Essential Machining Skills: Working with a Lathe, Part One

A video overview of the essential skills involved in working metal with a lathe. Part 1 of 3. For more about the open source machine tools project, please go to www.opensourcemachinetools.com

[@jerseychris3179]

To you negative people, Video was made over 25 years ago. So the resolution is the norm for those days. And about everything else this gentleman is doing this on his own for free. Be grateful. He is helping a lot of people who are beginners. Most students go straight to CNC and never learn to use a manual lathe.

[@thegardenofeatin5965]

Err, the whole "an MIT production" at the beginning rules out "his own time."

[@antigen4]

no one's complaining - great series and well done - good quality for a VHS transfer

[@carsonp.7009]

@@thegardenofeatin5965 not exactly, he chose to wake up that morning and go to the filming, he could have just stayed home

[@davidmiller4594]

Yup. That's a long time ago. Be grateful our standards have changed. My phone.. no make that my last 3 phones record better video and cnc has turned this obsolete.

[@TheNervousnation]

You honestly do not need great resolution to see what he is teaching.

[@michaelcrider8413]

My grandfather was a machinist at the atlanta steel mill, then for ajc until he retired. He has a full machine shop but sadly i was an uninterested child when he was alive. Many years have gone by since his passing and at this point in my life and career i have a burning passion to learn as much as i can on the tools he has. i find myself longing to ask for his advise and knowledge. It is a very frustrating situation knowing he is right there in the barn with me in spirit, but i can't physically seek his advise.

[@wancad5986]

Dang... its okay bro your grandfather is probably happy knowing you love machines now.

[@xrpkidotec520]

He's that voice that comes to you in difficult situations, he's that feeling you get when you figure out an easier way to do your task. And he is that inspiration and desire you now have to learn more.

[@wretchedsinnerRighteousSavior]

​@@xrpkidotec520No those are familiar spirits aka demons. Once you die you either go to be with the Lord or without Him in hell. The Lord Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried and rose from the dead on the 3rd day according to the scriptures (The Gospel 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). If you believe in your heart that God rose Jesus Christ from the dead and confess with your mouth Jesus Christ is The Lord you will be saved (Romans 10) Go to a quiet place and ask the Lord to save you and forgive you from your sins - Believe on Jesus Christ and call out to Him before it's too late

[@wretchedsinnerRighteousSavior]

I hope he was a man of faith in Christ - if so he's in absolute rest and peace - if not then we must learn from his mistake and be careful not to make them ourselves

[@ZeaunZarrieff]

An excellent lesson to those who still have talented, insightful, skillful, and/or knowledgeable parents and grandparents. They are not burdens. They are blessings. Act accordingly. 👑✌🏾

[@pierrevancraenenbroeck]

1:04 Components 1 Set Ups + Axes and Feeds 6:40 Turning Tools 11:06 Facing 17:20 Turning 22:46 Cutting off a Part 33:21 Drilling

[@carsonp.7009]

thank!

[@johnwige2905]

Your so helpful, thank you.

[@prabhathraveendra8269]

thank you

[@TomHaroldArt]

This is a great video for someone who knows almost nothing about lathes and wants to get an idea of the basic operations. Thank you for posting it!

[@akuanon1927]

I live in thailand . I study many skills from yours. Thankyou verymuch for your kindness to make these education.

[@tobyw9573]

akuan on - UC Berkeley also has online courses in shop safety and operations. Enough different to warrant watching.

[@malcolmhodgson7540]

This video was the perfect introduction to using a metalwork lathe for a complete novice. Thank you for such a clear and well paced explanation. Any negative comments must be from people who were not the target audience. Love this video, it has given me the confidence to start with metalworking.

[@BremenKoenig]

This series is by far the best lathe basics tutorial I've yet to find on the KZbins. Great jerb!

[@joschuagrenzheuser7253]

The best lathe tutorial which I have seen so far. Excellent instructions, very clearly spoken and in the right pace for beginners. Thank you very much for working ambitiously on creating such a fabulous video. Super great job!

[@mrdouble]

I can't believe these idiots are botching because of the quality GESH. Thank you for uploading such high quality video

[@myceliumman7554]

Went to a vocational high school for Machine Tool. Hated every minute of it. Now, looking back over thirty years, I'm amazed how much I remember. I can smell this video. Especially when the cut starts.

[@VinniePaah]

What I really appreciate in this video is how the host emphasizes safety points like trurning the chuck with a hand before starting the motor. There are many more other good points as well that I haven't seen in other sililar tutorials. Of course the contents is general but it's a good starter method.

[@Bkrites]

I love how he puts it, "just to make sure nothing exciting happens"..lol

[@utubetommy]

We had an old saying in the shops I worked in, which had a particularly important message: DON'T get "wrapped up" in your work.

[@tsimmons4730]

Had an old machinists tell also when you're breaking the edge, make sure you hold the file so if the part grabs the file, it pulls it away from you. He said he a lot of machinists hold it were it throws it into to you

[@robinhoff4598]

I have learned so much from these MIT videos. Clear, concise, and perfect for a beginner.

[@HanstheTraffer]

Excellent tutorial. I haven't used a lathe in a long time and this is a good refresher. Also very interesting. Thank you.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

A tip for centering your cutting to to the center of the part: Instead of "eyeballing" the cutting edge to the center of the end of the part, use a 6" metal scale, and suspend it at about the 3" mark between the cutting tool and a part OD diameter. Move the cross slide just enough to "pinch" the scale between the cutting edge and the work piece OD. Adjust the tool height until the scale is "vertical", and you will have your tool on center. If the scale is tilted, at the upper end, away from the machinist, the tool is too high. Visa versa if the upper end of the scale is tilting toward the machinist.

[@altuspienaar7679]

You will have to make a video. This method can be very helpful and will especially be very simple to use on a quick change tool post.

[@henryr.santos2197]

I was looking for a simple yet detailed video tutorial, thanks man...

[@simonoconor8149]

Great video, packed full of info, well filmed. If only all instructional videos could be this good.

[@alterego924]

been studying you videos, finally got the promotion at the shop. a million thanks to you.

[@AfricanSouthernCross]

Excellent instruction video especially for a beginners who I am sure will greatly benefit from watching this video. I myself am very new to metal lathes or engineering lathes so have found this video very helpful. The narrator or person giving the instruction in this video is just great, he describes each section of the lathe in such a manner that you feel confident that you know the basics, thank you so much for taking the time and energy to produce this video !

[@slabbadanks5829]

Been looking for a video like this. My work has an old lathe that hasnt seen use in a while. Cleaning it up on my breaks and hopefully will get it turning soon. Then we can stop outsourcing external thread cutting. Thanks!

[@saintwulf1631]

Very informative, wish I could see an updated video of this in High Def

[@josephsmith7284]

Thanks a lot for these videos. They are much appreciated on many levels.

[@cowstable]

Thanks for posting. It is a nice companion film to South Bend's "How To Run A Lathe" (also on KZbin).

[@dustinraymond9403]

I know this is an old video, but i just picked up a 1924 south bend 9" for very little, single owner machine that ended up being excellent. Im just "show and tell"ing, but an all original machine at nearly 100yrs old getting back to work makes me happy

[@dmaschy599]

I worked in a machine shop for 40 years,made all sorts of things in the lathe,bridgeport,grinders,I loved it,and miss it.

[@USMC_BABE38]

I learned how to cut long ways with my dad's lathe for the first time last night made my very first piece feel pretty excited about it

[@azflynbear]

Perfect for the beginner! Clear and concise explanations, emphasis on lathe safety, and really helpful advise on alternative ways of doing various procedures.

[@ahmedsiddik9728]

I,m looking for job. for this job i have 20years experieance in middle east,

[@Curtisbroughton]

This is an excellent video. Thank you for sharing. I'm going to be trying to use a lathe. The knowledge shared here is professional. If you have any similar videos, please share them if you could. Thanks again for sharing.

[@altuspienaar7679]

Very helpful with a clear explination. Would have loved to get more info on setting feeds and speeds.

[@cobbadog]

great info and thanks for taking the time to do the video. I will watch parts 2 n 3 next.

[@josephleister9198]

This is a good video for those who have just bought their first lathe....thank you.

[@neoasura]

I know its an older video, but damn I would really love to see the details to learn. It would help immensely. Because this is one of the best instructional videos I've seen so far.

[@tilemacro]

15:00 Had a fellow student 30 years ago almost lose a finger by those metal chips. He pinched them with his fingers as the machine worked. it wrapped around the part he was working and around his finger. Cut almost down to the bone before the chips split apart.

[@jamesmyers2087]

The question for the day is why didn’t I start here first. Amazing simple and concise instruction for we beginners. ty for posting this.

[@IlliniRob1]

Great video series -- thanks for posting it! I was always envious that students at MIT could use the machine tools themselves. I got my engineering degree at the University of Illinois. We weren't allowed to use the tools -- had to make blueprints and give those to the union machinists in the basement shop for "safety reasons". The end result is a bunch of graduates who are awesome with calculus, but don't know the first thing about actually building anything. Fortunately I had good experiences in high school and have acquired lots of equipment in the years since.

[@nukeguide3290]

IlliniRob1

[@Satchmoeddie]

IlliniRob1 I am surprise MIT allowed machine tool use. I worked with more than a few Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Civil Engineers, etc. who were excellent to adequate with the numbers, but they could barely change a light bulb when it came to hands on. The best engineers I worked will were usually out of the UK, or Europe. I have seen a lot of FUBAR drawings from Mechanical Engineers, who never used a machine tool on their life, and you would have to spend extra time trying to reference a measurement from some god awful blind hole or other equally inaccessible place. Had they spent some time machining hands-on they would know not to do that goofy stuff.

[@davidkennedy2555]

+Seth B There are a lot of engineers like that. Engineering gets two kinds of people. Those who design, and don't know how to build anything. Then there are those who's whole life is building things. I didn't go to MIT, I went to OU. But most of my engineering class were those people who built things. We could weld, we could machine, we could build actual things out of either metal or wood (and some could cast metals... I didn't understand that part). The reason we went to school in engineering is that we wanted to understand how to design what we want to build, and how things work so that we can design things that work correctly, and hold up correctly. For most of my life, I have been building things... and most engineers are that way. And frankly, most of actual real world stuff is learned on the job. If the folks are referencing inaccessible places for measurements, your company should be educating them on what is an actual good place to reference from... like a center pin, or an alignment pin (probably a pair) or some such.

[@antigen4]

this is a REALLY well done series! kudos

[@Moose_Hawkins]

"This cutting tool is angled so that the chips come off really nicely" *proceeds to make one gigantic, continuous chip on a roughing pass*

[@utubetommy]

Continuous chips can be very dangerous. I speak from experience, having worked in several machine shops for over twenty years before retiring. Most new cutting tools have indexable throwaway inserts that have multiple cutting edges and built in chip breakers. The old carbide tools that have brazed on carbide cutting edges were top and side ground, either with positive, negative or neutral rake angles and a particular radius on the cutting corner. Typical radii on standard lathe cutting inserts are 1/64" (.015625"), 1/32" (.03125"), 3/64" (.046875"), 1/16" (.0625") and 1/8" (.125"). Of course, radii can be made to order for any given application. The previously mentioned radii are generally referred to in machine shops as .015", .030", .045", .060" and .125". With new N/C lathes, it is very common for a particular radius to be machined with a cutting tool with a smaller radius, making it particularly advantageous during machining, since multiple and various size radii can be machined with one cutting tool using a particular radius insert. A good rule to remember is for a given federate and surface speed, the larger the tool nose radius, the better the workpiece surface finish.

[@borzak101]

Yeah either tool wasn't sharp or feed rate not right.

[@fstarockaburns425]

thanks! Just got my 1st lathe, a 9 south bend. im 41 and a boat mechanic and always been a little fascinated by the ordinariness of (lathes for example).. I needed to buy the lantern style, for the most part ill be doing 1-2" round cuts.. starter motor shafts and commutators for example. What cutters / angles should I use as a general rule? is there a chart somewhere? its a little confusing to me. I did 2 electric motors on a 40's black and decker valve grinder i refurbished - came out within 2/10000 - despite me clamping a badly made HSS tool on the compound with a c-clamp!

[@ydonl]

To be fair, I don't remember people talking much about chip breakers back in the day. The interwebs have greatly increased the speed at which ideas spread!

[@bernym4047]

Thanks for a very well produced tutorial.

[@kositkotisin1363]

I am newbie to lath operation and have watched many videos, this one is the best in terms of safety advise, clear speaking language, basic late operation tips. Seems like from MIT ?. Thanks for good educational videos for the public.

[@jonathanbolz2449]

Thank's for the info., especially the details about which angle(s) are required (at the compound) to do which types of work/cutting, facing etc. Only wished the film was a bit more focused/ clearer and that I could have seen some more close-ups of the really important areas, kind of reminded me of sitting through one of those 16mm films in high school.

[@intjonmiller]

Agreed. It's a shame the video was too low resolution to really see the details like surface finish and spindle markings. This content is excellent and a clearer image would make it absolutely invaluable.

[@barrylavanway-cutler6129]

Thanks for the free lesson I appreciate it.

[@hazelannpeterson1276]

Please watch also basic machining thank you kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIXapXmgrN6Nh6c

[@kfatbob1]

What would be the swing on that bed you are using ? Thanks I'm enjoying your vids !!

[@RockerGuy0001]

Very informative. I start my first lathe job tomorrow. This will come in handy

[@jjaymarks]

Great video, thanks ! And, that's a great lathe too, a Monarch EE I believe.

[@grindinglicks]

Great video, I was just given a 9" south bend lathe and can't wait to get started to learn the capabilities of the lathe. I have no idea as to what all the parts are for.

[@Paiadakine]

Lucky you.

[@jenkie001]

Excellent video for me, as ism looking to purchase an older lathe an learn what I can do with it

[@pbj7654]

awesome introduction on lathe THANK YOU SO MUCH

[@SC-bg8wf]

Lots of great tips, very helpful. It's a shame the video and lighting are not so good, but it's still a great intro. I may as well learn the best techniques at the start. Many Thanks.

[@gbowne1]

That's a really nice lathe!

[@GarethJefferson]

Really excellent Lathes 101. Are your "lectures" available as a DVD set? I for one would buy them. When I am parting off I lock the saddle to the ways when everything is ready to start cutting. I found it helps get much better results.

[@aw195]

Available on Betamax.

[@newstart49]

Very well done! Thank you.

[@PersMachinist]

You are excellent instructo to clear teching about mAchine shop.

[@Jotinko]

Aw yes. Takes me back to shop class in High School. I still have a Stanley Cup I've made on an engine Lathe.

[@SupremeHardstyle]

Well done for making this video, very educational, thanks!

[@wallmarkberg9289]

Very helpful. Vocab has always been my downfall, so thanks for explaining everything! Points for keeping me safe as well.

[@jerseyshoredroneservices225]

Very good beginner tutorial. Any chance of reshooting it at 1080p with a little better lighting on the close-ups?

[@polarmsm8352]

Thanks a lot for posting. I was looking a video like this.

[@pamtnman1515]

Excellent video, very helpful to those of us who are beginners

[@tickedoffsheikh8587]

Very informative video. I am just curious to know what made and model lathe is used here?

[@karoma7898]

You know the feeling when you find a favorite new channel or series or show... Yeah, this is my new favorite

[@richardjimenez7394]

Thank you for your lessons. I like machining Mechanics

[@nickcautrell2514]

Is somebody who's getting into using a metal lathe this is a very good informative video. The only downside I could say is I wish the lighting was better especially when he was doing the close-ups of the different types of cutting tools. But still a lot of really good information.

[@cjcj2940]

Felt the same, yet once start seeing the cutting can understand how the angle and the bits go.

[@northerniltree]

Never say you have boring tools. I find them all interesting.

[@arcturusbbqsausagemaking2435]

Very informative you explain everything in detail .. Thank you

[@jbrunson1949]

Great info and explained quite well,, my question is, the tail stock you said and showed it was not -exactly centered when starting to drill, is it possible to adjust the tail stock so that it is more accurately centered, with head chuck?

[@utubetommy]

+jbrunson1949 The tailstock can be centered manually across the machine's ways with opposing screws on either side (the tailstock base is separate from the tailstock itself). Centering the tailstock vertically is another story. If the center is too high to begin with and there are no shims that can be removed between the base and top, there is little you can do. However if the center is too low, you can use metal shims between the two components to raise the center accordingly. You can put a magnetic stand with indicator on the lathe's faceplate or chuck and attach a Last Word or Federal (or other) indicator to tram the center. The lathe spindle must be out of gear to co this, and a small mirror (from a woman's compact) comes in handy to see the indicator reading on the far side of the machine when tramming. Be sure to lock the tailstock down to the ways prior to checking the center's runout (TIR or Total Indicator Reading). Otherwise you'll get a false reading.

[@renetr6771]

The "jumping" of the drill comes from the taper, wich is NOT "working as a funnel". A drill must be centered by his tip. That taper from the centerdrill just makes him scratching with one cutting edge, so it dances arround. Better to make just a small and short start hole with the center drill.

[@TJ-jx6dx]

Resolution = Poor, Content quality= Amazing! thank you.

[@stephenmarter4956]

Excellent Video and excellent precise instructor.

[@arturosandova]

Thank you so much for such a helpful and comprehensive tutorial...as a welder and fabricator this video is a revelation! GREAT JOB!

[@bobsamuel1567]

Great basic instructions, thank you.

[@imprtracer2000]

very informative thanks for posting

[@mikeadrover5173]

As always, thanks’ for taking the time to make this video! And I support this site. ~M~

[@ramwall1500]

here's a tip that I found very handy and I just discovered it by accident when I'm drilling something or mailing or anything like that shaving I have a huge big magnet and lay it under the work pace it accumulates a lot of the shavings not aluminum shavings but the metal ones and helps with clean up tremendously. they're the ones I use for welding to line things up on a 45 degree angle I got them at Tractor Supply they weren't very expensive 3 to a kit

[@keithshreve6736]

Excellent Video ! Thank You !

[@nickclayton2517]

I gotten alot out of this. Thank you

[@tyson4712]

Thank-you for the video, very educational

[@vinhdiento6303]

Very informative

[@OstfoldMilSim]

Very informative. Good work. Thanx :)

[@pitbullman925]

nice and great sharing of knowledge , please make more educational videos sir.

[@zacharycullum715]

Hey man I was wandering if there is anyway I can get ahold of you I need a threaded adapter and can't seem to find the adapter anywhere. Can you help me out? PS- old Tony sent me ;)

[@Crusader1096AD]

The best video for metal turning LEVEL 1 UK. This will make you pass if you follow this. (without the file for breaking the edge) Excellent video

[@user-ex8ed6pu9h]

U make best educational videos! I wish you success!

[@OlukayodeOkunowo]

Thanks a lot the video helped my children to understand my explanation fast.

[@austinwatson1044]

This is Awesome!

[@allanjohnson2552]

Thank you, just wish I seen this video before I bought a lathe.

[@zhawkruns4ever316]

I’m a well driller, not a machinist. However, we have a lathe in our shop and I’d like to use is safely and properly. I noticed there are different speeds on ours. How do I decide what speed to use on the part or is it just a rule of whatever I feel comfortable with?

[@craigbrown7277]

excellent knowledge and video thanks

[@gopikagopz7829]

superb...very useful bit...thanks a lot sir...

[@andriiartomov237]

What is the model of this machine tool?? It's wonderful...

[@ELECTRICMOTOCROSSMACHINE]

very well done!

[@zoesdada8923]

Beautiful lathe

[@ramennaidoo162]

I had apprentices in my machine shop. I always made sure safety was of paramount importance where i never allowed anyone using a file. Files have contributed to many serious injuries to artisans. The use of a file on a lathe is not allowed by the apprentice board and workman's inspectors in our county.

[@beachthor1]

Wow, Dexter really made a career change at some point in his life.

[@dirtydug7526]

Great stuff

[@crawford323]

If the tool post rotates how are you assured the angle is correct according to the compound?

[@Natethesandman1]

Sounds like school. "Here is another boring tool" "...just to make sure nothing exciting happens"

[@Orgakoyd]

By boring, he meant a tool used to bore holes, not something that bores YOU! Look here - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boring_(manufacturing)

[@sunnyone277]

I think Natethesandman1 was being facetious...can't be sure though. -_-

[@singsingbeaverknight2218]

@natethesandman1 its just because you know nothing about machines dumbass.

[@powder-phun949]

singsing beaverknight How do you even miss such an obvious joke?

[@saintwulf1631]

lol, you need to put some cutting fluid on that humor of yours... cause it's dry! :p

[@PacoOtis]

Dude! Thanks for the video. I'm a septuagenarian just beginning and appreciate your professionalism.

[@alistairhosie652]

very informative especially for the beginners. Slight criticism when you show and point to the bed could you please differentiate between the actual bed and the bed with built in cabinet. More of a niggle than a criticism. Otherwise this is a great teaching aid for newcomers to the lathe, one of the best I have seen. Wish it was around when I got started as a hobbyist. Alistair from Scotland excuse my typing as I have a severe form of parkinsons disease love all you guys .

[@justinfoto]

I heard you're not supposed to use a center drill as a pilot because the center drill has a taper angle of 60 degrees which is almost always narrower than a drill's typical 118-137 degrees. This means the drill will first contact the stock at the flutes rather than the tip. I think you might be better off using a spot drill with a larger angle (e.g. 142 spot drill for a 137 drill, 120 spot drill for a 118 drill, etc.). But I could be wrong.

[@utubetommy]

+Justin Huang I was a machinist for 22 years and have never considered using a center drill a problem prior to drilling. If your center drilled hole diameter is smaller than the drill diameter, it will contact the cutting end of the drill. You are correct that the outer edge/flute of a drill will contact the 60 degree angle of the center drill if the c/drilled hole diameter is larger than the drill diameter. Like I said, I've never seen much difference in the outcome. The most important thing in my opinion, is to have a short, solid setup. Center drills are short and rigid. Unless you use a rigid stub drill to spot face the hole instead of a center drill, the drill will "walk" off center. Remember... when you face off a part in a lathe, if the facing tool is not perfectly centered (especially if below center), there will be a small "tit" of material left in the center of the part's face which will cause the drill to walk off center. So it is very important to have the facing tool "on center". Alternatively, you can knock the tit off a part face with a stone or fine file if necessary prior to using the centering drill, but that is not necessary if your tool is centered properly to begin with. Facing tools above center are not recommended unless the tool has a lot of (necessary) overhang because the cutting edge will deflect downward with the cutting forces.