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Setting Up Lathe Cuttings Tools

Gerry1972

Plastic
Joined
Jun 12, 2004
Location
LONDON
Hello,
Its been 17 years since I touched a lathe and Ive got hold of a clarke cl500m lathe/milling machine. I got a six pack of cutting tools, dont really know what most of them do! but when loading a cutting tool I couldnt remember what to do! Do you have to centre the tooling to the chuck or metal your cutting? can someone go through the process of setting up the lathe tooling!!!


thanks

gerry
 
your cutter height should be set to the exact center line of the line that would go through the chuck to the tailstock, if centers were in each end. for example, put a 1" round bar in the chuck and tighten. Using a 6" scale, or similar size piece of steel, rest the scale against the side of the bar. Move the bit up to the scale until the bit can hold the scale with slight pressure. Move the bit higher or lower, until the scale is perfectly upright. When this is done, the bit is at the right height for most all work. Next, visualize whether the bit is angled toward the headstock at an angle which would cause it to dig in to the work if you let the compound swing freely. Set it to where it will not dig in ( swing the compound away from the headstock).

[This message has been edited by gvasale (edited 06-13-2004).]
 
The easiest way to set your tool height right on center, is to level it up with the tailstock center....point to point, then just rotate it around into cutting position.
 
Something we used to do in machine shop 101 was to put a 6" steel rule between the tip of the cutting tool and the workpiece. the rule should be vertical or just very slightly tilted in for proper tool height.
 
Hint,
If you set your tool tip height just slightly below center exact tool sharpening will be less of an issue. As you become more proficient at tool tip shaping (or purchase preshaped cutters)then setting the tip to center with a 6" rule is a great way to go.
 








 
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