Hi from Hull

[Richard Callaghan 1Participant @richardcallaghan1]

[Richard Callaghan 1Participant @richardcallaghan1]

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Hi my name is Richard.

I started my career an apprentice joiner in 1985. After this, I trained as a locksmith as I found that it was a rewarding and satisfying career move which I enjoyed and still do to this day. I learnt my locksmithing skills during the period from 1996 to 2001 training under a master locksmith namely Tom Steel of Steels locksmiths Hull. Tom was the first Master locksmith in Hull and began trading in 1979. He encouraged me to join the Master locksmith association. In 2008 I qualified as a master locksmith.

As I have flitted between both the locksmith and joinery trade I probably understand wood better that metal. A few years back I bought a small used milling machine. This has served me well and I have made some useful tools for my trade on this. After wanting a metal lathe for a long time I have finally managed to find a used Clarke CL500. I have not used a lathe since I was at school so I am hoping to get some advice on here.

First and foremost I need some tooling as the lathe only came with 2 dead centres. Would it be best to buy carbide inserts or the other type. Should I buy a set or just one or two to get me started. I would like a knurling tool to enable me to make thumb turns for the end of my picks but there are many available. These will be made out of 25mm round bar, around 10mm thickness with a 3mmish hole through the centre. So for now I am thinking I only need a knurling tool and a parting off tool. This will be a small project to get me back into using a lathe. After this a have lots more tools I would like to make

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

Hello Richard and welcome. You will doubtless get many opinions on the tooling, a lot depends on how confident you are at making your own cutting tools and if you have a grinder for resharpening. If so then I would go for just the ready made tools that you need and add to them as the need arises.

Otherwise, the carbide inserts mean that you don't have to worry about resharpening and they are likely to last a long time on the materials normally used in model engineering. Again, I would only buy what you need immediately.

There are different types of knurling tools, one relies on exerting pressure against the spindle bearings and these I would avoid. The other type relies on exerting the pressure via a thumbscrew and put no pressure on the spindle

bearings, this is the one to go for.

Did the lathe come with chucks?

Brian

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi Richard welcome to the forum. You need a drill chuck a few center drills as well as turning tools. The part off tool is not easy to use as it has to be on center height as over center it will rub and if it below center it will grab and possibly climb over blade. Have a look on ARC eurotrade tool supliers web site.

https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Cutting-Tools/Knurling-Tools/12mm-Clamp-Type-Knurling-Tool

David

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Welcome to the forum Richard

H

[Steve King 5Participant @steveking5]

Welcome pal

Im also in hull (Bilton) a hobbyists myself. And very much a beginner. A bench grinder would be handy to grind your own HSS lathe tools. HSS is a lot cheaper the the carbide insert style of cutting tool. I myself like to make tools. Some of the Harold hall books would help you in making tooling. I probably have a insert tool with some tips from my old smaller lathe you can have to get you started.

Thanks

Steve

[Andy CarlsonParticipant @andycarlson18141]

Welcome.

I'd go for HSS and learning to grind your own. Sherline have a handy guide online…

https://sherline.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/grinding.pdf

I still bought a set of HSS tools because things like boring tools, internal threading tools and parting tools are either tricky to grind with a standard wheel or need a lot of metal removing. Probably half of the my set remains unused though.

As others have said, add to your tooling as and when you have a job that needs it (ahem… like none of us ever overbuy tooling just in case).

Have fun.

Regards, Andy

[Richard Callaghan 1Participant @richardcallaghan1]

Thank you for all your replies and all the advice is great to have.

The lathe did not come with a centre chuck so this is another tool to add to my list. I have looked at the arceurotrade site before as I was thinking of buying the seig lathe from them. I didn’t realise that the sold all the tooling as well so I think I will use these. I do have a grinder to sharpen my chisels etc so hopefully I should be ok sharpening my own cutting tools. Thanks again for the advice

Richard

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

I started not so long ago. I was advised to use HSS tooling & learn to sharpen them. I pretty much ignored the advise & bought a ton of inserted tip tooling.

I must say i use them a lot & they are great. There is many times however that i use the HSS i have.

Insert tooling is great for taking great cuts at speed. But sometimes if you want a nice finish on a item , then you cannot beat a HSS sharpened to your liking. You can put a steady radius on the tool , or even create your own radius. Something that an insert will not do. Good luck.

Steve.

[Richard Callaghan 1Participant @richardcallaghan1]

Whoops I forgot to mention . Steve, thanks for your kind offer I will pm you .

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