Threading on the Midas 1220 XL

[benmychree]

With an inch pitch lead screw, a thread dial would not be of any use for metric threads, you cannot disengage the half nut until the thread is completed, you have to stop rotation and reverse the spindle to return to the starting point for subsequent cuts. Same goes for a lathe with a metric screw and cutting inch pitches.

 

[markba633csi]

Even with its issues, it's a good learning tool- you can see firsthand where they made compromises
If you happened to find a free treadmill you could convert it to variable speed for next to no money

 

[mac1911]

Even with its issues, it's a good learning tool- you can see firsthand where they made compromises
If you happened to find a free treadmill you could convert it to variable speed for next to no money

I do have a treadmill motor and the controller boards. I just don’t have the time or the patience to figure out how to rig it up what to use for switches how to tell how fast it’s going honestly only because we had an easy winter I was able to get a bunch of stuff done on the lane, I’ve owned it since 2022 and if I have 80 hours total in that time on the machine or fixing the machine that’s That’s it. It’s in a small 12 x 16 shed surrounded by all my other stuff it’s not heated. I have to run off a generator so it’s something I play with when I have a free hour or two here and there.

 

[mac1911]

Even with its issues, it's a good learning tool- you can see firsthand where they made compromises
If you happened to find a free treadmill you could convert it to variable speed for next to no money

Oh, I agree it’s a nice little learning tool. When it came up for sale as cheap as it was, I couldn’t say no. I mean really right now. I could drop the chucks the tooling and a few other items on Facebook marketplace and do pretty well on my return and then I can scrap the rest of the machine and still be ahead.

 

[Dataporter]

I use a thread die in the tailstock whenever I can. When cutting the threads, because you have no dial, you can NOT disengage the half nut until you are done. I usually turn the chuck by hand. Slow, but with patience, I can cut pretty nice threads.

 

[mac1911]

I use a thread die in the tailstock whenever I can. When cutting the threads, because you have no dial, you can NOT disengage the half nut until you are done. I usually turn the chuck by hand. Slow, but with patience, I can cut pretty nice threads.

I did my very first threading project like that. Not doing that again, lol. Maybe for a small project.

For common sizes I will be using T&D’s. I do how ever want to have some skill/know how doing single point. The larger tool I made 14x1.50 could have used a bit deeper cut. I had no way to test it on the lathe.