So I'm a machinist now?

[SamI]

Saml, I have that same lathe, though mine is badged Kent KLS-1340A. On the front it says KENT USA. On the back, on a small and partially hidden tag it says "Made in China." Gray instead of green. Still, pretty nice lathe for what I use it for. Yours does look like it might be narrower (shorter bed) so maybe it is a 13x30 (?) Mine measures 55" from the right side of the headstock to the end of the ways.

I was under the impression when I bought it that it was a Taiwanese machine but, as far as I can see, there is no country if manufacture on the machine anywhere so it could well be. It’s 1 meter between centres so just shy of 40” although you can’t get a 1 meter part in there! Here is is maxed out!

A couple mm extra and I would have been in trouble!

Whats the purpose for clamping your part into a small 3 jaw chuck that is then clamped into a larger 3 jaw chuck? Looking at the picture the part looks like it would have fit into the larger 3 jaw without needing the smaller chuck and neither of those 2 chucks appear to be adjustable like a Buck Adjust-Tru type of chuck to help with the run out which adds to the confusion.

Neither chuck is an adjust true type but the real reason was for clamping purposes anyway. I couldn’t grip on the OD as there was a small lip and the big chuck was too large to grip the ID. This method was quick and dirty but I was only facing a few mm off so it was plenty good enough.

 

[Linghunt]

As much as I’d love to take some credit for the idea I stumbled on a YouTube video describing it some time ago.

I’ve actually only been machining for a couple of years but I learn pretty quickly! It helped that my last job was as an engineer in a manufacturing facility and there were a few great guys there who I could run ideas by. The one downside to leaving!

Agree, not having the co-workers to ideas byt was great for me too. Joe Pie on Youtube is a common view for me, teaches me so much. He loves Applied Geometry, as I do. A teacher needs to show a video of his to junior high class as to why you need to learn this stuff.