Lathe/Mill questions...

scheistermeister · 04-27-2006, 02:53 PM

i personally dont know anything about them. id love to know more, but im more of the hands on type. i was wondering if i was to get one is it something i would be able to fumble around with and sorta teach myself through playing with it and asking questions online? or would buying one with no experience be amazingly retarded and i should stay away before i loose some fingers?

Pogo · 04-27-2006, 03:04 PM

Your best bet would be to enroll in a course at a local vocational tech school in my opinion if you are just wanting to learn the basics so that you can do a few things of your own.

scheistermeister · 04-27-2006, 03:39 PM

the thing with that though is that it would conflict with my other classes im taking.

pistol-packin-wifey · 04-27-2006, 03:50 PM

from seeing the stuff cheezy works with at gunschool......i would not waste the money on buying one til you are trained to use it.

i don't think you can "fumble" around and figure out something like that without the good possiblity of losing a limb!!

did you buy a vise yet?

scheistermeister · 04-27-2006, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pistol-packin-wifey

from seeing the stuff cheezy works with at gunschool......i would not waste the money on buying one til you are trained to use it.

i don't think you can "fumble" around and figure out something like that without the good possiblity of losing a limb!!

did you buy a vise yet?

well, i taught myself everything i know about computers without the internet. ive rebuilt a motor, suspension and other stuff with no prior experience or someone showing me how. im usually pretty good at figuring things out.

as for the vise, nope, still havent gotten one. Cephus 's idea of using a C-clamp has worked well for me. i have NEEDED one yet and have been able to improvise so i figure i shouldnt spend money on that now... plus i like to buy the expensive stuff first!

dabomb · 04-27-2006, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scheistermeister

would buying one with no experience be amazingly retarded?

Heck no it wouldn't be retarded. While a bit of formal training would certainly be a good thing, very few of the gunsmiths that I've ever known (both hobbyists and professionals) had any formal machinists training whatsoever.

A lathe, in its basic use, is actually a pretty simple tool to operate. There are lots of little "tricks" to be learned regarding set-ups, cutters, speeds-n-feeds, etc., but these techniques are usually best picked up, through trial-and-error, by just "doin' it".

The mill is a slightly more difficult tool to learn, primarily because the "set-up" is usually a bit more complicated and the speeds-n-feeds are a bit more critical, but, hey, if he'd had one, even a caveman could have done it.

There are hundreds of books and dozens of web-sites that will tell you everything (and more) about machining metal than you would ever really need to know. There are also lots of machining and hobby gunsmithing forums with scads of knowledgable folks that are more than happy to help out a novice.

There are numerous mini-lathes and mini-mills available today which are an excellent way to learn the "basics" of working metal without having to outlay huge sums of money or dedicate large amounts of space.

Dangerous? Well, so's driving a car. I've been running a lathe and a mill, of one sort or another, for nearly twenty years (all self-taught), and I still have all ten fingers.

Take a run over to HomeGunsmith.com and have a look around. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions, but don't tell 'em that I sent ya.

All good . . . Doug . . .

Pogo · 04-27-2006, 06:16 PM

Doug,

I don't even have a metal lathe. But, I've fitted two FAL barrels to new actions using my wood lathe. I made jigs that would fit my face plate on my wood lathe and for the live center, and cut the shoulder down so that I could tighten the barrel down until the sights pointed straight up. And I got them to fit perfectly.

I'm starting to sound like Cephus now.

He's quite the improviser.

Cephus · 04-27-2006, 06:26 PM

Hell I have to imprevise if I want anything !!! LOL
As long as it works ,try this site Schmister and see if ya think it's for you it has alot of other places ya can go and check it out !!

http://www.varmintal.com/alath.htm#Milling_Attachment

I had a friend that had a machine shop that got me started back in High school !!!

scheistermeister · 04-27-2006, 08:45 PM

so what would be better for my purpose (anything i want to do to a gun and making smaller parts for cars [brackets, ect.]). a mini-lathe or a regular lathe?

Cephus · 04-28-2006, 01:04 AM

it sounds to me like ya want a lathe and a milling machine .
Lathe for gun work !!
Mill for small parts making !!
With a lathe ya want something that has a spindle hole at least 3/4 and an 1"
would be better !! Centers should be 24" or more !! That should do for most gun work !!!

scheistermeister · 04-28-2006, 05:07 AM

thanks for the info! ill have to put that on the list of things to get when i get the chance!

pistol-packin-wifey · 04-28-2006, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scheistermeister

well, i taught myself everything i know about computers without the internet. ive rebuilt a motor, suspension and other stuff with no prior experience or someone showing me how. im usually pretty good at figuring things out.

as for the vise, nope, still havent gotten one. Cephus 's idea of using a C-clamp has worked well for me. i have NEEDED one yet and have been able to improvise so i figure i shouldnt spend money on that now... plus i like to buy the expensive stuff first!

i was just messin with you about the vise!!!

wow.....from what others said i guess you could teach yourself.....but those machines bite! be careful

scheistermeister · 04-28-2006, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pistol-packin-wifey

wow.....from what others said i guess you could teach yourself.....but those machines bite! be careful

that they do... one thing ive always been parinoid with around saws and all my uncles wood working equipment was loosing a finger. saws still creep me out... but that hasnt stopped me from putting a circular saw blade on a highspead grinder before! now that thing looked like a wicked finger eater! needless to saw after about 3 minutes of using it i realized how retarded i was for even thinking about it and stopped.

pistol-packin-wifey · 04-28-2006, 05:20 AM

:lol you crazy!

04-27-2006, 02:53 PM	#1
scheistermeister Throbbing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5,727	Lathe/Mill questions... i personally dont know anything about them. id love to know more, but im more of the hands on type. i was wondering if i was to get one is it something i would be able to fumble around with and sorta teach myself through playing with it and asking questions online? or would buying one with no experience be amazingly retarded and i should stay away before i loose some fingers? __________________ There are 10 types of people - Those who understand binary, and those who don't. Remember, kids... When choosing a career path: Mechanical Engineers make weapons, Civil Engineers make targets.

04-27-2006, 03:04 PM	#2
Pogo Mystic Knight of the Sea Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Great Swamp Posts: 81,997	Your best bet would be to enroll in a course at a local vocational tech school in my opinion if you are just wanting to learn the basics so that you can do a few things of your own. __________________ .................................................. ....................................… *We have met the enemy, and he is us!*

04-27-2006, 03:50 PM	#4
pistol-packin-wifey Southern Gun Girl Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 7,058	from seeing the stuff cheezy works with at gunschool......i would not waste the money on buying one til you are trained to use it. i don't think you can "fumble" around and figure out something like that without the good possiblity of losing a limb!! did you buy a vise yet? __________________ Remember Thermopylae, ye who would be tyrants...MOLON LABE!!!

04-27-2006, 06:26 PM	#8
Cephus The OLD COOT one and only Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Glovers Gap WV Posts: 10,277	Hell I have to imprevise if I want anything !!! LOL As long as it works ,try this site Schmister and see if ya think it's for you it has alot of other places ya can go and check it out !! http://www.varmintal.com/alath.htm#Milling_Attachment I had a friend that had a machine shop that got me started back in High school !!! __________________ FREEDOM ONLY ACCEPTS ONE PRICE AND THAT IS BLOOD

04-27-2006, 03:39 PM	#3
scheistermeister Throbbing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5,727	the thing with that though is that it would conflict with my other classes im taking.

04-27-2006, 06:16 PM	#7
Pogo Mystic Knight of the Sea Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Great Swamp Posts: 81,997	Doug, I don't even have a metal lathe. But, I've fitted two FAL barrels to new actions using my wood lathe. I made jigs that would fit my face plate on my wood lathe and for the live center, and cut the shoulder down so that I could tighten the barrel down until the sights pointed straight up. And I got them to fit perfectly. I'm starting to sound like Cephus now. He's quite the improviser.

04-27-2006, 08:45 PM	#9
scheistermeister Throbbing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5,727	so what would be better for my purpose (anything i want to do to a gun and making smaller parts for cars [brackets, ect.]). a mini-lathe or a regular lathe?

04-28-2006, 01:04 AM	#10
Cephus The OLD COOT one and only Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Glovers Gap WV Posts: 10,277	it sounds to me like ya want a lathe and a milling machine . Lathe for gun work !! Mill for small parts making !! With a lathe ya want something that has a spindle hole at least 3/4 and an 1" would be better !! Centers should be 24" or more !! That should do for most gun work !!!

04-28-2006, 05:07 AM	#11
scheistermeister Throbbing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5,727	thanks for the info! ill have to put that on the list of things to get when i get the chance!

04-28-2006, 05:20 AM	#14
pistol-packin-wifey Southern Gun Girl Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 7,058	:lol you crazy!