Lathe question

[jeepjr]

I need to to do some turning on a piece that is too long to be spun unsupported. I do not have a steady rest. So... I need to use my live center to support on end. In order to do this, I need a small hole in one end for the live center to rest in. How do you put a hold like that dead centered so this piece can be turned? Thanks.

[tmix]

How big is your spindle bore?

[jeepjr]

Not big enough. That what I have always done. This piece is a little to big around.

[cerakoter]

Tag for the answer. I can't see how without a dog & steady rest and doing a run out.

[45_fan]

Do you want to mark dead center so you can hit it with a spotting drill in your drill press?

Or are you looking for a live tailstock chuck?

You will probably need some sort of follower unless you have a large diameter on some really stiff work.

[BELT_FED]

1. put your part in the chuck and tighten it

2. Place an indicator on the tool post and true up the part using a rubber mallet to tap it around

3. Place a center drill in the tail chuck and make your "small hole"

4. Remove drill and chuck and replace with live center..

With live center tight re check the indicator

[tmix]

1. put your part in the chuck and tighten it

2. Place an indicator on the tool post and true up the part using a rubber mallet to tap it around

3. Place a center drill in the tail chuck and make your "small hole"

4. Remove drill and chuck and replace with live center..

With live center tight re check the indicator

I need to to do some turning on a piece that is too long to be spun unsupported.

Re-read his first sentence.

[bakerjw]

Take the part to a machine shop and ask nicely if they can put a centering hold in the end for you. Most places will do something like that real cheap if you ask nicely. May check with local gun smiths too.

[SRM]

1. put your part in the chuck and tighten it

2. Place an indicator on the tool post and true up the part using a rubber mallet to tap it around

3. Place a center drill in the tail chuck and make your "small hole"

4. Remove drill and chuck and replace with live center..

With live center tight re check the indicator

I need to to do some turning on a piece that is too long to be spun unsupported.

Re-read his first sentence.

All depends what that center is gona do later. If its gona get cut off, doesnt matter. If its gona be a hole, you need to get or make a steady.

[jeepjr]

Its gonna be a hole.

[watcher]

You can buy a kit with a ruler plus various attachments, a square, an angle scale and an odd thing that has a V-shape. This V-shape is used so that you can hold it against a cylinder and draw an exactly central line across the end of the cylinder. Do this 3 or 4 times at different angles and you have found the center of the cylinder. Center punch this point, drill your relief hole and you are in the turning business.

[kingjamez]

Do you have a mill? If so, put a chuck on your mill table. Chuck up your piece of stock. Use a co-ax indicator to center the stock under the spindle. Drill your hole with a center drill. Using this method you can get exceptional accuracy.

-Jim

[SRM]

Do you have a mill? If so, put a chuck on your mill table. Chuck up your piece of stock. Use a co-ax indicator to center the stock under the spindle. Drill your hole with a center drill. Using this method you can get exceptional accuracy.

-Jim

He allready has the lathe! Why not use that? Do the same thing.

[northtown]

I am having strong difficulties seeing a problem here, if you have a long workpiece and need a center hole to support it while working on it, use beltfeds method, used this 2 times last week at work, countless times before that. What beltfed forgot to write is that you should not have high rpm while doing it, if there is an imbalance the workpiece can bend or come loose, seen it happen and it can easily result in injury. And if you are planning on reducing the diameter a lot, straightening is not that critical, you'll turn it straight anyway.

If you want to turn it internally and dont have a big enough spindle hole to do it, you need a steady rest, period, compared to the rest of the lathe they dont cost that much. You may need to turn the workpiece nice and even on the outside before using the steady rest with success, just follow the steps above.

NO problem, worst case scenario: buying a steady rest wich you will enjoy for years to come.

[Historian]

I remembered this post when I ran across "Metal Porn" for a suppressor smith.

May I direct you to << http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCHallOfFame.html >>.

In particular is an image of a home built milling machine.

There is a large group who consider buying an old standard lathe
or mill gives a better unit than a Chi-Com job.

Anyway, any lathe is better than no lathe.

[mg81]

Beltfed's post is how I do it when I feel lazy and don't want to put on my steady rest on my lathe to drill a center hole.

Northtown's post gives the missing details, if you missed it reread what he said. The key is low rpms when you have a floppy set-up, once the center drill starts to go in you are fine.

This is for making a center hole for turning between centers. Sadly, you will need a steady if you are going to bore/drill a deep hole into your work.

[bakerjw]

There is a large group who consider buying an old standard lathe
or mill gives a better unit than a Chi-Com job.

Nothing cuts like American iron.

My good ole Hendey was originally purchased by MIT and then found its way into the NAVY. Not sure where it resided for all of those years but it is in my garage now and will turn out swarf for another century after I leave this rock.

If you're in the market for a lathe don't rule out the older machines. They take some lovin to get back into true form but they can really perform.

[BELT_FED]

I've turned 1inch dia. harden steel parts 36 inches long using that method. Your speeds and feeds are everything, says the man with the little card in his back pocket that took me 5 years and 10000 hours to earn.. light cutts and and low rpms on a manual lathe would be a great place to startyou can lay a finger or a wooden file handle on the back side of the part to reduce harmonics alittle and if the finish isn't exactly as smooth as you like get the sand paper out

[Historian]

There is a large group who consider buying an old standard lathe
or mill gives a better unit than a Chi-Com job.

Nothing cuts like American iron.

My good ole Hendey was originally purchased by MIT and then found its way into the NAVY. Not sure where it resided for all of those years but it is in my garage now and will turn out swarf for another century after I leave this rock.

If you're in the market for a lathe don't rule out the older machines. They take some lovin to get back into true form but they can really perform.

Holy Mackerel! Back in 1956 there was a Hendey in the MIT machine shop next to some Southbends. My first
job after classes was to wipe them down. I wonder if this was one of them. Just in case please give it pat from
an old friend.

Speaking about American Iron, I still cherish the engines in my old 1956 Sedan de Ville and in the 1964 Buick Wildcat (6.9 liter ).
The engines were better than any in the Benzes at that time.

Hopefully in the coming next elections the folks standing in the unemployment lines will have finally awakened
to vote out the Chi-Com manqué and his Mongolian [ "we must vote on it
so we can read what's in it" - NP ] Cluster ----s.



The greatness of the US, so far, is that it comes back stronger. ( a la Nietsche)
Reignite American exceptionalism.

[baldie]

First post guys !
I,m in the UK, and still to this day, use a very old Hendey [circa 1910 i think ] It came over during the WW11 on lease-loan. Its still going strong.

[RRT]

First post guys !
I,m in the UK, and still to this day, use a very old Hendey [circa 1910 i think ] It came over during the WW11 on lease-loan. Its still going strong.

Your lease is up. Send it back. I'll use it for the next 70 years.