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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Gunsmithing
Lathe question
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<blockquote data-quote="shortgrass" data-source="post: 1063845" data-attributes="member: 24284"><p>Nothing smaller than the South Bend H10, anything larger than a lathe with a 14" swing gets unwieldy (tail stock gets too heavy to easily slide). Spindle bore no smaller in diameter than 1 3/8", bed length of 40" is handy but not required if all of your work will be through the head stock. Check spindle speed range, if you're a novice it needs to turn slow (like 50-70rpm) for threading to the shoulder. Speeds above 400-450rpm are usually not needed for barrel work or much of any other gunsmithing work. A quick change tool post is almost a must. The turret tool post that comes with the current crop of imports sucks (as do the chucks that come on those lathes, as I already mentioned). Turrent tool post belong on those long obsolete turret lathes used for production work. It's a "hobby machine", right? The real costs are in the work holding/tool holding and tooling itself. Set-up tools, like a large machinists level are an expense to cosider, too. A carpenters level for leveling any machine leaves a lot to be desired. You'll use that level more than once (I set mine across the ways about once a month just to ease my mind) as it takes awhile for a manual lathe to "settle in". There' always another tool that'd be handy (read more $$$$ to be spent on the hobby, $100 here, $50 there, $250 on smoething else) , you never seem to have it "all".</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="shortgrass, post: 1063845, member: 24284"] Nothing smaller than the South Bend H10, anything larger than a lathe with a 14" swing gets unwieldy (tail stock gets too heavy to easily slide). Spindle bore no smaller in diameter than 1 3/8", bed length of 40" is handy but not required if all of your work will be through the head stock. Check spindle speed range, if you're a novice it needs to turn slow (like 50-70rpm) for threading to the shoulder. Speeds above 400-450rpm are usually not needed for barrel work or much of any other gunsmithing work. A quick change tool post is almost a must. The turret tool post that comes with the current crop of imports sucks (as do the chucks that come on those lathes, as I already mentioned). Turrent tool post belong on those long obsolete turret lathes used for production work. It's a "hobby machine", right? The real costs are in the work holding/tool holding and tooling itself. Set-up tools, like a large machinists level are an expense to cosider, too. A carpenters level for leveling any machine leaves a lot to be desired. You'll use that level more than once (I set mine across the ways about once a month just to ease my mind) as it takes awhile for a manual lathe to "settle in". There' always another tool that'd be handy (read more $$$$ to be spent on the hobby, $100 here, $50 there, $250 on smoething else) , you never seem to have it "all". [/QUOTE]
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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
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Lathe question
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