Buy a house?

Worked on the metal rack some more. Got the wheels on it finally. Will paint it next and install the wood floors at some point. But all welding is now done.

 

Rack looks good! I've got those AvE stickers too. Remember, don't stick your fingie where ya dont stick your dingie!

 

It does look good, if I might suggest an impertinent modification: some downward facing bits of steel on the corners that just clear the concrete like outrigger feet so it can't tip very far before the steel bits touch the floor. The bottom three shelves extend past the wheels which could be a tipping hazard if you remove something heavy on the opposite side balancing the load.

 

Will consider it though the outriggers block movement quite a bit too.

I got a lot done today. I put 2 washers in my cross slide and removed a lot of slop. Its very tight now minimal play only a bit from the wear on the lead screw. I also managed to adjust the cross slide so the wheel is much smoother now. Its a pleasure to use. I used to fight to move the handle. Turns out it was just over tightened onto the ways.

Also set up my sharpening rig to bench grinder (after owning it for over 5 years now) and I ground my first hss lathe bit ever!! It worked very well. Very happy.

Also did some boring for the first time made an inverted cone shape. Still need to figure out how to continue the cone to the end and leave it a sharp V shape... the boring bar butts into the work piece.

I found that there's a lot of flex in both the chuck/main spindle and also a lot of slipping on the original leather belts which looses a lot of power from the motor. I can swap the belts out for link belts no problem but what about the chatter I get when making cuts? I'm not sure how to adjust or stiffen up the main spindle or maybe the base plate and chuck? The jaws seem tight on the work piece and when I shove the chuck side to side I don't see a lot or any movement so maybe the base plate isn't solid in some way?

Anyway pics or it didn't happen.

 

I had great difficulty machining this inverted cone shape. The tool kept bumping into the walls as I tried to get the last bit at the bottom. I ended up hand shaping it with my dremel and carbide cone burrs. Is there an easier way to do this?

 

smaller tooling? They make some pretty tiny boring bars.

 

Depending on the exact angle you could finish the point with a countersink or tapered carbide router bit (in aluminum).

Pete

 

Tapers are one of my biggest challenges, I've used boring bars and they worked for me until the holes got too small, at which point I would grab a piece of HSS (largest and longest the lathe will handle) and ground it for finishing the bore. With the key being leaving myself a good starting point from where I left off with the boring bar. Rigidity is all in the size of the HSS and capability of the lathe coupled with speed and feed rates. Belt tension seems to be the first to show its ugly face wishing I had a geared head lathe but end up with new bushings and tightening my machine up. Finish is a direct reflection of my tool grinding abilities.

 

The belt is original leather with the metal joints. I think it stretched out a bit so I can't tension it anymore than it is.

I was reading that some people use an adjustable link v belt backwards. Some people use serpentine belts from cars. Not sure the best option. But I have to do something about it since I'm losing a lot of power due to slipping.

 

Weren't leather belts slipping considered normal?, like you had a stick of rosin or some aerosol can of belt spray handy?.

 

No idea. First I'm hearing of spray.

 

We had some stuff in a spray can back in the car business that would quiet squeeky slipping belts. It was for rubber so I don't know how it would do on leather. How about some saddle soap?

https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-800...ocphy=9027556&hvtargid=pla-570566346855&psc=1

 

Belts don't squeak they are polished smooth and slide all over the wheels. I found a black block of something on the lathe that I wonder if it is for the belt or if its some kind of polish compound. Looks a bit gross though

 

Having never screwed with belts except for tying up hookers and whores, I'd imagine, you want them soft and supple like.... never mind.
Or sticky?? Fire off something to Chirpy on youtube, he's got a shop full of that old school stuff.

 

You can get a block of rosin, either for violin bows, or for rock climbers, or for rodeo lassos and rub it on the leather belt for better grip. Should be an amber to black substance that shatters easily and a bit fragile, especially as it gets older. According to this discussion link: https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/south-bend-lathes/slipping-belt-10l-128041/ it seems polishing a flat belt pulley also helps improve grip





https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/crc-crc-belt-grip-400g/1444.html

 

Thanks I'll pick some up before shelling out for new belts. It would be cheaper to just use the spray if it works well.

I'd also like to get a live center. I think I've got a jacobs #3 but all I can find is MT3 shank live centers. How do I adapt them or what is the best way to get a live center for my tail stock?

 

Southbend 13" tool room " O"