Brass nut for the compound slide - Mini lathe modification

Part 1 - making the bearing block: • Bearings for the mini ...
While working on the new bearing block for the mini lathes compound slide (see part 1) it turned out, that the spindle is not exactly positioned in the center of the part but a little bit off-center. The new made bearing block was designed for a centric spindle so I decided to adjust the casting. I bored out the casting in its exact center and made a new nut from brass which gets screwed into the casting. Now its all centric and we have a nut which can easily be replaced if needed.
-Watch part 1 for getting all jokes.
Keep in mind, due to very limited resources, I have to improvise a lot and go unconvenient ways which may upset some of the "real machinists" out here.
Hope - with some creativity - in the end come to good resoults anyway.
Thanks for watching and feel free to subscribe for more mini lathe, machining and hobby engineering content.
If you have questions or any suggestions, let me know in the comments.
More to come soon.
Instagram: / wecandothatbetter
Please bear in mind, that english is not my first language. Hope, you get it anyway.

[@Supersonic_Sloth]

That was an impressive process. Creative, skilful but also nerve-wracking to watch, what with the intense shaking due to the way the workpiece was held in the chuck. You are a braver man than me.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Haha, thank you very much :D I'm glad, everything went fine but it was nerve-wracking for sure.

[@paulsmith2960]

Excellent! If it gets the job done, is accurate enough and better then the original, machinists be damned. I couldn't even afford a crappy new mini lathe so ended up buy a mostly buggered one from the 1920's. Although not exactly the same, your compound improvement has inspired me in the repair of the worn out cross slide thread on my lathe. Thanks. 👍

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thanks for your comment! Good luck with your lathe too.

[@TheLastTater]

Very funny, and very smart. I love your creative ways to accomplish things with minimal tooling

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you very much!

[@graiggutowski2788]

Well done, I like your creativity! I often find similar solutions. I can’t believe I waited as long as I did to buy my lathe!

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you very much for your comment! :)

[@gw2827]

Great ideas on getting a mini lathe to cut correctly

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thanks my friend!

[@keithmonarch447]

I'll give you credit for the various steps that was taken. If you have limitations on equipment, sometimes you win. Or can go the other way. I'm sure you're compound, is working much better now.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you very much! Yes it was definitely worth the effort. Before, the compound was almost unusable, now it works just fine.

[@keithmonarch447]

@@WeCanDoThatBetter Thanks responding back. Before you attempted to modify the compound device. Did you see 👀 or read another posting, like another person who gave you 🤔 a suggestion?? Where did you purchase your Lathe..

[@pcka12]

Improvisation in the true spirit of all those great ‘model engineers’ of the past!

[@8power0]

I LOVE THIS CHANNEL SO GLAD I FOUND IT ,,, I HAVE NEVER SEEN METAL WORKED LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE . NO BUNCH OF MATH EQUATIONS,, BECAUSE WHO LOVES MATH YOU JUST DO IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you so much! I really do appreciate that and happy to hear, you like it!

[@GlennNowOnYouTube]

Nice handy work. I like watching your videos.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you very much! I really do appreciate that!

[@machinistmikethetinkerer4827]

Very nice. Made me chuckle too.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thanks :)

[@aurum574]

Me gusta mucho la forma en que resuelves la falta de herramientas, si algún día me decidiera a comprar un torno creo que me gustaría comprártelo a ti!

[@KornilovLavr]

In the transverse feed of the lathe, in order to avoid backlash, it is better to use a roller-screw transmission

[@bulletproofpepper2]

Thanks for sharing!

[@HairyNumbNuts]

Nice job, creative solutions.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you :)

[@alaahaleem36]

Really great, I salute you from Syria

[@Nobilangelo]

It is right to be very careful with callipers. If you don't treat them kindly they run away to form a calliphate and send two-wrists to attack your workshop with pale blue pom-poms. I see you have had that experience.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Haha :D better be careful and keep an eye on them ;)

[@caahacky]

How did you centre the slide in the chuck?

[@Sigmatechnica]

Yeah that's much nicer. I removed my compound entirely and replaced it with a cast iron riser block for the tool holder. much more rigid now.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thanks for your comment. Yes, a solid toolpost is a good improvement in terms of cutting rigidity. But I'm swiveling the compound slide quite often so for now I'm happy with it:)

[@user-ov9kp8ho5q]

Молодец хорошая идея, себе тоже сделаю.

[@pargelooper]

Before you forget how all that comes apart you might want to make a new gib for your compound. Stock mini lathe ones usually come pre-bent and “textured” to put it nicely.

[@pargelooper]

Wait is that how you spell gib it doesn’t look right.. how have I never learned this

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Yes, some day I will definitely change the gibs on the compound and the crossslide. There are just so much thing to do on this machine :)

[@SuperGleep]

Ordered the bearings to try and copy your compound bearing mod today. Rewatching both videos to try and capture more details about how you did it. Thinking about how to line up the lower compound in the 4-jaw chuck to accurately bore/move the threaded hole is a bit initimidating. Even after watching you do it in the videos. Any insights you can offer on how you moved the hole to centralize it and measurement considerations would be most welcome as I start to try and duplicate your results! Thanks!

[@kamikaze7778]

Cute job 🥰👌😁

[@slimjim3229]

I am reviewing again. I may try something similar. Waiting for a part #4836 from LMS to get off of backorder. I want the modification to work on either compound piece. Also going to try brass gib pieces to tighten action on compound slide. Have you thought about adding a handwheel to the leadscrew? That might be a good project.

[@cellzapper]

Does anyone know if the cross slide screw is deliberately offset or is it just a "feature", does centralising the screw lead to another problem later down the line. I am well impressed with your skill in achieving this and your other mods.

[@HawaiiGoesFishing]

Nicely done. If you ain't got a mill, you gotta have (file) skills.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

haha, yes. Thank you very much!

[@surinderdhiman]

Amazing piece of work 👏 👌 🙌 ❤

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thanks!!

[@pauls5745]

subbing just to see more of this guys ingenuity to come

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you so much!! :)

[@lefrancoisjeanpierre3098]

Quel beau travail

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Merci beacoup!

[@balkicroatia]

It was off center intentionally. Actually was IN center due to sliding block rails like should so now is actually off-center;-)

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Interesting :) Never thought about that. But if you look at 0:38 the thread isn't in the center of the ways at all in my eyes. Or what do you think? Ok, now it's even 1mm more off centert to the slideways than it was before. Don't know if this is critical for operation. As said I never thought about this so thanks for your good eye ;)

[@Alan-Steve]

Good job!!!. My lathe have same nut system and it's rubbish, spinner wobble a lot, it's not acceptable. I was thinking to do the same as you, i mean it's the best solution.

[@brianwalk108]

That's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you so much!

[@bigblue1402]

Bangin bit of work

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thanks!:)

[@Patroand]

Bravo

[@someoneelse7629]

Yeah, I have made some shady setups, but I will abdicate and give you the rank "King of shady setups"

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

:D haha thank you. As long as it works an won't kill you while workin on it's fine i guess :D

[@Festivejelly]

Jesus christ the vacuum cleaner scared the shit out of me.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

;) Sorry, I fell you

[@salceti]

guess i have to add another subscription to my arsenal of geniuses. welcome aboard. never stop learning.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

haha, thank you and welcome :)

[@TheIconfriend]

Very nicely done!! I was wondering how you managed to center the compound in the 4 jaw so precisely?

[@singwolf.]

maybe he screwed in a bar and centered the piece there

[@theamateurmachineshop2150]

Good job! Thanks for sharing!

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you! You're welcome :)

[@ParsMaker]

NICE work

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you! :)

[@kenthaworkman5958]

Hi Nice work, thanks for chairing

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you! You're welcome :)

[@esrAsnataS]

Nice work.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you!

[@asdfghjkl12345382]

Sweet. Why did you use brass and not steel? Won’t steel hold threads better?

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thanks for your comment. Actually steel on steel is not a good combi, as it will wear very soon. So you often have steel thread spindles in bronze thread bushings on machines. Bronze is the preferred gliding material and if it wears you can replace the thread bushing easier than the spindle. As I had no bronze, I took a piece of brass :)

[@SwissplWatches]

Wow!

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you:)!

[@loubergeron9198]

Simply WoW 🤩

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you!! :)

[@daveys]

Nice mod

[@mxcollin95]

What kind of micrometer was that you were using to measure the diameter of the hole you were boring out at 3:22?

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Hi, that's a mitutoyo (name of the brand) internal two point micrometer for measuring holes and internal features.

[@mxcollin95]

@@WeCanDoThatBetter thank you for letting me know. 👍 Are the two internal point pieces (small rods) on the micrometer (jaws for lack of the right terminology) something that you added onto the mic jaws or did that micrometer come that way? I’ve been trying to find that micrometer on Amazon but haven’t had any luck yet. By the way, I just found your channel and am loving it! I really like the improvements you’ve made to your lathe and really admire your craftsmanship!!! Awesome job man on every video I’ve seen so far! I’ve learned a lot watching your videos and want to attempt some of those upgrades on my small lathe. Please keep up the great work. 🤙

[@francoisconvertini4166]

merci super travail

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

merci beaucoup! :)

[@vanoustia]

👍

[@ismussxx4679]

Great! Thanks you for sharing 😲🤝🏼

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you :)

[@tluanem]

👍👍👍

[@taibuh-yuan8877]

Your mistake make me so happy! I do the same thing always.

[@mrohny76]

👍👍👍 piękne

[@user-pn9sz5ln2f]

🥇

[@alitn588]

Now you have to spend lots of money for tooth treatment on caliper !!! When we were in school they never allowed us to use a caliper for drew a line ,but nobody listened !!😉😉

[@ceasardr7312]

nice humor, I always check mods on mini-lathes, I'm waiting for someone to make a real rigid set up of one of those, hope its you, keep up the good work, thanx for sharing

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you! There are still some things to improve on the lathe. Some projects are planned. Have you suggestions what you want to see improved? Thanks

[@steveclark..]

@@WeCanDoThatBetter Locking down the carriage before parting off for example is the only way I've found to make it rigid/no movement, I did make a block that run between the ways, tightened an Allen head bolt that dropped through an hole on the right hand side of the carriage, now I've fitted a DRO and the scale fit's there so I've lost that option. I'm now looking at the left hand side of the carriage, maybe using one of the holes that a steady mounts too,.....have you any other ideas??

[@bustednuckles2]

@@steveclark.. I filled in the two gaps on either side of the cross slide with square stock bolted on and drilled a hole through each one then made a plate just like the one under the tail stock except longer that fits in the gap between the ways and then used Allen head bolts through the holes in the filler pieces to hold onto it. I got the idea from Steve Jordan. The beauty of it is that I can tighten either bolt to lock it.

[@steveclark..]

@@bustednuckles2 I also watch that channel, many good mods he's done to his machine.

[@charlesmitchard246]

Very nice mod.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thank you!

[@carlhitchon1009]

Funny ending!

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

haha, thank you :) little joke, because I got some critics for using the poor caliper as a scribing tool...

[@claudio668]

But a spectacular display of skill. But I also have to admit that you are very brave, as if you made a mistake, you could have irreversibly damaged the lathe.

[@ferrumignis]

A big advantage of modifying a mini lathe is that new parts are fairly inexpensive and easy to obtain if you make an irreversible mistake.

[@handdr.7015]

Brrrr~~ ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Watching the video has helped a lot~

[@Pushyhog]

nice

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Thanks:)

[@niggo7224]

Min 3:21 one slow click is enugh meaby two slow ones

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

ok thanks :)

[@niggo7224]

@@WeCanDoThatBetter no problem wen you do it fast and often it will put more torque ton the meter and your messurment is going to be less akurat

[@snyper7979]

Very clever modification you created. My biggest question is. Why do people use a hacksaw to cut a piece of metal off like you did with the brass insert in this video. I would understand why you did it in this video, due to your lathe was apart, but I have seen a lot of people do what you do. Why not just use the Lathes cut off part (not sure what the exact name is)?

[@DolezalPetr]

It should be bronze

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

You are correct! Can easily be replaced some day I found a piece of bronze

[@robertvanderdrift4524]

Actually, judging by the reddish colour, and the way the chips are formed, look, this appears to be bronze.

[@djpaulk]

I sometimes get all wonky about things like..

[@lennybaldacchino]

for a few dollars more, i'd rather get better mini then all THAT WORK,,THE CHEAP COST MORE LOLL,

[@oldskeptic1513]

... make up your mind, fine art of machining or stand-up comedy ... you are not good at either, by the way ...

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Ok, sad :/

[@tluanem]

👍👍👍

[@tluanem]

👍👍👍

[@harryhartanto1499]

👍👍👍