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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Gunsmithing
Lathe question
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<blockquote data-quote="Trickymissfit" data-source="post: 1060859" data-attributes="member: 25383"><p>a typical lathe wants to see temps above 65 degrees all the time. The spindle bearing pack wants to see temps between 120 degrees and 150 degrees that are constant. That's where a lot of size variations come from. It's a good idea to actually warm the spindle up for about twenty minutes at 100 rpm. Shops that constantly work in the half thousandth range will often keep the chuck turning at about 50 rpm all the time. CNC lathes are even more critical even though the have a spindle growth compensation built into them (well the good ones do). A machine center is a different ball game! We had programs loaded in the machines that did a warm up circuit. They started out at 150rpm, and went up to 600 rpm with all the slides and rotary tables moving. The idea is to make everything get lubed and of course get warmed up to about 140 degrees. We used special dummy tool holders as it's a bad thing to really wring about a machine center's spindle line while not under a load (hard on the bearings and tool retention). A grinder is never shut off as long as there are people in the shop (loosing a set of bearing here is a real bad thing).</p><p> </p><p>To set a lathe and make it cut strait is harder then most folks think. Leveling one only gets you started in the right direction. Ninety percent are done wrong from the start (even when done by the manufacturer). If the lathe doesn't have lag bolts to hold it in place you'll never keep it strait. Nothing new under the sun as it's been a well know fact for a hundred years. Unknown to many folks is the fact that concrete moves all over the place with temperature changes as well a humidity changes. That's why you want the lathe on 8" of concrete with heavy rebar. You can do it on 6" with a light weight lathe (like a Southbend bench lathe), but you still want lots of rebar and steel screening (like fencing). It's a good practice to check machine alignments three times a year and after every wreck. </p><p> </p><p>Compressed air ruins more machines than anything. Use a good paint brush that cost about three dollars at Walmart. Your new lathe will love you for that alone! Lastly, buy a 1.5 inch diameter piece of Thompson rod that's about 20" long. Use it to check the headstock alignment as well as the frame. </p><p>gary</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Trickymissfit, post: 1060859, member: 25383"] a typical lathe wants to see temps above 65 degrees all the time. The spindle bearing pack wants to see temps between 120 degrees and 150 degrees that are constant. That's where a lot of size variations come from. It's a good idea to actually warm the spindle up for about twenty minutes at 100 rpm. Shops that constantly work in the half thousandth range will often keep the chuck turning at about 50 rpm all the time. CNC lathes are even more critical even though the have a spindle growth compensation built into them (well the good ones do). A machine center is a different ball game! We had programs loaded in the machines that did a warm up circuit. They started out at 150rpm, and went up to 600 rpm with all the slides and rotary tables moving. The idea is to make everything get lubed and of course get warmed up to about 140 degrees. We used special dummy tool holders as it's a bad thing to really wring about a machine center's spindle line while not under a load (hard on the bearings and tool retention). A grinder is never shut off as long as there are people in the shop (loosing a set of bearing here is a real bad thing). To set a lathe and make it cut strait is harder then most folks think. Leveling one only gets you started in the right direction. Ninety percent are done wrong from the start (even when done by the manufacturer). If the lathe doesn't have lag bolts to hold it in place you'll never keep it strait. Nothing new under the sun as it's been a well know fact for a hundred years. Unknown to many folks is the fact that concrete moves all over the place with temperature changes as well a humidity changes. That's why you want the lathe on 8" of concrete with heavy rebar. You can do it on 6" with a light weight lathe (like a Southbend bench lathe), but you still want lots of rebar and steel screening (like fencing). It's a good practice to check machine alignments three times a year and after every wreck. Compressed air ruins more machines than anything. Use a good paint brush that cost about three dollars at Walmart. Your new lathe will love you for that alone! Lastly, buy a 1.5 inch diameter piece of Thompson rod that's about 20" long. Use it to check the headstock alignment as well as the frame. gary [/QUOTE]
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