Help spend my money on a lathe

[arse_sidewards]

We get rust free toyotas..I guess its only fair that you have machinery selling for cheap on every corner

That's like saying you live within a nice convenient walk from a payday loan place. i.e. it's not worth jack shit to anyone with a brain or ambition.

 

[Steve300xcw]

 

[Firstram]

It’s not worth trying to say something nice most days, I don’t get people

 

[AKnate]

This is a "good but not drop what you're doing" deal for around here.

Nice, Clean Clausing 12" X 36" Lathe - tools - by owner - sale - craigslist

This is a 5914 Clausing lathe. 12" swing X 36" centers. Clean and in excellent condition. The original Clausing variable speed drive has been completely removed and replaced with an electronic VS...

providence.craigslist.org

Easily sell that for 4-5k here.

 

[AlxJ64]

Easily sell that for 4-5k here.

Even down towards the mid-atlantic region, that'd be a $2500 to $3k machine. Good little lathes too! I watched an identical one go at an auction outside DC for close to $3k, without any tooling.

 

[bgaidan]

Even down towards the mid-atlantic region, that'd be a $2500 to $3k machine. Good little lathes too! I watched an identical one go at an auction outside DC for close to $3k, without any tooling.

Yeah, if that were posted within 2 hours of me I'd be sending them a message and hooking up my trailer.

I bet that collet closer fetches $500 alone on ebay.

 

[Firstram]

Yeah, if that were posted within 2 hours of me I'd be sending them a message and hooking up my trailer.

I bet that collet closer fetches $500 alone on ebay.

Regarding the collet closer. WiscoF100 if you do set up to use it, extend the compound to get your tool closer to the spindle nose. Double check the carriage travel clearance before power feeding towards the spindle. It’s damn near the hard stop on mine, don’t crash it!

 

[WiscoF100]

I’ll take all the advice you guys can throw at me!

Slowly cleaning and organizing. Hopefully in the next week be powered up and leveled. I want to check things like you mentioned for clearance before going live.

Things I’ve noticed;

Not sure what MT the tail stock quill is.

Quill lock handle is missing.

Tool post travel dial pointer is fubar. Might strike temp reference line in damaged tag.

 

[AKnate]

Even down towards the mid-atlantic region, that'd be a $2500 to $3k machine. Good little lathes too! I watched an identical one go at an auction outside DC for close to $3k, without any tooling.

I paid 2k for mine without Chuck, toolpost, tailstock and the ways are a bit rusty.
One just like it sold at the previous auction for $3000. I stopped at $2k

Edit... wtf is a tailback? Stupid phone changing my words!

 

[ThePanzerFuhrer]

I’ll take all the advice you guys can throw at me!

Slowly cleaning and organizing. Hopefully in the next week be powered up and leveled. I want to check things like you mentioned for clearance before going live.

Things I’ve noticed;

Not sure what MT the tail stock quill is.

Quill lock handle is missing.

Tool post travel dial pointer is fubar. Might strike temp reference line in damaged tag.

More than likely a MT3 they are the ones used around that size lathe. Buy a set of cheap mt adapters to make sure. You’ll need the adapters someday anyway.

 

[WiscoF100]

I think you’re right, MT3 per my eyeball and limited web info. Just documenting information because if I don’t, it’s lost same day. Mind isn’t getting younger.

What’s everyone's favorite source/brand for carbide inserts?

 

[bgaidan]

What’s everyone's favorite source/brand for carbide inserts?

Ebay/amazon one are usually more than adequate for home use and it'd be hard to justify the cost of name brand ones. CCMTs can be found for about a buck apiece in 10 packs straight from China where anything name brand is $5-10+. And a lot of the name brand stuff on ebay is likely fake and the same as the cheap ones any way.


Bigger thing to pay attention to is your holders wearing out. They'll last several years of good use, but I've had the the screws get loose or the seats just wear out and allow the insert to move under load. You'll start getting shitty cuts and blame it on cheap inserts....only to realize it was the cheap tool holder. Just something to keep an eye on down the road if you ever run in to problems. Just order another $12 holder when it's time.

 

[Firstram]

I think you’re right, MT3 per my eyeball and limited web info. Just documenting information because if I don’t, it’s lost same day. Mind isn’t getting younger.

What’s everyone's favorite source/brand for carbide inserts?

Spend some time on The Hobby Machinist forum. Lots of great info for just starting out.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Ebay or sometimes McMaster. Change your carbide out before its totally smoked and breaks on you.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Change your carbide out before its totally smoked and breaks on you.

 

[Steve300xcw]

seems like more times than not. If I break one, I break more than just the insert

 

[arse_sidewards]

seems like more times than not. If I break one, I break more than just the insert

I'm either lucky or good.

 

[bgaidan]

I'm either lucky or good.

Same 🤷‍♂️

 

[CarterKraft]

The only insert holder I have is a straight maybe 10mm triangle and fuck me it sucks

Looking at the set now I realize it is about the worst tool holder to be the only one I have...

I wish there was wisdom in this post but maybe it's learn the use of each holder so you can figure out of you are making something unnecessarily hard by doing it wrong.

 

[WiscoF100]

I agree, trial by fire. I read some forum bits about insert types and one guy hates xxx but another makes beautiful parts with xxx.

I’ve narrowed it down to ccmt being pretty universal. Found some eBay sales on 50pc kits along with dcmt because I have the holder.

My biggest curiosity is more with surface coating or grades etc for the different inserts as far as what to stay away from or if it’s for special unobtanium grade alloys etc.

More tool holders, replacement dog point set screws, inserts, boring bars and threading bars are all sitting in my cart. Maybe some circular cutters? Haven’t made up my mind. Gonna grab some dedicated Torx and Allen wrenches etc for the machine. Tool box/work top incoming to organize as well.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Ccmt is small. I use cnmg for just about everything.

 

[AKnate]

I think you’re right, MT3 per my eyeball and limited web info. Just documenting information because if I don’t, it’s lost same day. Mind isn’t getting younger.

What’s everyone's favorite source/brand for carbide inserts?

HSS

 

[Steve300xcw]

HSS

Not for every day BS

 

[CarterKraft]

HSS is good to have cause it's so easy to modify, braze to other bits etc.

IMO you're gonna thrash a lot of this first batch of tooling so don't get too worried about coatings and profiles

 

[Steve300xcw]

Agreed. Still for 99% of whats happening, it just isnt worth the time IMO

 

[arse_sidewards]

The only insert holder I have is a straight maybe 10mm triangle and fuck me it sucks

At least you only have one so you're not out too much money when you realize that you should be running a rhombus insert like a real man.

 

[arse_sidewards]

More tool holders, replacement dog point set screws, inserts, boring bars and threading bars are all sitting in my cart. Maybe some circular cutters? Haven’t made up my mind. Gonna grab some dedicated Torx and Allen wrenches etc for the machine. Tool box/work top incoming to organize as well.

You're going way overkill.

Start with left, right, center and a boring bar that all use the same insert, either triangle or rhombus so you can do inside corners. Save the circle for another day.

 

[ThePanzerFuhrer]

I’ll take a photo of all my lathe tools today. Cnmg tpg and ccmt are the go to shapes I use.

 

[ThePanzerFuhrer]

Here are tools I have for my lathe. This will do 95% of what you would ever need to do.

Tool holders most used left to right.

Measuring tools needed

Tail stock tools

And that is about it.

 

[ThePanzerFuhrer]

Insert selection

My go to Cnmg insert good at everything I do. Takes interruption ok can get an excellent finish.

I buy off eBay once I find a good price.