What lathe?

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With enough index points, if you aren't changing the type/shape of workpiece, a turret ain't a bad setup.
and it's a squatload easier than dealing with those old crescent (giant woodruff key??) based ones.

Good to see another person getting into (metal) chip making.

.....just wait till he's posting pics of his shavings for critique !!
 
Your going to love it

I started on a manual lathe late 70's and moved to CNC's in the mid 80's

Have fun :msp_wink:
 
Mill, tig, Ad nauseum. And you thought CAD was bad.

Ya tell me about it. I got a lathe, a Tig, want a mill real bad, put a bid on a Bridgeport a few month back, but never go it!! DARN IT!!

Shopping list.

  1. Quick Change Tool Post
  2. Live Center
  3. Keyless Chuck
  4. Magnetic Base Dial Indicator
  5. Misc Cutting Tools

What else well I need?

Buy lots of bland HSS bits to fit your tool holders, and learn how to grind bits, best way to go for that lathe and what you will be doing, carbide is nice but $$$, and I suspect that lathe doesn't have to power to take full advantage of carbide. Learn how to grind HSS properly and you'll get some really nice finishes on the material your cutting. You'll need the proper grinding wheel too, should be a white wheel.

I got one of these a few months ago. I really like it allot.

SOUTH BEND LATHE 9 & 10 INCH Z AXIS CARRIAGE DIAL INDICATOR | eBay
 
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You would be in heaven if you had a Boeing surplus store by you :msp_biggrin:
 
I hope the lathe works out for you, Brad.

In a previous life I was machine operator for 3.5 years for a well-known oil field equipment company (the oil drilling bust brought that 'career' to an end), mainly a NC DeVlieg Jig Mill, only ran lathe a few times.


It took me a long time to find Brad's post on which lathe he bought (yes, sometimes I'm slow), so I'm quoting his post.


I finally made a decision and bought a lathe this evening. I decided to go new and went with a Grizzly G0602 10x22. The reviews on it are great and it's a heavy weight at 453# shipping weight. It's a much better value than the G4000, at only a couple hundred more dollars. The next size up 11" models didn't get the rave reviews this one did. I also considered the Lathemaster lathes, but their 9x30 looked to be less machine in most areas.

Yes, I'd love to have a nice heavy American made machine. But, I thought it wiser to keep it simple and start with a new machine. I won't know what I really prefer in a machine until I start using one. This lathe will do everything, and more, that I need it to do. Buying new removes a lot of variables that I don't care to deal with, or have the knowledge to, at this point.

I'm super excited to have this new tool coming. I have a hunch that I'll wonder how I ever got along without it.

http://cdn0.grizzly.com/catalog/2012/main/530.jpg

G0602 10" x 22" Bench Top Metal Lathe

g0602.jpg


530.jpg
 
Buy lots of bland HSS bits to fit your tool holders, and learn how to grind bits, best way to go for that lathe and what you will be doing, carbide is nice but $$$, and I suspect that lathe doesn't have to power to take full advantage of carbide. Learn how to grind HSS properly and you'll get some really nice finishes on the material your cutting. You'll need the proper grinding wheel too, should be a white wheel.

I got one of these a few months ago. I really like it allot.

SOUTH BEND LATHE 9 & 10 INCH Z AXIS CARRIAGE DIAL INDICATOR | eBay

For simplicity I think a cheap indexable carbide kit would be better. I think you'll need to stick with 3/8" tooling but you might be able to use 1/2".
3/8" Lathe Tooling Grizzly
The almost square insert are the ones you'll use the most that insert type is probably the least expensive of all types. The inserts provided are probably for cast iron and cold roll steel. They'll make a decent cut on aluminum but you'll probably want to get some CCGT inserts for finish cuts on aluminum and something TIN coated in CCMT for harder stuff. I think those inserts would be the 21.5 size. The only thing you'll need to add are a few boring bars and many quick change tool holders of which the import AXA style holders are cheap. I usually get all #2 style since they can do everything of the #1 (besides hold small tooling) plus hold small boring bars.
Cheap AXA #1 and #2 holders

A dial indicators for the carriage is a must for doing pop-ups or cutting squish bands. I have a mighty mag base with a 2" dial indicator that lives on the lathe for carriage indication.

Lisa actually told me to order a 182A MC this morning! She's the best!

Congrats, you'll like that handpiece. While your on the phone with them ordering that I would pick up one of their carbides (sharpest carbide I've ever owned) and a diamond impregnated point. I have a shape D 1/8" shaft and surprisingly it doesn't clog with aluminum, it leaves a great finish inside transfer ports with the 182A and can help shape the left side of ports (heavy chatter with RH burs) because you can turn it backwards.
 
HSS I think is the better way to go. Carbide is expensive, and if you make a mistake its easy to chip the cutter. With HSS you just resharpen. I started with a simple carbide set with replaceable ends, I still have them but not cutters left, I now just use HSS, though I have some cutters with brazed on carbide tips.
 
Get a 6" steel rule. One of my most used tools as a machinist. Gives you a quick rough measurement for things like checking if the tool sticking out long enough for a bore. HF has them for $2-$3 or so.
 

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