I've been a mechanic for over 30 years and wouldn't dream of saying I knew everything about cars. I'm learning every day, and teaching the younger guys. I find that I can learn as much or by helping them as I could learn by reading or other ways of obtaining knowledge. When I was a teenager I learned by taking things apart and figuring out how they work, still do. If I broke something in the process that meant I had to learn how to fix it. Drill, easy out. Drill out broken easy out, ect… That being said, I can appreciate how some people feel when others that don't know ask what seem to be silly questions. I then ask; How are they supposed to find the correct answers? Or where to find the correct answers?
I purchased an old 9" that I had to take apart to get in my basement. I didn't even know it was an SB lathe until I starting cleaning it up. Then I found this treasure trove of information called The Practical Machinist Forum and have already get helped by some very fine people. Swells put up a link to the "How to Run a Lathe" from 1930. The year my lathe had been built. I had no idea where to find this type of information without his help. Didn't even know it existed.
Sorry for the long rant, but I see that James only has the 1 post. Which means he may not be back. He may have had information that could have helped the next guy.