My New To Me South Bend

www.hobby-machinist.com is my favorite machining forum.

 

You finished cleaning the lathe right?

The guys who didnt get a free lathe want pictures of stuff you make when you learn.

 

Focker, here is a nice modification that will improve the ease of use. I made this and 1 other, waiting to have a friend of mine after Christmas engrave the numbers on them. I stamped the last set but wanted these to look a little nicer. The factory size on both of my lathe's were 1" diameter dials, the option about 6 years later was to have them 1 3/4" diameter. I like them much better so I made a set since buying these would have set me back several hundred dollars.

 

I cannot believe you made a whole jeep out of that lathe!

 

spring loaded punch!

brass razor handle would be cool, so is a flame licker engine

Sooo many possibilities. I would start with basics and beginner lath projects.

 

Focker,
I will second tomtom, Hobby-Machinists.com.

Greate place to learn about your lathe. Check out Mrpete222 on YouTube.

You said you have it level. Set up the spindle bearings correctly. Lubricate with the proper oil, and start running the head stock and test the bearing temp. Then you need to align the head stock and tail stock.

Start simple, face off a part, then turn a shaft to diameter. Then you can start cutting threads...

Next thing you will be making a captive nut project.

If properly lubricated, you won’t do any damage. Remember to oil every day before use.

Look for an AXA tool post holder.

You think Jeeps are addictive, old iron machine tools... Oh man, you are in trouble now.

toolman_ar

 

Spend some time understanding proper tool grinding / sharpening for your projects......also suggested turning and feed speeds.........along with the need for cutting fluids on certain metals.

 

I really like carbide inserts for easy and speed, but grinding your own tool bits for specific applications is interesting and very useful.

 

Carbide is great on tough steel to hog out and convenient to change a cutting edge but when interrupting a cut it tends to chip...........also carbide normally likes to be run at higher feeds and speed.........HSS on the other hand will just about do it all at less cost , but may not stay sharp as long................and on different materials HSS will get you a better overall machined finish especially while making a finish cut.

 

I typically use all types, HSS steel, carbide inserts and brazed carbide blanks. On tougher stuff like 4140, 4142 or tool steel I use carbide. I use HSS steel for parting off and for any form work and sometimes for a good finish on cold rolled or hot rolled steel. Hobby machinist is not a bad website but there are a lot of amateurs on there and they sometimes give out incorrect or partially correct info out of ignorance. My advice is to temper what they say with your own common sense. A very good worthwhile mod to your machine is to change the take up nut on the back of your spindle with the needle bearing upgrade, it smooths the spindle out, cuts down heat build up, takes out all backlash clearance and lasts forever. It only costs about $7 for parts plus shipping.

 

Heres you a good project to hone your skills. I made 8 of these about 5-6 years ago for stocking stuffers. They are called turners cube, a cube in a cube in a cube. Half the guys that make these make them wrong, a turners cube is suppose to be free tumbling unlike half of the ones on internet that are still all locked together. they were an old apprentice test years ago. The outside dimension is 1" square and then each cube is progressively smaller.

 

Looks Good!!
Please keep the grinding grit away from the lathe, it will eat those soft ways up. Maybe a piece of cardboard behind the grinder when you use it.