Machinists chime in, acquired a lathe

[canny]

Through a series of events we are ending up with a pretty nice lathe along with a plethora of gunsmithing tools and parts, mostly 1911 stuff. Any ways I’ve always been a wood guy, but have worked with metal in various ways in the past. My end goal is to be able to fully assemble a rifle myself. Right now I just want to learn about the basic procedures and methods for turning steel.

I’ve looked into taking a couple classes at the local JuCo just for hands on experience. Other than that besides random YouTube videos I don’t really know where to look.

The lathe is a Smitty Granite 1324




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[peterp63]

Wow. Jealous and following along. Congrats.

[RifleBowPistol]

Looks like a pretty good lathe, looks gear driven. So cutting threads should be pretty easy.
There are books you can buy that will help quite a bit. A machinist buddy of mine, gave me a machinists handbook many year ago. It tells you what cutting speeds to use for various metals and diameter of the piece you are working with. Then a lot more info.

I never took any classes, I just started experimenting with mine. But taking classes would have been very helpful. Over the 16 or so years, I have had my lathe, I have figured out quite a few cool things with mine. Once you have at least a decent lathe and then a mill, you will never be able to live without one. There is so much you can do, that mortals can't even begin to imagine. I say that, because, if you really learn to make use of it, the things you can do, most people really would never think is possible for some individual to do in their garage.

I have been modifying parts to do things they were not designed to do. Or machining them to fit applications they were not designed for. Then I make a lot of parts from scratch. Having a decent to nice lathe, is only half of the equation. Now start working on finding a decent mill. Then when you get a mill, something like a 2 hp Bridge Port. Then get a rotary table, boring bar. Then go from there.

I have built adaptors, to allow me to machine parts, not possible with either the mill or lathe. The jaws on my lathe are not that big, but the jaws for my rotary table, are quite a bit larger. So I made a adaptor to attach my rotary table jaws on my lathe. I did that, because I often have projects, that the pieces are too large for my lathe jaws.

Once you learn what gun drilling a part is, that is some cool stuff and very useable.

[be12hunt]

You could take classes at Blinn and become a full Aggie. Jk

I don’t have any real experience machining other than a CAD class I took back in high school. Good luck, looks like fun.

[canny]

Looks like a pretty good lathe, looks gear driven. So cutting threads should be pretty easy.
There are books you can buy that will help quite a bit. A machinist buddy of mine, gave me a machinists handbook many year ago. It tells you what cutting speeds to use for various metals and diameter of the piece you are working with. Then a lot more info.

I never took any classes, I just started experimenting with mine. But taking classes would have been very helpful. Over the 16 or so years, I have had my lathe, I have figured out quite a few cool things with mine. Once you have at least a decent lathe and then a mill, you will never be able to live without one. There is so much you can do, that mortals can't even begin to imagine. I say that, because, if you really learn to make use of it, the things you can do, most people really would never think is possible for some individual to do in their garage.

I have been modifying parts to do things they were not designed to do. Or machining them to fit applications they were not designed for. Then I make a lot of parts from scratch. Having a decent to nice lathe, is only half of the equation. Now start working on finding a decent mill. Then when you get a mill, something like a 2 hp Bridge Port. Then get a rotary table, boring bar. Then go from there.

I have built adaptors, to allow me to machine parts, not possible with either the mill or lathe. The jaws on my lathe are not that big, but the jaws for my rotary table, are quite a bit larger. So I made a adaptor to attach my rotary table jaws on my lathe. I did that, because I often have projects, that the pieces are too large for my lathe jaws.

Once you learn what gun drilling a part is, that is some cool stuff and very useable.

This unit has a mill in addition to the lathe. I’m excited about getting familiar with it and the operation. My uncle is a retired machinest, maybe I can talk him into driving down and giving me a lesson or 2.


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[Goldeneagle]

Start off slow. The feeds are in inches per revolution so the faster the spindle runs, the faster it feeds. Run everything slow until you get the hang of it. Just start out turning simple test pieces with aluminum. When you get to steel, if the chips are coming off blue, you're going too fast.

[JhuntsAlot]

Wow, that is a cool item to have fall in your lap. That thing should keep you busy for a long time. lol

Looking forward to your future projects.


J

[deerplanter]

Not a machinist but a Millwright. I would suggest a couple of classes to help speed up the learning curve. I took some lathe and milling classes 35 years ago and still remember the basics and can make a simple pump shaft if needed.

[Graysonhogs]

Get some indexable tooling if it doesn’t already have. Id also find some youtube videos or a machinist to help you. Classes are painfully slow.


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[Graysonhogs]

PM me your address and I'll send you some delrin and aluminum to play with.

[canny]

PM me your address and I'll send you some delrin and aluminum to play with.

Thank you, I appreciate that


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[Chief Big Toe]

Start off slow. The feeds are in inches per revolution so the faster the spindle runs, the faster it feeds. Run everything slow until you get the hang of it. Just start out turning simple test pieces with aluminum. When you get to steel, if the chips are coming off blue, you're going too fast.

This ^^^^ and of course, I am BIG on safety, no shirt tails hanging out, no grabbing at the chips as there being made while turning down metal, I know it sounds so basic, but after seeing fingers slices open and ripped off. safety is number in my Book... YouTube is such an awesome deal now, in the late 80's it was hands on and learn from someone that new, but you tube will give you so much info

[Goldeneagle]

This ^^^^ and of course, I am BIG on safety, no shirt tails hanging out, no grabbing at the chips as there being made while turning down metal, I know it sounds so basic, but after seeing fingers slices open and ripped off. safety is number in my Book... YouTube is such an awesome deal now, in the late 80's it was hands on and learn from someone that new, but you tube will give you so much info

You're taking all of the fun out of it! I have never tucked my shirts in. When one of them hot chips goes down, you can get it out of there fast!


I wish it wasn't so far. I'd come down and show you a few things. Good luck to ya. Ain't no better feeling than to take a blank chunk of metal and make a useful part out of it.

[hog_down]

pretty stinkin cool! I bet you could make all kinds of things with that bad boy

[sendit]

Looks like a decent lathe to learn basics on. It’s to small for rifle work but great for 1911’s. How large is the hole in the headstock? That chuck is a 3 jaw and will hold round objects but you’ll need at least a 4 jaw to hold anything not round and for precision work.