What to practice on lathe

Identify some simple tools that you might need, then make them. It's more fun to make something useful than it is to practice making something useful.
 
The only lathe job that needs to be in the "I can do that" class is thread chasing. Turning an ID is just a matter of engaging feed and stopping.

Doing the exact same thing 15 times to get a good thread takes practice. There are several things that can go wrong and only one way to do it right.
 
How about a test bar for your lathe? Something you ll always need. In the end you ll have a shaft say ten inches or so (not critical) that can run between centres with two pressed on rings an inch or so from each end a half inch or so thick to check tailstock alignment. You would take a cut on one ring and move to the other and compare your measurement. True alignment would read the same. No dimensions are real critical other then the press fit. A thou. or so. I used 3/4 " for my shaft but makes no diff. Make your own centre in your chuck with the compound. ( take a light cut the next time to true it for the next time you test or need to offset for a taper). Make your rings whatever you want just have a press fit. Make a bushing to be used to help press each ring on? You Can use your tailstock to press on the rings with care.
 
Make a spindle stop for the lathe, this will be mostly lathe work and has a use, nothing beats a spindle stop for repetitive work in a lathe.
 
Not sure what a spindle stop does or is used for or how to make. I see some complex looking spring wrapped stuff when googling it.

Is it simple?
 
Make another chuck key for your 4 jaw and learn to use two keys to quickly center any round thing to less than 0.001'
 
A spindle stop is a work stop, if making multiple parts of the same length push the cut length through the chuck or collet until it stops, your numbers tell you where 0 is. Face one end clean then flip the part and face to 0 in Z this will give you multiple parts at a known length. 5C collets have an internal thread that allows you to set a collet stop. Note that 5C collets using a drawbar are not dead length, the length will vary from one part to another slightly depending on the stock diameter. There are dead length collet systems available.
A spindle stop is simply a rod that passes through the spindle bore and can be locked in place in order to face and turn at a fixed position.
This is what I use on one of the lathes that I often run, a simple round collar that clamps to the end of the spindle and a hole for the rod stop with set screws to hold it in place. This is the only picture that I have, it is only keeping 7/16" square bars that are 40+" long from whipping around, the normal stop rods are 5/8" round cr steel. All lathe work and a drill press for the tapped holes that are 1/4-20.
Simple as pie and useful.
 
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I suppose you could call me lucky(?) in that respect. I knew what a lathe was and roughly what it could do a long time before I got one. Now I have several, with more in my past. The big issue was more a place to keep it than cost. With that said, the first project might be something like a chess set. Brass and aluminium will give good contrast. Brass is expensive though. Make it all from aluminium and blacken one set. That's always a good project even if you don't play chess. Me, personally, I just play at it. But with so many pieces to make mistakes on, what more could you ask.

Then there are the little "tooling" ideas. You don't need something so complex you spend more time figuring it out than making it. Maybe a soft hammer... ... Or that punch you need to drive a nail just so. Most anything you want to buy can be built, given enough time. The opportunity to learn some new technique is wide open.

And finally, from long winded me anyway, is to repair something around the house. The lathe is just another tool, not the "end all" that many make it out to be. Albeit expensive, I will concede. You can turn most any material you want. Even water, though you have to freeze it first. Air now, it might be a problem... ...

Welcome to the hobby, my friend;
Bill Hudson​
 
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