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Gunsmithing Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

shepherm

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 16, 2006
87
0
West Oklahoma
Ok I know its not the best, but here is my "new" lathe. It is a Jet 13x40. I am still missing a lot of decals but they are on back order and they do not make it work better. Now its time to start making some chips!!

DSC_0187.jpg

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Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Congrats!
I have used a similar lathe, it was accurate.
Is this the gap bed version?
I noticed when using power feed or threading that it would sometimes "pop out" so I would keep my hand lightly on the feed/thread engagement knob,
YMMV
Andy
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Yes it is the gap bed version and thanks for the tip I will see how it works tonight.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Right on!

I'm in the process of getting my lathe and mill/drill set-up in my shop also.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

I do not pretend to know your level of expertise, but remember safety first....those things bite. Have you considered a set-tru chuck? I like the set-tru for gun work and have relegated that old four jaw to turning odd stuff. Good Luck.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

+1 on that eddybo! I have a bison set-tru it was the best money spent. But if you are not doing alot you can get away with the four jaw. Very fun! I am excited for you. Are you a machinist by trade?

Jason
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

OK guys I am a complete newbie to machining. What is a set tru chuck? My google skills are not working for some reason on this one...
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Thanks for all the replies. I will have to look into the set-tru chucks, but I will just be doing my own projects from time to time so if might be a little much for what I need.

StrictlyRum- I am not a machinist, I’m actually just a mechanical engineering student at Oklahoma State. I have a friend who had this lathe and a mill/drill so I decided to get them both. This fall I will get to work in the mechanical engineering shop at OSU but I don’t know how they would like gun parts. I’m sure this will work for me a long time and once I get me degree I will still have this to build with.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

One thing I do to keep all my body parts intact:
I alway spin the chuck a rev or two by hand to be sure nothing is going to crash or come flying off when I power up.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cigarcop</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just always remember bud, wear no loose clothing around the lathe. </div></div>

Or rings, watches or long hair.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

I'm an ME student down here...I plan on getting involved in what I can from here on out to learn the machines...I have a very large garage at home and plan on putting a shop together in a year and a half or so...

It doesn't seem like most folks at school are interested in learning the manual stuff...a couple of guys in the ASME are in the mini baja, which I plan to get involved with...but other than that, folks don't seem to care...
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sonic Sammy</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: treebasher</div><div class="ubbcode-body">OK guys I am a complete newbie to machining. What is a set tru chuck? My google skills are not working for some reason on this one... </div></div>

http://www.emachinetool.com/accessories/...tionFamilyID=17</div></div>

I found that much. What makes it different than a regular chuck?
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

It is basically just a self centering 3 jaw chuck that can be adjusted using opposing set screws on a stationary back plate giving it the ability to indicate the work piece true. Regular 3 jaw chucks do not give you ability to indicate a work piece in, and 4 jaw chucks do not self center. You get the advantages of both, only drawback is that the range of movement is more limited than a four jaw and it cannot really be used on irregular shaped stuff.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: eddybo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I do not pretend to know your level of expertise, but remember safety first....those things bite. Have you considered a set-tru chuck? I like the set-tru for gun work and have relegated that old four jaw to turning odd stuff. Good Luck.
</div></div>

With proper training/practice four jaw is quicker, and only needs one wrench.

New lathe was bought for being able to do, not production.(imo)

Yes, It will bite!
If you are new to this buy a chuck gaurd
It will save your left thumb,hand,arm and hopefully shirt sleeve
Shoeshining with emery is hairy too
Be safe
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

According to the photos you posted you already have a 3 jaw chuck, a 4 jaw chuck, a steady rest and a follower rest. The quick change tool holder tops it off. You have plenty enough to do almost anything. If you have a couple of 1" travel indicators and magnetic bases you're pretty much set to go. You just need some cutting tools and either cutting oil or coolant. Get an 0-1" micrometer and a 6" dial caliper and learn to use them before you start making chips.

Before you do start making chips, read the paperwork that came with it. Get used to the controls. Not knowing what you're doing is one way to get hurt. Go slow and take it easy.

If you check around you may be able to find some where that might sell you some scrap aluminum or mild steel to practice on.

Good luck.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Gentlemen,

Though I'm a lowly woodpecker, I've always been interested in the machininist trade. Are there any video or T.V., how-to programs available, such as The New Yankee Workshop is for wood workers, to gain some knowledge in the use of these machines?

I've run shapers and wood turning lathes but that is almost of no comparison to these machines.

I'm good on the drill press but Mills and lathes are mysterioso!

Thanks.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

i have the luxery of working on bridgeports, etc. at the installation i work at and I hope the Jet holds up and has all the bell and whistles including, scales, servos, and digital read outouts a good machinists needs to produce good product, etc. i have to work on every day.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Victor N TN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">According to the photos you posted you already have a 3 jaw chuck, a 4 jaw chuck, a steady rest and a follower rest. The quick change tool holder tops it off. You have plenty enough to do almost anything. If you have a couple of 1" travel indicators and magnetic bases you're pretty much set to go. You just need some cutting tools and either cutting oil or coolant. Get an 0-1" micrometer and a 6" dial caliper and learn to use them before you start making chips.

Before you do start making chips, read the paperwork that came with it. Get used to the controls. Not knowing what you're doing is one way to get hurt. Go slow and take it easy.

If you check around you may be able to find some where that might sell you some scrap aluminum or mild steel to practice on.

Good luck. </div></div>

Victor N TN - It did have a 3 and 4 jaw, steady and follower rest, quick change, and face plate. I also picked up 3 pc micrometer set which has the 0-1, 1-2, 2-3, and a brown & Sharpe 1" dial indicator in the last month(before I even got the lathe). I already had a caliper. So it sounds like I need to find some cutting oil. What type or brand should I be looking for?
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Look in the phone book for petroleum distributers. Around here a 5 gallon can is the smallest thing you can get. Unless you get a little can from Lowe's. You might want to do a "Google" search for MSC Industrial Supply. They also have an online catalog. They used to sell small cans of sulphur based cutting oil. I bought several for tapping operations a few years ago. Industrial wash bottles are really good for applying the cutting oil to a piece being cut on. If you want to go the cheap route get your wife / girlfriend to save you her dishwashing detergent and shampoo bottles. They make good squirt bottles for the oil onto the turning part.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

without a dro, i find a 2" travel dial indicator and a mighty-mag magnetic base extremely useful.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Thats a nice lathe. I cant tell which exact model it is. How big is the spindle bore? Whats the model number?
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Please measure it when you get a chance. I didnt get that lathe because I'd like a bit more than 1.375. Thanks
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Victor N TN</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cigarcop</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just always remember bud, wear no loose clothing around the lathe. </div></div>

Or rings, watches or long hair.</div></div>

Watched a girl in my shop class in high school working with a drill press. She had long hair. emphasis on "had".

She was in the middle of cutting a socket for a CO2 cylinder in these little wooden race cars we were making, and someone called her name. It startled her, she turned to look and the drill press grabbed her hair and sucked her right in. it tore her scalp and bled alot...

That day right there I learned a very healthy respect for power tools. She quit the class. And got stitches.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

OK... Time warp.

Back in the 1970s I worked with a kid (18-20) that had a big bushy 'fro. For you younger people it's long hair with a springy bushy perm in it. He looked like he was wearing a thick helmet. He had been working there several months. He was doing production work on a Harding high speed tool room lathe. It was set up to cut small aluminum tubing. Maybe 1/4" od and part them off at a set length. Maybe 2 1/2" long. The small tubing was precut in 20' lengths. There was a trough set up behind the headstock and they fed through the headstock into the collet attachment. The trough was basically 2 pieces of 4 X 4" angle iron with a few hinges welded on so that one piece was a "V" and the other piece was a top that folded down as a cover. This kept the aluminum from whipping around at the high spindle speed.

After running the machine for a while he needed to refill the trough. He puts the first piece in and sends it through the headstock and collet and makes it ready to run the operation. The spindle is still spinning. As he bent over to get the next piece to put in the trough his hair touched the spinning part. Noone else in the shop heard anything. He came back where the boss was telling me about a job I was working on. He walked up with this ball in his hand. I thinght it was steel wool. Then I saw a little trickle of blood running down his forehead. He bent over and showed the boss his head. He had a bald spot as big arouind as a baseball. The boss had me take him to the local doctor. 2 or 3 days later he came back to work. The whole shop (less than 20 people) had a safety meeting. Payday he got a burr haircut (buzzed). It could have been a lot worse.

<span style="font-weight: bold">(Edited to state: we the employees or the boss, did not cut his hair. He did that on his own. I assume at one of the local barber shops.) </span>

I hope this helps someone remember to be safe.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

You guys gave him a buzz cut at the safety meeting? LOL!

Trying doing something like that now days, you would get sued for some stupid reason...
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

For general machining, just plain old black oil/cutting oil for steels. (Dexron can be used in a pinch)
Alumicut is one of the better I have used for aluminum. It'll wash off with dish soap and water.
Cutting oil will work but tends to stain if part gets too hot, or not cleaned right away.

Drop a pm, I'll send link.
Any questions just ask.
More than willing to try and help.
I make parts for a living!

 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: treebasher</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You guys gave him a buzz cut at the safety meeting? LOL!

Trying doing something like that now days, you would get sued for some stupid reason... </div></div>

No, no, no... He got the buzz cut on his own. Maybe I need to edit my original story. I didn't mean it to sound like that. He was basically a good kid. I went through high school with his older brother and sister. Although we didn't run in the same circles, the younger brother was OK.

By the way. When that patch of hair grew back, it was white in the middle of his dark head.

That could have been such a bad accident. He was lucky it wasn't worse.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

For brass or aluminum, kerosene in a squirt bottle works real well for a good finish. Just be careful about fire hazard.

Tap magic or tap matic both work really well for threading. Dexron automatic transmission fluid will work on some things in a pinch. It does pretty good on most grades stainless.

If you are thinking about doing any kind of high volume work, you might want to look at one of the "mist" or even "flood" type coolant pumps. This is for one of the newer water soluable coolants. Not for cutting oil. I use the water based stuff for heavy metal removal to keep the parts cooler. For slower turning like threading, parting and popping I prefer the heavy oil.

Before you start doing any kind of chip making, make sure you are familiar with the controls on the machine. And make sure the chuck wrench is in the tray and not in the chuck. Or on a mill, keep the wrench off the drawbar nut.

Stay careful.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Good ole fashined WD40 works well for aluminum, cutting and tapping..... (not on steel or SS though)
I've used my "way oil" in a pinch on steel, and it worked ok....
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

That guy with the fro is lucky the hair came out, it could've run his head through. I had an old guy come in to work on a garage door and he saw the lathe (my little South Bend 9B) and asked if he could stop back to turn a remote control airplane part that he had, I said sure, thinking I'd really have to keep my one good eye on him.

He looked like he knew what he was doing when he chucked it up and he had a very different style of running the machine (which has no footbrake). He operated the machine with his right hand and his left hand never left the power switch the whole time. I mentioned that it looked like it wasn't his first time on a lathe and he said that's how he learned and that's how he was going to keep doing it.

OK, a note on eye safety from the resident one eyed pirate looking guy. I lost an eye due to someone elses carelessness, there was nothing I could've done to change it. I can keep from losing the one I have left by being anal about eye protection, and you should too. Going through life with one eye isn't the worst thing in the world but I do bump into stuff a lot.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Victor is right on many things.
Never tried K-1 on stainless though.
If you want to go that route, Diesel works too!

I was just trying to keep the flames down.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: queequeg</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Gentlemen,

Though I'm a lowly woodpecker, I've always been interested in the machininist trade. Are there any video or T.V., how-to programs available, such as The New Yankee Workshop is for wood workers, to gain some knowledge in the use of these machines?

I've run shapers and wood turning lathes but that is almost of no comparison to these machines.

I'm good on the drill press but Mills and lathes are mysterioso!

Thanks. </div></div>
Queequeg

try: http://techtv.mit.edu/search?q=machining

Preety good machining videos for free..
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

My brother has had a Jet 13x40 for 10 years and barrels accurate and nice looking rifles.

Jet, Grizzly, Harbor Freight, Enco, Precision Matthews, Birminham, etc lathes of the same size from China will have ~ 80% interchangeable parts.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Ok so how do I know if it has the metric or english threading gears in it? It has two sets and the one that is out looks used.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

The thing that sets cutting oils apart from one another is the ability to work with them or around them. At least for me as most do the same thing.

I have this stuff and it is easly on the nose and hands.
http://www.lpslabs.com/product_pg/cuttingfluids_pg/LPS_CuttingFluid.html



I used the tap majic stuff in the red can but found it to be too harsh of a smell and tough to get off especially when working then going out on the town afterwards. I ran out and a friend dropped off this stuff and it seems to be better.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LRange</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Please measure it when you get a chance. I didnt get that lathe because I'd like a bit more than 1.375. Thanks</div></div> I just measured it and It is 1.5" all the way. I know this is an older unit so maybe they changed the new ones. But I found that the BDB-1340A says it has 1.5" also, so I don't know.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: oneeyedmac</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

OK, a note on eye safety from the resident one eyed pirate looking guy. I lost an eye due to someone elses carelessness, there was nothing I could've done to change it. I can keep from losing the one I have left by being anal about eye protection, and you should too. Going through life with one eye isn't the worst thing in the world but I do bump into stuff a lot. </div></div>

+1000000000000!

I made a little hanger to hold three sets of safety glasses right above the power switch, than I am not tempted to just turn a quick parts sans safety glasses.....
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shepherm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok so how do I know if it has the metric or english threading gears in it? It has two sets and the one that is out looks used. </div></div>

Unless it came with another set of gears it's probably as the plates are marked on the head stock. A quick set up with a "V" shaped cutting tool on any kind of stock will give you an idea. Make several LIGHT passes until it begins to actually look like threads. Get a screw pitch guage to check it with. If the plate on the headstock says you have it set at 20tpi and the screw pitch guage lines up on a 20 tpi tooth, you're good to go.

Try looking online to see if you can find an owner / operators manual for that particular machine. It'll probably have a lot of information specific to that machine and a lot of other stuff in general.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Thanks I figured it out. I also threaded a stock 16 tpi and compared them to a remington 700 barrel I had setting here and they look good. Im going to place an order with enco on some Mobil DTE Oil Heavy Medium which is what it says in the manual and enco has free shipping for orders over $25. I think I will get some cutting fluid when I order.
 
Re: Pictures of my "new" lathe!!

Smart move. Stay with what the manual says any time you can.

ENCO, MSC Supply and Ried Supply are all good names to have written down somewhere.