Thread: Chatter, chatter .... grrrr ..... chatter

tea lady - do you have photo's of the work that you did to reinforce your headstock?

Also, I've been using a (1/4" - I think) spindle gouge with a fairly 'pointy' grind to do the hollowing. NB: though I did take to it with my 1/2" bowl gouge when it first started chattering, to see if that would also chatter ... and guess what ... it did.
in both the pine and myrtle, I've only got in about 5mm(ish) with torn grain, and a 'lovely' wavey pattern in the myrtle ... ... my tool rest is set 2-4mm away from the end of the work piece (ie. as close as possible).

John Lucas - I've got the very thing. A short section I cut off theend of the myrtle blank (approx 2" long). I'll stick that in the G3, and see how it goes.

I also don't expect the tool to be too far in or hanging too far over the rest, as I've got the rest as close as possible, and have only cut approx 5mm into the endgrain.

There is always the possibilty that there is some vibration in the tool rest, however as I mentioned earleir, when I pulled/pushed on the end of the blank, I could see it 'move' off centre.

Not sure about the bearings, but there is no distinct 'bearings' noise.

Thanks again
TT

below are to photo's of the lathe in question




PS - doesn't chatter when cutting across the grain

Hi Thumb Trimmer,
I haven't read all of the replies, but I think it is the Lathe that is the problem.
Those particular Lathes, Bounce Like Corks.
Now, that is my experience with them.
The only other point is, Does your Flute on the Bowl Gouge Face you or away from you,
as it should be.
Regards,
issatree.
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Hi issatree,

When hollowing a bowl, the flute faces away from me.
When I was trying to hollow the 'bowl' of the goblet, using R.Raffans technique, I had the flute facing me.

TT

I presume that the lathe has a metal base that the head stock housing is mounted on and the tail of the bed is attached to. Also the lathe bed is only held to the headstock body by a bracket and 2 bolts similar at the tail end of the bed to the base.

There would be sufficient flex in such an arrangement to get that off centre movement you mentioned.

It may pay to make a steel bracket that links the lathe bed to the base and to the head stock body.

Just a passing thought.

That's the same as my old lathe. One thing is to bolt it onto the bench, this will alleviate it, but it still is really only good for converting it into a sander.


Peter.

Sturdee - You probably can't see it in the photo's, but it is bolted down in three places (either side) along its length.

Cultana - I think I understand what you're getting at, but don't see how that would stiffen up the headstock???

regards
TT

For those who have owned one of these style lathes; when you upgraded, what did you upgrade to?
Given my tight financial controller, I was thinking of getting a MC900.
What say you?

thanks in advance
TT

G'day TT

Yep, I started with the same lathe and had the same problems. Flex in the bed is the major problem. Easily demonstrated by tightening up the tailstock and watching the end of your piece of timber raise up from the bed as the tailstock tilts back A quick demo to SWMBO should help your cause toward a new lathe

I upgraded to the MC1100 and never looked back. Having said that, I have done a lot of work in tuning up the lathe by removing sideways travel in tailstock and alignment of head and tail.https://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/mc1...ck-woes-93750/, All in all, a great entry level lathe at an affordable price and easy to obtain extras for. Or make them yourself as the case may be.

Originally Posted by thumb trimmer

For those who have owned one of these style lathes; when you upgraded, what did you upgrade to?
Given my tight financial controller, I was thinking of getting a MC900.
What say you?

thanks in advance
TT

My 1st lathe was a home-made job powered by a washing machine motor and it was even more flexible than what you have. I went to an MC900 from there and thought it was the bees-knees until it's shortcomings started to hinder my progress so I ended up stepping up to my Stubby only a year or two later. My advice - If you are already hooked on turning, don't beat around the bush, get something that's going to see you out. Explain to the financial controller that if you had a hobby like car racing, marlin fishing or aerobatic flying, it would cost many times more - a good quality lathe is an absolute bargain in comparison - and what financial controller can resist a bargain!

Originally Posted by thumb trimmer

Sturdee - You probably can't see it in the photo's, but it is bolted down in three places (either side) along its length.

Cultana - I think I understand what you're getting at, but don't see how that would stiffen up the headstock???

regards
TT

First it will lock the head stock, the lathe bed and the base at one place and should thus reduce the flex you indicate. The current arrangement allows this flex as it is not at the same place and cross bolted.

Also if possible you should add extra bolts through the lathe bed in the head stock housing to the table base you have. It is only bolted along the length of the base under the lathe bed and tail end of that bed.

Well if you want to travel the MC900 way I would suggest go the MC1100 way. Just a longer bed but better having the extra length for that occasional situation.

As thefixer said the MC collection can have their problems. I got an MC1100 and possibly by luck and after much measurement and cross checking don't have the same problems as thefixer had with his tail stock. Others have had head stock issues. Seems I have avoided theses so far as well.

But I did have to throw away the live centre that came with the lathe as the bearing went within a month of use. I was going to get a new live centre anyway so it was no big deal.

All I can say is if you go the MC path do all necessary checks ie floppy tailstock head stock etc ASAP and if not suitable get the dealer to do the replacement. You should be able to check head stock and tail stock flex etc in the shop anyway.

Cultana - I'll have a look at that ... hmmmm ... but probably not tonight, might be a weekender job.

TTIT - my financial controller was never and still is not a shopper (one of the reasons I married her), so the bargain bit won't likely work. ... And it was my b'day the end of last month, and I 'suggested' that she buy me a new lathe, which was strongly rebutted.

oh well ... I'll give the bolt it down more things a go, and see if that improves it some.

regards
TT

Originally Posted by thumb trimmer

Hi issatree,

When hollowing a bowl, the flute faces away from me.
When I was trying to hollow the 'bowl' of the goblet, using R.Raffans technique, I had the flute facing me.

TT

That is right. A "normal" bowl that has the grain running perpendicular to the shaft you can actually hollow either way, cos the grain will always by backwards half the time anyway. But an "end grain" bowl of the type that is part of a goblet is hollowed from the center to the edge (Ie: down the grain ), with the flute facing you. You can use a spindle gouge or a detail gouge too. I find they actually work better that a bowl gouge in this situation cos the "wings" aren't in so much danger of digging in as you come near the walls of the bowl.