Lathe question

[Fitch]

Polishing- Just an idea but have you thought about using Flitz or Semi-Chrome (I like Flitz) on one of those cotton-wool mops that "they" sell for cleaning guns (bore mop)? Or super fine steel wool? I'm betting the steel wool is a bad idea for some things due to impregnation of the particles in whatever it is that you are polishing.

Mop is not a good idea. It will fit too tight, could grab and cause all sorts of problems. The loose piece of paper is just fine, and very weak so it can't transmit much torque unless the dowel is too big, so use a dowel that gives it plenty of clearance. Been doing it for 57 years more or less.

Don't wrap emery paper all the way around a spinning object either. It will grab and roll you right up before you can let go.

Don't wear long sleeves. Don't put any part of your body over the spinning chuck, ever. Sometimes the chuck jaws will be sticking out of the body and can hook you right into the work. Even if your hand was already on the switch you couldn't turn it off fast enough to avoid injury.

If you file something in the lathe, hold the file left handed so your right arm doesn't go over the chuck to hold the end on the far side. It will feel alkward at first but you will get used to it quicker than you think with just a little practice. Don't have the file lined up with any part of your body. Never use a file on a lathe that doesn't have a handle on it. The lathe can, and probably will, drive the tang right through your hand if the file catches.

Rotating machinery is dangerous. Safety is #1, #2, #3, and so on. I still have all 10 fingers after running a lathe off and on since I was 10 years old (with Dad's supervision).

Nuff said?

Fitch

 

[Mike6158]

Mop is not a good idea. It will fit too tight, could grab and cause all sorts of problems. The loose piece of paper is just fine, and very weak so it can't transmit much torque unless the dowel is too big, so use a dowel that gives it plenty of clearance. Been doing it for 57 years more or less.

Don't wrap emery paper all the way around a spinning object either. It will grab and roll you right up before you can let go.

Don't wear long sleeves. Don't put any part of your body over the spinning chuck, ever. Sometimes the chuck jaws will be sticking out of the body and can hook you right into the work. Even if your hand was already on the switch you couldn't turn it off fast enough to avoid injury.

If you file something in the lathe, hold the file left handed so your right arm doesn't go over the chuck to hold the end on the far side. It will feel alkward at first but you will get used to it quicker than you think with just a little practice. Don't have the file lined up with any part of your body. Never use a file on a lathe that doesn't have a handle on it. The lathe can, and probably will, drive the tang right through your hand if the file catches.

Rotating machinery is dangerous. Safety is #1, #2, #3, and so on. I still have all 10 fingers after running a lathe off and on since I was 10 years old (with Dad's supervision).

Nuff said?

Fitch

I'm going to print that out and put it on the wall behind the machine if I get one... Good stuff.

A long time ago, like when I was 13 or so (51 now), when schools still had things like wood shop, I was showing another kid where to make his initial cuts on a little bat he was going to make out of wood. I had my hand on the tool rest, using my middle finger as a pointer (dumb, dumb, dumb ,dumb). The kid I was helping was a little slow. While I was showing him where to cut he got excited and turned the lathe on. My middle finger went in to the first knuckle and I pulled it back out, minus a lot of skin and the nail. I've had few things in my life that hurt that much and that long. I kept my finger and the nail grew back but I will never forget that particular dumb move. Thanks for your help and guidance.

 

[blackbrush]

Set your goal/s and then look, touch, feel, write, read, talk, repeat.

Not necessarily in that order.

 

[kc]

I ased my Brother about buying a Lathe for one of our builings and mintioned one from China. He fliped out, you buy a Lathe for our Garage I can Garentee it will be the bigest mistake you will ever make. They are junk period! All of the Lathes in his shop are from Germany.
When you do work and there is no room for errors every Lathes they have can keep there work
out to .00001 that not bad being the lathes are over 30 years old.
He builds machinery for the Aerospace Industry.
One Company in Michigan went out of Buisness and he bought two surface grinders and a Bridgport boaring mill for just over $1500. the next purchase is a Lathe.
make sure it has a coolent pump. he also bought a tig/mig welder for me $500.

If you buy junk, good luck!
Ask Machenists in factiers about there quality.