Question for Machinists!?

[pathfinder]

Hi TC try this link http://www.littlemachineshop.com/Reference/Tapers.php for your taper question, also in the tail piece there should be a round ended slot for inserting a wedge type driver called a drill drift that you insert thru the slot and then hit the large end with a hammer to knock out the morse taper. XSWilly is right all taper's have an area near the big end that flatens out to plain clylindrical called the gage line. That is why you measurements dont come out exactly. I have been selling tools for 27 years and by your description you have a #3 Morse taper.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey TurboPete,
Yes, that is a nice looking lathe! Wow, 1936, and it looks that good! Then mine is probably even older!!! See my photos below!

Pathfinder, thank you for your information. I can crank the handle on the tail piece and the inner sleeve will come completely out! There is a screw hole in the end of the sleeve that holds the Morse Taper. There was a groove in the side of the sleeve, but it was very smooth all around, and the sleeve doesn't have a very thick lip, but I guess I could find a way to wedge it to be able to drive out the morse taper piece?!

This little lathe is about a 6" size, but it'll work for the pieces I plan on working with. It only has a little 1/6hp motor right now, I'll be getting a 3/4hp in a while. The chuck mounts on the headstock by screwing on, so I can only turn material in one direction, so a reversible feature won't be helpful. So far, the price was right....FREE!

[turbopete]

My tailstock has a taper in it (No2 I think). I release the taper by winding the tailstock all the way back. I have a No1-No2 Taper adapter for holding my No1 taper drill bits, this adapter has a wedge-slot.

Topcat that lathe looks like someone has taken the trouble to make some new bits for it, so I guess they must have thought there was some life in it yet. Where you have the mole-grips, that's where the changewheels go that set the different thread-pitch for screwcutting. Does it have any makers plate? Do you have any idea what make and model it is?

[pathfinder]

TC this link will take you to a 3MT dead center http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...ProductID=1188

[TopCatGr58]

Hey TurboPete,

Okay, now I understand a bit more about the "mole" gripped jack shaft and why it was slotted, where as the other shafts for handles had pins! However, the device on the carriage from gripping the jack shaft threads is quite worn, and it's all SAE standard, I would be using Metric for the bike stuff, so I don't think I'll be using it for cutting any threads anyways, and I don't have any of those large gears either!! SO, I'll just use it for modest adjustments of the carriage!

Path, thanks for the link, yeah, I reckon I'll be needing several goodies to get this thing up to functionality, the dead center, a drill chuck, stronger motor, and maybe a mill table once I learn a few things!!

Yes, the headstock does have new block aluminum pieces, the machinist/PO made them for it some time back! It's belt driven, hope the leather belt holds out for a while??

Thanks again for everyone's help!!!! T.C.

[xswilly]

hey tc
pm me with your mailing address
i have some goodies for you

[turbopete]

Some great info for you here TC, including a good write-up on how to sharpen lather tools (click on techniques):

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~chrish/

[fredintoon]

DO NOT GRIND THE WAYS

You will just turn a bargain lathe into an expensive boat anchor.
Remove surface rust on the ways by hand using oiled fine emery cloth. Leave the rust pits, they hold oil.
Contrary to LoserShoes' advice, I'd say carbide inserts are the way to go and well worth the money. Toolbit grinding is another skill to learn, mebbe later after you gain competence as a lathe operator. BTW to turn metric threads you will need a 127T change gear.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[LoserShoes]

Ok, so maybe I should have said cheap inserts. But carbide has some characteristics that can be very confusing to beginers. Such as light cuts can leave a rough surface, whereas a Hss tool can be ground to give a rubbing contact and give a mirror finish.

Steve

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Fred,

Thanks for the warning, however I believe the P.O. had taken a grinder to it previously due to excessive wear on the ways already, so that it would only move a short distance before it would bind up when it came to the lesser worn area!!

I used a flex grinding pad....the one that looks like 20 pieces of sandpaper glued together in a circle, and only applied very little pressure to remove the rust. I'm not going to be doing long travels along the ways....it'll be mostly be done within a few inches of the piece and I'll be using the carriage swing and such for tool advancing while working the pieces. I won't be trying to cut any precision threads or such over several feet!!

I've got a dead center on the way(Thanks XSWilly), and I'll be using it to ensure that the tailpiece will be properly aligned with the headstock and such, verifying that the ways aren't too worn/sanded/grinded. And I'll be getting a gauge and such to help me keep track of how far I'm cutting, etc..

I can understand how grinding a precision ways would throw it all out of calibration....but this thing isn't that PRECISE!!!!

I'm still looking into either using the lathe to SLOWLY turn the pipe/rod with an HSS DIE on the end, and let the carriage support the handle, and let the motor do the turning work. I'm also looking at finding some 20mmX1.5 threaded rod that I can cut and bore/drill instead of running the DIE!! I've found some mild steel threaded rod, vs. the hard alloy coated threaded rod I had bought before at $27.00 /3feet...but darn very hard to drill!!!!

Yeah, I'll be starting with HSS steel cutting tools, and depending on how my skill levels advance will determine whether I move up to carbide tipped or not!

I've already made my first buying mistake, got a BXA tool holder, but now I realize I need to get an AXA Tool Post and QC holders set instead....so I'll be needing to resell this NEW tool holder, no biggie, it was relatively cheap at $15.00 plus shipping!
T.C.

[LoserShoes]

Have you dicovered littlemachineshop.com yet? Good prices - service and selection.

Also ENCO.

You can get a die holder that mounts in the tail stock.

Steve

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Steve,

Yes, I've found them, and discountmachine on Ebay. As for a die holder for the tailstock..my tailpiece isn't HOLLOW throughout. The rod sections that I have turned by hand were 18" long! So...I don't know or understand how a tailpiece mounted die would work when it's not hollow to allow the pipe to pass thru as the DIE passed down/towards the headstock?!

I'm still collecting other hardware, and have hopefully just won an Ebay auction for a 1/2hp motor to drive this thing vs. the little 1/6th one I was given !

And I've got lots more reading to do, to learn about how to run this thing without hurting myself!!! Thanks everyone for the links and info/tips!!!
T.C.

[xswilly]

hey tc
did you get the package i sent you

carbide turning tools are the norm now
but if you are going to turn alot of aluminum
highspeed is the way to go

[TopCatGr58]

Hey XSwilly,

I sent you a thankyou message/PM the other day!!! Yes, I did get the parts, and I thought you responded back with a reply to my thankyou! But, yes....THANKYOU VERY MUCH!

I just brainfarted.....forgot to look at the date of that last reply!

Have a question about wiring up a NOS Electric motor I got off of Ebay. It was suggested that I get a washing machine motor due to their durability. I got a 1/2 HP Sear 1725rpm motor, but instead of having 3 wires....hot/common/ground....it has 5 wires. I don't know if they are for turning backwards or what? They are Blue, Yellow, Orange, White, Black.

So...any body with experience in washing machine repair who can tell me which wires to connect, and which ones NOT to?
T.C.

[JWSanders]

Is that the name of the manufacturer on the faceplate? Sear? Looked it up but can't seem to find anything by that name.

2 speed motors are pretty common on washing machines.

I would not want to tell you how to connect yours without a diagram or some more info about what the wires connect to inside of it. The extra leads may very well be reversing leads, too, but usually that's done by simply reversing the AC line on the input.


On a side note....put the GL1100 bars on and really like the change....they fit really well!