First real parts!

[Charles scozzari]

I don't know If it was mentioned but the lathe you have cannot run the spindle CW (reverse) without devising a locking pin. If you do run CW you/ll walk the chuck or face plate off the spindle. I would like to suggest you stop watching u-tube, those guys are too advanced for you at this point and can be somewhat confusing. Learn from you setbacks and needs and above all don't get hurt. Most of the members here are retired machinists or worked around or on machines all their lives and are a smart bunch who know their **** so you'll learn a lot here.

 

[SouthernChap]

I would like to suggest you stop watching u-tube

I have to respectfully disagree and say that this kind of blanket, unnuanced 'robust' advice is rather silly.

There's a lot of very good learning resource on YouTube as well as beginner -inappropriate resource and it's a little patronising to the OP to suggest he's too daft/wet-behind-the-ears to be able to discriminate.

Why not just suggest the OP asks on here about anything he's unsure of.

Oh and I've seen setups and advice on here from one or two supposedly 'experienced' machinists that has terrified me or looked completely inappropriate to the context.

This forum is fantastic because it's humane and friendly, not because it's infallible.

 

[SLK001]

As for my feed speed, it's a guess... all my feed is manual; I think there's something wrong with my clutch, because it won't tighten up at all.

You should investigate this before you continue. Are you turning it CW to lock it up? Are you in the right mode (three position lever) for cross-feeding? Does you lathe feed longitudinally using the clutch?

 

[Charles scozzari]

I have to respectfully disagree and say that this kind of blanket, unnuanced 'robust' advice is rather silly.

There's a lot of very good learning resource on YouTube as well as beginner -inappropriate resource and it's a little patronising to the OP to suggest he's too daft/wet-behind-the-ears to be able to discriminate.

Why not just suggest the OP asks on here about anything he's unsure of.

Oh and I've seen setups and advice on here from one or two supposedly 'experienced' machinists that has terrified me or looked completely inappropriate to the context.

This forum is fantastic because it's humane and friendly, not because it's infallible.

I think you missed what I suggested, actually everything I said. The man is just starting. Should he run to u-tube to lay out holes needed in his new back/face plate or sit down and figure it out how to do it in his lathe?. Maybe he'll lay it on his Bridgeport with the 15" rotary table. If you look at the face plate the nut isn't sitting flat on the plate and is contributing to the excessive run out. Next time he'll face the plate first. Unless you go through the leaning process and learn. A hands on guy will ALWAYS figure it out on his own. Thank's.

 

[n9viw]

You should investigate this before you continue. Are you turning it CW to lock it up? Are you in the right mode (three position lever) for cross-feeding? Does you lathe feed longitudinally using the clutch?

Yes, turning the clutch clockwise. It turns forever and never locks up, which is why I said there's something wrong, either the clutch hub or shaft is stripped, or one or both of the shoes are missing. Yes, it's in the right mode; actually, it works just as well in both modes (that is to say, not at all). When engaging a mode the clutch knob does turn, which tells me a) the worm gear is in the apron, b) the key is in the worm gear, and c) the shaft from the clutch knob to the hub is not broken. Beyond that, why the clutch drum does not transfer the power to either feed gear is yet a question that will not be answered until I strip the apron down and find out.

 

[SLK001]

Please give me some credit for intelligence.

I wasn't questioning your intelligence. It's just that someone without much experience on an older lathe could make that mistake.

Here's the apron from later lathes, but should be similar to a war era 10R. This one uses the star knob, which I prefer.

 

[n9viw]

@n9wiv I am a little late to this rodeo --

First let me say a fanboy thing and congratulate you on a GREAT idea for your backing plate!

It doesn't matter if your old mule has a sway back, it will still be useful!!
<SNIP>
I am following your rebuild with avid interest. You are doing great!!!

Thank you for such an effusive vote of confidence and support, I appreciate it. Your suggestions DO make sense, and I will consider them tonight while at work.

I do use HSS, in a lantern toolpost even (I dislike that thing, much prefer the turret format), so the angles make sense. That IS a steep rake, almost sounds like an aluminum cutter! I'll make one tonight and try it out this weekend.

As for the trepanning tool, I think I'm too close to my finished diameter to make such a cut, but I'll keep it in mind for next time.

 

[n9viw]

Here's the apron from later lathes, but should be similar to a war era 10R. This one uses the star knob, which I prefer.

That is indeed from the later models, as it has the clutch pack rather than the shoes and drum of the earlier models. Not sure if either is better, just different methods to the same result.

Having not used the feed knob yet I don't know how it will be, but it would seem to me the cam lever would be more to the liking of a more avid amateur or a professional machinist. Much like the split nut lever for threading, one could disengage his feed in a flick rather than twisting and hoping the clutch disengages completely prior to a potential crash. Now I know why it seems protocol to disengage feed within a certain distance and finish the cut by hand.

Thank you for the diagram. I believe I've seen it before, but I don't know if I have it in my archives. I do now, and thanks again.

 

[SouthernChap]

I think you missed what I suggested, actually everything I said. The man is just starting. Should he run to u-tube to lay out holes needed in his new back/face plate or sit down and figure it out how to do it in his lathe?. Maybe he'll lay it on his Bridgeport with the 15" rotary table. If you look at the face plate the nut isn't sitting flat on the plate and is contributing to the excessive run out. Next time he'll face the plate first. Unless you go through the leaning process and learn. Thank's.

Or he can watch you tube and ask on here.

A hands on guy will ALWAYS figure it out on his own.

Did I just accidentally wander into one of the other machining forums?

 

[WobblyHand]

I think you are both right. Charles is right, because a lot of learning comes from doing, and making a few mistakes along the way. And SouthernChap is right, because one can learn a lot from reading, or occasionally watching a quality video. On the other hand, there's an awful lot of irresponsible videos out there that could lead folks to do stupid stuff. You do need to experiment (safely one would hope) to find out what works for you. You also need to see (and ask here) what others do and learn from them. But ultimately you have to do something... If you get paralyzed by watching videos, you aren't making parts!

The best lessons are often self learned - even if they turned out not so well. There's nothing like learning how to make chips, just by slowly exploring the limits of what you can or cannot do on your own equipment. In a way, it's rather efficient, keep pushing until things slightly go awry. If you make big jumps or changes, well you will find rapidly that wasn't such a great idea. Just protect yourself, your limbs and eyes and see what happens. I'm not advocating doing dumb stuff at all, but simply trying things to see what things work, and what doesn't.