Hello to all. I am hoping someone can offer advice on what to look for when buying a metal lathe for cue making. I have found two lathes and I think they are very reasonably priced. The problem is that I dont have a clue as far as what parts the machine MUST have or the size it MUST be in order to be used for cue building. Anyone have a short tutorial on lathe requirements? Thanks!
Lathe questions
- Thread starter Indianaguy
- Start date
1 1/5" hole in spindle would be nice but 1 7/16' will do. 36" between centers. You can have a custom taper bar built. I think cuesmith.com use to offer them if you know the dimentions needed.
paul fanelli
Registered
lathe question
Hey Indiana...Glad to see someone take the do it yourself route to cuemaking. Mike Webb is right about the dimensions, but I think he meant to say 1and1/2 inches thru the spindle. Most of what you will need for cuemaking, you will have the capability of making yourself on a decent metal lathe. Accessories that come in handy, if not downright necessary, are a quality headstock chuck, tailstock drill chuck, live cone and cup centers, toolholder and cutting tools, and a steady rest. Of course, this is just a start, but if you can build a cue, you can do it with the above. If you like it, the rest will follow, millers, band saws, table saws, more lathes, etc. Have fun.
paul
P.S...get some quality hardwoods and shaftwood as soon as possible, so that the seasoning can begin.
Hey Indiana...Glad to see someone take the do it yourself route to cuemaking. Mike Webb is right about the dimensions, but I think he meant to say 1and1/2 inches thru the spindle. Most of what you will need for cuemaking, you will have the capability of making yourself on a decent metal lathe. Accessories that come in handy, if not downright necessary, are a quality headstock chuck, tailstock drill chuck, live cone and cup centers, toolholder and cutting tools, and a steady rest. Of course, this is just a start, but if you can build a cue, you can do it with the above. If you like it, the rest will follow, millers, band saws, table saws, more lathes, etc. Have fun.
paul
P.S...get some quality hardwoods and shaftwood as soon as possible, so that the seasoning can begin.
lathe
Make sure if you buy a 36 in. lathe that you can mount a router and still make a full pass on a butt or a shaft. Some of the import lathes that are 36 in. between centers do not have that much travel on the carriage. My import lathe has 4 inches less travel than the enco lathe both are 36 in.
Make sure if you buy a 36 in. lathe that you can mount a router and still make a full pass on a butt or a shaft. Some of the import lathes that are 36 in. between centers do not have that much travel on the carriage. My import lathe has 4 inches less travel than the enco lathe both are 36 in.
My fave is 11 by 36 Logans ( 1 3/8 spindle hole).
All belt drive.
All belt drive.
Thanks Paul I hit the wrong key.
Steady rest would also be a great asset.
Steady rest would also be a great asset.
Accessories
> In additon to the accessories mentioned here,you will also need a copy of the Machinist's Handbook,this will pay for itself 1000 times over when you run into a snag on how to do something,plus there is more stuff relevant to the skills and knowledge necessary to run most machines to make cues in there than anyplace except maybe Chris Hightower's book,and that still won't tell you what rake and relief are when grinding tools,so buy it soon as you can. You will also need,if you plan on being accurate with your machining,a minimum of a solid magnetic indicator base with a 1" travel AGD type indicator,or if you can afford it at first,a dial TEST indicator. Some brands are graduated in .0005,so each line is 1/2 of .001,this way you can get your parts running as true as possible. You might also want to seek all the printed tool catalogs you can get,with your primary selection being the MSC Big Book,most industrial supplies such as cutting tools,measuring instruments such as micrometers,calipers and angle blocks,abrasives,endmills and anything else cuemakers use regularly is in there. A simple 0"-1" micrometer can be found for 20-30 bucks in spots,this will probably get used more than any other measuring tool you buy,and a good set of dial calipers will also eventually be needed. And whatever you do,if you have never used a full sized metalworking lathe before,be SURE someone that knows the ropes shows you what is what on it,something as simple and careless as leaving the chuck wrench in the chuck and starting the motor can possibly hurt or kill you or anyone else in the shop. There are also other hazards,such as using too fast a feed when machining metal,too much speed,not knowing which direction the feed is going,getting your hand too close to the chuck,and about 100 other things which will leave a mark if you do them carelessly. For the lathe,you will need to attach some kind of chuck to the opposite end of the spindle for ferrule and joint work,blending in butt caps,etc,or you can make delrin collets for each particular application,but you will still need different sized collets to use in the main chuck as well. Tommy D.
> In additon to the accessories mentioned here,you will also need a copy of the Machinist's Handbook,this will pay for itself 1000 times over when you run into a snag on how to do something,plus there is more stuff relevant to the skills and knowledge necessary to run most machines to make cues in there than anyplace except maybe Chris Hightower's book,and that still won't tell you what rake and relief are when grinding tools,so buy it soon as you can. You will also need,if you plan on being accurate with your machining,a minimum of a solid magnetic indicator base with a 1" travel AGD type indicator,or if you can afford it at first,a dial TEST indicator. Some brands are graduated in .0005,so each line is 1/2 of .001,this way you can get your parts running as true as possible. You might also want to seek all the printed tool catalogs you can get,with your primary selection being the MSC Big Book,most industrial supplies such as cutting tools,measuring instruments such as micrometers,calipers and angle blocks,abrasives,endmills and anything else cuemakers use regularly is in there. A simple 0"-1" micrometer can be found for 20-30 bucks in spots,this will probably get used more than any other measuring tool you buy,and a good set of dial calipers will also eventually be needed. And whatever you do,if you have never used a full sized metalworking lathe before,be SURE someone that knows the ropes shows you what is what on it,something as simple and careless as leaving the chuck wrench in the chuck and starting the motor can possibly hurt or kill you or anyone else in the shop. There are also other hazards,such as using too fast a feed when machining metal,too much speed,not knowing which direction the feed is going,getting your hand too close to the chuck,and about 100 other things which will leave a mark if you do them carelessly. For the lathe,you will need to attach some kind of chuck to the opposite end of the spindle for ferrule and joint work,blending in butt caps,etc,or you can make delrin collets for each particular application,but you will still need different sized collets to use in the main chuck as well. Tommy D.
I agree with Pauls recommendation on buying wood. I'm not a cuemaker (yet) but I've been talking with one out in Arizona and he said some woods have triple in price in the past 10 years. So without having any equipment other than a garage sale wood lathe, I bought a couple hundred dollars worth of wood. It will be enough for like 25-30 cues. So now I have a couple years to get a lathe ready.BTW Paul I love your work.
Andy
Andy
From your name I would guess you are in Indiana. If so where about in Indiana?
I'm in the NW corner.
Tracy
I'm in the NW corner.
Tracy
I agree with your safety concerns Tommy.Tommy-D said:
A metal lathe is a serious machine. Safety operating knowledge is a must.
I suggest enrolling in a local college/high school to learn machining.
I did for a semester. 7:30 in the morning thru 3:30 in the afternoon for one semester.
In the class, I saw compound rest fed to the chuck.
Tool holder fed to the chuck.
End mills crashing on the workpieces.
Drill chucks used to hold end-mills, SEVERAL times.
Engaging thread gear while the lathe was running SEVERAL times.
JoeyInCali said:
Sought of give you a whole new outlook when it comes to respecting your equipment. The day you take it for granted, a definate accident will occur. I don't even wear a watch on the machine.
Rule of thumb
Respect your equipment
Save your fingers