Lathe set up

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corsair82pilot

New member
Anyone in the Frederick, MD area interested in helping me set up my lathe and maybe teaching me some basics?
I have had an old Craftsman/Atlas lathe for years. I have only used it for stuff that did not need precision. I put a three jaw self centering chuck on it and need to true it. I don't know enough to do it right.

I am willing to pay for the service.
I can't find any local machinist who want to do it.

Thanks.

TP
 
There is just too much to learn. My advice to you would be, do as I did and find out if a local community college offers machining classes. I ended-up going on to a four-year university and becoming a high school machine shop teacher. Some high schools have offered night-time adult education classes also. It is unlikely that a machinist would want to spend the hours required to get you where you want to be. Nor is it likely that you have the resources and tools required for meaningful education in your home whereas schools have such.
 
AGI offers a machinist course, by DVD. I have them here, and they are actually quite good. If you snoop hard enough, you might dig them up.

To center the chuck, if you're mounting it on a faceplate, you'll need a dial indicator, with magnetic stand, and piece or round stock that is truly concentric, to fit in the jaws, and a brass/bronze hammer for light tapping. You can get it close, by aligning two centers, with one in the chuck, but after that, it must be indicated in.
 
I would suggest watching youtube videos. I have you tube videos about operating a lathe, but I am not a popular uploader. There are better guys.

Then make chips.

Start by making something round.
Then true the face.
Then gun shoulders.
Then cut threads.

Start with plastic tube.
Then work on Aluminum
Then work on soft steel.
Never work on some tough stainless, life is too short.

I am cutting threads on a barrel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-JhnjgtxQw


I am dialing in a barrel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hQX8OQbwvQ

I am turning case necks on the lathe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj-UZgqfCjg


Just search inside youtube under "lathe" until you find better video uploaders than me.

Here is a book my youngest brother used to get a 2 year degree in machining and welding in 70s
http://www.amazon.com/Machining-Fundamentals-John-R-Walker/dp/1590702492

I used a copy in the 2000's to teach myself gunsmithing.
 
A machinist course by DVD is like learning to drive with no vehicle. Youtube videos aren't any better.
Listen to dahermit. Try the local high school ConEd too. Frederick Community College doesn't appear to offer machining.
 
I'm in Clark's camp.
I have been self-learning machining- there are no vocational schools, nor community colleges with classes in my area- so, no choice in the matter.
There are professional quality videos on You-Tube once you learn to figure out who the hacks are...
There are also good books, like Bob Acker's, that are illustrated and well written that can walk you step by step through the process.

No doubt, self-teaching would have been near impossible a decade ago.

No doubt also, that it takes exponentially longer to do it this way- which is why I'll be looking for a retired machinist (ton of them in my area in FL) to help me further once I'm fully set up. Gunsmithing is far more about machining, than guns...

Logic tells me that a lifetime of working with probably every power and shop tool other than a lathe and mill no doubt helps as well. The principles of square/true/centered, etc. are no different. The equipment may be, and the tolerances may be much smaller, but it's still the same song and dance.

You tried Craigslist for a retired machinist that might be looking for some cash to feed his golf habit?
 
Good advise. I don't have a whole year to learn about it.
I would rather do it. I learned to weld that way.
I will check the video sources.
Still would like to find my Obi Wan Kanobe to teach me.
Thanks.
TP
 
Is there a local JC that teaches it?

If not, how about a small manufacturer that will allow you to spend spare time helping them (just to learn)?

You can also sign up for the NRA Summer Gunsmithing School and take Machine I & II.
 
The JC is two hours a week for the semester (3 months).
First semester teaches how to spell LATHE.
Second semester teaches safety.
Third semester shows you pictures of a lathe, etc.
Not my mug 'o beer.
TP
 
Yeah, I hate to agree, but you are right. I worked in a tool room for years and the owner used to bring Vo-Tech kids in the shop and always stuck them in the tool room. Whatever they do there is mostly math and theory. You cannot teach mechanical aptitude. Either you have it, or you don't.
 
I will say that if you're trying for precision, a 3 jaw ain't gonna get it. You need a 4 jaw and dial in the piece you're working on. GW
 
Wish you were closer. Perhaps I can help a bit from afar. For starters... In the machining business the 3 most important words are rigidity, rigidity, and rigidity.
If possible get a 4 jaw chuck. 3 jaw chucks are ok but I rarely use one. IMO a 4 jaw is sooo much better, not as fast but superior holding power.

+1 for Goatwhiskers
 
Since that is an Atlas lathe, they printed a book on learning the operation, and so did South Bend. Both are available as reprints, and would be something to look at. Blueridge Machine used to carry those.

http://www.blueridgemachinery.com/

Atlas Lathe Accessories:

http://www.blueridgeshoponline.com/category.sc?categoryId=33

Atlas Manual Of Lathe Operations And Machinist Tables:

http://www.amazon.com/Manual-Lathe-Operations-Machinist-Tables/

I actually learned the lathe, mill, drill press, shear, and pan brake in Electrical school, since those were used in fabricating enclosures, and motor repair. At the time, we took it for two years, during High School, at the local Vo-Tech. Once you learn those, you can pretty much run any piece of machine shop equipment, since they are all variations of them. The shaper is a different beast, and not many run them now, but they come in handy. I learned it when working at a machine shop.
 
In the name of safety just be careful. Last week I saw a young man with a 5-c collet chuck, chucked in 4 jaw chuck trying to make washers of 304 stainless throw the collet chuck out of the 4 jaw chuck spinning at 390 rpm's while parting it off. The dent it made in the sheet metal wall was very large. He had his parting tool slightly below center, he was feeding too hard with a well used insert with no coolant or cool mist. and almost got himself killed. I don't want to make anyone scared or nervous because you can learn. I did, after working in the restaurant business for 15 years now I run all types of machining equipment every day.
 
Dixie I do agree on the shaper being a different beast. We use them the make all types of gears and splines. The gear teeth shaver is even worse cause those cutters are so expensive and when they give out they tend to blow real fast and in the operators face. Thank God for plexiglass.
 
aherrera773, I've seen broaches do that too.

We had a large hydraulic slotter in the shop, for cutting large keyways, and used regular broaches and a press for smaller ones.

I've ran both vertical and horizontal shapers, a Gray planer mill, and Bullard VTL's, too, along with horizontal boring mills. It was quiet the experience on the large stuff. I actually sold a small horizontal boring mill, which was about the size of a Bridgeport milling machine. It went with my machine shop, when I sold it. Elsewhere, I ran a large G&L, I believe it was.

I never did run any Hobbs, but thought about buying one at one time. I didn't have enough gear work to pay for it. Plus, I wasn't set up to heat treat anything of that size, so I bought from Martin.
 
I have an atlas lathe and a nice newer "smithy" mill/lathe combo. I have zero training, btu have just found that tinkering, starting with small jobs/goals and figuring it out accompanied by whatever youtube vid etc I can find and it has gotten me to a point where I can do some pretty cool stuff. it's pretty easy once you start getting your hands dirty, just don't try to get real creative off the bat.

what kind of work are you planning to do with your lathe?
 
I have been looking at the newer stuff, like the combos.
Smithy looks like good equipment.
Grizzly has a good looking unit, but not sure about the quality. Probably made in China.

TP
 
Never work on some tough stainless, life is too short.
Click to expand...
DUPLEX! DUPLEX! DUPLEX!

If you were in my area and let me work on your machine I would let you watch and try to explain everything as I went. It would take a lot of time and I don't even know that much to teach!
 
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