What do you think of this Logan 210

[Cane_man]

seriously looking at this Logan 210, 10x24, 1/2hp 110v, no quick change box, but really clean and lightly used for a 1940s-1955 era lathe, comes with not much tooling (4 jaw, dead center, change gears, stand, tail stock chuck)...

all i want is a real lathe to make swaging dies with since my 7x12 chinese is very limiting, i want the lathe to be able to cut 7/8-14 threads on 4140 or O1, i am somewhat limited on garage space and this is about the largest lathe i can fit....

tell me your honest opinion of this lathe, the good, bad, and ugly, i can get it for $750:

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac331/johnelway/00x0x_e6AGcyO4jrd_600x450_zps4086f3d4.jpg

here is the listing on CL:

http://modesto.craigslist.org/tls/4308771410.html

[Prospector Howard]

I wish I knew more about lathes but that sure looks like a good possiblity especially if it's not all worn out. Looks like a good size for what you want to do.

[GRUMPA]

I just got 1 of those just about 2 weeks ago. Mine is also the model 210 but it came with the quick change holder that looks Chinese if you ask me. I'm still looking for more tooling for the cutting part, things have gone up last I looked. But mine has the thread gearing attached to it already, have yet to use it for threads yet, I don't have the right tooling for that just yet.

Mine has the 1/2HP motor as well and draws 2amps from my system, living on solar has its perks but you gotta watch how much power things use. I've taken .015 cuts with it so far from bolts I have without so much as it slowing down.

And mine I got from a member, costs me $1,300

[Cane_man]

The guy who owns it got it from a winery, said they used it for turning wood!

Can't help it, i think i have a man-crush on the Logans.


How big of a deal is it to change out the gears the long way for threading?


I could see if you used the lathe everyday the QC gear box would be big, but i am just an on and off again weekend guy farting around in the garage, i don't think i would mind.

[GRUMPA]

The 1 thing I would look at is what's inside the machine, and by that I mean the gears. Broken teeth will tell you real quick if that machine was abused. I was looking for the smaller lathes and it seemed that most of the newer ones have plastic gears, not what I would call a promotional bell ringer.

If you want me to take a picture of mine just say so and I'll post a few.

[GRUMPA]

The 1 I have and the 1 that's in the ad are very close but not exact. Here's what my threading control box looks like.

96073

As far as the gears someone else is going to have to chime in on that, mine didn't come with any other than what the machine came with. If you go into Evilbay and search for "Logan Lathe model 210" I've seen the same thread set-up all by itself but it wasn't cheap either. They also have other things for the older Logan Lathes in there as well, might be worth a look see.

[JSnover]

Can you get a good look at the thread/feed chart? If it will feed .071" per revolution and the only thread you care about is 14 that might be close enough.
I've been able to work around missing change gears on more than one lathe by using the power feed and matching the pitch.

[ElDorado]

It's motor is 1/2 hp. I don't know about your Chinese Mini Lathe, but my harbor freight 7x10 CML has a 3/4 hp motor. I'm no mechanical engineer, and maybe there's some gearing in the Logan that provides more torque, but motor size may be something to think about if you're finding your CML is a little gutless. That may be the best you can do if you're limited to 110 volts.

I don't have any experience with Logan lathes, but I don't suppose changing the gears will be much different than on the CML. Grumpa's machine has quick-change gearing, which is different than the one you're looking at. If most of your threading is going to be 7/8-14, then you probably won't change it much, so that's not an issue.

The one in the ad doesn't appear to have power feeds, so you'll have to feed by hand, just like the CML. That really no big deal either.

Unless the ways or lead screw are excessively worn, it sounds ok. I would just be worried that it might not have any more power than the lathe you want to replace.

[Cane_man]

here are the gears that come with it:

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac331/johnelway/00w0w_ahdxZiEV4YP_600x450_zps492fcecd.jpg

here is the original sales brochure for this lathe, and it says it it supposed to have 11 extra change gears to cut 4-216 thread speeds, pretty sure they are all there:

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac331/johnelway/1944-210-2_zpsc52a1567.gif

also says "power longitudinal feed" and "power cross feed" I assume this refers to the lead screw

[ElDorado]

also says "power longitudinal feed" and "power cross feed" I assume this refers to the lead screw

Perhaps I was wrong. I'm basing my statement on the fact that I don't see any feed levers on the apron, where I would expect to see them. I see one lever on the apron that I assume is for threading.

I am a machinist, so I am not ignorant of a lathe's operation. Like I said, I don't have any experience with Logans.

I just looked at it again and I still don't see how it feeds.

It looks like you're doing some good research on it, though. Have you gone down and looked at this in person, yet?

[Cane_man]

i am going monday to look at it, 3 hour drive north, guy is a farmer or something lives in the country... if the lathe checks out like the pic and the speeds change and the power feeds work i am coming home with it

i should know why the 1/2 hp on this lathe has enough power and i was an engineer! or at least i bought a piece of paper that says i lernt meckanicle engunearing, but that was a long time ago.

maybe Grumpa can weigh in and tell us how it works

[GRUMPA]

The one that's in the picture does have power feeds. The lever on the apron that you see on the right is the cross feed, the other one is located behind the infeed wheel, you have to reach behind it and pull it to activate it.

And I have (I believe) the owners manual in pdf format, hard to find it took me a couple of days to find it. If you want it I can send it to you via e-mail if you PM me an address.

[Cane_man]

^^^ LOL, I was just getting ready to buy one! pm inbound

[Cane_man]

The 1 thing I would look at is what's inside the machine, and by that I mean the gears. Broken teeth will tell you real quick if that machine was abused. I was looking for the smaller lathes and it seemed that most of the newer ones have plastic gears, not what I would call a promotional bell ringer.

If you want me to take a picture of mine just say so and I'll post a few.

here it under the hood, looks pretty clean for a 60 year old machine, what do you think?

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac331/johnelway/gears-belt_zps7e763bb3.jpg

[GRUMPA]

Looks kinda like mine, what do you think?

96148

[GRUMPA]

And I'm talking about these gears anyway.

96149

[257]

hi you can buy die blanks from pacific tool and gage od turned and threaded 7/8 14 solid or with pilot hole drilled thru

[Reg]

Change gear stack looks about right. If you only do occasional threading, a change gear lathe works just fine. Look at the condition of the ways ( the bed) especially up closer to the chuck. Look for severe wear , scouring of the shears or the tapered section in the front and the flat section in the rear. Look for wear on the rear like the tailstock might have been slid back and forth and it was dirty underneath.
Put the chuck on. Grab the chuck and try to feel for movement in and out. Front to back is OK as it can be adjusted but in ( to you and away from you ) and out could show bad bearings. Actually, overall the lathe looks clean and not badly abused and nowdays for 750.00 would be a bargain.
The Logan tended to be more solidly ( heavy ) made than most of the small lathes and should make a excellent lathe for making swaging and other small parts. You can find most repair and any other parts it might be missing on fleabay.

[Cane_man]

alright i hear what you guys are saying, this lathe might not have enough power, weight, or bore thru to do what i really want it to do some day... sure it might be fine and get by for 7/8-14 threads but not the best tool for this job...

i think a 13 to 16 inch swing by 36-54 bed with 2hp 220v and a 1" to 1.5" bore would be in the $1500 to $3000 range and out of my budget right now... this machine would also probably be too large for the space i have for it in my garage...

no delusions on this Logan 210, I know it was marketed back in the day to be a hobbyist/home bench top lathe to compete against Atlas/Craftsman, and they even sold a more stripped down version in Wards back in the day... however, this lathe will fit in my garage, runs on 110v, will get the job done for threading 7/8-14 if i am careful with material selection and depth of the passes, and it will always hold its value if i take care of it... the Logan's are quality machines and well built, the ways are hardened and ground... i am thinking it is worth the risk to see if i can get it to work out for what i need with swage dies and if it doesnt i can always Craigs List it and get my money back and look for another machine...

i am driving up there tomorrow and check it out and if it does what it is supposed to do i will most likely come home with it, unless i am convinced otherwise before then... thanks for all your input i do appreciate it :)

[customcutter]

Cane, check the link in your other thread. It's worth a look and not much bigger, but it is heavier and QC.

[Cane_man]

saw it Ken thanks, not sure about it looks like it was rode hard and turned out we... could be a franken-lathe? still feel good about the Logan

[customcutter]

Can't tell if it's dirty or worn from photo's

Here's another that might be worth checking. Need more photo's and what's available with it. Not much info in the ad. It's Taiwan not ROC from what I've found on Google.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/tls/4323366638.html

[Cane_man]

got it home, man am i tired from the 9 hour round trip! here it is as my son and i were unloading it in the garage... too heavy to lift so we went Egyptian and used pvc pipe and rolled it out, attaching the legs as we went... the 'moving' rollers proved worthless :(

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac331/johnelway/unloading_zps36dc8fc0.jpg

any of you guys ever see Truckdaily on instagram? that is my son, he owns and manages it :)

the serial number is stamped on the tailstock, you can go the Logan website and find out when it was manufactured, this lathe was made in 1945

[Reg]

One nice lathe there, you won't regret it.
All parts for that machine are still available from Logan, a bit pricy but there. Another good source is ebay. Many of these little lathe's were used in industry as " second operation" machines. They were solid and very well built. Have 3 of them myself, one I keep and gave one each to each of the boys.
Son number one did go on to bigger and better things but son number two is like I am, trying to wear it out and not having much luck !!
A nice machine.

[Cane_man]

thinking of adding this AXA 100 quick change tool post, anyone have one of these?

http://www.travers.com/Travers%20Images/Current%20eSales%20Images/600x600/55-300-720.jpg

[Swede44mag]

I have an Atlas that was made in 1956 same year as I was born.
It has the quick change gear box but I have not been able to make threads successfully
yet I get it going and miss on the index and cut threads between the first threads making so much trash.
I took 2 years of machine shop at VOTEC in Wichita, KS so I do know how to make threads.
I still need a quick change tool post but haven’t decided on which one to purchase.
BTW mine is 220V I think it would have been 110 if the wiring was switched.

Good luck keep us posted on how your lathe works.

[Cane_man]

quick change tool post: seems like the "wedge" type is more preferred than the "piston" type

[Char-Gar]

I am glad you bought it. I would have bought it in a heart beat. There will be a serial number on the bed flat near the tailstock. You can visit Logan Actuators and get the year it was made. That is the original paint on that lathe, so I will bet it is in good shape.

I only have experience with one used Logan. Ten years ago I bought the pictures 9 X 18 Logan for about what you paid for yours. I got it home, cleaned up adjusted and lubricated and put a piece of stock between centers and turned it on. I took a 12" cut and it showed a .004 taper. I nudged the tailstock over a smidge and did it again. This time I had a .0005 taper and I called that good. Not bad for a lathe made in 1947.

Change gears do take time to change, but that is just the price to do it "old school". I think you will be happy.

[MaLar]

I have that old South Bend I talked about earlier. Mine came with a half horse motor. It died, when I bought a new 1/2 horse motor it didn't have the power of the old one. So if you have the old motor in good condition it will be fine for the lathe. If you get a new motor get the 3/4 horse.

What changed in motors from the old to the new? The difference in power is very noticeable.

[Cane_man]

i agree, i may change out the motor to 3/4hp, not now but eventually... Logan says you can do it if you change the belt to match it..

just realized all my 7x12 tooling will work on the Logan, tail stock is MT2 for both and the 3/8" tool holders will fit fine in the quick change tool post...

[Char-Gar]

I have about a 90 year old 1/3 hp cast iron motor on my lathe and it runs like new. I could put a bigger motor on and it would take a deeper cut, but I am in no hurry, so why bother.

When I got the lathe, I took the motor down to a place that does those things to have a new cord put on and have it checked out in general. Champion Electric (the places name) tried to trade me a new motor for my old one. I kept the old one. I have to oil the bushings every time before I start it up, but that is no big problem.

[customcutter]

thinking of adding this AXA 100 quick change tool post, anyone have one of these?

http://www.travers.com/Travers%20Images/Current%20eSales%20Images/600x600/55-300-720.jpg

Cane, I have an AXA 100 on my 14X40. I bought it to go on a 10" Craftsman but never installed it. Then I got the 14". The wedge type are preferred to the piston style. My set also has the knurling tool with it, no lathe bits just the holders. The scissor type knurlers are better, but they are pricey compared to the ones that come with the sets. I think I paid about $120-130 plus shipping. Let me know if your interested in them for a discount with a PM, I might upgrade and get a BXA set. I had never used them until I started trying to make this set of dies.

[GRUMPA]

While we're on the subject of lathes, I have a question or two.

Mine came with some tooling (if you want to call it that) where the carbide inserts are pretty much KA-POOT. Being as busy as I am right now I've had a limited amount of time to look for the replacement inserts. When I look I'm greeted with numbers and letters referring to various inserts, right at that point it might as well be a dead language. I used to be a precision grinder and not a lathe person.

I know all the letters and numbers means something and without some sort of a decoding cypher I'm lost. My triangle carbide inserts measure .600 from corner to corner but I guess they don't use that source of measurement. I know some of it refers to things like the radius and angle of the face ( I think) but not sure.

Another thing, my holders or quick release holders that hold the indexable insert have numbering of 250-110 and 250-111 that hold a 1/2" tool. No clue what the makers name of the hold down is it only has the numbers 250 on it. So I get kinda frustrated when I try and look for inserts and replacement holders for the inserts.

I was looking for thread tools and wondered if the inserts are unique to the holder, you know like if someone was trying to corner the market with cheap insert holders but real expensive inserts.

[customcutter]

Sorry Cane, I just looked and mine is a BXA 200 series.

[Cane_man]

cc i just snagged the axa 100 this morning, with shipping about the same price you metion... and yes i am happier than a 3 peckered billy goat with the Logan!

grumpa, i just went through all of that with the letters and numbers and the tooling, and the inserts a few weeks ago, i dont have time right now but can fill you in later tonight... yes, you need to match the correct size insert to what your holder is designed to hold

edit: my work-horse tool bit is a BR6-C6
B = the type of tool bit, this one is 45 degree, there all kinds as you know
R = right hand cutting towards chuck, L is away
6 = the size of the tool bit shank in 16ths, so this one is 6/16 = 3/8
C6 = the type of material it can cut, this is C6 suitable for steel while C2 is for Aluminum (many flavors here)

the insert is sized by the radius of an "inscribed circle" within the triangle, the center of this circle will line up with the set screw hole on your tool bit while the insert is flush with it

[ElDorado]

While we're on the subject of lathes, I have a question or two.

Mine came with some tooling (if you want to call it that) where the carbide inserts are pretty much KA-POOT. Being as busy as I am right now I've had a limited amount of time to look for the replacement inserts. When I look I'm greeted with numbers and letters referring to various inserts, right at that point it might as well be a dead language. I used to be a precision grinder and not a lathe person.

I know all the letters and numbers means something and without some sort of a decoding cypher I'm lost. My triangle carbide inserts measure .600 from corner to corner but I guess they don't use that source of measurement. I know some of it refers to things like the radius and angle of the face ( I think) but not sure.

Another thing, my holders or quick release holders that hold the indexable insert have numbering of 250-110 and 250-111 that hold a 1/2" tool. No clue what the makers name of the hold down is it only has the numbers 250 on it. So I get kinda frustrated when I try and look for inserts and replacement holders for the inserts.

I was looking for thread tools and wondered if the inserts are unique to the holder, you know like if someone was trying to corner the market with cheap insert holders but real expensive inserts.

This may help.

http://www.carbidedepot.com/formulas-insert-d.htm

This too.

http://www.helmancnc.com/general-turning-insert-nomenclature-for-cnc-dummies/


Google "carbide insert nomenclature"

[Pavogrande]

Logan is a good machine for the home or small shop --
Flat ways can often be a nicety for certain setups --
1/2hp should certainly be enough for your needs -- my HF 7x10 may have more hp on paper but it does not take as heavy a cut as my old atlas with a 1/3hp motor --
If it is in decent condition, with all the change gears, it is a fair buy --
Change gears are a pain but get the job done -- often a temptation to make everything 32tpi though :-)
my tuppence --

[GRUMPA]

Thanks ElDorado, those links are proving helpful right now. I'm getting to the point I can understand some of it and I'll get better with time I know. I just did a google search "carbide inserts" and have a lot of places to choose from. Which 1 I have no clue yet but it's going to boil down to pricing.

Boy this stuff can be mind boggling but I'll have to learn sometime.

[Cane_man]

can't wait to start 7/8-14 single point threading, but i have to make a decent base for the stand... will post pics when i get a chance... looking at adding pads on the base that can be adjusted to level out the ways...

[dkf]

thinking of adding this AXA 100 quick change tool post, anyone have one of these?

http://www.travers.com/Travers%20Images/Current%20eSales%20Images/600x600/55-300-720.jpg

Yes, in a couple sizes. Enco is usually has the best pricing especially when they are running promos. They had a code of 15% off everything on Monday only. But they run month long promos often.


While we're on the subject of lathes, I have a question or two.

Mine came with some tooling (if you want to call it that) where the carbide inserts are pretty much KA-POOT. Being as busy as I am right now I've had a limited amount of time to look for the replacement inserts. When I look I'm greeted with numbers and letters referring to various inserts, right at that point it might as well be a dead language. I used to be a precision grinder and not a lathe person.

I know all the letters and numbers means something and without some sort of a decoding cypher I'm lost. My triangle carbide inserts measure .600 from corner to corner but I guess they don't use that source of measurement. I know some of it refers to things like the radius and angle of the face ( I think) but not sure.

Another thing, my holders or quick release holders that hold the indexable insert have numbering of 250-110 and 250-111 that hold a 1/2" tool. No clue what the makers name of the hold down is it only has the numbers 250 on it. So I get kinda frustrated when I try and look for inserts and replacement holders for the inserts.

I was looking for thread tools and wondered if the inserts are unique to the holder, you know like if someone was trying to corner the market with cheap insert holders but real expensive inserts.

I have been around machining and ordering/using toolholders/inserts for years and the whole insert thing can still be a PITA. There are lot of more standard shapes and geometries however most manufacturers have their own "special" designations for grades, chipbreaker and etc. Several companies have proprietary holders/bars that take proprietary inserts and they are always discontinuing stuff. Many of fact I am currently machining some toolholders for a customer since Seco/Carboloy decided to stop making them.

The standard way of sizing the inserts is by inscribed circle (IC) which is the biggest circle that will fit in the center of the insert. If you need some help figuring out what inserts you need shoot me a PM.

[sprinkintime]

seriously looking at this Logan 210, 10x24, 1/2hp 110v, no quick change box, but really clean and lightly used for a 1940s-1955 era lathe, comes with not much tooling (4 jaw, dead center, change gears, stand, tail stock chuck)...

all i want is a real lathe to make swaging dies with since my 7x12 chinese is very limiting, i want the lathe to be able to cut 7/8-14 threads on 4140 or O1, i am somewhat limited on garage space and this is about the largest lathe i can fit....

tell me your honest opinion of this lathe, the good, bad, and ugly, i can get it for $750:

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac331/johnelway/00x0x_e6AGcyO4jrd_600x450_zps4086f3d4.jpg

here is the listing on CL:

http://modesto.craigslist.org/tls/4308771410.html

Caneman; if it was me I would look for one with a Quick-Change Box, You will regret it down the line if you buy without, I had a Atlas at one time and changing gears was not fun at all, the extra wait will be worth it, believe me. Sprink

[MBTcustom]

OR....
Since you can get such a good deal on it, do like I did and power it with a VFD. Infinite versatility for speed. You got tool chatter? Roll the wheel on the remote till it disappears, and set up shop right there.
The only thing that bugs me about this lathe is the lack of a three jaw and tooling. Those two things can eat your lunch, because you just dropped $750 on the lathe, and now you've got to drop another $500 on the stuff that should have been included.
My lathe is a monster LeBlond Regal 17" with ways that are 8' long. it came with an Aloris toolpost and 8 tool holders, two three jaw chucks, three faceplates, a Jacobs collet chuck, a massive 4 jaw, a drill chuck and a dead center. I don't remember exactly what I payed for it, but it was less than $3000.

[perotter]

VFD is the way to go. A guy down the street did that to his South Bend and also motorized the lead screw(has a sensor). I know he uses them together to time the cutting and the feed speed, but I'd have to ask him again if he cuts threads that way. I know he doesn't have a computer tied in with the system. He just uses the micro processor that is in the VFD.

I haven't used a manual lathe much, as I went with CNC almost as soon as I got really interesting in getting usable machine tools.

[Cane_man]

sprink, too late! you are right i may regret not having the QC gear box... i could mod it later on if i wanted to, or sell this lathe and get another one... i figure that this Logan will hold its value and i can always get my money back on CL... but i already told my son i was going to give him the Logan when I move in with Jesus and he better not sell it or I will be ticked!

goody - it came with 3 jaw, 4 jaw, jacobs chuck, dead center, and fortunately all my tooling from my Chinese lathe will work on this lathe (live center, knurls, tool bits)... i am adding the QCTP but dont really have too... I have VFD now on my little 7x12 and it is the way to go for sure, that may be something to add later... what would i need to add it?

[customcutter]

Cane, VFD stands for Variable Frequency Drive. It allows you to electronically change the Hz so that you can change speeds without losing torque. Some even allow you to overdrive above 60 Hz. You would need one with 120V 1Ph in and 120V 1Ph out. Make sure you get one that allows speed control. I don't know a lot about them, but am about to get one to put on my 2HP mill. It will be 220v 1ph in and 220v 3ph output. They sell them on ebay and at electrical supply houses. Talk to them and tell them you want to run a lathe with it, they can help you pick out what you need.

[smokeywolf]

OR....
Since you can get such a good deal on it, do like I did and power it with a VFD. Infinite versatility for speed. You got tool chatter? Roll the wheel on the remote till it disappears, and set up shop right there.
The only thing that bugs me about this lathe is the lack of a three jaw and tooling. Those two things can eat your lunch, because you just dropped $750 on the lathe, and now you've got to drop another $500 on the stuff that should have been included.
My lathe is a monster LeBlond Regal 17" with ways that are 8' long. it came with an Aloris toolpost and 8 tool holders, two three jaw chucks, three faceplates, a Jacobs collet chuck, a massive 4 jaw, a drill chuck and a dead center. I don't remember exactly what I payed for it, but it was less than $3000.

Something I wouldn't mind having for my lathe; Jacobs chuck/rubber collet set. They are frequently truer running (less runout) than 5Cs. Plus, if you have an odd sized part, like a metric dia., they accommodate that beautifully. Next best thing to bored soft jaws, but much quicker and handier.

smokeywolf

[Cane_man]

got her in place, i feel like a papa with a newborn :)

got the gear changes figured out for 7/8"-14 just need to get some wrenches, and i am going to get some levelers for the feet so i can level out the ways, but here are some questions:

-what should i use to lubricate the gears?

-what should i use to clean off any dirt or dust?

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac331/johnelway/Logan-in-place_zps72447588.jpg

[Char-Gar]

Most change gears don't need allot of lubrication, but a squirt of your lathe lube oil (I use Mobil Velocite No. 10 Spindle oil) ever now and the won 't hurt. Be certain and lube the lathe at all points in the instructions.

I keep the Velocite No. 10 for general lubrication and Mobile Vactra No. 2 Way Oil on the ways.

When I got the old oil and gunk off my lathe I used kerosene and a brush. A little 000 steel wool took care of the rust.

You might out to think about changing the felts to make certain they have a good contact with the ways. Also squirt a little oil on these to keep them moist from time to time. Keep an eye on the gibbs.

[smokeywolf]

I've used a variety of cleaners and solvents. On painted surfaces I've used citrus based cleaners. On unpainted surfaces kerosene or mineral spirits.
I think on gears, I would use one of the Lubriplate products, Gear Shield Extra Heavy might be a good choice.
I also use Mobil Vactra No. 2 on the ways of my lathe and mill.

smokeywolf

[MBTcustom]

For cleaning, mix up a batch of Ed's red (Quart of each: Mineral spirits, acetone, kerosene, and ATF DEXIII)
For lubing the ways, use 30 weight motor oil. Mine gets a regular drenching of the stuff.
Use dark cutting oil; it will make your investment last longer.
Put Molybdenum grease on your change gears, even the ones you don't use. It's both a lubricant and a powerful rust preventative.
If possible, consider investing in an aircompressor in the future. Till then, the shopvac is your friend.

Get some mighty mag's and some travel indicators. Trust me, I know of what I speak. A nice mag base with a swing arm is a very nice thing also for getting an indicator on your toolpost.

Above all, wear tight clothing, short sleeves, leave the jewelry on your dresser.

Wear safety glasses whenever you are around that piece of machinery! Pretend that if you look at it with the naked eye it will turn you to stone.

The chuck key never leaves your hand unless it is returned to it's holder. It could kill you, so please take what I am saying to heart and try to teach yourself without me being there to hang it around your neck by a chain. Every time you pick the cotton-pickin thing up, please remember: It never leaves your hand.
OK, got it?
No you dont.
Nobody does at first. Leaving that thing in the chuck is like trying not to think about a pink polka doted elephant for five minutes. No human being alive can seem to do it. Just teach yourself the best you can OK? Leaving the chuck key in the chuck should feel the same as racking a round into a 1911 and laying it on the floor. It should just give you the heeby jeebies.

If you want to know why I am telling you these things and seem almost superstitious about safety, do a google search on "lathe accident" and prepare to be haunted for the rest of your life. Watch the video (you'll know the one) and click on images.
Reread what I just wrote and it will make all kinds of sense to you. I've been running machinery like this since I was a teenager, and I still have all my fingers (knock on wood).

[smokeywolf]

Tim, you speak as though you left the key in the chuck ONCE and pulled the jog handle.
I did it. ONCE! I think it was the third week of my apprenticeship. Boss was standing in the doorway of his office and saw the whole thing. He just shook his head, turned around and went back into his office. The next day he called me into his office and told me to relax, slow down and work methodically. Oh, and never take your hand off the chuck key unless it's in it's holder.

smokeywolf

[ElDorado]

The chuck key never leaves your hand unless it is returned to it's holder. It could kill you, so please take what I am saying to heart and try to teach yourself without me being there to hang it around your neck by a chain. Every time you pick the cotton-pickin thing up, please remember: It never leaves your hand.
^^^^^^^^^
Yes! Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!

This is the first thing a machinist learns about the lathe, and it is drilled into his head.

If you only learn one thing about the lathe, this is it.

Treat it like it is the eleventh commandment.

Treat it like it is the twelve general order.

Make it as "second nature" as zipping up when you're done.

I've seen it happen, no one was hurt, and it was extremely humbling.


Thanks, Goodsteel, for reminding us.

[MBTcustom]

Never thrown the key myself, but I have taught several newbs how to use a lathe and that is my lecture that is promptly ignored every time. One kid kept saying "yeah yeah yeah. I've got it already! It never leaves my hand, I've got it OK? Sheesh!
About an hour later, I hear: PaChiiiiiiiiinnnnnnng!!! Look over and he's white as a sheet, and there's machinist coming out from behind their tool boxes. I went and retrieved the chuck key, put it in his hand and said: Now listen it never leaves your hand!!! I told him if he didn't listen I was going to make him weld a logging chain to both ends and wear it around his neck for a week, and everybody could call him "Chucky" for the rest of his life.
Lathes, bandsaws, chainsaws, and firearms just don't have much room for error. You screw up once, and it's a life changing event.

[Cane_man]

great suggestions, thanks so much! and, the chuck key never leaves your hand

keep them coming

[MBTcustom]

Don't worry about getting carbide tooling. That stuff works amazingly well as long as you have a very tight and rigid lathe, but for these older ones, HSS is the cats meow. It can take a lickin and keep on tickin, and it's cheap and versatile also.
You might invest in a few pieces of 01 tool steel. I purely adore the stuff for just about everything. It cuts like dog, but files nicely and once you have it beat, filed, or ground to shape, just heat it bright red with a torch and dunk it in used motor oil. It will then be hard enough to cut steel! It will be brittle though, so what you need to do is polish up the tool you made and take a propane torch to it till it just barely starts to turn straw yellow. If you made a boring bar, heat the shank till it turns purple or almost grey but leave the very cutting edge straw yellow. 01 tool steel rocks! I buy all of mine at McMaster Carr.

If you want to know if your tool is the right hieght in the tool holder, pull your pocket scale out, and pinch it between the tip of the tool and the workpiece. If your height it correct, it will be plumb.

Always keep your compound extended over it's dove. If you have a crash (dare I say when??) it's cheaper to replace the slide than the dove, and if your slide gets chewed up, it's usually not fatal and you can just keep going.

When drilling a hole, remember if the drill is chattering you need to go faster. If the drill is squawking, you need to go slower.

Keep debris wiped off the ways of your lathe. Protect those rails like they were gold. Keep them well oiled and clean, and don't use the apron to push a pile of chips along them. By the same token, if you sand parts that are in the chuck, realize that you are raining fine abrasive dust all over your ways, and if you run over that stuff with your apron it get's embedded in the soft iron and you just took years off the life of the machine. Wipe them down before you move the apron!

If you don't have a stop, see if you can make one. It's indispensable.

A lathe file is worth every penny. Make sure you have handles on all your files.

[popper]

make him weld a logging chain to both ends and wear it around his neck for a week,
A good solution to many problems. The bed on the one in tool shop class (50s) was longer but looked the same. Wish I had room for those nice tools. Goodsteel - a planer is just as bad. I still have all my fingers but know some that don't. Even a drill press is dangerous (drill it into them - you gotta clamp your work down).

[Cane_man]

quite an adventure getting the change gears in place for 14 tpi! it took about 45 minutes this being my first time learning how to do it... first off, it required 4 different sized wrenches: 1/2", 3/4", 7/8", and 15mm, got some cheapies at Home Deport for about $3 a piece... once I had the wrenches i found the correct gears from the gear configuration table, but now that I know what I am doing only 2 gears would need to be changed to cut the common sizes i would use, and it would probably take about 10' to change... not as fast as using a QCGB, but i am not really going to cut all that many threads... got some GL-5 Gear Oil 85w-140 from the auto parts store and just put a few drops on the gears, hope this doesn't cause any problems!

http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac331/johnelway/change-gears-14-speed_zps34c6e14a.jpg