BACKLASH - Machining basics on the metal lathe and mill

Understanding backlash is one of the first things a machinist must understand in order to achieve accurate results. Backlash is the play between two interfacing parts such as gears or threads. It is this play or "slop" that prevents binding and allows room for lubricants and expansion of components. One you understand backlash it is easy to compensate for it. The goal of this video is to provide a basic understanding of backlash to a beginner.

[@KE0ZCO]

As soon as you had the cardboard cutout illustration with the drawing, You nailed it what a great presentation thanks MJ!

[@alexanderjamesINC]

This is honestly the best backlash video I have seen. You did an incredible job explaining and showing what backlash is. Great job!

[@grassroots9304]

I have an old HF metal lathe I bought 20 years ago when they sold them and have hated the backlash on it. In recent years I started using it a lot and today's the day to see about adjusting it. I found this video and, while I was pretty sure I knew what "backlash" was, this video did an excellent job of representing it. Your cardboard mock-up and, especially, the cutter mock-up for a mill, we're priceless. Well done. Thank you.

[@mohamedshinaishin2822]

the best backlash video on KZbin

[@verdatum]

This video is fantastic. You did an excellent job of explaining the concepts. I've heard lots of this stuff before, but some of it only really clicked just now. Thank you very much.

[@joedanero]

Experienced machinist here. Very good video. Great production. Classroom worthy.

[@jmwolve]

Excellent tutorial on the subject of backlash. i've worked most of my life on machinery and this is the best explanation of this subject i have ever come across.

[@geovap5134]

Wow, Ive been searching for the meaning of Backlash everywhere on the internet and I could not get what Backlash was until I watched this video!! Thnak you very much cause it was very difficult for me understanding what Backlash was since English is not my first language.

[@talhanaeemrao4305]

I have struggled to understand backlash for couple of years and honestly this is the best backlash video I have watched.

[@JohnBrown-zt8th]

I've only just taken delivery of my new lathe, the first ever. I soon spotted what I thought was a fault but thanks to this video I'm re-assured and fully educated in the business of backlash. Thanks.

[@hermit3400]

Excellent video, great use of props. A picture is often worth a thousand words. To a visual learner perhaps a million!

[@atdd22]

Very helpful video. The cardboard representation of the thread cross section works really well to illustrate the issue.

[@MrHenry756]

You're videos are brilliant! I am aware of backlash and how to deal with it but you still taught me a few things with the great descriptions and diagrams, thanks :)

[@177Eddie]

Great video, I was going through a hard time but I saw this and it's really cheered me up. Thanks x

[@my1after909]

Hi, Laughing a bit, because just before I looked at the comments, the word brilliant had crossed my mind, regarding your video. My 95 y.o. father is down with dementia. He was a toolmaker, turned mechanical engineer, having followed his father who was a toolmaker too. Dad had bought a lot of machines over the years, that were disposed of by his workplace, primarily lathes, mills, shaper's, etc.... I went into another field, but now approaching retirement, find an interest in machining, and find your videos very informative, so thought to say thanks!

[@robertbarr8001]

That was a truly excellent explanation (and, more importantly, demonstration). Many thanks for taking the time and trouble.

[@TheBdd4]

Thank you so much for a clear and easy to understand explanation of backlash. I will soon be turning my first close tolerance parts for an idea of mine and what I learned here will be a great help to me.

[@Sjackson2369]

this is probably the best explanation of backlash i have ever seen. very nice video

[@fwikstro]

Very good and easy to understand education. Im working with pro machining and have seen a lot of attempts to explain backlash, this is what I will recommend people to watch.

[@jeanapp_]

Love the cardboard cutout demonstration. Absolutely clear. Thank you!!

[@Lwimmermastermetalart]

Good video. I’ve been a tool maker for over 40 years. You nailed it!

[@u2ooberboober]

Glad I had a chance to see this video! Thanks!

[@Hr1s7i]

I remember that back in school, our old soviet lathes used to have bearings on the scales, so you can zero in when you clear the backlash. The accuracy was spot on when working with those.

[@markohelenin8731]

Thats the thing you should learn first when operating lathe or mill. Wery good concept, i have personally used cnc and "hand" controlled devices years and this was by far the best explanation for backlash. OId machines have some backlash but they are usually goddam good build devices and even built in 80's are accurate as hell

[@hybriddyneguy]

I have referred this video to many people about backlash. Thank you from years ago!

[@andrewesquivel]

holy crap this makes so much sense. it also makes it easy to understand how an anti-backlash nut helps .

[@johnkinnane547]

Thank you for the explanation of backlash, best explanation I have heard and how to overcome backlash thank you once again John Kinnane Tasmania Australia

[@philhermetic]

Excellent explanation of what a lot of beginners worry about! Thanks, I will refer others to it. Phil UK

[@nifty1940]

To my simple mind, this vid is excellent. it's simple to understand and easy to retain and refer to. Thanks.

[@mawe6977]

Excellent video, i pretty much learned this by myself when i was in school years and years ago because nobody could really explain it in a good way.

[@user-ok2ix9nq6n]

i'm south korean. i didn't understand backlash in milling machine. But after i watch this video, i perfectly understand the backlash. thankyou hobbymachining

[@kitcrider8390]

As a newbie to machining (an new hobby at the age of 58...wish I would have done this much sooner!), Thank You for explainig this! Excellent video! And thank you for not speaking down to your audiance...much appreciated.

[@2011zurich]

Excellent explanation. I'm a joiner, and the same principles apply when setting up for woodmachining... 'beyond, then back' is the thing to remember (we work to tenths of a millimetre, though... not quite to your tolerances). Thank you!

[@josecanedo007]

Fully agree with other viewers, the best video on the net explaining backlash.

[@v6pulsar]

Excellent video. I was worried about the backlash in my mill, thinking I had bought a worn-out unit. Now I understand it is supposed to be there and how to deal with it. Thanks.

[@twickersruss]

Excellent explanation, and advice on how to apply in practice, thanks!

[@DS-lg2jb]

Excellent demonstration!!! Thank you

[@angelozucco6152]

Thanks a lot for such a detailed explenation. And congratulations for the excelent voice, great for speech understanding, one thing many tutorials sandly lack.

[@nlo114]

Well explained; clear and concise. I will encourage new apprentices to watch this video.

[@Clete88]

This is the best video I've seen to explain climb milling concepts. Very well presented... I should say climb machining because the concept is universal.... Nice job.

[@GigsVT]

Clete88 On a lathe it would be most similar to negative rake tools, but theres no direct analogy because cutting forces mostly push the work in the same direction on a lathe regardless of rake.

[@aeromorte]

Take care, be safe, and may the force be with you.

[@haisamzahab8106]

Excellent, thanks for the video , Great Explanation

[@DaedalusProps]

THIS WAS SO REMARKABLY HELPFUL.

[@panamericaco]

What a superb explanation, thank you!

[@Grizzydan]

And here I thought the smithy I bought was just junk.. =) I was looking for ways to remove the play but now I know it's normal up to a certain point. And I also finally understand why people don't usually cut from both directions in videos. Great information!

[@SmithAerosports1]

Simple and clear explanation. You got a new subscriber👍🏼

[@klazzera]

i was just thinking that i know all these backlash stuff until you mentioned the cutting direction and instability, man there is a lot to learn. i was always wondering why was climb cutting much more better in my cnc router.

[@Cabmaker]

Excellent video and well explained!

[@ggessex]

What a neat tip, i never thought of that!

[@EZ_shop]

Excellent explanation, I loved the video.

[@worthdoss8043]

Great explanation. I cant count how many people on new lathe reviews complain about .004 backlash. Read the manual you have to have backlash. Without it stuff wears out faster. The same with a motorcycle chain or a steering gear box you have to have backlash. The bigger the lathe/part the more backlash in many cases not much but more. Its called clearance.

[@sigani7045]

Thank you for sharing.

[@mjones2431]

great video. I'll share this with my class.

[@ghodd100]

Thank you very much for this.. It was very helpful on how I use my lathe.. I dealt with it fine. But this is going to help alot more..

[@whyturtleracer]

nicely explained, clear language and excellent visual aids. Kudos.

[@David-hm9ic]

Excellent explanation! I'm envious of the small amounts of backlash on your machines. Your models are excellent for anyone that didn't understand where backlash comes from. I just bought an old Index milling machine that has about .050" on the X axis but it's my third mill so I'm used to dealing with it. If a mill has adjustable dials on both ends of the X axis, just zero each one out in the "push" direction and you instantly have accurate backlash compensation. I'm not a fan of the "past and back" when reversing directions. I would just turn the handle until the .004" was taken up and then cut to .014". I feel like that is equally accurate and less subject to error. Another option is to adjust the dial to .X96" (X depends on if a full turn is .060 or .100) and then when the dial is on .000 it's accurate again. The only problem with that is to remember to make the change every time plus the possibility of stacking errors. DROs ignore backlash.

[@neelmanisaini3257]

thank you sir...very helpful video for understanding backlash

[@frab88]

really nice mockups thanks!

[@jeremytravis360]

I remember trying to adjust the backlash on my Emco 8 a few years back and I found I could get it to an acceptable level. I worry more about chatter and setting up tool posts.

[@David-yg8tf]

Solve backlash problems two ways. 1) DRO 3) Ball screw 3) Delrin mold-in place nut. Don't know if DRO solves backlash, but it puts that dial out of use.

[@erfut]

Thank you for sharing

[@user-jp8hc7kn7z]

thank you for this video,

[@craigmunday3707]

excellent explanation thank you for posting

[@das250250]

Excellent tutorial ..TY

[@Lordcarlox]

Amazing video.

[@tridentmc1958]

perfect explanation! thanks very much!

[@paulmurphy612]

Thank you. A helpful video.

[@mspringett]

Slightly crude with the cardboard, but amazingly easy to understand. I am just getting into serious metalworking and this was very easy to understand. Great job!

[@petemoore8923]

Great video!!

[@TheFarleyGordon]

Thanks so much for this video I never understood backlash and I have a lot on my 3in1 Harbor Freight lathe cross slide so maybe I can investigate and cure some of it thanks again

[@pwntagerz]

thanks for a great video!

[@nikhilthawkar6979]

Excellent analysis sir 🙏🙏

[@boomtarey]

Thank you great video and well explained

[@hdoug5]

very good info :) thanks for sharing

[@dragracerwinky]

Nice job on your video.

[@goldeee666]

thanks for the clear explanation. be safe and count to ten.

[@tomwilkinson7932]

yes ditto that Geova, and simply and clearly explained, thanks

[@Roooob91]

Thank you for this clarify of backlash, now I understand better! Interesting video

[@hobbymachining]

Thank you for your comment. Glad it helped.

[@1693caterpillar]

Very good presentation.

[@ke6bnl]

great instructional video

[@ac3r787]

Thanks, this was helpfull. Greetings from Germany

[@danielminskey]

great explanation

[@smashyrashy]

very well explained

[@robertgoidel]

A highly informative explanation of backlash I have ever seen. Thank you for this video

[@MK-SHOW]

Nice Video ! Thanks !

[@michaelbabatunde3915]

Many thanks sir Very good explanation

[@georgespangler1517]

Very good explanation

[@aaronjay4896]

Great visual

[@panchovilla1486]

Thank you for that video

[@angellayunn]

well this helps me with my physics lab report thanks mate

[@marijanabrezic8854]

im wondering if you can prevent backlash from happening by lubing up the interfacing parts. if its for gearing, the parts should constantly bathe in oil. if its for threads, the part with internal threads should have a hole on it to allow some oil to be squirted.

[@mahmoudalhussain9976]

Hi sire Thanks for great explanation. I feel relaxed about back lash and i can deal with it in my practice Please give us more about pbms of lathe Thank you Sincerely yours Mamod

[@erbthatsright1103]

Thank you!

[@UkzHESKEY]

great vid

[@kali223laron]

thanks just got my first lathe

[@mathewduncan2239]

Hey mate, I have this exact machine, atleast it seems the same, it's a peerless.. I'm trying to fix extensive backlash at the moment and I wonder if you have any manuals or information about the unit? My turn handle doesn't have nuts on it, it seems to be pressed on

[@MrAtomickitten]

The whiteboard + cardboard graphic was perfect.

[@BillyRillkratz]

Thanks!

[@Pushyhog]

thanks mister.

[@Kompleteorisyeni]

Thank you.Very expository video.

[@osamaelzahby3215]

Thank you