HLV Compound Angle for General Turning

M

majohnson

Cast Iron

Joined

Jan 3, 2013

Location

Erie, CO

• Jan 9, 2020

• #1

With NSPowerlifter post on eccentric pins breaking, I found myself wondering about wear on the base of the compound. And how angling the compound might cause the wear factor to increase on the bottom of the compound.

For general turning what angle is your compound set at?

For threading the manual calls for 60 degrees, which works great for retracting compound. I find myself using the compound slide for a lot general turning, and keep my compound at 45 degrees. It great for cutting up to a shoulder and not running the tool back over the surface you just cut. I feel like it more accurate for me then retracting the crossslide.

 

M

Mark Rand

Diamond

Joined

Jul 9, 2007

Location

UK Rugby Warwickshire

• Jan 9, 2020

• #2

I stick with parallel to the bed for general turning. I find that I don't get marking of the work when winding the carriage back unless the work is too flexible. For threading I use 63°, because that's 7 steps on the Multifix tool-post to bring the tool back to the right angle.

 

J

Jim S.

Hot Rolled

Joined

Sep 4, 2003

Location

South Carolina

• Jan 10, 2020

• #3

I frequently turn with the compound swiveled 30 deg from parallel to the bed to achieve 1/2 reduction of Y axis infeed compared to compound infeed. Reduction in part diameter is direct reading of compound dial.

 

Conrad Hoffman

Diamond

Joined

May 10, 2009

Location

Canandaigua, NY, USA

• Jan 10, 2020

• #4

I have better things to think about. I put it where I need to for threading and wherever I feel like for anything else, usually where it was when threading.

 

rons

Diamond

Joined

Mar 5, 2009

Location

California, USA

• Jan 10, 2020

• #5

Always return parallel to bed after threading.

 

C

CJD

Aluminum

Joined

Aug 28, 2019

• Jan 10, 2020

• #6

Perpendicular to the bed puts my crossfeed and compound controls too close together. Past 50 degrees makes the compound conflict with my tailstock. 30-40 degrees is my normal position, until I need it to cut a specific taper angle.

 

M

majohnson

Cast Iron

Joined

Jan 3, 2013

Location

Erie, CO

• Jan 10, 2020

• #7

Typically I use 45 degrees unless I’m threading. Reading that one post got me wondering if using the compound all the time at an angle can speed up the wear factor. I already resurfaced the bottom of my compound once, plus I know my lathe been rebuilt once.

 

rons

Diamond

Joined

Mar 5, 2009

Location

California, USA

• Jan 11, 2020

• #8

Sometimes the compound number dial does not turn with the hand crank. It looks like an easy adjustment to tighten things up. Isn't that easy over here. Have not had consistent results.
After a little fussing with the nut under the crank the number dial turns, but my method has no procedure just luck.

 

M

Mark Rand

Diamond

Joined

Jul 9, 2007

Location

UK Rugby Warwickshire

• Jan 11, 2020

• #9

rons said:

Sometimes the compound number dial does not turn with the hand crank. It looks like an easy adjustment to tighten things up. Isn't that easy over here. Have not had consistent results.
After a little fussing with the nut under the crank the number dial turns, but my method has no procedure just luck.

Click to expand...

The correct adjustment is to tighten the knurled brake screw in the face of the dial. If that isn't there any more, make one to fit.

 

Jersey John

Stainless

Joined

May 29, 2015

Location

Beccles / Suffolk, United Kingdom

• Jan 11, 2020

• #10

Personally I return the compound to zero (parallel to bed) after threading or applying a small taper.

John

 

rons

Diamond

Joined

Mar 5, 2009

Location

California, USA

• Jan 11, 2020

• #11

Mark Rand said:

The correct adjustment is to tighten the knurled brake screw in the face of the dial. If that isn't there any more, make one to fit.

Click to expand...

The knurled screw is there and gently tightened but the stuff stated in post #8 still happens. I'm going to look into it today.

 

rustytool

Stainless

Joined

Oct 27, 2010

Location

Moscow,Idaho,USA

• Jan 11, 2020

• #12

I didn't think anybody even had a compound on their lathe anymore after Robin Renzetti got rid of his.

 

M

majohnson

Cast Iron

Joined

Jan 3, 2013

Location

Erie, CO

• Jan 15, 2020

• #13

Robin set up is nice and being the machinist he is, it well thought out modification. I prefer to keep my compound, I think it part of what makes the lathe work so well for my application. Granted the eccentric bolt is not the most secure way of mounting the compound. I do a lot of boring and blind hole internal threading, using the sliding compound makes it easier. The other plus to using the sliding compound, I don’t need to dial out and run the chance of dialing back to the wrong number. Since all the bills cut into my profits, I run my lathe conservatively. These lathe were never intended for heavy machining.