Tool too high

Hi
I am a new by to lathes etc.
I have a Standaco 1124 which I believe is a Taiwanese Re-branded machine.
I received some tooling with it and after unsuccessfully trying to machine a few bits of mild steel I have found that the tip of the tool sits about 2mm above centre.
The current tools are 16mm or 5/8. I have not seen any tool holder that would suit the 14mm height, so I’m confused.
I’d really appreciate some advice.
Thanks in advance
Ash

Normally you use tools lower than the centre height (ie 1/2") and shim them up, other option is to mill the bottom off your larger tools.

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What style of tool holder ?

Reply would be your second post, and enable you to now post a pix (bug in system
doesn't allow first thread/first post)

You definitely have to be able to make bit/insert edge at and a tad below center, perhaps call and buy tool holder from company.You might use a 1/2" bit with a side shim, and making it tight till you figure it out.

Lathes, Metal Lathes for Sale, CNC, Used, Tools and Accessories

Having a bench grinder you might grind your 5/8 HSS bits to have the cutting edge .070" or so low. Yes just till you get the proper tool holder. Might mill or grind tool holders but then they would be odd and so not be able to sell them.

You might look at other lathes and so discover the true make and not the re-brand name so better to find accessories.

Hi michinganbuck:
You wrote:
"you might grind your 5/8 HSS bits to have the cutting edge .070" or so low".

Did you perchance slip a couple of decimal places by accident?
I can see a tool being 0.0007" low and working out OK.
Even 0.007" low is way too much for the work I do.

I try to get within 0.0005" of center, (biased low for external turning and high for internal turning) but I make pretty small parts too.

Cheers

Marcus
Implant Mechanix • Design & Innovation > HOME
Vancouver Wire EDM -- Wire EDM Machining

Marcus certainly you are right..
Good to be dead on center so when you face you don't leave a nub.

I though the OP said tip of the tool sits about 2mm above centre so I was thinking taking .070" off a 5/8 tool bit would lower the edge about 2mm, so making that edge to part center. Yes just off the the tip so the tool bit body /shank still fits the holder.

Yes 2mm = is about .080 so I should have said .080 to make it right on, or perhaps .100 off if there is some adjustment up wards in the holder.

Gotcha Buck!
Makes sense to me!

Cheers

Marcus
Implant Mechanix • Design & Innovation > HOME
Vancouver Wire EDM -- Wire EDM Machining

OT:
Marcus I like your web site, it looks like a great shop.

If you don't mind my input and if you have an open web page you might add a "Our standard and special parts" page showing many of your most common dental tools.

The normal thing is to choose a combination of tool and tool holder that will work with your lathe. Without a picture or a clear statement about the type of tool holder that you have, it is hard to say what needs to be corrected.

Many tool holders have a way to adjust the height of the tool.

The old fashioned "lantern" style tool post with the tool in an Armstrong style holder is almost infinitely adjustable.

lantern tool post - Bing

But if you had that I doubt that you would be asking this question.

Quick Change tool posts also have adjustments for the height. It is possible that you have one but it is too large for your lathe and the adjustment is out of range.

quick change tool post - Bing

The height adjustment is on the individual tool holders in the form of a thumb nut on a vertical screw in this example. This allows each tool to be adjusted individually for the best result.

I suspect that you have some form of a simple, turret style tool holder.

lathe tool post - Bing

These do not normally have any height adjustment. The tool holder and the tool size are BOTH selected to bring the top of the tool below the center line of the lathe. Then the tool is shimmed up to bring it on center. Actual, physical shims must be used.

I suggest that you look closely for any height adjustment on your present tool holder. If there really isn't one, then you have a bad combination. You need to change either the tool bit size (12mm?) or the size of the holder or both.

Also look under the tool holder to see if it has been shimmed up. If there is a removable shim there, take it out and see haw things are.

This sounds like a used lathe and some tooling was included with the deal. Many used machines are sold by people who do not understand them and, due to that ignorance, the tooling you got may have been ill matched to it.

PS: If you wish to upgrade to a better tool post and want to make your own, you may want to consider my design. It is somewhat easier to make because you do not have to cut any dovetails. It can be sized for your lathe and has all the adjustments. There isn't a faster Quick Change Tool Post anywhere.

Quick Change Tool Post for Lathe - HomemadeTools.net

By the way, this thread will probably be closed. I suggest you read this site's guidelines.

You can also get help here with no danger of being shut down:

General

implmex said:

....

Did you perchance slip a couple of decimal places by accident?
I can see a tool being 0.0007" low and working out OK.
Even 0.007" low is way too much for the work I do.

I try to get within 0.0005" of center, (biased low for external turning and high for internal turning) but I make pretty small parts too.

Click to expand...

How does on control tool height using inserts to within 5 or 7 tenths.
The manufacturing tolerance or the bit with a "G" is +/- 5 thou.
Do you indicate each corner when you index a tool?

Facing to zero is the tit problem put when doing OD work I'll often look at the tool wear and tell the customer to raise or lower the tool 20 to 100 thou.
They look at you as if you have lost your mind and don't get why it works.
Bob

Hi Carbide Bob:
I don't know if you've ever seen pictures of some of the bitsy tiny stuff I turn, but yeah, I have to drop gauge every damned tool and get it right on center if I want to have a chance with it.
All my tooling is custom ground except for one insert boring bar and one insert OD tool both of which are used for roughing on the monster parts.
BTW a monster part for me is 3" long and 1" OD...Real machine shops make chips that are bigger than many of my parts.

I do best when I'll never find my part again if I drop it on the floor, so under those circumstances I have to be pretty anal about my tool orientations.

Cheers

Marcus
Implant Mechanix • Design & Innovation > HOME
Vancouver Wire EDM -- Wire EDM Machining

Hi everyone and thanks for the prompt and enlightening responses.
It seems that I have received with the lathe the wrong tooling. Then having no experience I have purchased more of the same size. No wonder my first few attempts have been quite rough to say the least.
From what EPAIII has said, I definitely have the turret style tool holder, with no obvious adjustment at all.
I have a couple of HSS tools but the majority are the replaceable tip style ones.
Happy for further comment/suggestions.
Thanks and regards
Ash

Pic of lathe, sorry about quality.
Ash

You aren't very far from me if you are near standaco, I'm happy to give you a lathe tutorial if you can come to me in Mentone. Sounds like you don't have anyone to show you the ropes. PM me

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Another simple center finder is to face a part end and when you are nearing the facing center you can easily see it you are above at or below.
Another way is to hold a shim against a part diameter and lightly bump up with your tool bit. top falling away and you are high. top coming toward you and bit is low, shim staying vertical and you are at center.
Another is to hold your fish so it is eyeball horizontal and see the point matches the bit.
Another slip a straight shank center in a scroll chuck and see the bit is at the point.
Another look over the bit to see it matches the tail center.
Another turn a chuck jaw horizontal and eyeball the bit to the center of the jaw (a scribe line can help with this).
likely 5, 10 or more other ways all OK to good.
Using the old lamp style with rocker most of us old timers got used to what ever method was handy for the part, and with a mess of different tool bits had to find center often. I like to run most every thing at near dead on.
Steel and cast iron turning is best served with with bit a tad higher than center but then need add perhaps 2-3* extra clearance so I don't bother.(likely I would/might on a production job)
For larger turning perhaps 1" and over +- .010 is often fine and most should see that by eye. Facing the part end of any size part dead on, small turning work very near or at dead on. Low is better than high because high diminishes clearance.

High and low also changes the rake attitude, That not so good.






ok to good...

Hi Michigan Buck
I have searched and searched for a lathe under another name to get a manual or further info wit no luck. There are some that look very similar but have different spindles speeds etc so may in fact be different.

Thanks mate.
Maybe some kind person may offer to mill them for me ??? Anyone ???

I am happy to, like I said above PM me.

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Hi EPAIII
Thanks for your suggestions. I'm thinking that maybe I should look at changing to a quick change tool post that give me some adjustment room and then I wouldn't need to replace the tooling that I have.
Only problem is I'm a bit hesitant as I might buy the wrong one. Do you have any advice as to how I should go about finding one?
Cheers
Ash