Metal Lathe Startup

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Joe S.

Joe S.

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Come May, I just might bite the bullet and get a metal lathe! I'm currently looking at this lathe from Grizzly, but that isn't what this thread is about. What kind of startup tooling and practice metal should I get with it? I'm going to work out my kitless pen specs and get the necessary taps and dies. What do I want for a summer of metal lathe fun?
 
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At a minimum, some tool bits, I recommend getting unground tool HSS ones and learning to grind your own but preground carbide are OK, I just don't think that much for carbide ones for general use on softer materials.

I'd also recommend a MT3 live center for the tailstock and a MT3 shanked 1/2 inch drill chuck for the same. Drilling is a rather essential operation on the lathe right from the start.

Get some aluminum round rod (6061 is common and a decent machining grade of aluminum) and maybe some brass rod as well to learn turning operations ranging from facing and turning to threading and drilling. Easier -IMO- to learn on softer metals than harder ones and you will probably use more brass and aluminum than steel for the most part anyway. Get stuff ranging from about a quarter to an iinch and a half, scrap yards are the cheapest place to find them if you have any metal scrap yards in your vicinity, new bar stock is at the top end of the pricing for the material you want if you can find appropriate sized scrap you save a bunch on stuff you'll probably toss out during the learning process.

You probably already have stuff like drill bits and center drills, but if not consider getting them as well since you will be needing them in short order.

That should keep you going for a while and anything else you end up needing will become apparent as your skills develop. Buying a bunch of stuff ahead of learning to use it will likely end up with a lot of tooling that just sits on a shelf because you ended up not really needing it.

BTW, I kinda like that lathe, been considering getting one myself for a couple years if I ever make room for it somewhere in my already overcrowded shed/shop.
 
Man, that is a big honkin' lathe for a pen turner! I was going to recommend the tailstock die holder from Little Machine Shop, but it is an MT2.

I went with a HF 7x10 and am planning to put the extra money into a CNC mod.

Harry
 
So far I've heard bigger is definitely better with metal lathes, plus I hope I branch out with it. Overkill can be fun too!
 
I would seriously look at getting an ER32 or even an ER40 collet chuck and a full set of collets. My collet chuck is the most used accessory on my metal lathe (and my wood lathe for that matter!)

Look for a collet chuck that mounts ON the spindle rather than via an MT taper as the through hole diameter is much smaller on these and it stops you putting in the longer blanks or work pieces.

The other accessory I would not do without is a QCTP (Quick Change Toolpost). The ability to change toolbits already set to the correct height is a real boon. I have a range of these toolholders and it is a simple matter to change from eg a cutting tool to a parting tool.

I know you are not asking about your lathe but let me suggest that you look for a lathe with a camlock tailstock. You will be doing a lot of drilling and tapping on this lathe and you will get cheesed off very quickly with the spanner and nut lock on that tailstock. Size wise I reckon there is nothing wrong with going a bit bigger if you have the money and the room.
 
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I love the Collet chuck on my wood lathe, so I'll definitely get a collet setup for the metal lathe. I'll look into the other features too. Thanks!
 
It seems using taps and dies for cutting threads with a metal lathe is counter intuitive. I don't know how to use a metal lathe but it seems to me that threading would be one of the major uses for pens. Am I wrong to think this?
Do a good turn daily!
Don
 
I keep going back and forth between going for the biggest lathe I can afford, like everyone had been saying here, or a 7" x 12" plus a mini mill.
 
its_virgil said:
It seems using taps and dies for cutting threads with a metal lathe is counter intuitive. I don't know how to use a metal lathe but it seems to me that threading would be one of the major uses for pens. Am I wrong to think this?
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Click to expand...
I don't think you need dies, but I think you still need to tap.
 
1. Extra Belts
2. a machinist's level
3. A good grinder and some HSS blanks
4. a Jacobs chuck
5. boring bars (reamers are down the road a bit)
6. A good machinist's protractor
7. Boraxo (your hands will always have a coat of oil)
8. a patient spouse.

Have a great time with it!
Doug
 
dgscott said:
1. Extra Belts
2. a machinist's level
3. A good grinder and some HSS blanks
4. a Jacobs chuck
5. boring bars (reamers are down the road a bit)
6. A good machinist's protractor
7. Boraxo (your hands will always have a coat of oil)
8. a patient spouse.

Have a great time with it!
Doug
Click to expand...

You mean I have to get married?!? :eek:
 
its_virgil said:
It seems using taps and dies for cutting threads with a metal lathe is counter intuitive. I don't know how to use a metal lathe but it seems to me that threading would be one of the major uses for pens. Am I wrong to think this?
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Click to expand...

In theory, yes. However, it is very much quicker to cut a male thread with a die on the metal lathe than setting it up for the thread required, which more often than not is a triple start thread.

For (almost) every thread I do I have a matching set of tap(s) and die.

Not only that they can also be used on the wood lathe as cutting one's own threads doesn't a;ways have to be done on the metal lathe.
 
I suggest you to check this site: CTC Tools Home Page
I've got MT2 and MT3 collet chucks for nothing from them (18$???), and ER32 collets really cheap. They also have boring heads (I plan to buy that, it's much more precise then drilling and easier on some materials), hss stock and a lot of other very useful things like digital calipers, magnetic dial gauges and a lot of other very-very useful tools. If I had $2-3k to spend on metalworking equipment, I'd left them there.

And the quality of my collet chucks and collets is really good.
 
CTC has the same but a wedge type (better) for $115.00, save the money and get a flood cooling system. Sharp hss bits with a flood of wd-40 leaves an almost polished finish on acrylic.:biggrin:


Joe
 
Working out a list for the initial "start using a metal lathe" phase:
The biggest lathe i'm looking at: $1645
QCTP: $115
Assortment of HSS cutters: ~$20
Drill chuck and arbor: $60

Still working on the list, and I'm sure I'll be getting a LOT more stuff soon. What is next on the list for initial metal lathe use? Maybe get a boring bar for drilling/tapping instead of the drill chuck and get the drill chuck later?
 
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A couple of things come to mind for now. Re-Li-On tapping and, cutting oil, for use with metal, a tapping guide (if you're going to be tapping threads) Both available at littlemachineshop.com

A refrigerator stocked with your favorite beverage and, a good stereo with Pink Floyd cd's helps. Although, you should already have those items.:biggrin:
 
dalecamino said:
A couple of things come to mind for now. Re-Li-On tapping and, cutting oil, for use with metal, a tapping guide (if you're going to be tapping threads) Both available at littlemachineshop.com

A refrigerator stocked with your favorite beverage and, a good stereo with Pink Floyd cd's helps. Although, you should already have those items.:biggrin:
Click to expand...
Taps or boring bars? The drill/tap combo is fast and easy, but I'm told the bar is gentler and more accurate. Will I absolutely HATE the boring bar all the time and should get a drill right away, or can I wait until later?
 
Be aware that there are drill chucks with .020 repeatability down to .004 repeatability/
Jacobs chucks has a website with their chucks specs on them and you can find really good buys on the the good ones on Ebay some days. You will need the drill chuck to start a hole for the boring bar to enter. Do you have a live center on your list? Plus a Dead center. Tap quide and Die holder? I find the long nose live centers better for pens than the standard ones. CHeck LMS, Ebay and Amazon to compare prices.
 
YOu need a center drill bit if you dont already have one or two. I use both the boring bar and drill setup. The drill to get close fast and the boring bar to final and for best concentricity
 
Joe S. said:
dalecamino said:
A couple of things come to mind for now. Re-Li-On tapping and, cutting oil, for use with metal, a tapping guide (if you're going to be tapping threads) Both available at littlemachineshop.com

A refrigerator stocked with your favorite beverage and, a good stereo with Pink Floyd cd's helps. Although, you should already have those items.:biggrin:
Click to expand...
Taps or boring bars? The drill/tap combo is fast and easy, but I'm told the bar is gentler and more accurate. Will I absolutely HATE the boring bar all the time and should get a drill right away, or can I wait until later?
Click to expand...
I have never used a boring bar so, I can't comment on it. The tap guide has a spring loaded needle that keeps your thread tap straight when you are tapping inside threads. You need the tapping wrench Mike mentioned to, hold the tap.
 
So a drill chuck and live center are worth getting right away? I'm trying to keep this around $1800 but no higher than $2000.
 
You will need a small boring bar for most pen making I have them that need .280 hole to start in and .350 and .500 The thicker the bar the less vibration you get when you use it. In pen making I use it to make the holes those in between sizes, when you have to make it a tad bigger for reverse painting of the blank or painting the tubes.
 
Joe, just another thought. You're gathering a list for the big lathe. Hence, the 3MT items. If you decide on the smaller lathe, you'll be looking for 2MT tapered tools.
 
Joe S. said:
Come May, I just might bite the bullet and get a metal lathe! I'm currently looking at this lathe from Grizzly, but that isn't what this thread is about. What kind of startup tooling and practice metal should I get with it? I'm going to work out my kitless pen specs and get the necessary taps and dies. What do I want for a summer of metal lathe fun?
Click to expand...

Joe; I took a look at the parts diagrams and the compound mount looks suspiciously like the one for the 9x20 lathe. That 9x20 mount isn't stiff enough and most people make either a four bolt mount or a John Pitkin Donut mount to stiffen the compound slide mount.
 
dalecamino said:
Joe, just another thought. You're gathering a list for the big lathe. Hence, the 3MT items. If you decide on the smaller lathe, you'll be looking for 2MT tapered tools.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I've mostly decided on the big lathe at this point, but that was a perk of the small lathe because I already have some MT2 stuff.
 
randyrls said:
Joe S. said:
Come May, I just might bite the bullet and get a metal lathe! I'm currently looking at this lathe from Grizzly, but that isn't what this thread is about. What kind of startup tooling and practice metal should I get with it? I'm going to work out my kitless pen specs and get the necessary taps and dies. What do I want for a summer of metal lathe fun?
Click to expand...

Joe; I took a look at the parts diagrams and the compound mount looks suspiciously like the one for the 9x20 lathe. That 9x20 mount isn't stiff enough and most people make either a four bolt mount or a John Pitkin Donut mount to stiffen the compound slide mount.
Click to expand...
What does that mean for me? Is this one of the recommended mods I've been hearing about?
 
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