Lapping lathe ways?

[3strucking]

If you have to have a mini lathe then I don't know what to tell you. My lathe will do metric but it isn't a mini lathe, it's a 13x30 and weighs 2300 lbs, and it is the smallest lathe that I would consider owning.

 

[kd4gij]

Taig is a micro lathe with a flat bead. It comes as a kit or assembled. For the kit the bed needs to be lapped in. That is where the idea came from in the first place.

http://www.cartertools.com/setup.html

 

[Tozguy]

What should mini lathe owners do, then, to correct for the cheap Manufacturing of their beds?

Not sure what you mean by cheap manufacturing of a bed is but if a certain lathe is not manufactured to meet your requirements then keep looking. The bed is the heart of a lathe and if the bed needs improvement then everything else on it probably does too. For that reason correcting a new bed is not a routine upgrade that I know of.

Do you have a suggestion for a better METRIC lathe?
I have had trouble finding a comparable lathe which is metric.

If you would elaborate on what you are looking for it might bring you some suggestions.

 

[Highsider]

Lapping like this will turn your carriage into a rocking chair on the bed ways. Not what you want to accomplish

 

[NortonDommi]

Has anyone heard of scrapping to remove burrs ect? Also as to why hydraulic systems use hydraulic oil it is because most are 'straight' weight oils also why proper operators ALWAYS warm up their machines before use and yes they do have additives quite different from automotive oils mostly additives to entrain water as globulets so it will get caught in the filters or settle out in the header tank. It also has some detergent additives.
Any oil is better than none and hydraulic oil is better than auto oil for machinery BUT WAY OIL is specifically designed for machinery with adhesive properties, it is hydrophobic, can take load like a gear oil and most are also anti-corrosive.
The only reason I can see for using hydraulic oil is 1: having it on hand. 2: wanting a low viscosity oil.
As to why you rarely see corrosion in hydraulic systems, as stated water is entrained in globular form and if left to stand will settle to bottom of header tank with sludge AND if system is maintained properly oil will be checked and changed regularly aside from topups due to leakage.
I've had a few years of looking after heavy plant,(earthmoving) and every oil is designed for a particular purpose.

 

[Doubleeboy]

Taig is a micro lathe with a flat bead. It comes as a kit or assembled. For the kit the bed needs to be lapped in. That is where the idea came from in the first place.

http://www.cartertools.com/setup.html

Nick Carter is a pretty smart guy. Met him years ago at PRIME and we talked at length. I don't own a Taig, have not spent any time using one, but if Nick says a certain protocol is required to get one to operate well, I would trust him. There are a number of people who have used Taig components to build there own mills and lathes and do fine work with them. Jose Rodriguez comes to mind. I have seen a Taig at a watchmakers shop, the owner stated he was very happy with its performance.

 

[kd4gij]

That was going to be my first lathe about 29 years ago. But lathe was going to be a secondary use for it. I was big into fishing at the time and wanted to rebuild a couple of old solid fiberglass fishing rods and that lathe was popular for turning rods to wrap the eyes. I had download the manual for the kit witch talked about lapping it. And Taig had a link to nick's page. Before I pulled the trigger I ran across the 12 craftsman lathe I have now.

 

[phlodel]

i have a LMS 3536 lathe I'd like to "tune up" a bit. I've seen You Tubes where some 500 grit in oil was brushed onto the ways, and the saddle slid back and forth to smooth/polish them.

Just wondering if this process would take off enough metal to screw up alignment. Maybe make one side higher than the other...or whatever...

Wouldn't think so, but just checking.

I think the lapping idea comes from the Chinese Seig mini lathes that are so commonly available under many brand names (Grizzly, Micro Lux, Harbor Freight, etc). It is my understanding that they can be so rough that they are almost impossible to use. People have resorted to lapping the sliding parts so they will move smoothly enough to work with. Use and wear would acomplish the same thing but it's difficult to use a mavhine that is to sticky to mve smoothly. I have a Harbor Freight mini mill that was so rough it would barely move if adjusted tight enough to cut without terrible chatter. I am ashamed to admit I lapped the table ways a little. It made the machine workable. I would never lap a machine that is working. It amounts to greatly accelerated wear.

 

[Tozguy]

When lapping advantages outweigh the disadvantages then I would lap the ways too.
But only with the head stock and everything else removed so that the whole length can be lapped. Then only enough to break in new surfaces for a better feel. I would not lap to correct for lack of flatness or straightness using the carriage.

 

[Rustrp]

Has anyone heard of scrapping to remove burrs ect?

Actually the lathe being discussed and what is needed seems to be a perfect scraping project. I think the major roadblock here is technical knowledge aligned with vocational application.

-Russ