JeffP Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Thanks for all rep;lies, everything is on hold as I'm in France for two weeks...and it's cold and wet. Ozzy: I know you meant inside, but her nest is close to the window edge and I don't want to disturb her, she'll see me through the window. Screw cutting? I have some change wheels, but am not sure how to screw cut...plus the lathe is imperial...do I want imperial screws? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohmisterporter Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) If you have a 127 tooth gear you can cut metric. Edit. There are plenty of show you how guides to screwcutting on a lathe on Youtube. Edited March 30, 2015 by Ohmisterporter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymw Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) iirc, Myford had a couple of 21T gears to allow most metric threads. It is handy to have a reverse switch on the lathe, saves disengaging the lead-screw 'latch', and forgetting where to engage it again when screw-cutting, but fitting a hand-wheel on end of counter-shaft does the same job, but tedious on lengths more than half an inch or so. If all you are intending to do is 7mm stuff, I don't think you'll need screw-cutting. Edited March 30, 2015 by raymw Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 There is a (very basic) reversing switch, plus the lathe has a clutch mechanism. But yes, it's been bought mainly for 7mm stuff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagaguy Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 iirc, Myford had a couple of 21T gears to allow most metric threads. It is handy to have a reverse switch on the lathe, saves disengaging the lead-screw 'latch', and forgetting where to engage it again when screw-cutting, but fitting a hand-wheel on end of counter-shaft does the same job, but tedious on lengths more than half an inch or so. If all you are intending to do is 7mm stuff, I don't think you'll need screw-cutting. I agree,buy yourself a tailstock dieholder, http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/2-MORSE-TAPER-TAILSTOCK-DIE-HOLDER-354555.html#SID=482 Another very useful bit of kit.The only thing is that you will, over time,probably spend more money on accessories for the lathe than you spent on the purchase price!! ,I know i have over the years,Sooner or later,you`ll want a milling m/c,so it goes on,it becomes a hobby in itself. Ray. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymw Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Surely the idea of having a lathe is to be able to make stuff. What is the point in buying a tail-stock die holder when it can be easily made? Similarly, easy enough to make tools from silver steel, after all no need for carbide tools for the relatively soft metals involved in 7mm. The 4 way tool post, set with the appropriate tools will do most things, negating the need for a quick change tool-post. No problem, anyone can spend their money any way they like, but making accessories is good practice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagaguy Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Surely the idea of having a lathe is to be able to make stuff. What is the point in buying a tail-stock die holder when it can be easily made? Similarly, easy enough to make tools from silver steel, after all no need for carbide tools for the relatively soft metals involved in 7mm. The 4 way tool post, set with the appropriate tools will do most things, negating the need for a quick change tool-post. No problem, anyone can spend their money any way they like, but making accessories is good practice. Time saving really!!! Ray. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flubrush Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 iirc, Myford had a couple of 21T gears to allow most metric threads. It is handy to have a reverse switch on the lathe, saves disengaging the lead-screw 'latch', and forgetting where to engage it again when screw-cutting, but fitting a hand-wheel on end of counter-shaft does the same job, but tedious on lengths more than half an inch or so. If all you are intending to do is 7mm stuff, I don't think you'll need screw-cutting. They actually had a metric gear set for their lathes, which I got for mine many years ago, but have never used. The additional gears provided were 21T, 27T, 32T, 33T, 36T, 38T, 39T, 42T, 48T, 63T. At the moment I can't find the gear setup chart which involved the use of all these gears - I'm sure there would have been one to accompany the set. I don't know if Myford ever supplied a 127T gear wheel. I think there would have been problems using one on the banjo - certainly on my ML10. I can just squeeze a 100T gear on the leadscrew end but it severely restricts what gears I can use on the banjo. Jim. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 One highly recommended piece of equipment is a "micrometer end stop" (see the green thing on the photo I posted above.) I made myself one recently and I wish I had made one years ago! As you can probably tell from the pic, it's a modified 1" import micrometer that slides along and clamps on to the ways. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymw Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 If you are happy with digital and cheap, ebay has tyre tread depth gauges for less than a fiver. A simple clamp, maybe with a spring to push out the probe, will do the job. I bought a few and made a tool setting height gauge for my mill. Digital callipers, from Aldi (when they have them) are cheap enough to cut to shape for fitting to cross slides, etc. Even simpler, if you want to return to a fixed position, as opposed to accurately measuring, and being sort of analogue, use a cheap key ring type laser pointer (a quid from a Sunday market), pivoted at one end and shine it onto the opposite wall (or ceiling - but easier to put a mark on the wall . You don't want to use end stops with back gearing and the lead screw nut engaged, however. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 You don't want to use end stops with back gearing and the lead screw nut engaged, however. Agreed! I typically only use the lead-screw for cutting threads. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Agreed! I typically only use the lead-screw for cutting threads. Why not use the lead screw and a DTI for the end stop? When your cutting up to a face? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Why not use the lead screw and a DTI for the end stop? When your cutting up to a face? Two reasons: The SB does not have a power traverse, so the leadscrew threads are taking the full load. That tends to put a lot of wear on them which can be a problem when you want to cut threads. The micrometer provides a positive end stop. No need to look at anything. Mind you, I'm usually turning pretty small items. If I was doing a lot of heavy machining I would do it on another lathe that has a power traverse. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfwit Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Concerning stops, and moving away from Myfords for a moment, I use one of these on my Unimat SL along with a 30mm travel Mitutoyo DTI (bear in mind that the SL is a small m/c and I only make small stuff, chimneys for OO9 locos being the largest jobs tackled so far). Mine can be seen here, albeit with a different DTI fitted. I often wonder of something similar could be made for a larger m/c. And yes a could have made my own rather than buying one but I prefer to spend my limited spare time making loco parts rather than tooling. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pebbles Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 I made my own Unimat SL DTI clamp; didn't take that long. Interestingly, at the January Model Engineering Exhibition I purchased a couple of digital tyre depth indicators. These look as if they could be used in a similar way to a DTI. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray w price Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Hi All, Just found this topic and I have seen a keyway put into a shaft on a lathe. The power was isolated on the lathe, the gears were locked, the toolbit was put in the cross slide and then you make your keyway on your long slide. Have also seen drill put in the cross slidewith endmill put in and used on long slide. I must say that the attachment holding the drill was made and bought for the job. Ray. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 Hello all, well what did I get for my money? First off it was not £100 but a bit better £76. from the left a ER32 collet chuck that fits on the back plate of the lathe, this lets me use longer stock as it keeps the hole in the spindle clear. An edge finder this one has two sizes for finding the edge 4mm and 10mm, with this I'll be able to stop using bit of fag paper and marking blue and live cutters. A live centre I've wanted one for a long time but never got around to buying one. At the front 10 1mm drills with 5% Cobalt, at 77p each it may seem a bit pricey but if the quality is good! This is what I'm replacing with the collet chuck, it sticks out approx 75mm and blocks the spindle hole so I can only use stock about 5" long, The collet chuck in place, this still sticks out quit a bit at approx. 65mm but it leaves the spindle hole clear, so I can use longer stock, I did have a look at this as well but at approx £800 I did think again. It's OK but it only grinds the base of the cutter and not the sides as well. For that sort of price I can buy approx 80 milling cutters, in modelling they would last a long time. If it was for a model engineering club it could work out very good. OzzyO. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted May 24, 2015 Author Share Posted May 24, 2015 Hello all, as the grit-blaster has blown another fluro tube, I have decided to replace it with LEDs these I bought from B&M bargains for £14.00. You do get the transformer as well but I forgot to include it in the photo. The LEDs fitted in to the grit-blaster these went around the blaster twice with a three layer along the back wall with only 6" of waste. and lit up OzzyO. 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Welly Posted June 10, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 10, 2015 I found this YouTube channel of an amateur clockmaker using machines to make various components including gear wheels. I suspect some techniques shown may be relevant to railway modelling. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCworsKCR-Sx6R6-BnIjS2MA/videos 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyID Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 I found this YouTube channel of an amateur clockmaker using machines to make various components including gear wheels. I suspect some techniques shown may be relevant to railway modelling. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCworsKCR-Sx6R6-BnIjS2MA/videos There is a method of producing all the gears in a particular DP or modulus with a single tool that is not very difficult to make. I have made a couple of them. If I can find the link again I'll post it! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfwit Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 A quick query, I've made a cutter from silver steel and want to harden it (a little overkill perhaps as it will only be used on brass but hey, good practice and all that). This means heating to cherry red and quenching in water. The cutter is 4mm dia. and 10mm long. Would a domestic common or garden blowtorch do the job (the ones that sit on a butan/propane canister)? I'm not used to heating things up and haven't currently got such a torch to hand. The cutter by the way is for flycutting chimney/dome bases. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffP Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Yes, that will do the job admirally. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 A quick query, I've made a cutter from silver steel and want to harden it (a little overkill perhaps as it will only be used on brass but hey, good practice and all that). This means heating to cherry red and quenching in water. The cutter is 4mm dia. and 10mm long. Would a domestic common or garden blowtorch do the job (the ones that sit on a butan/propane canister)? I'm not used to heating things up and haven't currently got such a torch to hand. The cutter by the way is for flycutting chimney/dome bases. Yes it will. Don't forget to tempering it. When hardened clean so it looks silver again. Then heat evenly until blue. On a bed of sand heated from underneath is a good way the get it even, no further than blue or it will become soft. This will make it less likely to shatter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyo Posted June 14, 2015 Author Share Posted June 14, 2015 You can also use oil to quench the S/S in it gives less shock to the metal. OzzyO. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
45609 Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 A quick query, I've made a cutter from silver steel and want to harden it (a little overkill perhaps as it will only be used on brass but hey, good practice and all that). This means heating to cherry red and quenching in water. The cutter is 4mm dia. and 10mm long. Would a domestic common or garden blowtorch do the job (the ones that sit on a butan/propane canister)? I'm not used to heating things up and haven't currently got such a torch to hand. The cutter by the way is for flycutting chimney/dome bases. On something so small a blowtorch such as you describe will do the job easily. The gas hob flame is also useful. W.r.t. hardening and tempering I would suggest you read pages 121 to 124 of the attached link Model Engineer's Handbook Cheers....Morgan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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