Lathe arriving – source some practice materials

[starjumpParticipant @starjump]

@JasonB Thank you, I hear you! I expect small scale tool-making will take up most of the first six months or more as look to do simple things to improve, I’ll try to fit some non-round stock in to the chuck and the order.

[starjumpParticipant @starjump]

@jasonb Thank you, I’m sure that you are right. As simple tool-making projects will probably take up most of my time for quite a period, I’ll invest in some square/hex stock and endeavour to use it in the 4-jaw chuck.

[starjumpParticipant @starjump]

Ooops! Sorry I’m now duplicating posts having lost some completely! Apologies.

[starjumpParticipant @starjump]

Can anyone suggest a free cutting steel that also welds please?

I did a Google search and EN3B came up as a mild steel that welds apparently the sulphur content makes EN1A difficult and the lead makes it near impossible to weld EN1APb.

I have no idea, but it does go against the grain to order steel that can’t be welded! (I have access to welding equipment at work and brazing equipment at home).

If it has to be then Harold Hall suggests marking the project stock with “FC” seems like a good idea.

 

Thank you again, Starjump.

 

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

You can braze/silver solder EN1A

EN3 or EN32 are still reasonable to machine so go with those if you want to weld it too.

There are not that many Model Engineers that have the need to weld machined parts, but again depends what you are making. I have welded EN1A but not in safety critical uses but it stays together for say a fabricated engine frame

[starjumpParticipant @starjump]

Brill, thank you Jason!

Yes, I’m probably making things more complicated than they need to bStarjump

[Howard Lewis]

On Howard Lewis Said:

Just change one factor at a time,

Which is precisely why I suggest using known materials, preferably free cutting ones.

The beginner has quite enough cognitive burden on them, trying to get feeds and speeds, sensible DOCs, tool geometries, and getting the hang of the constraints and quirks of their lathe, without the problem of mystery metal thrown into the bargain.

[not done it yet]

On not done it yet Said:

All good suggestions/info above.

 

All I can add is my experience when I started turning metal, some 35 years ago.

My first experience of a lathe was with a very old machine that actually worked, even though in a poor condition visually.  I turned down a pin for a friend in order to get over an urgent problem.

I later bought a new chinese lathe – rather than a second hand lathe – because I thought it would readily find my deficiencies rather than being due to the lathe.  How wrong I was!  I later purchased a cheap Raglan Mkll, which served me well (when I finally got round to installing it).

I eventually bought a good Raglan 5” which, I am sure, will see me out.

Practice metals were mainly aluminium round bar from a college with an engineering department and steel from the scrap bin of a small agricultural business.  I’ve never used free-cutting steel (containing Lead) because I often needed to weld bits together.  I am lucky enough to have a small kiln, so am able to anneal small steel or cast iron parts, if necessary.

I don’t actually make models as my hobbies involved repairs/restoration at a scale of twelve inches to the foot!

BTW, given suitable grades of Aluminium, the main cause of metal sticking to the cutter is excessive heat, often caused by a poorly sharpened cutter.  Sharp cutters and good cooling with paraffin based lube/cooling usually gets over that problem.🙂

Good advice here. I started with a Chinese mini lathe and it took me about a year of adjusting, fettling, and some focused upgrades to get it to comfortably cut without chatter, and be able to reliably hit dimensions.

I then bought a Taiwanese Warco 9×20 (Warco 918) and after doing the donut mod, it’s been good as gold. Recently picked up a 1HP 3PH motor and VFD from Inverter Drive Supermarket, so that’s on the backlog and I’m going to add a reverse tumbler when I get round to it.

Just to mention EN1A is free cutting and doesn’t have lead.  It’s sulphurised, which helps the machinability.  Still can’t weld it, though.

To be fair  free cutting steels are generally poor weld candidates.  Leaded steels as you say are pretty much unweldable, but the sulphurised ones are very tricky.  Something to do with sulphur having a low melting point.

[starjumpParticipant @starjump]

I’ve ordered EN1A from Mac Models – I’m here for advice and to learn machining – so I’ll go with the consensus and not over-complicate things. I also ordered a little brass CZ121 and aluminium 6082T6 for variety.

I joined the forum to learn and all of your answers have helped hugely already – many thanks!

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

I visited Rapid metals in Redditch quite often and was allowed to mooch among the stock for bits and pieces.

I Went there last week and was told that due to an accident the public are no longer allowed on the shop floor via entrance at the rear and have to go in the front entrance where you have to ask them to look for what you want standing at the counter. This doesn’t really work if you usually buy bits and pieces of “this could be useful ” other than what you went in for in the first place

[Author]

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