Metal Lathe Startup

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
To stick in the budget, I would ditch the QCTP (initially ) and get more HSS cutters and a nice grinding machine to sharpen them. If it becomes a big mission to easily sharpen tools, you will end up using dull tools longer and ruin more work.
Having said that, a QCTP is very nice, esp the holder that has the big hole in it. I use that holder for my Dremel head and for a router. :)
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Any modern bench grinder with at least 6 inch wheels but essentially with a large adjustable STURDY rest. Try to get one that is quite tall as this will allow the use of more future jigs like the drill sharpening attachment. Most modern bench grinders come with good enough wheels to use on HSS. Google YouTube vids by Tubal Cain ( obviously not the original one.) For some good tips on sharpening HSS cutters
 
Which Grizzly store did you order from?

This is the boring bar I use to standardize, round out and finish the drill holes in my pens. Not cheap, and you'll need the inserts to, but rigid and convenient. Can get into any hole down to .200 -ish.
 
Displaced Canadian said:
At the risk of hijacking the thread, What is the advantage of a boring bar over drill bits?
Click to expand...

Drill bits do not drill perfectly concentric holes. Usually, they're close enough to be going on with, but if you need the hole more perfectly circular, you drill close to diameter, and either ream it or bore it. Reamers would be the ideal but you'd need one for every size (there are adjustable reamers with short working ranges, but I'm not sure that isn't taking a step backwards in accuracy.) Boring bars are only slightly less ideal and they can cover any hole the bar can get in to and give you any diameter you want, even diameters in between drill bit sizes. And if you have good slow touch for advancing the carriage (or a good, slow longitudinal feed rate on your lathe) you can even get the inside really clean on a translucent material.
 
Last edited:
I like to use a boring bar (in a boring head in the tailstock) when I need a precise hole and also for making the hole in a fragile segmented blank. A boring bar only has a very small area in contact with the hole and so heat is limited.
A boring head is also ideal when making bigger holes as we already know that the same size drill bit often drills different sized holes in different material. A common example is when you drill a hole in oily wood and everything is very tight, but the same drill in acrylic or Tru-Stone often is oversized.
Although the set up time using a boring bar can take a while, it is infinite in it's range of sizes. That is a lot of money to tie up in drill bits.

Oh, and the big bonus is that they are sooooooo easy to sharpen!!!!:biggrin:
 
I consider that boring bar to be one of my most important pieces of equipment, especially in kitless work. Once I realized its comprehensive usefulness, the big price seemed worth it.
 
I broke down and got a boring bar... :biggrin:

I can't wait for the day (which happens to be Saturday) when I can actually use these tools!
 
Joe S. said:
I broke down and got a boring bar... :biggrin:

I can't wait for the day (which happens to be Saturday) when I can actually use these tools!
Click to expand...
You guys have me thinking more about that boring bar. Thanks a lot!:rolleyes::biggrin:
Where did you get it from Joe?
 
Joe S, I'm closer and closer to taking the metal lathe plunge. I've read this thread and wonder if what you started with accessory wise was just right or do you wish you did anything different? Thanks
 
The QCTP doesn't feel necessary, it's kind of nice but pretty expensive. I personally wish I spent that money on some carbide insert tooling, the HSS gives me trouble on harder metals. Another thing I noticed is that I don't mind that I have to tighten the tailstock with a wrench. I just keep one nearby and don't let it wander too far. One thing I like to do is put my pen pro carbide tool on and use that on acrylic and soft metals. The list has worked so far for me, plus some carbide tooling. I've actually been making some extra tools from that starting point.
 
by the way Lowes and probably home depot have a bottle of cutting oil for around $8.00 in the plumbing department. Works great on steel. Its used when cutting threads in black pipe.
If your not in a hurry or making one pen the qctp is not as great as an advantage. If your changing out cutters a lot it makes it very convenient to do that quickly. I use mine constantly. I also drilled holes in my tailstock wrench and tapped it for 8-32 threads and used socket set screws to hold it on the tailstock nut.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom