as mention previous One of my machinist friends is digging out an extra 4 jaw chuck he has to give me.....Until then my other machinist friend showed me the mag base/dial indicator routine to make sure the part is running true in the chuck!!!

[JWL]

My suggestion would be to mount the 1/4" plate securely to the bench top at several points, and then cut appropriate shim stock to level the lathe on the plate/top.

[rockfla]

Originally Posted by JWL

My suggestion would be to mount the 1/4" plate securely to the bench top at several points, and then cut appropriate shim stock to level the lathe on the plate/top.

Level from the lathe bed ways? I've got my 1/4 plate and am drilling the holes today!!! Then I will countersink the flat head socket cap screws so it will be flush on the one side!! Then I can go about mounting the lathe to the bench and leveling it!!

[19Fordy]

rockfl: I'm jealous!!!! But, happy for you. Enjoy.

[cas3]

When you get it up and running, you will find little projects like this to solve problems. Trying to rebuild the fuel pump for my M38 jeep, the first issue was the tiny gaskets for the check valve that came in the kit had shrunk so they would not fit around the valve without distorting. So, the long rusty cutter on the right, was made to cut the precise size hole for a new gasket, then cut the outer diameter free hand. worked good...I thought. Put it together and it doesn't work! I decided the surface that the gaskets sit on are too corroded and ruff to seat proper, so I made some tools to clean up the surface. The rusty one on the left cuts out a precise size sandpaper disk, and the shiny one in the center will hold the disk with some 3M disk adhesive. A little hand work and I hope to win this time ! again, every growing boy should have a lathe ! And, yes thats an old ford steering shaft used to make the parts. When you have a lathe, you save EVERYTHING thats round !

[19Fordy]

cas3 hit a homerun. When you have a lathe you never throw away bar stock of any shape.

[rockfla]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

rockfl: I'm jealous!!!! But, happy for you. Enjoy.

19Forty
Just a little back story, years ago one of my customers sold me his Logan 1957 lathe for $400. Decent lathe to start and had all kinds of extras, kick change tool post, 3 & 4 jaw chucks, lots of tooling, Chip pan, stand, he set me up and all for $400!!! I had no shop at that time but got it and kept it at work “till” the day. Well, the “day” came and I got a couple of furniture dollys to put it on so another one of my customers with a lift gate truck could roll by and pick it up for me and deliver it to my house. So I got one of my employees to lift it up with the fork lift and set it on the dolly’s and he dropped it, tumping it over busting the feed/speed levers, cracking the gear housing, busting the gear cover etc etc, effectively ruining the lathe!!! I didn’t get mad or yell so maybe this deal was Karma paying me back!!!!

Also as an aside, the guy I got the lathe from had a triple sweet deal on a tremendous Enco geared mill, I just couldn’t swing the $1700 this go round…..too many family “needs” BUT a mill is next In line when the next “deal” comes along!!! Hopefully Karma will remember my sacrifice on this one some point in the future!

[cas3]

My first lathe was a big Lodge & Shiply that had been tipped over in a move. It had crude welding on all the levers, but was made to work before I got it. Big, 16 x 6' bed, line shaft driven, babbet bearings wore out, but at 150 bucks in 1982 or so, it was dream come true to a peasant like me at the time. I made a lot, learned a lot, never came close to regretting what most folks, or should I say machinists would consider buying. Lost it in the fire in 2010, and replaced it with a very nice Clausing 14 x48 bought at a school silent auction for 600 bucks. when I picked it up they told me I was the only bidder!!!! Spoiled now, gotta have a lathe. Sometimes it sits for months, sometimes I use it every day, dont matter, gotta have it

[19Fordy]

rockfla; After reading your 'karma" tale, you definitely are in line for better times ahead.

You definitely have made the right decision by keeping your eyes open for a mill. If you can, find one with automatic table feed, a nice big vise and a rotary table.

I wish you all the best.
The good old days below.

[Mart]

I did a quick job on my lathe this morning.
I needed to adapt a 1/4" fuel line to a 5/16" outlet from a pump.
I just turned a piece of brass to 5/16 one end, 1/4" the other, a lump on each end to stop the hose slipping off and a lump in the middle. Then a hole up the middle and job done.
Just an example of the sort of job you can knock out on a lathe at a moment's notice.
It's the one on the top. the first attempt failed when the drill broke out the side.
Mart.

[cas3]

Nice "free hand " work making those lumps Mart !

[19Fordy]

Here's my little show and tell. It's not car related but, let's pretend it's a hood ornament,. Made on a South bend 10 in lathe when I was teaching high school metal shop. Even had a few students make a smaller version with an 8 in. barrel.

When you have a lathe the rule is you have to make a brass cannon that fires. Barrel is 17 3/8 in. long with 1/2 in. bore. Carriage is walnut made on the milling machine. Made in 1976 to celebrate 1776. Still have it. OK rockfl, hurry up and get your lathe set up for July 4.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Here's my little show and tell. It's not car related but, let's pretend it's a hood ornament,. Made on a South bend 10 in lathe when I was teaching high school metal shop. Even had a few students make a smaller version with an 8 in. barrel.

Well, ain't that slick! That's NICE, Jim. I didn't see this the first time around. DD

[Karl]

I have an old Myford Super 7 with a screw cutting gearbox and also a Myford Rodney Milling attachment as well as taper cutting attachment and dividing head etc . Its old but has been used little in its life .has been well looked after and works well - Its limitations are determined by the operator (ie me) rather than the lathe -its a very useful thing to have in the shop.

[Fortunateson]

I don’t have a lathe but my son has two, a old Sears(?) and a Harrison which he calls George made in Yorkshire along with two table top mills, some fancy grinding machine, a surface grinder, and a multi head (I think that’s what it is) mill.

He has his ticket for Mechatronics and is currently halfway through his Red Seal program the computer side of marching.

So I have access to all of that but don’t know how to use it. It’s faster for him to make me something than to have him teach me but one day I’d like to learn the basics.

[rockfla]

Thanks for all the help and suggestions on my post. Here is my lathe, finally got it set up and a new quick change tool post installed. Next on the list is a 4 jaw chuck and a collet set. My good friend is an old time "machinist" (in the true sense of the work, not a cnc button pusher) and he has been gifting me some mic's and tool bits and showing me how to use it more than what I already know so off and running. Thanks again for all the encouragement and help!!

[19Fordy]

rockfla: CONGRATULATIONS on getting your lathe up and running. You are indeed Blessed to have nearby friends who are "Lathe Literate" and can help you. There are very few times that you will ever need to use a collet so save your $$ for other goodies. Wish I lived closer as it's great to have friends like you who are really hands on. All the best. JIM

Keep your eyes open for a GEOMETRIC DIE and thread chasers that will allow you to cut excellent threads. You can even control the Class of Fit. Just insert it in your tail stock and your are on you way to easily cutting perfect threads every time. These dies are expensive but, you might be able to find some cheaper form a retired machinist or an industrial tool supplier or Ebay. I used to have two in my high school metal shop before it was closed down. They are the "cats meow". They look like this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=geom...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[rockfla]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

rockfla: CONGRATULATIONS on getting your lathe up and running. You are indeed Blessed to have nearby friends who are "Lathe Literate" and can help you. There are very few times that you will ever need to use a collet so save your $$ for other goodies. Wish I lived closer as it's great to have friends like you who are really hands on. All the best. JIM

Keep your eyes open for a GEOMETRIC DIE and thread chasers that will allow you to cut excellent threads. You can even control the Class of Fit. Just insert it in your tail stock and your are on you way to easily cutting perfect threads every time. These dies are expensive but, you might be able to find some cheaper form a retired machinist or an industrial tool supplier or Ebay. I used to have two in my high school metal shop before it was closed down. They are the "cats meow". They look like this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=geom...hrome&ie=UTF-8

I will keep my eyes open, those look sort of like the Rigid "hogs head" pipe threading heads and dies ONLY with the morris taper shaft on it!!!
BY the way, after I get a Mill.....Speaking of hands on.......My focus will be setting up a paint booth SO I can start doing my own paint work. AFTER re-doing home renovation work from hiring "professionals" and having to fix their mistakes AND having to do the same with antique cars.....I told my wife "IF I am going to spend my hard earned money and be dissatisfied with crappy work.....I can do that myself and I can be mad at myself and still have "most" of my hard earned money!!" SO there you go!!!!

[Mart]

Agree with the collets. Not necessary for a beginner.
To be honest, it all depends on what jobs you will want to do. It might be best to wait until you want to do a particular job, then if you don't have the tooling get it to do that job.