It's time to aquire metals. What do I want?

S

Spokerider

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Ok. I've bought a small 6" Craftsman lathe, bought a few HSS tools, now I need material to learn / try this lathe out. Turning, facing, drilling and boring, etc. I'm a 1st time turner here.

What do I want? To buy new and known steels, alloys and aluminum locally, I'll be opening my wallet at Metal Supermarkets. Yep...they have it, but they IS spendy.
What do you suggest? 1020? 6061? or?

To date, I have acquired a few lengths of round bar stock and old machinery shafts with splines and even roller bearings still insitu. These machinery shafts are going to be hard for sure, but I dunno how hard. Maybe not the best for turning for a 1st effort. The other unknown assorted round alloy stock bars / shorts, came from a friends machine shop scrap pile. They could be anything from low carbon scraps on up to high carbon / hardened and even a length of stainless.

Thanks for your thots.
 
Wait....you have a friend that has access to a machine shop scrap pile? Here in town???
Gold mine!!!

In all seriousness, I bought a bunch of 1018, 4140 and 6061 a while back from Metal Supermarket. When I compared prices and accounted for currency exchange the prices were within pennies of the online retailers in the US.


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I suggest you get materials that are appropriate for the parts you will be making, and for the machines you will be using to make them. We have no idea what you want to make...
 
Thanks for the advice ben, that's what I was asking.
That's right.……..I have no idea what my projects will end up being at this time. I just wanna try this thing out.
 
You could start with 6061 and 1018: they're cheap and available. Stainless maybe after you have some experience since it can have a tendency to work harden. Do you have any old printers around? The rods inside can be used and they machine nicely.

If you have some mystery metal around, by all means have at it but just be aware that hard material will be tough to turn on a 6" Atlas.
 
I would start with 12L14 mild steel, 6061-T-6 aluminum and brass. All are easy to cut on a small lathe. You need to learn how to use your lathe and your tools and all of these materials will allow you to succeed with the minimal amount of stress - to you and your lathe. From what I've heard, a 6" Atlas is not a rigid powerhouse so stay away from hard stuff and stuff that is hard to get a decent finish on. Later, when you know what you're doing, you can move on to stainless, tool steels, etc.
 
Whatever you decide on — 6061, 1018, etc — I’d suggest getting it in a reasonable size. 1” or 1-1/4” are great and give you lots of opportunity to make cuts and passes without getting so thin that flex and chatter start to figure in right away. I also wouldn’t overlook A36 hot rolled. It doesn’t look very sexy but once you’re past the outside layer of mill scale it turns ok. And it’s cheaper than the other options if you’re just making big things smaller.

-frank
 
Usually when I buy metal, I go down to the local steel yard and buy mild steel. They pretty much only carry mild steel and aluminum. They have a scrap bin as well as remnants. I usually choose the remnants.

I particularly like using steel because a magnet makes cleanup much easier.

Also, I noticed that practicing on mild steel makes for an easier and better time when you end up making something out of brass, aluminum or 12L14.
 
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