Thread: Drilling and Milling on the Lathe

Originally Posted by Ueee

Bob, In that situation (and only if you didn't have enough meat to cover the inaccuracies of punching and hand drilling centers) i would go: Chuck as true as you can, then use a cup center in the tailstock. You can then true a section of bar at each end to run the steady on, again use the cup center to center the job and set the steady. Now you can center drill each end in turn and you are set to go.

A thought that did just cross my mind, was could you make a bush to fit in the lathes bore, with a spindle up the middle that could hold a center drill at one end and be powered by a hand drill at the other. This way the job could be zeroed in the 4 jaw and drilled very accurately. Just a wild thought.

Ewan

In Bryan's words, that would be a cunning stunt! Nice idea Ewan and one that bears further thought. Sort of suggests hardening and grinding. Maybe I need to have a word with my mate Bruce.

Bob.

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

In Bryan's words, that would be a cunning stunt! Nice idea Ewan and one that bears further thought. Sort of suggests hardening and grinding. Maybe I need to have a word with my mate Bruce.

Bob.

I was thinking about a long bronze bush (or 2 smaller ones for each end) bored to fit a silver steel shaft with a sidelock style holder for the drill bit. The bush could be as simple at a slip fit 90% of the way with a small taper (getting larger) at the outboard end to hold it in place. You could go to the trouble of making it to fit the morse taper and have a nut at the outboard end, but it may mean removing your chuck to put it in and out depending on the chucks bore.

I have not heard the stunning c.....i mean cunning stunts saying in some time....since i worked with other tradies probably....hehehe the things you forget.

Originally Posted by Steamwhisperer

Apologies Bob. I thought you were asking about centre drilling. I'll crawl back into my hole now.

Phil

any thing good in there

Originally Posted by Ueee

I was thinking about a long bronze bush (or 2 smaller ones for each end) bored to fit a silver steel shaft with a sidelock style holder for the drill bit. The bush could be as simple at a slip fit 90% of the way with a small taper (getting larger) at the outboard end to hold it in place. You could go to the trouble of making it to fit the morse taper and have a nut at the outboard end, but it may mean removing your chuck to put it in and out depending on the chucks bore.

I have not heard the stunning c.....i mean cunning stunts saying in some time....since i worked with other tradies probably....hehehe the things you forget.

How could you forget about cunning stunts, you're half my age!
I have half of the stunt already made in the form of a spindle back stop that I never really finished. Sadly it's made of 1214 which wouldn't be much chop for your suggestion. Still it's got me thinking.

BT

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

How could you forget about cunning stunts, you're half my age!

BT

And i have 2 young children.......

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

Come back out Phil. Please. I was asking that question. Lets say you've got a length of unpeeled black scaly nasty 4140. I guess that's where the centre finder comes into play along with the centre punch. You couldn't use a steady because of the ragged nature of the bar. Between centres would be the way to go. Having a level machine is a prerequisite.

BT

Boy it's dark in there.
Still no problem Bob. Clean a section up near the chuck and turn it around to sit in the steady then centre drill. Repeat for other end if turning between centers.

Phil

... and then there is the option of a cat's head of course..... must make one one day for just this purpose....

crawling back into my hole now....

Originally Posted by jhovel

... and then there is the option of a cat's head of course..... must make one one day for just this purpose....

crawling back into my hole now....

I'm missing something here Joe. What's a cat's head?

You type too quick joe. You beat me by 7 hours. I had plum forgot about a cat head and that's exactly what they are used for, and square and hex and...

Phil

A search for cathead revealed all. A cylindrical sleeve with radial positioning screws .
Simple. Neat.

Cathead

i described one last night but the post is missing.

Attachment 208322

a tip on set up
Pass Along MW

Originally Posted by azzrock

i described one last night but the post is missing.

Attachment 208322

And so is the bottle of Carlton Draught. Obviously not your lathe Aaron.

Originally Posted by azzrock

a tip on set up
Pass Along MW

I don't get it. How are the chuck jaws deflecting the work if the work has been set up in the chuck to run true? And what's the wire doing? Maybe I'm still half asleep.