New tool

[Mike V. Florida]

Going to be fun 4 you,I think it is anyway to make or fix stuff with my old lathe,been playing from the time I got it in 1958. Now an then if you have not used one much,there'll be a prob,something dosen't cut right or what ever. Don't know were in south Florida you are,but I'm in Miami and if thats close even enough to help any,I will .

Thank you for the offer. I live just up the road in Pembroke Pines.

 

[Art Newland]

Hey Mike, you'll have a lot of fun (and aggravation) playing with your new toy. I've had mine for about 10 years and always seem to find new uses for it. Not sure what Kevin in NJ is talking about, the stock tool holder works with lots of standard tools, you can have several mounted at once and turn the holder, then lock it down every 90 degrees to use a different tool. A quick change is surely the way to go, makes centering up the tool a breeze. Collets on a lathe this small doesn't sound very practical, but I'm no expert. Turning aluminum is a breeze on these machines, just get some good stock like 6061.

 

[Cool Hand Lurker]

Mike, the advice from 1930 Coupe is worth repeating, "never leave the key in the chuck." After you leave it in just one time and turn on the lathe..... you will never forget it again!
I now have the habit of keeping my hand on the key from the time it comes off the rack until the time it gets put back in the rack.

Another bit of advice since I see you have a 3-jaw chuck, do not remove the piece from the chuck until you are totally finished. If you have to put it back into the chuck again it will never get centered like it was at first. The 3-jaw chuck theoretically automatically centers the piece but in reality it never gets back perfectly, due to clearances and wear in the spiral gear that pulls all the jaws into place.

The first part you make will probably amaze you so much that you will take it into the wife and say "look what I made!"

 

[rally 1]

Check out "littlemachineshop.com" for parts and accessories.
I have the same machine, great for making bushings, turning small pieces.
Marginal for stainless steel, but mild steel, aluminum, brass are easily turned.
As mentioned, already looking at bigger machine, 9 x 22 benchtop.

Have fun.
Ken

 

[George Miller]

With a 3 jaw chuck, it helps to wiggle the part a little as you tighten the jaws. For me I prefer a 4 jaw chuck, unless you have a lot of round parts to run and no square to run.

 

[SSsssteamer]

The collets are great for getting the round stock perfectly centered every time. They also do not mar up the finish like your jawed chucks do. If you have to remove and replace a part in a three jaw chuck, replace the piece back into the chuck in the same indexing of the jaws as it had came out. Just mark the part and a corresponding jaw with a felt pen and you will be pretty close when you put it back in to where it should be, that is if you realigned the felt pen marks.