I’ve just started metal working too.

The best starter book I’ve found is Model Engineering: A foundation course by Peter Wright. It covers just about everything you’ll need to know to get started and is very well written. It also has the virtue of being relatively recently written, unlike some of the ‘standard’ books people will recommend that are almost 100 years old. A book you’ll refer back to again and again.

For a great introduction series on video, I’d recommend the Blondihacks channel on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@Blondihacks/playlists
Whilst she uses bigger kit that you’ve (and I’ve) got, the information is good, well paced and very well made. Well worth your time to watch.

When you say brass modelling is this akin to hand turning, gravers etc?

Other books on a reading list for a total newbie would be

Stan Bray “Basic Lathework” or “The Compact lathe” (He used a Toyo).

Harold Hall ” Lathework, A Complete Course”

You might find Tubal Cain’s “Model Engineer’s handbook” a useful reference, from time to time.

You may find a set of Zeus Charts useful, also. (Still using mine from 1958!)

Before attempting anything “For real”; just cut some metal to gain experience of the machines and their abilities.

Bear in mind that work or tools that extend a long way will flex. so keep things as short and rigid as possible. In that way, you will spend less time trying to correct tapers!

Don’t worry about trying to match industrial speeds and feeds. You have lightweight hobby machines, and are not on piecework. Just get used to the machines and cutting metal. In that way, you will learn what works best for you, your machines, and the material that you are machining.

Practice turning the handwheels to give a slow steady feed for a good finish on the finishing cut.

You will need to measure what you are making, so need a digital calliper. This will cover a range of sizes, and can be switched from Metric to Imperial at the press of a button.

Obviously, you will need to drill holes, (and probably to bore them larger) so if you don’t have one, you will need a drill chuck for the tailstock, centre drills, jobber drills and no doubt, a boring bar. A 6 mm shank boring bar will fit into a 9 mm hole to open it up.

Boring bars flex so taking additional cuts without altering anything (Spring cuts) will remove metal. Also, don’t expect to take such deep cuts with a boring bar as you would with a normally mounted tool. Sticking out a long way from the tool post, they are less rigid (Hence the need for spring cuts),

If you are making lamps for mains powered ones, you will need a set of Metric thread gauges.

HTH

Howard

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

When you can, a picture or two would be nice (Of you lamps or designs).

Good luck……….