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Lathe: Difference between revisions
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===Threading=== | ===Threading=== | ||
The lathe can cut nice threads but the gears need to be changed manually. Each gear is stamped with the number of teeth (except the smallest one - 20 teeth). Use the chart on the lathe to choose the correct gears for a certain screw pitch. There is also an option of setting a very low gear ratio for power feed. It is not intended to cut threads. Depending on the desired gear ratio, there may be one or two idler gears. The idler gear(s) needs to be adjusted on two axis so that it is contact with both other gears. Do NOT use the little nylon gear, this is meant for threading left handed screws and is part of a completely different gear train (not sure why it was removed but if you know what you're doing, feel free to re-attach it.) Trying to put it onto the screw gear train will end badly because it has no keyway for the metal tongues. In case you were wondering, I suspect the reason why two gears are made of plastic is in case someone tries to engage the leadscrew while the lathe is running (don't do that!), the little plastic gear will be sacrificed. | The lathe can cut nice metric or imperial threads but the gears need to be changed manually. Each gear is stamped with the number of teeth (except the smallest one - 20 teeth). Use the chart on the lathe to choose the correct gears for a certain screw pitch. There is also an option of setting a very low gear ratio for power feed. It is not intended to cut threads. Depending on the desired gear ratio, there may be one or two idler gears. The idler gear(s) needs to be adjusted on two axis so that it is contact with both other gears. Do NOT use the little nylon gear, this is meant for threading left handed screws and is part of a completely different gear train (not sure why it was removed but if you know what you're doing, feel free to re-attach it.) Trying to put it onto the screw gear train will end badly because it has no keyway for the metal tongues. In case you were wondering, I suspect the reason why two gears are made of plastic is in case someone tries to engage the leadscrew while the lathe is running (don't do that!), the little plastic gear will be sacrificed. | ||
Some of the gears are a little hard to fit onto the shafts, so you may have to knock them out with a mallet and press fit the new gear with the vice. Please be gentle when doing this! | Some of the gears are a little hard to fit onto the shafts, so you may have to knock them out with a mallet and press fit the new gear with the vice. Please be gentle when doing this! | ||
===Tailstock=== | |||
The tailstock can easily be added or removed from lathe. Just make sure the bottom piece is rotated the right way when sliding the tailstock onto the ways. The hand wheel moves the quill in and out of the tailstock and there is a lock on the top to secure it. The quill hold a tool using friction, specifically Morse Taper 2 (MT2). It is NOT meant to rotate during normal use, it should be stuck in there firmly. To insert an MT2 tool, make sure the quill is at least a little bit sticking out and then just firmly push it in. To remove it, retract the quill all the way into the tailstock and the tool will come loose. Then just pull it out of the quill. | |||
The tailstock is usually used to hold either a chuck or a centre. A chuck can hold a regular drill bit for drilling a hole in a work piece. Larger drills are too long so you may have to cut the drill bit to a shorter length and resharpen the end. There is another kind of short stubby drill called a centre drill which is used to make a mark or shallow dimple in the centre of the work piece. A '''centre''' is just a metal point the keeps long work pieces stable. Use a centre drill first to make a little dimple for the point to sit in. Our centre is a live centre, meaning it has a little bearing that lets it spin with the work piece. A dead centre doesn't spin and requires constant oiling. It is more accurate though because it has no moving parts. | |||
===Issues=== | ===Issues=== | ||