Clarke Lathe

[routercnc]

Hi George,

If you have enough material on the flange, you could drill the hole spacing to match commercial clamps (shown below), leaving yourself the option of upgrading if these plastic ones are not stiff enough.

[GeorgeD]

How do RCNC,

Below is a pic of how they will be mounted, the bed will be 60mmx25mmx3mm wall,mild steel box section.

The flange will fit through a 25mm hole in the 60mm wide part of the box section and the shoulder will either be held in place by 4x nut&bolts or self tapping screws? the little red boxes are 2x grub screws and the rail counter sunk to accept those grubs.

[GeorgeD]

Need to pick your brains,Irving

I'm not getting a good face cut on the ends of steel,its all rough banding.
The tool is dead center height...I have a feeling the saddle is moving as I try face cut the rod?

[irving2008]

what tool, how far out from chuck, what diameter rod, what spindle speed... and did you lock the saddle to the leadscrew?

[GeorgeD]

The tool is about 20mm out of the toolpost and is slightly angled to the face of 16mm stainless steel rod.

Speed? well can't give you exact speed in RPM but the dial is pointing at 10 o'clock position I'd say about 400 to 500 RPM?

No didn't lock the saddle up

Sorry about the noise on the pics,seems I pic noise up in the camera when using standard batteries and its ok when I use rechargable...most odd?

[irving2008]

well locking the saddle to the leadscrew is a must, tho a proper saddle lock is better (nice little weekend project to make and fit - works similar to the tailstock camlock... unless of course you've not made one of those yet). Most of your problem there is probably that, tho movement of the cross-slide on its gib might also be a factor if the gibs aren't properly adjusted.

You need somewhere between 600 and 800rpm for that diameter/material, its actually 560 at the outer edge but increasing rpm as you go in, so 1120 at the 10mm mark, so take an average as you can't easily change spindle speed on the fly.

With stainless you need to be taking a very light cut and use lots of coolant and a newly sharpened tool. I can't easily tell from the pic as the tool tip is out of focus but it doesnt look too healthy.

[GeorgeD]

Hi Irving

Light cuts ya say? anything thicker than a piece of paper and I sh*t me pants.

[GeorgeD]

Hi Irving
Been watching a few vids on youtube about face cutting,noticed a couple of guys using a tool going across the face with the toolpost directly in front of the piece and they used the same technique for side turning.

Is that the norm or should I just use a face tool and go into the piece with the flat of the tool.

here's the vid....

[irving2008]

thats the technique I use. tbh it doesnt matter where the toolpost is, but you should always go for the shortest overhang of the tool, so running it square gives you that. You will notice in the video that there is still a rake on the tool, its not flat to the work, there is a nose that cuts and it'll have been honed slightly round to get a good finish... As a general rule I keep my toolpost square to the work and ensure the tool tip is correctly angled on all sides, but then I use HSS tools not premanufactured carbide ones.

[GeorgeD]

I was thinking of grinding my own tools ie just the facing,turning and parting off ones,the boring ones I have bought in the index replacable tip type.

Would these be suitable,Irving....
http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/S...d_prices_.html