First time poster here, and new to machining!

[Patio]

I had the honor of meeting Harold tonight. He came over and help set up my lathe, and answer some of my many questions.
Thanks Harold!
After Harold left I couldn't help my self, had to make some chips. So here is my first attempt at making a thread. I actually started to just thread and then realized that I had no where for the tool to go at the end. Also I don't have a threading dial yet. So I disconnected the lead screw from the spindle, increased the speed and manually made the relief at the end of the thread, Then I worked the gearing by hand to get the spindle and lead screw connected back up in the proper relationship to each other to continue on cutting the thread. Live and learn. I will cut the relief first next time.
This is a 6 thread/inch on about a 1" 12L14 stock. I wasn't trying for anything in particular, just giving it a go for the first time.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8A ... directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jY ... directlink

[ken572]

Pat,

WOW! Very fine Workmanship.

Ken.

[Harold_V]

We had an enjoyable session leveling the lathe and exchanging views. It's nice to have someone near that shares a common interest.

Pat appears to have a good grasp on concepts in the shop. It won't be long until he's turning out excellent work.

Great job on that bastard thread, by the way. It's much harder to chase coarse leads than fine ones, so if you an do a 6 pitch with comfort, you should be fine with most threads you'll encounter.

There is an option to a threading relief. It can be exercised with or without a threading dial. When you approach the end, you quickly pull out with the cross slide. If you had a threading dial, you'd disengage the half nuts at the same time, all in one smooth motion. That allows for threading to a shoulder.

Without the threading dial, you'd stop the spindle, reverse the machine, get back to the end of the part, re-set the cross slide (to 0), add some feed by the compound and start running towards the chuck again. Repeat until the thread is to size, taking the final pass or two by feeding only the cross slide. That insures a cleanup on both flanks of the thread. These cuts are best when no deeper than a couple thou each, maximum.

A little tip than can be useful. When you make a threading setup, it's helpful to have the handle on the cross slide set at 10:00 when it zeros. That way when you have to pull out when threading to a shoulder, it's always a simple, fast, downturn of the handle. If nothing else, you build a habit that can bail you out when under stress----like when threading to a shoulder!

Harold

[EdK]

Pat,

Nice job on your first thread. 12L14 sure machines nice. I think I turned my first threads on it also. I believe it was a 1/2-13 thread.

Ed

[JackF]

at,

Nice thread, pun intended. If you ever get up this way stop by for a visit. Check your in box for a PM.

Jack.

[GlennW]

Very nice!!

Congrats on getting the machine set up and running

[Patio]

Thanks for all the kind words.

I am now focused on getting a chuck, HSS tooling and a grinder set up before I can do much more.
The grinder and tooling thing is a lot like the chicken and the egg story. I need to machine and adapter so I can grind some tooling so I can make some more adapters to make some more tooling. I will get worked through it all, just takes time. I am lucky enough to have people around me who are willing help.

This all started because I want to make some simple parts for a couple of motorcycles I have, and at this rate, I am getting further from the bikes, in time and money. The bikes were the intended winter projects, which is a good thing to have during the winter months in Washington State. I will get worked through that too soon enough.

Thanks again for all the encouragement.

Pat P.

[seal killer]

Pat--

The bikes were the intended winter projects

Ha! Your new winter project is the lathe!

Merry Christmas!

--Bill

[Harold_V]

You two need to exchange pictures of bikes. You have much in common.

Harold

[Patio]

Made the leap.
Backing plate, 4 jaw chuck, HSS blanks and grinding wheel are all ordered.
Now to wait for the big brown truck.

Here is picture of one of my bikes, at the moment it is in many pieces, as Harold can confirm.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Z5 ... directlink
A lot of the shiny stuff is polished aluminium.

[seal killer]

Pat--

I bet you have fun on that! What is a "long" ride for you on that baby? I have discovered all rides get longer the older I get!

Here is a picture of my bike.

Some shiny stuff.

And a wheel.

--Bill
ps Thanks, Harold!

[Patio]

Hi Seal Killer
For the long rides I have a 2000 Road King. This past summer I spent 25 days and 7200 miles on it. The chopper I might do a couple hundred on in a day. It is a 1974 Sportster.

What year is your sportster?