Buy a Metal Lathe and What Else?

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

SteveG

Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2009
Messages
2,989
Location
Eugene, Oregon 97404
I am about to buy the same lathe that Chuck (dalecamino) just bought, and he gave me some good ideas along this line (Thanks, Chuck). Here I broaden my questions to this forum. I am wanting a short list of the essential (or expanded to include "nice to have") accessories I should be looking at right from the start? I intend to do pen related work,and have a fully equipped wood shop including two wood lathes and the PSI set of collet chucks, but no metal working stuff. I already have most taps/dies. All inputs are greatly appreciated. One consideration I have is consolidating purchases due to the high cost of shipping heavier items to Hawaii.
Thanks
Steve
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

BKelley

Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
891
Location
Tucker, Georgia, 30084
Steve,

Welcome to the Metal Lathe madness!! Without a doubt, the first thing on the accessories list would be a quick change tool post set. Lathe cutting tools HSS that you can sharpen yourself. A 60 degree center gauge if you plan on threading. Probaly the best thing is to get your lathe, play with it awhile and decide what acessories would best suit you.

Ben
 

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
Do you have a slow speed grinder (~1725 rpm and 8" good quality wheels)? If not and you want to use inexpensive HSS tool bit blanks to make your own cutting tools you will need to buy a grinder.

If you don't have a grinder and don't want to mess with one then you might want to get a set of indexable turning tools. You can get either carbide or HSS inserts. I prefer using HSS over carbide for most things, but they both have their uses.

I would recommend not buying a set of carbide tipped tools. Learn to sharpen HSS tool blanks or get a set of indexable tools.

You may eventually want a chuck that will allow you to extend material up to the max size of the spindle bore through the headstock. The standard chuck included is limited to 5/8" pass thru.

You will eventually need a cut-off tool.

DRO is nice, but not absolutely needed.


Ed
 

BRobbins629

Passed Away Dec 28, 2021
In Memoriam
Joined
Mar 8, 2006
Messages
4,037
Location
Richmond, VA, USA.
Quick change tool post for sure. You may also want some 2 to 3MT adapters so you could use your 2MT accessories in the 3MT headstock.
 

frank123

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2012
Messages
613
Location
Colorado
You' need a drill chuck mounted on the right taper for your tailstock (if it doesn't come with one), some tool bits and a grinder to sharpen them (get a green stone if you plan on using carbide bits, those import brazed carbide bits in the right grade for your metal are pretty cheap but unless you buy American made -expensive- ones they're not usually optimally sharp from the start).

Quick change toolposts are nice but somewhat expensive and not essential for anything other than convenience in changing bits and you can make your own poor man variety (out of a separate block of metal for each bit) cheap enough after you figure out what you'll be using on a regular basis.

A set of boring bars and a (homemade?) toolpost holder for them is also a great thing to have but not needed for initial learning of lathe operation (buy the best you can afford when you do get around to getting them, going cheap is usually disappointing at best).

Measuring tools are essential -Micrometer, calipers, and a dial indicator with a magnetic base holder for it. Calipers are all that is needed to get started, the other stuff for more precision setup and work later on.

And of course, metal and plastic rod to start turning. Plastics like delrin are much more forgiving for your first initial learning turns than metal if you are just doing learning exercises and not making actual parts of something. Moving to metal, brass and aluminum are better to start on than steels (especially hard steels).

Taps can be held with the drill chuck and I see no need to buy die holders since you now have the machine to just make them as needed (I make one for each die I use and just leave the die in it, takes about 5 minutes and a piece of scrap DOM tube and delrin rod to make the style I make, you can go very simple and utilitarian as I do or make something really fancy to show off your skill and machinist's prowess if you wish).

I don't recommend buying a lot of different stuff up front, you'll figure out what you need for the work you do as you learn to use the machine (and can probably make tooling exactly suited to your needs instead of adapting your technique to fit the design of the tooling you buy or adapt to whatever is easiest to make using premade generic tooling).
 

Curly

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
4,851
Location
Saskatoon SK., Canada.
Wow! That is a Novel and Unique Idea... but Expensive! (im going to have to explore this one more thoroughly!)

Actually they principle has been around since the end of the 1800's / early 1900's. If you look for tangental lathe cutters/tools you will find lots of stuff on them, but the Diamond is the most common one around now. It is Australian made, in pretty much a one man shop, hence the price.
 

IPD_Mr

Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2007
Messages
3,707
Location
Zionsville, In
Pretty cool website with lots of info to digest. Probably a little over the top for what the majority of us use.
 

Timebandit

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2010
Messages
1,446
Location
Austin,TX
The easiest and most versatile HSS tool to use and sharpen. It will cover most of your turning needs. I like mine and will get more in the future.

Diamond Tool Holder

This is what i use. I have both the left and right hand version and wouldnt use any other holder for turning. They are simple to resharpen, only takes a few minutes and you cant mess the angle up. They give an amazing finish and if you use the round tool blanks the finish is out of this world. I got am almost mirror finish on a piece of brass with the square tool blanks. I dont use any other tool for removing material for basic turning. Highly recommended.
 

SteveG

Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2009
Messages
2,989
Location
Eugene, Oregon 97404
Thanks to all who have given me things to consider along with the main purchase of the lathe. I am ordering tomorrow. If anyone else has a suggestion to add to the mix, I welcome your thoughts. It is expensive to ship heavy things to Hawaii: this lathe will cost $750 to purchase, and an additional $300 to ship! We sometimes refer to all the extra costs of living in the islands as the "paradise tax".( We also complain on the rare occasions when it gets hotter than 84* or colder than 64*...which by the way is FREEZING cold!)
Steve
 

azamiryou

Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2010
Messages
1,015
Location
Silver Spring, MD USA
The little stuff I didn't get, and almost immediately had to:

  • center gauge - essential for single-point threading
  • protractor - the metal type you can set and lock is a huge help for accurately (and repeatably) setting the compound slide angle
  • tap guide - but it sounds like you may already have one
  • dial indicator - get one with a base and a set of tips. Mine didn't come with different tips, and now I need to get a set of tips :(
  • dead center - my lathe came with a dead center that fit in the tailstock, but not one for the head stock.
Other stuff I ended up getting is larger items, which you've probably already considered - 4-jaw independent chuck, collet chuck, etc.

My lathe came with a QCTP, a cam-lock for the tail stock, jacobs chuck and live center for the tail stock. I'd absolutely recommend getting any of those that don't come with your lathe.
 

plantman

Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2012
Messages
3,437
Location
Green Bay, Wi
:glasses-cool::glasses-cool: Steve: My wife and I must have been there during the hot season. It was 87 during the day and 77 every night for three weeks straight, with a little rain every day. All I can say to anybody, is you have to see it to beleave it!!! You may already have this, but I find it very useful, a digital dial calipers the can switch from inches to milimeters with the press of a button. Harbor Freight sell a plactic one for $9.95 (don't use this on material that is turning at speed) or a metal one for $19.95. Jim S
 
Top Bottom