Below are the 3 most recent journal entries recorded in burtterry713's InsaneJournal:

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
9:42 am	Metal Lathes Introduction Metal lathe is probably a generic term these days associated with all sorts of different types of metalwork lathes. That said modern lathes can work just as well with solid plastics if the right set up and accessories are utilized. The sort of machines available start from the more basic metal work enthusiast home through to the complex metal work lathes used in industry. Centering - this is usually a double headed piece of equipment that drills the workpiece from either end as it turns at high speed. CNC - cnc stands for computer numerical control. Once setup via the computer aided design program or CAD this very modern lathe set up will get to work very efficiently producing work pieces at high speed and with very little in the way of operator intervention. It's not uncommon for an operator to control more than one of these metal working lathes. Swiss Style Lathe - this type of lathe is highly accurate to several thousandths of one inch. It can easily be operated by cnc lathe technology making it very effective. Metal lathe types are many and varied as we have seen. There is certainly a lathe for all uses whether industrial or for the hobby lathe operator! Many lathes can cope with different tasks such as drilling, shaping, cutting and boring for instance. The more modern cnc lathes often found in industrial settings can be very cost effective in terms of labor as once it's set up and tested then it will repeat the process programmed in all day long. Of course cost is always a factor so it's always worth looking into used metal lathe costs if working to a fixed budget. While metal lathes are mostly used for industrial purposes, nowadays they have also started to be employed by craftsmen and hobbyists from all over the world. Many people who are interested in more than simple woodworking, such as maybe creating a small steam engine or an internal combustion engine, will need to get a metal lathe in order to complete the job. If you've never worked with - or even seen - a metal lathe, the experience of buying one can be quite an intimidating thought. This is because the machine is not a typical craft item and the literature on the web on it is not much geared towards crafts and hobbies, but more towards industrial and commercial purposes. So finding what you really need to buy as a hobbyist might be a daunting task without proper research. First of all when you buy your first lathe, avoid used ones. This is especially important if you haven't had one before because you will simply not know what works and what doesn't on your piece. And given the fact that lathes are by no means cheap, you really need to get the best you can in order to make the most of your cutting experience. Also you need to avoid buying the smallest size. I've seen many people who had to upgrade to a bigger one in 1-2 years, which means that the money invested in the first one was wasted. So try to buy a lathe of a size larger than you actually think you will need. Metal Lathe Buying Guide, lathe, 6 Metal Lathe Machines Discovered (Comment on this)
9:26 am	Metal Lathe Types And Their Uses lathe, lathes, Metalworking Lathes In The Wood Shop: Woodturners Can Have It Both WaysA metal lathe is one of the most important tools required in a metal working shop. For starting, you will have to clamp the piece of metal to be turned in the chuck. As the metal lathe is a precision machine, you will have to cut the sizes according to the tolerance it has. Leaving the key in the chuck is a mistake you cannot make. Use the key only when you use it to tighten the part in the chuck. Since using a metal lathe is not exactly a piece of cake, it would be a good idea to work with it for the first few times under the guidance of an experience metal master. This is also a power tool that can easily hurt you if you are not the least bit careful. Working with metal is enjoyable only if you know how to. Wearing protective eye gear is extremely important when you are doing any kind of metal work because the fire splinters that get emanated may even blind you. Also, choose your metal working power tools with care and make sure you invest in high- quality products. Metal lathes are machines that enable removing of material parts from a metal item with the use of an integrated cutting tool. Initially they were made for metal only, however nowadays you can find them to cut pretty much any material, including plastic. Also they are used in a wide variety of applications that in the old days people would not even be dreaming about. There are several types of metal lathes, including a center, a capstan, a CNC lathe, as well as a Turret lathe. Each of them have a different application, even though they are using the same initial principles. This is also a manufacturing machine which looks very similar to the capstan type. The difference consists of the fact that it lies right on the bed instead of it being fixed. Combination lathe This is a machine that has several operations besides the basic cutting. Here you can also find drilling, milling and other types. The x and y axis of this machine are used by the carriage and the topslide. While metal lathes are mostly used for industrial purposes, nowadays they have also started to be employed by craftsmen and hobbyists from all over the world. Many people who are interested in more than simple woodworking, such as maybe creating a small steam engine or an internal combustion engine, will need to get a metal lathe in order to complete the job. If you've never worked with - or even seen - a metal lathe, the experience of buying one can be quite an intimidating thought. This is because the machine is not a typical craft item and the literature on the web on it is not much geared towards crafts and hobbies, but more towards industrial and commercial purposes. So finding what you really need to buy as a hobbyist might be a daunting task without proper research. First of all when you buy your first lathe, avoid used ones. This is especially important if you haven't had one before because you will simply not know what works and what doesn't on your piece. (Comment on this)
9:20 am	lathe Faceplates can be made in various sizes and for specialty reasons. Tool shafts can be made in various lengths and sizes and easily fitted to handles both wood and metal. Hard to find replacement parts for old and out of market lathes can be fashioned. At the same time, metal lathes can be used for turning wood. This requires some refitting but the parts can be made by hobby metal workers. Larger metal lathes may have Morse taper #3 head stocks and tail stocks while #1 and #2 are more common for wood lathes. This means that either adaptors have to be made and commercial spur and tail centres used or spur and tail centres will need to be made to fit the lathe. Actually, this is not needed for the tail centre as live tail centres are readily available for metal lathes and are generally more robust than those for wood lathes because of the heavier weights usually turned. Metal turners use tools fixed on a tool holder that is mounted securely on a table that is directed with wheels that move it in the x and y axes to remove metal from the rotating piece. While there are rare wood turners that can manipulate the tool in this way, most turn freehand. For this a tool rest and banjo will need to be fashioned allowing the use of hand tools. All that is now needed is to remember that wood and metal are two different materials with different needs and affect the workshop in different ways. Oil is used in turning metal. Oil, unless it is the oil used in finishing a particular turning, can stain and ruin a nice turning. Similarly some metals react with some woods to introduce a discolouration. Thus it is necessary to be scrupulous in cleaning up all the metal shavings and all the oil from metal turning before turning wood. At the same time, many woodturners work with green or wet wood and water hurts metal. The shavings from turning wood must be cleared from the metal lathe before turning metal. On the other hand, this really means that the shop and in particular the lathe must be kept clean. This is a good idea at all times for workshop safety and the use of a metal lathe for metalworking and woodturning merely encourages the discipline. In any case it allows for a new dimension and direction for the craftsman turner. lathe, metal lathe, lathesMetal Lathe Metal lathe is probably a generic term these days associated with all sorts of different types of metalwork lathes. That said modern lathes can work just as well with solid plastics if the right set up and accessories are utilized. It can produce a high speed of production churning out parts very efficiently. Again CNC technology makes this a very efficient metal working lathe. CNC - cnc stands for computer numerical control. Once setup via the computer aided design program or CAD this very modern lathe set up will get to work very efficiently producing work pieces at high speed and with very little in the way of operator intervention. It's not uncommon for an operator to control more than one of these metal working lathes. Swiss Style Lathe - this type of lathe is highly accurate to several thousandths of one inch. (Comment on this)