speed chart?

[hanau]

Anyone have a good lathe speed chart on turning drill rod and different types of metal?

 

[Wingdoctor]

I Googled "Metal Lathe Surface Speed" and got a bunch of hits. This is the first one. Machine Shop 2 - Lathe Cutting Speeds - RPM Calculations

 

[rherrell]

There are so many variables that a speed chart will just get you in the ballpark. Type of metal, diameter of the workpiece and depth of cut are the three to consider most. I turn alot of W1 drill rod and if I take a .005" cut on a .500" piece I use about 1000 to 1200rpm, a .015" cut on the same piece and I turn it down to about 500 or 600rpm.

Generally, the bigger the piece, the slower you go.

 

[frank123]

Metals (actually all materials but more important for metals) machine at SFPM (Surface Feet Per Minute). Each has it's own characteristics which caan be looked up for the material you are using. Basically, the smaller the material the faster you have to turn it if you don't have a tachometer for your lathe.

Type of lathe tool and coolant are also a factor, but less of one.

Machinery's Handbook is a valuable resource for all things machining, it is frequently available inexpensively as used books, older issues probably contain all information on anything a home machinist might find himself using since the latest hight tech info is not needed.

Reference Surface feet per minute - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[hanau]

thanks I looked at some charts and could not figure out what number drill rod was and one calculation i came out with 4000rpms for .5" drill rod.

Watched some videos and looked like everything was between 500-1000 rpms.

going to do more reading today, thanks the links

john