Brand new lathe arrived today, now what?

[Blakelidge]

Hi all, first post and I warn you I can waffle.

Anyways, got the burning desire a few months ago to acquire a new lathe for some project I want to develop. I spent months reading forums etc and felt I learned a lot (I suppose I did really) So, seemed I could either get a small cheap mini lathe to start, or a more decent one - I'm a gadget freak so the Chester Comet VS (Sieg C4) seemed the obvious choice and it's well reviewed.
Last night was like Christmas Eve for me, knowing they were delivering today, I anticipated having to open the crate, strip it down and remove all the crud then re-build it. However, it arrive just in bubble-wrap and was already assembled, no unpacking really (maybe I got a display unit, not that I mind)

So, off I set, read the manual, which is completely worthless and installed the QTCP and a cutter. Chucked-up a piece of 1" 6061 Ali tube and made some cuts.

This is where it gets interesting I promise. The cuts were really poor quality, rough as hell and nothing was cut straight, no matter what speed I set or whther I tried a shallow cut, deep cut, slow traverse or quick. I was so disappointed, I thought this was a "precision" tool. Please bear in mind this is my first ever metal lathe. I called Chesteruk and had a chat. They advised I should get some indexable cutters, far better for 6061 seemingly.

Disheartened, I tried an internal cut with the boring bar, the lathe came with 5 foc tools. The cut was horrible, rough and badly tapered, i.e. the internal diameter was 20mm at the end of the tube but 17.5mm just 15mm further in. I also noticed that I could see the tool physically moving off axis as I was cutting. The lathe was also making a weird clunk-clunk sound by now too. P**s-poor. I stopped the machine and opened the gear casing, the middle cog, the one that drives the leadscrew was wagging about like a loose tooth, the bolt that should hold it on was laying in the bottom of the case, weird. I re-fitted it and made it tight, solved that problem. I then grabbed the main carriage and moved it to see of there was any play - yes, lots, in fact there was lots of play on the main carriage, the secondary carriage and on the toolpost carriage, all this added up to around 3mm of play at the toolpoint. I tightened all the bolts I could see but no difference. Well, as they say, if you leave a monkey long enough it could write Shakespeare and I too had my eureka moment when I spotted the tiny adjustable screw with lock-nuts on them and the loose allen key bolts on the main carriage. I tweaked these and the play completely dissapeared. I think this is what "adjusting the gibs" must mean, I didn't learn this from the manual - no mention in there you see. I had to find it out by hours of messing about.

Needless to say, my next cut was like magic, smooth, quiet, accurate and clean. WHAT A BRILLIANT TOOL it now is. I suppose my point is that despite reading for endless hours, nothing beats that hands-on experience of actually having the lathe in front of you to play with. Also, someone at Sieg needs to write a manual for this thing!

Soon I will need to learn threading on it and I'm sure I'll be back asking for newbie help, but that's the good thing about forums, they are full of people who are willing to help the new-starters get going. If you are contemplating buying a lathe, maybe check everything has been tightened up before you start using it, I learned the hard way. Woodworking gear was never this quirky.

Seeya
Dave

[Crevice Reamer]

Hi Dave. Nice first post. Welcome to the Zone!

Congratulations on your new purchase. It sounds like you'll be spending some pleasant time with it.

LBFA to the max! Good work!

How about some pics?

CR.

[Blakelidge]

Me again, I have searched the forums, but unable to find where seems popular to purchase all the sundry bits I will now need, steady rest, indexable tools, 4-way chuck etc. Oh, and a runout gauge I think because how the hell do I get something to sit in the chuck in such a way that the remote end won't wobble like a fish?

Could anyone kindly give me a nudge to a supplier please? I would prefer somewhere around Lancashire UK as I can visit them to see b4 I buy, but otherwise a link to a good online co. would be appreciated.

So far, chronos.co,uk seems reasonable but I've never used em before.

Thanks
Dave

P.S. Lathe piccies will go in here tomorrow, apologies if I am putting this in the wrong forum

[TroyO]

Links to some sites I have found helpfull:

www.littlemachineshop.com

They have "Value packs" of tooling for most of the lathes. I just got an 8x14 and got the tooling package for it. It included the QCTP and indexable bits, boring bars, cutoff tools and other sundry. I also got a handfull of extra QCTP bit holders too. (QCTP is niiiiceeee.....)

Other stuff I have since purchased: Dial Indicator and base... they have a ~$70 set that may have some rust on sale for $14.95. I got one and only found one spec of rust on the main knob. The knob that clamps the indicator was also poorly cut and I will probably replace it. (It works as is, just sloppy... and it's an easy fix.) Overall quality of the rest of it was great. http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...3385&category=

I also got some HSS internal and extrenal threading bits and a "center gauge" used for lining things up for threading.

www.use-enco.com

I ordered a handfull of stuff from them. Shop glasses, layout fluid, center finder rule (So you can mark the center of round stock for drilling and/or using the live centers on long stock.) they also have "stupid-sales" on things pretty often. They had end mills in various sizes from 1/8 to 3/8 for like $4 each, so I got those also... even though I don't have a mill, LOL. (Plan to try some drill press milling.)

I know neither of those are UK sources, but maybe the shipping won't be horrible?

[Oldmanandhistoy]

Hi Dave,

I buy from Chronos and am happy with them.

Another I use now and again is http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/

If I think of any more I will post here.

John

[TroyO]

Ohh, I almost forgot...

While you can get chucks, live centers, steady rests, etc from LittleMachineShop they didn't have very competitive pricing on that type of stuff. I got my machine from Harbor Freight and found out that you can order the steady and follow rests, 4 jaw chuck and faceplate from them for 40-50% less than LMS. Some things like the chuck may be higher quality at LMS, but the rests and stuff are made by the same supplier.

From Harbor Freight you have to call the parts department and order the stuff that way, they don't have stock numbers or anything.

You may fnd the same thing from the place you bought yours if they have a similar system.

[Blakelidge]

Thanks for the help guys, Chronos it is then. I have filled my online basket ready to buy. Just one final question, part of my order includes a set of Glanze indexable tools, 10mm. My lathe was supplied with 5 foc carbide cutters at 8mm.

I have measured my toolpost and it seems it is capable of accepting tools up to 16mm (the gap is 16.75mm) so, have I made an error selecting 10mm tools? or can I use anything from 6-16mm on the lathe?

My limited knowledge kicking in! but I would guess that the higher the shank size, the less prone the tool will be to chatter. Please advise before I order the wrong gear. And I do appreciate the help.

Dave

P.S. Last time I tried ordering something from U.S. it was siezed at UK customs and they banged me for a "handling fee" and import duty, pretty much put me off trying again

[Oldmanandhistoy]

Have you seen the quick change tool posts? http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalo...he-Accessories

I also think you need a good book or time searching the net about using a lathe

The tool must be set at the right hight (cutting tip centre hight of part).

So you need a tool that is at least lower than that and then shim or use an adjustable tool post.

John

[kawazuki]

If you got the same QCTP that Chester supplied me, then 16mm tools will not be suitable. The holders may hold them ok but you won't be able to drop them low enough to get the cutting edge on the spindle / part centreline. I use 6 and 8mm tooling which works fine - even 10mm maybe to large?

Glanze are very good tools - i'd buy one 10mm to try before blowing yer wad on a set that may not be suitable!

[Blakelidge]

Hi, sorry no pics yet but there will be some soon. I`m happy to report that I found a local place that sells tooling, real quality stuff tho so it's not cheap. Anyhow, I was amazed how pretty useless the lathe alone was, everyone was right, the lathe is just part of the adventure.
Well, so far had a real sttep learning curve and, as I said before, you deff learn quicker by doing rather than reading, true in my case anyway. The new 10mm idexed tools are a huge leap compared to the foc stuff that came with the lathe, they slice through aluminium with ease, quiet, smooth, no chatter and a mirror finish is no effort with them.

This lathe is so precise I am genuinely shocked. At first I found it hard to chuck things so they ran parralel to the bed, mainly as I am using short pieces for my project, but I have learned to set them up against the line of the cutter as a guide and that seems to work well, lasers would be a cool aid for this as it's still a bit of a pain, but getting easier/quicker each time. I completed my first prototype today and it's turned out way in excess of my expectations. One other thing I found is my arm is still sore from all the handle spinnig I've been doing, so, dolt wanna run before I can walk, but I feels a cnc conversion on my horizon. I think I heard that therels a mini lathe conversion kit, so I'll research that soon.

Turning lumps of ali into beautiful shiny functional items should not be this much fun surely?

I know I'm not really in a position to comment on the blessings of the c4, but I can say it has bags of power, the powered ways are also really cool. One dissapointment is that the internal bolt that holds on thecog that drives the lead screw sheared off today, no reason for it, nothing jammed or anything, it just appears to have given up, weird, first I knew was when I heard the cog fall off into the gear housing, luckily thlathe is still running ok, albeit the leadscrew is now static, I'll ring Chsteruk on monday, hopefully they can provide a replacement. Is it a common failling for this bolt to shear or have I just been unlucky?

Ok, I'm calling it a day for now and thanks for your replies, I appreciate the help.

Dave

[mike100]

Hi Blakelidge, someone mentioned littlemachineshop which is a good source for everything minilathe. Try this link for a good user manual. http://www.littlemachineshop.com/Inf...UsersGuide.pdf

[Blakelidge]

Hi, Is it true that on my Sieg C4 I can thread simply by using the forward and reverse travel button? I note there is no thread dial, but I never thought by hitting reverse the thing would track back accurately along the screw pitch, anyone familiar with this?

It's annoying that I can't try out the technique as I'm still waiting for the replacement snapped bolt so my leadscrew is stationary just now.

Thanks
Dave