Caught the fever

[Gilrock]

Ok I blame all of you that bought lathes recently for spreading the fever to me. I've been staring at lathes on the web for 2 weeks now and ordered the Jet 9x20 from Enco yesterday. Now I'll have to learn to use it. Initially I only have a couple small needs for a metal lathe but I hope like the wood lathe it grows into more. I bought my wood lathe because I was building the machine in this link below for my son and I needed a lathe to make the bowl shapes for the marbles to spin down. That now turned into me making pens, bowls, pepper grinders, etc.
Modular marble machine plans

So the same is true now I had a couple small parts I needed for a project and decided to go overboard and get a metal lathe to make them. Plus I hope to not be stopping my lathe 25 times to measure diameters when making a simple tenon like I have been on the wood lathe.

I got a yearly bonus from work but I think I've already spent it twice cause I also recently got a 21" Excalibur scroll saw which is awesome.

I asked someone for advice and was told I should get a 4 hole tool plate and the QCTP...then after ordering them I was reading the threads in more detail and see I've got to do mods to mount them. I guess next I'll find out I gotta buy a milling machine to make mods to the lathe...lol.

 

[IPD_Mr]

You can make the mods on the tool post right on the lathe you bought. Basically all you are doing is shortening it and drilling the inside and threading. My advice is to measure your tool post that is on the Jet thoroughly before you start. There are a lot of differences even on the same machine. I have already gone through this and will be happy to walk you through the mod. I was able to easily do it with the items that I had from my wood Jet lathe and needed only to purchase a M8 x 1.25 tap and a cuttoff/parting tool that I was able to fit in the tool holder that comes with the Jet.

 

[bensoelberg]

I don't know anything about metal lathes, but Matthias Wandel is sort of my hero. How did your marble machine turn out?

 

[Gilrock]

I don't know anything about metal lathes, but Matthias Wandel is sort of my hero. How did your marble machine turn out?

Yeah I like his stuff...I've ordered several of his plans. I've got most of the marble machine done except for some of the blocks. The marble pump works really great. I struggled with coming up with a good way to route the half moon channels in the blocks. Turning the block upside down on the router table takes several passes and doesn't feel safe working with such small pieces. Using a plunge router I just never got a good jig setup to do the job. I'm kinda brainstorming using the router bit on the metal lathe and use the cross feed slide to feed the wood past the bit.

 

[Gilrock]

Well I'm getting excited....some of my parts started arriving and the stand and lathe are on a truck somewhere. I received some cutting attachments, the Phase II QCTP, and the 4 hole tool plate. My wife was asking me what all these small boxes were...I said well first did any big boxes come today. She said no what are you expecting... Oh it's just a metal lathe. I was shocked she didn't freak out. Can't believe she never asked me how much it cost...especially when I said I had to pay $70 just to get the lathe lowered from the edge of the truck to the curb....and I'm not 100% sure whether that actually gets it off the lift gate or whether I've got to do that.

 

[Gilrock]

So I was thinking I should get a book to help out with knowing what speeds, oils, cutting tools, etc. to use in different situations....I found the Machinery's Handbook 29th edition. Would that be the best thing to get? It's around $80 for a hardback so I wanted to check first.

 

[bluwolf]

If you look around you can find earlier editions for good bit less money. There isn't that much added in the new edition and I would suspect very little that most of us could use:biggrin: Try Googling something like 26th Edition and see what you come up with.

Mike

 

[ironman123]

Gil, there is a good group on YAHOO for the 9x20 and other groups for other lathes with lots of info and good forums as HMEM, Home Shop Machinist and others.

I bought my 26th Edition Machinery Handbook on Fleabay for 35 bucks. Try there.

Ray

 

[Gilrock]

I already found the Home Model Engine Machinist forum when I was shopping for the lathe. I think it's gonna seriously cut into my penmaking. I already ordered a couple small model engine kits to start learning. :biggrin:

 

[nsfr1206]

Make a finger engine.

 

[ironman123]

Lookout....he's going to be looking for a milling machine next. FEVER

Ray

 

[nsfr1206]

Yep!

 

[Gilrock]

Lookout....he's going to be looking for a milling machine next. FEVER

Ray

Oh yeah I already have been looking!

 

[Gilrock]

So the lathe just arrived! I was surprised because the shipping company told me they only had the stand and then arrived with the stand and the lathe.

So the book says I need to bolt the stand to the floor. Is everyone else bolting the stand down? I wasn't sure how important that was. If so I really need to determine exactly where I want it sitting before I drill the floor for anchor bolts. I'm not sure how much clearance around the lathe I'm going to need.

 

[ironman123]

Gil, I don't have any of my heavy stuff bolted to the floor. I have a 9x20 lathe also. Had mine since 2005.

Ray