Touching down tool to work when turning

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hi Graham,

I’m with you about “abuse”, these are enough accidental “clobberings” without any more deliberate ones.

 

I must admit my use of words was tongue-in-cheek and I have no doubt that it works, but as I implied it cannot be exactly predictable, what if you want 3 tenths instead of one?

Why is there such a fetish for having the top/compound slide parallel to the bed. The top/compound slide is for cutting at angles or tapers, that is why they put a protractor under it. The saddle is for parallel turning, or have I been getting it wrong all these years?

 

Hi Versaboss,

Could you tell me which lathe you have that needs its top slide to be set parallel, I can think of lathes that do not have top slides, but none without a saddle. Or is it that you are you talking about watchmaker’s lathes, which I think you will agree are a special case.

Twelve degree cones are a little limiting for most model engineering purposes, but if needs must.

chriStephens

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Hi Chris

 

I wholeheartedly agree with you, setting over the top slide of the compound to 6 degrees was always the preferred way to put on small cuts when I was trained. It was also the standard method recommended by Boxford for their lathes. The method allows for very accurate tool setting without guesswork.

 

Furthermore I can’t imagine the problems of repeatedly setting the top slide parallel enough for straight turning after screwcutting or turning short tapers especially when producing a batch of components. As you said the top slide on most modellers lathes will only have a short travel, between about 40 to 100 mm, so that must be the maximum length of wear in the bed to worry about. A bed must be very badly worn over this sort of length to be turning so far out of parallel as be significant for most of the work we do as modellers. If it were that bad I would get the bed reground I think or consider a new lathe.

 

Using Ramon’s method it also helps to have a sheet of white paper below the work to reflect the light from the lamps which I aim at it rather than the work. The arrangement gives a much better contrast.

 

Regards

 

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 16/02/2011 14:05:47

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hi Graham,

Couldn’t agree more. (that’s three words)

 

Hi Terry,

I tried white paper once, but could not keep it that way for long.

chriStephens

[WALLACEParticipant @wallace]

And if you use the saddle, you can use the feeds to get a better finish. I tend to use a eyepiece to set the top slide to 6 degrees if taking very light cuts – usually aim for 5.7 which is closer (not that it will make much difference . . .) – I think of ‘Heinz 57’ to remember the number ! !

 

w.

[DustyParticipant @dusty]

Hi Graham

Just for the record I am not advocating bashing hell out of ball handles or handwheels with a large spanner. I to have seen machines abused by their operators and am in complete agreement with you that machines should not be treated in this manner. I have used my piece of brass bar for many years and my handwheel has not the slightest mark on it. Lets face it only once in a blue moon do I need to put a scraping cut on and then it is just a gentle tap with my brass bar. The hand method does not work for me either, probably because my handwheel is only 2″ in dia and I have rather large hands. All I am trying tyo say is, that it is a method that can be employed if the need arises.

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hi Dusty,

The one and only thing that matters is that you know how to get the best out of your machine. We all have our own ways of doing things, and all kidding apart, I shall try your method the next times the need arises. As any intelligent person wishing to know more about a subject who hears of a different technique should do, try it for himself and if it works for them add it to their repertoire.

chriStephens

[mgjParticipant @mgj]

I have to admit, I just use the surface tension in the coolant, as long as its only a tiny anount of coolant on the shaft.

 

I don’t have the option of offsetting the topslide because its tenoned into the x slide at dead on parallel. It helps me turn up to shoulders accurately (with the help of a carriage depth stop), which I do more often than turn tapers. I can’t be doing with all this dividing by 1/8ths!. On the Myford a home made dial graduated in 1/2 thou and about 3″ in dia also helps a lot.

 

On the big lathe with a dro if you set to radius brigning it up, the cross slide is calibrated in .0002 intervals anyway, so a lot of this sort of problem doesn’t exist. Even with my decaying eyesight, its very easy with a tipped tool with a small nose radius, to pick up where it touches and before it cuts.

 

I did get the optician to put a x4 magnifying panel in the bottom of my workshop specs though. So I have bifocals – reading strengh and x4. That helps.

[VersabossParticipant @versaboss]

Posted by chris stephens on 16/02/2011 12:32:27:

 

Hi Versaboss,

Could you tell me which lathe you have that needs its top slide to be set parallel, I can think of lathes that do not have top slides, but none without a saddle. Or is it that you are you talking about watchmaker’s lathes, which I think you will agree are a special case.

Twelve degree cones are a little limiting for most model engineering purposes, but if needs must.

chriStephens

 Glad to oblige, Chris. It’s this one:

Hooray, seems I managed to insert a pic directly… if only I culd do that with links also…

Not quite a watchmaker’s, but I agree you have a point here. My other one has a saddle who can move around! and even stop when it hits a stop! 

Greetings, Hansrudolf

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hi Hansrudolf,

Thanks for that, now I see your problem. Should I recognise the lathe or is it something particular to your location?

chriStephens

 

 

 

[mgjParticipant @mgj]

Graham – thankyou. It will get me off my bum and make me replace a worn handwheel bush. One of those little jobs thats been around for a few years and which I have managed to persuade myself not ot do..

 

Sounds like a bit of gear cutting too – good.

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by chris stephens on 16/02/2011 23:57:39:

Hi Hansrudolf,

Thanks for that, now I see your problem. Should I recognise the lathe or is it something particular to your location?

chriStephens

 

 

 

Remarkably, Neotor doesn’t appear on Tony Griffiths’ website, which seems to have info on all (other) lathes known to Man…http://www.lathes.co.uk/index.html

 

Regards,

Tony

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by Tony Jeffree on 17/02/2011 10:34:43:

Posted by chris stephens on 16/02/2011 23:57:39:

Hi Hansrudolf,

Thanks for that, now I see your problem. Should I recognise the lathe or is it something particular to your location?

chriStephens

 

 

 

Remarkably, Neotor doesn’t appear on Tony Griffiths’ website, which seems to have info on all (other) lathes known to Man…http://www.lathes.co.uk/index.html

 

Regards,

Tony

I take that back…Neotor seems to be there, hiding under the Habegger label…http://www.lathes.co.uk/habegger/index.html

 

 

Regards,

Tony

 

 

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by Versaboss on 16/02/2011 22:28:22:

Posted by chris stephens on 16/02/2011 12:32:27:

 

Hi Versaboss,

Could you tell me which lathe you have that needs its top slide to be set parallel, I can think of lathes that do not have top slides, but none without a saddle. Or is it that you are you talking about watchmaker’s lathes, which I think you will agree are a special case.

Twelve degree cones are a little limiting for most model engineering purposes, but if needs must.

chriStephens

Glad to oblige, Chris. It’s this one:

Hooray, seems I managed to insert a pic directly… if only I culd do that with links also…

Not quite a watchmaker’s, but I agree you have a point here. My other one has a saddle who can move around! and even stop when it hits a stop!

Greetings, Hansrudolf

Hi Hansrudolf –

 

That lathe looks as if it just came out of the factory…is it original condition or have you refurbished it?

 

There are some rather tattier examples of this lathe on Tony Griffiths’ site:

 

http://www.lathes.co.uk/habegger/index.html

 

I’m sure he would appreciate any info that you could send him.

 

Regards,

Tony

[Richard ParsonsParticipant @richardparsons61721]

Hansrudolph which side are your gib adjusters on the top/compound slide. Your side ot the other? I made something for  an old friend of mine.  Problem is he is over 1000 miles away  

Edited By Richard Parsons on 18/02/2011 17:27:36

Edited By Richard Parsons on 18/02/2011 17:29:14

[VersabossParticipant @versaboss]

OK, more off-topic – I hope nobody complains.

Richard, you don’t see the screws do you? Well there are none. Both slides have tapered gibs. The topslide has it on the back, adjustable from the left side. The cross slide on the right, adjustable from the back side.

Tony, I have no informations of value for T. Griffith. What I know about this lathe is just that it (she?) started life as a special machine in a button factory (clothing’s, not toolmaker’s!). A friend of mine, who is unfortunately no longer among us, rescued it from the scrapyard and rebuilt it. I think he did a spray job then also, and he used a really good quality of paint. The tailstock was new then. That was over 30 years ago and it was possible to get parts from the factory. Because of that special history the bed is not scraped as usual in that kind of machines, but simply ground (and quite scratched now). The chip tray was made by me. I also added a countershaft (but only with 2 pulleys), and a (ex scrapyard) motor with integral stepless gearing. First I had a very worn Schaublin toolslide on it, but later I could get a new original Habegger at a good price.

Naturally, over that long time I collected and made lots of accessories. Chucks, collets (W20), spindle dividing gadget (GHT adaption), lever operated tailstock with tool turret, lever operated collet closer also.

ME content: that old Schaublin slide I want to convert (after rebuilding, new screws etc.) to CNC. PC, EMC, steppers, drivers all ready, only my time is missing…

Btw, Neotor (type) is to Habegger (factory) what e.g. Student to Colchester.

OK, that’s it, in a (large) nutshell

Greetings, Hansrudolf

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hi Graham,

Just looked at your photo albums and at your dial for the Myford in particular. What a marvellous and stupendously brilliant idea, sorry there a bit of teasing, I did exactly he same thing for my Colchester years ago.

By coincidence my lathe is also is one turn of the wheel per inch. I have not measured it recently but the dial is about four inches in dia. and composed of three main parts and is made from Aluminium. There is a central part that fits the hand wheel, via Morse like taper that I machined on the hand wheel boss. On the central part there is a flange that has the other two parts of the dial, one per side. To give some friction to the dial there is some oiled felt between the flange and the dial parts. The dial is graduated in 10 thous and has proved very useful over the years, which must be about 8-10 by now. It has proved so useful that I wonder why such things are not a standard fitment.

Sorry no photos but if any of you lot want to see it , you will have to search the back issues of the SMEE journal for work on the table, SMEE bods will know what that means.

chriStephens

 

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Hi Cris

So how does one access back issues of the SMEE journal?

Regards

Norman

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hi Norman,

A very good question, apart from joining and then ask if anyone had the foresight to file their copies in an orderly and proficient manner (that’s not me by the way), I can’t think of good answer.

 

The picture was only of the whole thing, which doesn’t really help anyone making a copy. I will try to take it apart and photo it. Watch this space, now that I have worked out how to post pictures.

Nothing was very critical on dimensions except the “pinch” on the felt, and anyone who reads these pages should be more than capable making something that works, once they know what to build. I think it a mistake to copy slavishly how someone else does things. Once one has learnt the ability to make things to the desired size, one can move on and think about what they are making not how they are making it.

chriStephens

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hi Graham,

By all means look at the SMEE site, but not if you are looking for the hand wheel dial.

Don’t look at the pictures from Ally-Pally as you might see me looking down my nose at a punter. Not I hasten to add down on him, it’s he was shorter than me, as are most people.

It had not occurred to me that yours was so much cleverer than mine , mine needs no gearing.

chriStephens

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Chris

I agree with you. My other hobby is photography and there too many ask “How do you do that?” whereas the question should be Why? (that is – What are you trying to say?) . Slavish following is not the way but you do have to start somewhere and having someone elses method provides a route to follow then modify to suit – and a rescue path should it all go wrong!

 

 

Graham

 

Thick Forester ? Methinks you sell yourself short. The photos you have posted speak to me of excellence.

 

Regards

Norman

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