Hello Glenn and welcome.

You've certainly come to the right place for help and advice, ask away.

Brian

Welcome

Seek and ye shall find.

Folk on here have LOTS of experience in all sorts of fields, so ask away.

+1 for getting used to the lathe by making things.

Centre Height Gauge.

Tailstock sliding Die Holder.

Tailstock sliding Tap holder

If it can be fitted, a Rear Toolpost will be invaluable for parting off.. (I made a four way one, looking like the front one, for my lathe, so that it can be used for front chamfering, back chamfering and parting off .

A lot of us are enthusiasts for a Tangential Turning Tool. You can either make, by scaling up one of the designs published in MEW, or you can buy. The HSS toolbit is easy to sharpen, using a simple jig.

A Centre Height Gauge is necessary for this.

Having said that, it will pay to learn how to grind HSS tool. From time to time you will need a "special" that only you can make.

These activities will bring you experience of using the machine, cutting speeds and feds, which one day you will extend into screw cutting. (Mostly, for threads smaller than 1/2" or 13 mm I use Taps and Dies, but you may need a "one off Special" one day.)

In these activities you will learn about the different thread forms and pitches.

You will find a set of Zeus charts invaluable. Still using mine, bought in 1958.

If you want some reading to learn basic principles:

L H Sparey "The Amateur's Lathe" Dated, but the basic principles remain the same.

Ian Bradley "The Amateur's Workshop" Deals with fitting work, as well as good advice on setting up a Lathe.

Harold Hall Has written a book on Lathework among other things (A former MEW Editor )

Eventually, you will find books in the Workshop Practice Series useful. Buy them as the need arises.

To spend even more of your money, in addition to a bench Grinder, you will soon need measuring equipment.

A digital calliper will probably be the first, since it can be changed from Imperial, which I suspect your lathe will be, to metric if you choose to work in those unit. I still have the Rabone Chesterman vernier calliper that I bought as an apprentice. Good tools may be dearer, but they last longer!

If yo start using a 4 jaw independent chuck, you will then need a magnetic base, and one or more DTis; ideally a plunger clock in thous, and a finger clock in half thous, to centre work in the chuck.

HTH

Howard

,

Man after my own heart Glenn, bought my mill and lathe originally for my Classic cars and spend a fair bit of time at Fishlake meadows in Romsey.
All the best

Clay