New member – mid 50s Zyto Lathe

[peterriversParticipant @peterrivers]

Hi all

I’m joining to share learnings. I have a Zyto that I tend to do more work on than with. Getting pretty good results on things non ferrous. Steel is a learning curve for me. Larger diameters are pretty slow and I’m working on improving surface finishes.

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Welcome Peter. There are plenty here who will be able to offer advice on the use of a lathe. As a VERY rough guide to cutting steel, 100Feet a minute , so take the diameter and multiply by Pi or just 3. Eg 3″ dia = .785′ or.75′ /100 = 130 RPM FCBMS will ok but tough stuff will be slower and on a small lathe light cuts, 5 or 10 thou. How it looks or feels will be the best guide to depth of cut. Good luck, Noel.

[peterriversParticipant @peterrivers]

Thanks Noel!

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Welcome!

As you see, help and advice is always available.

The Zyto may be elderly, but many a good tune played on an old fiddle.

Look at the work turned out on old machines. An ex working colleague can produce better work on a 100+ year old Drummond than I can on a 2003 machine.  Which days a lot about my skill, or lack of it!

If you need face to face help, where are you located?

Learning to feed slowly and steadily is a skill to be learned, and will stand you in good stead.

As Noel says, light cuts, and with a sharp tool mounted at centre height is the way to go.

Howard

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