Bought a Metal lathe, what next???

Scott Behrens

Scott Behrens

Former Cue Builder
Silver Member
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Ok,

Just found this forum last night and haven't had much time to look around, but thought I'd ask a couple quick questions that I probably should have just searched for.

I bought a Atlas/Clausing 5320 12X42 Metal lathe a month or two ago and need to get it geared up for making a cue. I'm getting a machinist friend of a friend scheduled to come over to show me how to use the thing. (to make sure I don't break anything)

I picked up a PC Laminate Trimmer and need to figure out how to mount it and how to make and mount a taper bar. I bought the Hightower book and videos about a year or two ago and have read and watched all the way through, although it has been over a year.

I've read that I will really want a quick change tool post. Can someone tell me what to look for and/or what to avoid. I'm trying to go about this realatively cheaply since I'm getting married in July and don't know how much time and/or money i'll have around.

I read on here to pick up a copy of the machinists handbook and plan to do that. does anyone know anything about my particular lathe, I haven't been able to locate a manual yet...

Any advice on must have items would be appreciated also. the thing came with quite a few accessories, but i'm sure i'll need to pick up some specific to cue building. I assume I can get by with my 3 or 4 jaw chuck for the first few cues. (how necessary is a 6 jaw chuck?) what's the story with the chuck you can mount left of the spindle bore? Let me know if these answers are already in other posts and I'll start searching...

Sorry for the long post, but thanks for any help...
This looks like a great site, and I look forward to spending quite a bit of time reading here.

oh, and here's a picture.

Scott
 
Scott, looks like it has potential. What part of country do you live in? I'd give you a shop tour if you are nearby. That probably is easiest way to see what all is involved.

Do you know if it has a hollow spindle and what size? Will this be you only machine?
 
Cuesavvy,

Spindle bore is just a hair over 1 3/8 inches. This will be my only machine for now. I've also got a cheap HF wood lathe I can use for sanding or other stuff. If this works out, maybe I'll pick up more, but I think my money will go to accessories I need for this one first.

Scott
 
someone on eBay always has a quick change tool post (new) for sale (usually goes for less than $100),,,need to find out what morse taper the tail stock has, I'm sure your friend can tell you,,,I bought a concave live center from Hightower when I first started repairing cues,,,since then I've made my own concave live centers using a small metal lathe,,,if you haven't already started 'hoarding' wood, do so now,,,every piece I find, I'm stockpiling 'til I get my designs ready,,,wish you all the luck,,,,jflan
 
Scott Behrens said:
smaller.jpg
Ok,

Just found this forum last night and haven't had much time to look around, but thought I'd ask a couple quick questions that I probably should have just searched for.

I bought a Atlas/Clausing 5320 12X42 Metal lathe a month or two ago and need to get it geared up for making a cue. I'm getting a machinist friend of a friend scheduled to come over to show me how to use the thing. (to make sure I don't break anything)

I picked up a PC Laminate Trimmer and need to figure out how to mount it and how to make and mount a taper bar. I bought the Hightower book and videos about a year or two ago and have read and watched all the way through, although it has been over a year.

I've read that I will really want a quick change tool post. Can someone tell me what to look for and/or what to avoid. I'm trying to go about this realatively cheaply since I'm getting married in July and don't know how much time and/or money i'll have around.

I read on here to pick up a copy of the machinists handbook and plan to do that. does anyone know anything about my particular lathe, I haven't been able to locate a manual yet...

Any advice on must have items would be appreciated also. the thing came with quite a few accessories, but i'm sure i'll need to pick up some specific to cue building. I assume I can get by with my 3 or 4 jaw chuck for the first few cues. (how necessary is a 6 jaw chuck?) what's the story with the chuck you can mount left of the spindle bore? Let me know if these answers are already in other posts and I'll start searching...

Sorry for the long post, but thanks for any help...
This looks like a great site, and I look forward to spending quite a bit of time reading here.

oh, and here's a picture.

Scott
Click to expand...


Make one of your first buys the QC tool post. I have a Phase II piston type and it is fine. The wedge is supposed to be better but I am happy with the one I have. (You can spend as much as $600.00 or more on a tool holder by it's self). You can buy a Phase II for your lathe from Enco for about $129.00. You also need a "good" Jacob's chuck for drilling around $100.00. Actually, you need so many things that just lay around the bench but cost an arm and a leg when you begin to add it all up, it's scary. Dial indicators, measuring devices and it goes on. The lathe may be the cheapest thing. You need to get lucky hit some good auctions and garage sales or it is going to be really expensive. Look around for a good band saw and a bench grinder for making bits for sure almost right at the start. I like HSS blanks and like to grind them the way I want. I like them for cutting wood they get razor sharp and make nice cuts when ground correctly.There are a lot of books on running a lathe and even the old ones don't go out of date the same principles still apply. One of the books I have on the shelf was a shop manual for a Ford factory on lathes, it must be from the 1940's and I have learned from it in the past. My taper bars were built from an old shop manual on shop made lathe fixtures. Some of them applied so perfectly to doing the cues they could have been titled cue making fixtures. You should also check out this forum:
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.crafts.metalworking?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&safe=off
 
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Scott, first thing is first.
Before you turn that lathe on, you need to know how to SAFELY operate it.
Since there is no cuemaker around you I think it'd be best if you buy Chris Hightower's videos.
 
Scott Behrens said:
I'm trying to go about this realatively cheaply since I'm getting married in July and don't know how much time and/or money i'll have around.
Click to expand...
Scott,
That is cool, you have a real good start there. I suggest you buy as much as you can before the wedding. There could always be kids in the future, and they are a lot more expensive than tooling ;) Don't get me wrong, they are worth it, but it is a long haul from diapers to college. :) Buy some srap wood to practice with. If you are making mistakes, which you will, it is best not to waste good wood. Keep us posted of your progress.

Tracy
 
JoeyInCali said:
Scott, first thing is first.
Before you turn that lathe on, you need to know how to SAFELY operate it.
Since there is no cuemaker around you I think it'd be best if you buy Chris Hightower's videos.
Click to expand...

read the post,,,he has the book and videos ! :o
 
> Run,don't walk,and get a pair of decent SAFETY GLASSES,then get back on Ebay and get the newest version of the Machinist's Handbook you can find,along with anything that might come with it,such as the pocket guide and condensed version called a ready reference. It will also be helpful to go find and befriend a machinist,or even better,a TOOL AND DIE MAKER. Trust me,there IS a difference. Generally,a tool and die maker is an older guy,15-20 years or more experience,generally because so few machine shops now are actually taking apprentices and helping with their certification,much like Master level electricians and such,if a person has a business or ID card certifying them as a true Tool and Die maker,you can bet they can help you learn to use that lathe. You also need to get REAL familiar with the typical feed/speed calculations,tool geometry,and basic lathe operator knowledge. It should take you 2-3 weeks,maybe more,spending 3-4 hours a day to get decent with it. I hope telling you this will indeed help you,because that is a serious machine,and will cause grievous injury if disrespected. As far as actual skills,if you are just going to do repairs,it might only take a week to acquire the skills for that,but if you cannot cut an Acme screw,and a threaded sleeve to match,and make them work together,you will waste a lot of wood. I am taking a 2 year machinists course for this purpose alone,it even has a CNC requirement to graduate. Tommy D.
 
taper/bars

One of the first things your going to need is, TAPER/BARS. I make and sell these. These will attach to your lathe.

THE LATHE!

The main problem with buying "USED" equipment as you have done, is that it's just that, "USED". It will have some tolorance problems. You need to have your friend point these out to you. Being he's a machinest, this will be easy for him to do.Your lathe appears to have been, well "USED" based your pictures.I would really check this machine out with someone who knows what there doing when it comes to machinery. If I were you, I, would hold off on buying ANYTHING, [ tooling, ect], untill you get the lathe, CHECKED OUT, from one end to the other. After all, you did buy an old used machine, so most likly,it's gonna have a couple of problems. [example, worn bed ways close to the chuck, cross slide, and compound with slack and worn gibbs, a chuck that will not repeat.

Outside chuck!
These machines were NOT, designed to have an out/board chuck mounted on them. The bearing housing that holds the out/board bearing, [ the left side of your spindal] was not designed to hold that much mass rotating that fast. I use a system that weighs less than 2 lbs, and is very good at holding shafts, butts, and parts on center. And it cost less than a chuck and the machining cost for installation. It lighter and much safer than, a chuck @ 40LBS,turning sometimes @ 1400 RPM.

TAPER?BARS!

If you have time, give me a call, @ the number below, and I'll be glad to help you with what you need in way of bars, tooling, centers, and or whatevers.
830-232-5991

blud
 
Scott Behrens said:
smaller.jpg
Ok,

Just found this forum last night and haven't had much time to look around, but thought I'd ask a couple quick questions that I probably should have just searched for.

I bought a Atlas/Clausing 5320 12X42 Metal lathe a month or two ago and need to get it geared up for making a cue. I'm getting a machinist friend of a friend scheduled to come over to show me how to use the thing. (to make sure I don't break anything)

I picked up a PC Laminate Trimmer and need to figure out how to mount it and how to make and mount a taper bar. I bought the Hightower book and videos about a year or two ago and have read and watched all the way through, although it has been over a year.

I've read that I will really want a quick change tool post. Can someone tell me what to look for and/or what to avoid. I'm trying to go about this realatively cheaply since I'm getting married in July and don't know how much time and/or money i'll have around.

I read on here to pick up a copy of the machinists handbook and plan to do that. does anyone know anything about my particular lathe, I haven't been able to locate a manual yet...

Any advice on must have items would be appreciated also. the thing came with quite a few accessories, but i'm sure i'll need to pick up some specific to cue building. I assume I can get by with my 3 or 4 jaw chuck for the first few cues. (how necessary is a 6 jaw chuck?) what's the story with the chuck you can mount left of the spindle bore? Let me know if these answers are already in other posts and I'll start searching...

Sorry for the long post, but thanks for any help...
This looks like a great site, and I look forward to spending quite a bit of time reading here.

oh, and here's a picture.

Scott
Click to expand...

Scott,
You have a good machine there. Set it up right and it will be the backbone of your shop. My first advise would be to set up an accurate running chuck on the back of the headstock. If you get both chucks on the headstock running "dead nuts", life will be a lot easier for you. I also mount a tool-post grinder and machine the insides of my main chuck jaws, while running, so that they are shaped so that they do not mar the cue and are running true. Next, take the time to make sure you're tail stock is properly aligned. This can be shimmed and tweeked until it's perfect. That makes a big difference in the accuracy of your boring, from the tailstock and lessens the need to use a boring bar for simple boring operations. When setting up your machine, start from scratch and make sure your lathe is leveled and the weight properly distributed, otherwise your bed can actually be in a bind and under stresses that will affect accuracy.
Another tip for safety... I have a shelf above my main lathe. I have bored holes in the shelf, directly above the chucks, to hold my chuck keys. I've developed the habit of looking at these chuck keys, in their proper storage positions, before I hit the power on the lathe! I know it sounds simple and basic, but this is a dangerous situation and must not be taken lightly!

Good Luck, and keep your day job!
Sherm
 
metal lathe

Scott Behrens said:
Cuesavvy,

Spindle bore is just a hair over 1 3/8 inches. This will be my only machine for now. I've also got a cheap HF wood lathe I can use for sanding or other stuff. If this works out, maybe I'll pick up more, but I think my money will go to accessories I need for this one first.

Scott
Click to expand...
This is my 1st lath. An Atlas with a chuck from a pipe threader welded to the left end of the headstock...JER
 
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BLACKHEARTCUES said:
This is my 1st lath. An Atlas with a chuck from a pipe threader welded to the left end of the headstock...JER
Click to expand...


Believe it or not, I had wondered about one of those chucks. Looks like you had had it for a while when the pic was taken. I see some stitch rings and stuff laying around.
 
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Metal lathe

I've had this lathe since 1986. I think it was made in 1896.HA HA HA.
Jim Mcdermott(from Mcdermott Cues), told me how to do it & that's the way he did his 1st lathe. That & a wood lathe with a DC motor, were all I had for about 4-5 years. I made some good Qs with that ol' hunk o' metal. She's a real workhorse, even though I now have 5 other lathes...JER
 
I see how you could not use a wood lathe for tips and ferrules, but can a wood lathe be used to turn butts and shafts? Or is doing something like a pro taper on a wood lathe pretty much impossible?

Thanks
Tim
 
WOOD LATHE _ it would be of use but a carriage has to be mounted on it with the slides and stuff, a lead screw to run the carriage along the ways plus that thing should be motorized too. Most wood lathes weren't built as precise as a metal lathe. Even metal lathes have to be set up good for cuebuilding (tooling, taper bars etc.)

Mainly used for sanding, wraps, buffing and the like

Hadj
 
Taper Bar

G'day all , I make a few snooker cues down under , mainly 1 piece or 3/4 jointed 2 piece cues . I also dabble in 9ball cues (centre jointed) . While I make my snooker shafts with a plane I have a 3' metal lathe for joiners and ferrules and would like to buy or make up a taper bar for for 9ball cues .
I've looked at commercially available cue lathes on the net but can't see the taper bar setup very well . Does anyone have some better pictures or better still a rough or not so rough plan ?

any thoughts or ideas welcome .
thanks .
 
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