Lathe Test Bar Storage?

1inch on both ends.
I used it on centers.
Perhaps not ideal.
However, it makes it easily adaptable to many different lathes.

Daryl
MN
 
This will get me tossed from this forum I believe, so be it. EVERY PART TURNED IS A TEST BAR , if the part is small at one end and big at the other adjust the machine or your tooling choices. .....snip........k
I've done this many times over the years. It's kind of adjusting your machine on the fly! To get the taper out of the part you are cutting on.
It's not traditional in use as the two collar test method is, but it does work and is quite effective.

BTW- Wreck, we love you :grin: too much to run you off. Stay as long as you like. We need guys like you on the H-M forum.:)
 
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I put sheets of VCI paper in every drawer of my cabinets and tool chests. I also keep those little packets of silica gel to put in the drawers. So far(knock on wood) I haven't found rust on my test bar, gage blocks, etc. My test bar is almost 1.5 inches in diameter and lays flat on a piece of rubber type drawer liner. I might have to find a new storage location. Please let us know the results accuracy wise.
 
Maybe I am not understanding the concept of the test bar thing...

Unless the test bar allows a user to preform static indications for finding the tapper

Then I would ask, is there a difference, chuck up a chunk of round bar, cut measure and adjust if necessary, repeat until true?

You just broke the code my man, every part that you turn, mill or grind is a test before the finish operation, turn it, mill it or grind it to your desired finish allowance then dial in the finish size and have at it, sometimes it will finish larger or smaller then ideal, this is what tolerance bands are for.

If you were to request a quote from a shop for a small round part that will work just fine in use at say 1.000 +0-.005 diameter I would make you hundreds of them relatively cheaply, if however your tolerance band is 1.0005/1.0007 I would be forced to qoute at a MUCH HIGHER price.
 
In my opinion the storage of "a test bar" is pretty basic. Don't damage it, don't let it rust, and don't use it for any other purpose.
Worrying about the thing bending from it's own weight, while sitting in a toolbox drawer, to me is silly.
Are you trying to machine to within millionths? This is the hobby machinist forum, not the NIST Laboratory.
At some point a little voice should whisper, It should be fine for me.
 
For a hanging storage container, a suitable length of PVC pipe, an end cap, a threaded adapter and threaded plug. Screw an eye hook into the threaded plug and you've got it.
 
Some of the larger (read 1" and upwards) masonry drilling bits for roto-hammers and such often come in a nice threaded sleeve like that. Some of them must be close to two feet long.

-frank
 
For a hanging storage container, a suitable length of PVC pipe, an end cap, a threaded adapter and threaded plug. Screw an eye hook into the threaded plug and you've got it.

I like that one!!

Thank you,
Daryl
MN
 
This sure made dialing in the new lathe faster than a two collar test!
Daryl
Daryl,
Can you explain this. I was under a different impression such that the two collar was for identifying twist in the bed. Not sure what you would use a test bar for other then tailstock alignment between centers.
 
It's been my understanding that they accomplish the same thing.
I've had similar results using both.
However, neither the two collar, nor the test bar replaces the use of a level.

As always I'm open to correction and redirection.

Daryl
MN
 
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