# I smell trouble...



## sortafast (Jan 18, 2007)

Have had it for over 2 weeks and was finally able to put power to it tonight. 
Ordered a QC tool post from A2Z CNC today. Still dont have any cutting tools as of yet, but hopefully should be making a (bigger) mess by the end of next week. Should yield some sick bike lights and who know what else in the coming weeks. Got some really sweet ideas for some interior decorating ideas using some luxeons of various colors. Hopefully I have enough time and the wife gives me enough $$$ to make it happen.


----------



## Mirage_Man (Jan 18, 2007)

Congrats! Your gonna have a blast. But be prepared to keep that wallet open for all the tooling you're gonna get. I bought my first lathe a few months ago and am still spending money. I suspect that it will never truly end :laughing:. But it sure is fun!

MM


----------



## gadget_lover (Jan 18, 2007)

LOoks like you are going to have some fun. Welcome to the club!

Daniel


----------



## Manzerick (Jan 18, 2007)

watch out of ur wallet!!!


----------



## MoonRise (Jan 18, 2007)

Congrats on the new toy, um err, tool.

What are your impressions and opinions of the 8x12/14 lathe so far?

Oh, and I don't know if you have lathe or machining experience or not, but 

DO NOT

try to make a cut on a workpiece as you have set-up in your picture up above. You need a steady-rest or a tailstock center to support the end of the bar before you cut.


----------



## sortafast (Jan 18, 2007)

yeah i dont have any tools yet. I am not (more realistically i cant) gonna cut on that piece, i was just using it to make sure that everything was moving smoothly and its what i had close at hand. I took out the jaws to clean them and i put them back together wrong so it had a wicked wobble. but that was fixed once i had some better light in the garage. But so far it seems like a decent little machine. Its heavy as all get out. Its not terribly smooth, but i need to go get an oil can and i really wanna tear apart the whole carriage and degrease it (man i hate that crap, its everywhere). I really wish i had the ability to change rpms at the flip of a lever or switch, but for the $$$, i cant complain. Probably be another week and i should be getting some chips flying. Still got a ton of stuff to buy for it, but it will just take some time.


----------



## MoonRise (Jan 19, 2007)

Yup, with a new machine you usually have to at least partially disassemble it to remove the shipping/packing grease and then relube it. It's also a chance to check the fit and finish of the internal parts and clean up any chips or crud that the factory left in. And also to check the operation and adjustment of operating and adjustable parts.

Yup, the 8x12/14 is supposed to be relatively heavy. 200+ pounds heavy. But as machinery goes, that's not really heavy. Heavy is when you need hydraulics or another bigger machine to lift or move something.  

Oh, and my understanding of the factory grease on the 8x12/14 is that is it relatively easy to remove. Some rags or paper towels, some mild hydrocarbon solvent, and some elbow grease should take it off. Unlike some other types of red factory goop on Chinese-produced machinery that is supposed to be a &$%#@ to remove. 

Take a look at http://www.annisquamgranite.com/ReviewHome.htm for another reviewer and happy owner of an 8x12 lathe. Also read about his cleaning, lubing, and set-up of the machine.

In addition to cutting tools and a QCTP, you'll also need some measuring tools if you don't already have them. Micrometer(s), caliper(s), and dial indicator(s) at least.

Boring bar(s), knurling tool(s), holder(s) for indexable carbide inserts and the inserts themselves, a bigger chuck, a 4-jaw independent chuck, live centers, steady-rest, follow-rest, etc. Yup, tooling costs add up fast.


----------



## sortafast (Jan 19, 2007)

yep. So far have ordered up some 3/8 turning tools with indexable bits, got a 3/8" boring bar on the way, also picked up a cutoff blade from LMS. Since we just moved into our new house, i was able to find my stash of white gas for the colman. So that pretty much obliterated the packing grease. I still need to buy a good set of calipers, but for now I'm just "borrowing" the set from the bike shop i work at. I know im gonna need a lot more stuff, but for now this should work ok. Just need to save up so i can finish out the Shumatech DRO and get that mounted. Got lots and lots of work ahead of me, but it will be worth it when its all done.


----------



## sortafast (Jan 25, 2007)

well we had a few teething problems, and I made a few totally freshmen mistakes but the chips be flying. So far haven't really done much as i was waiting on a fair bit of tooling, but today it arrived and the fun ensued. And as the pics show, i pretty much wreck my work bench. Its a bit cleaner now, but probably wont last too long. Just need to get some LED's, drivers and optics on the way, and then the real fun will begin.


----------



## 65535 (Jan 25, 2007)

How much did that run you?
I could use a lathe.


----------



## gadget_lover (Jan 25, 2007)

It's a learning experience for most of us. It's fantastic fun when you get it right. My "evening carry" light is a little one watter that I made when I first got my lathe. It's still astounding to see that it works. 

Glad you are having fun.

Daniel


----------



## modamag (Jan 25, 2007)

*sortafast: *Welcome to the club.
Try getting a cookie pan from Walmart to collect your chips. They have great recycle values. 
You might also want to get a static mat @ HD/Lowes to protect your shoes/flippers from the dwarf.

BTW: did HF forgot to include a dead center or MT2 drill?


*65535: *Those HF 8x12 runs for $439 + freight & tax. You can get them here


----------



## MoonRise (Jan 25, 2007)

" protect your shoes/flippers from the dwarf" ?????

Yeah, I just hate when a dwarf gets stuck in my shoes or slippers.

Ya know, I also don't like getting SWARF in places where it shouldn't be, either. Like in a tool case full of sockets underneath a lathe, fer instance. Lathes make swarf, plan on a way to contain and collect it. 

In case you didn't realize it, sometimes the swarf can be pretty much like a bunch of razor-wire. Be careful and don't just grab it with your bare hands.

I don't think he needs an anti-static mat by the lathe, he shouldn't be doing the handling of ESD-sensitive electronics by the lathe anyway. Some of the cushioned anti-fatigue rubber/foam floor mats make standing on a hard concrete floor easier on the body, but the swarf has a tendancy to get cut-into and ground-into the mat after a while. Concrete is relatively easy to clean up swarf from. Your call as to having mats or not, I use them and just be aware of the possibility of sharp pieces getting into the mats.

Also remember basic shop safety of NOTHING on you that can get caught or tangled in the tool. Roll up the long sleeves, no jewelry (watches, rings, bracelets, necklaces, etc), no gloves, no long hair. Machinery is uncaring and unforgiving, always remember that. Even these relatively little machines have sufficient speed and power to really hurt you badly if you mess up and do something stupid. And it can all happen in less than a literal blink of an eye.

SAFETY FIRST!!!


----------



## wquiles (Jan 25, 2007)

Congrats on the new lathe - it is fun, fun, fun 

Will


----------



## wquiles (Jan 25, 2007)

Double Post


----------



## sortafast (Jan 25, 2007)

well the lathe was just over $500 w/ shipping. the MT2 drill chuck was an addon that i got from the little machine shop. I think that i am a bit over $250 in tools so far for the lathe. Still need to set up a DRO which will be a minimum of $150 more. 

But on a side note, i was itchin to get started cutting but no one on the west side of Portland really carries cutting tools (and i really dont enjoy going into the big city to buy $10 worth of stuff). So I started calling around in the phone book and eventually came across a machine shop thats about 7 miles from my house. Just a couple of guys that are hardcore tool junkies. They hooked me up with a bunch of HSS tools and one guy even let me borrow a dial indicator that belonged to his grandfather and magnetic base. Theyre also are gonna show me how to do a bunch of stuff, and said i could come up and use their mills or lathes anytime! A good attitude and an even better cheesecake go a long ways sometimes.


----------



## modamag (Jan 25, 2007)

My bad "anti-fatigue" not "anti-static" 
It's the ones with like 1" holes all around. It reduce my cleanup time too cause the dwarf doesn't get kicked all over the garage.

DRO ... hum Shumatech is the way to go for a budgeted one. I got 2x one on my lathe and the other on my mill. Your total cost on the lathe would be <$350, and it will rival those of AcuRite in functionality.

Yeah the machinist community is a pretty nice and friendly group ... at least with all the ones I met.


----------



## will (Jan 25, 2007)

just to emphasize a point - safety - safety 

I worked as a prototype machinist for 3 years in a small shop of 8 people. Only the owner, the foreman and I had all our fingers. 

Invest in some cutting oil if you didn't already. 

the chuck jaws should be numbered, they go in 1, 2, 3 look for the start of the thread in the chuck body. 

best of luck and --


be careful..


----------

