New to me midsize lathe questions

Rip

Rip

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So after years of spinning shafts with crutch tip gadgets, power drills and whatever else, I finally bought a 7 year old Hightower midsize lathe. I immediately called Chris H and ordered new belts, motor brushes and repair DVD. It came with the automatic tip shaper tool but I'm open to other options for this function.

I'll be using the lathe to replace tips and recondition and seal shafts from my own collection. I'm sure I'll get curious and start tinkering with other stuff later but not right now.

What type of tip centering device and tip trimming/shaping device should I consider using with this lathe?

Any suggestions or advice pertaining to this lathe will be greatly appreciated as I'm not a machinist or mechanically inclined. Thanks in advance for your suggestions/advice.
 
For tip trimming, buy a HSS parting ( credit to DZ for starting this ) .
Grind an angle so the the outside of the tool is longer than the inside ( left ).
So that it gives you a little room/insurance in not hitting the ferrule with the tip is almost flush.
OLFA blade or Lennox titanium blade the tip when it's almost flush.
 
You will need a convex and concave live centers........ maintenance pins for 3/8-10, 5/16-18 and 5/16-14 .......... sand paper, sealer, water based shaft cleaner....... I use 409 bathroom cleaner........ a case of paper towels....... bounty select a size


for other maint pins you can use joint protectors.....

shape tips with a utility knife blade.............
\
watch youtube videos

and about a thousand other things I failed to mention


Kim
 
JoeyInCali said:
For tip trimming, buy a HSS parting ( credit to DZ for starting this ) .
Grind an angle so the the outside of the tool is longer than the inside ( left ).
So that it gives you a little room/insurance in not hitting the ferrule with the tip is almost flush.
OLFA blade or Lennox titanium blade the tip when it's almost flush.
Click to expand...

I stocked up on Lennox titanium and OLFA black blades. Thx Joey!
 
whammo57 said:
You will need a convex and concave live centers........ maintenance pins for 3/8-10, 5/16-18 and 5/16-14 .......... sand paper, sealer, water based shaft cleaner....... I use 409 bathroom cleaner........ a case of paper towels....... bounty select a size


for other maint pins you can use joint protectors.....

shape tips with a utility knife blade.............
\
watch youtube videos

and about a thousand other things I failed to mention


Kim
Click to expand...
Thanks Kim. I have everything you mentioned except for the "thousand other things" LOL!
 
Rip said:
Thanks Kim. I have everything you mentioned except for the "thousand other things" LOL!
Click to expand...

That's because you don't know what they are yet............ You will be doing something and you will say................ Hey I need a ........... for that...................

lol

Kim
 
Rip, don't forget the Universal Tip Centralizer :smile: ; have a few in stock right now.

Regards
Olaf
 
As a matter of fact just used mine yesterday to put a tip that popped off --back on --worked great ...Get one!!


Joe
 
jkan101 said:
As a matter of fact just used mine yesterday to put a tip that popped off --back on --worked great ...Get one!!


Joe
Click to expand...

It gets pretty hot here in the desert and it's usually very low humidity (2% to 30%). Glue doesn't last very long here so I keep mine in the house in a dark spot. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before I have a tip pop off as well so it sounds like it might be a good idea to pick one up!
 
Rip said:
It gets pretty hot here in the desert and it's usually very low humidity (2% to 30%). Glue doesn't last very long here so I keep mine in the house in a dark spot. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before I have a tip pop off as well so it sounds like it might be a good idea to pick one up!
Click to expand...

Very handy for those expensive break tips!
 
Not really about tip shaping jigs or the late, but order some acetal rods, so you can make your own collets. I have from 9mm to 14mm in 0,25 increments. Angled collets the butt of the cue and shaft also comes in handy. You can also machine your own tip centering jigs.
 
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