Setting A Lathe Compound to a Nearly Perfect Angle

[@Rolo-Tony]

Joe, you really have a knack for teaching. I wish I had more teachers like you growing up

[@joepie221]

Thank you for the compliment.

[@zumbazumba1]

Thats because he never taught a class of 30 kids before! Its a freaking psychological warfare with a prison body language to be a teacher today.

[@tano1747]

High school math teachers should show a few of your videos to the kids who can't get interested in math and plan a trade career so assume they don't need it.... it would switch them back onto math in a heart beat. Love your work Joe

[@MichaelMoranGearHead]

I watched all 260+ videos, and for me it was worth every second.

[@joepie221]

Much appreciated.

[@MichaelMoranGearHead]

@@joepie221 I say the same about you.

[@jimsvideos7201]

You deserve credit for all the time you've spent sharing the knowledge you've accumulated; thank you.

[@erichill5208]

Always enjoy your videos. As someone who is not a machinist your experience and way of explaining then showing your technique is very helpful to guys like me that only have an old small bench top lathe with little experience and limited tooling. It’s very helpful to see how a master craftsmen in the machine trade does certain operations as well as clear explanation. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. 👍

[@joepie221]

I try to share as much philosophy as actual machining in my videos. They both translate well to a variety of machine sizes and applications.

[@MrVoltar1]

Joe, home shop machinist here from Alberta, Canada. I want to tell you how much I appreciate your videos and especially this one. I made a set of dies to make cases for my 577/450 Martini Henry. Using your instructions for setting precise angle I successfully bored the three dies to very good dimensions. Thank you!!!! Walter Glover

[@josephmarazzl5848]

Awesome job on the remake. I watched the original and still learned a good bit on this one. Seriously Joe please consider writing a book or even a tips and tricks pdf or something.

[@rexmyers991]

WHEW! For an amateur and hobby machinist with a brain that is 78 years old that is a lot to digest. Thanks, Joe. I’ll archive this video for when I need to set my taper angle.

[@denisbrisbane456]

Hi Joe I'm a retired machinist/pattermaker/cnc programmer from Ballarat, Victoria, Australia and thoroughly enjoy your channel, you have a special knack of explaining things, keep up the great work

[@matthewheaton4421]

Joe you post content at the best times. Yesterday I was just thinking “how do I set my compound at exactly 30” and heres the video. Time to get my notebook out! Thanks fo all the great content!

[@carljancondray9447]

Spot on the topic. Sure does clear up the process of setting the compound. I’m really grateful for all you do to show us the way to a safer and more productive method of machining! Thx again brother. Carl, Georgetown TX

[@RalfyCustoms]

Saturday morning, coffee and a Joe pie video, before I head out to my shop Perfect start to the weekend Thank you for sharing, great stuff Joe

[@ONeillKeeganJay]

I learned to do it by using a dial indicator with a magic arm reading where you put your marks on the tool slide, move the carriage 3 inches then measure with cross slide as you did. Pretty much the same, but if I was not the one who set up the tail stock I would be more confident in the result. Love your videos, and I really liked the way you explained the height of the triangle at 3 inches by drawing 3 of the 1 inch ones on the hypotenuse, seeing it that way makes it easier for a lot of people.

[@jameslezak8179]

Joe! What a gem of a how too! About 10 times faster than any of the many ways I was told to do this setup in my years of manual machining... More important is that it's 1000 times more accurate! The comments had some really important points, tool center height, and such. A little preplanning with partprogression and tooling and a pain in the butt set of features turns into a walk in the park! 50 years too late for me but the newbies to the trade should ingrain the process to memory! I know I have! Thanks Joe for your time and excellent (simple and complete) explanation! As always, thanks for sharing! 👍😎

[@ToBeeOrNotToBeHoney]

Thank you for the videos. I love learning new stuff and then getting to try it out in the shop.

[@peterlaine3929]

What can one say except Thank you for sharing your knowledge so generously. Always information you can use now!

[@alun7006]

Masterclass. I haven't done any geometry like that for at least fifteen years (yikes, that makes me sound really old) but you communicated it superbly.

[@bwyseymail]

Really, REALLY old because that was trigonometry.

[@alun7006]

@@bwyseymail 😂 That just about sums it up!

[@cpcoark]

I have watched everyone of those video. You produce top notch stuff Joe.

[@michaelryan6884]

Nice lesson, Joe....Happy Independence Day and God Bless America.

[@DonDegidio]

Hi Joe, That is some small tail stock spindle and dead center. Thanks for showing that technique. Seeing it in a video is much better than on paper. You and the family have a safe and happy 4th.

[@joepie221]

You as well. Thank you.

[@michaelmaloney1027]

Thanks for all the effort you put into your instructional videos . I have learned a tremendous amount already and I have just scratched the surface of watching your video library. Mike from New Brunswick Canada

[@bambukouk]

Yes, I have used your previous video (plus the other one where you have answered my question - thank you!) to short taper precisely on my lathe. Thank you for all your videos, you are doing a great job! Enjoyed this one as well 🙂 Chris

[@Laz_Arus]

I just knew all those geometry lessons I did many years ago would come in handy someday. I'm now looking forward to your creation of a live centre for the tailstock, as that first one has no bearing on the final outcome. 😉

[@delstone1919]

Excellent reminder on setting angle on the lathe, I saw your original but seeing it done again is most useful, I would have thought, thanks Joe.

[@50shadesofrust65]

Good information. Thank you.

[@garethjones5150]

Learnt this from an earlier vid and used it to cut the bore for an ER32 collet block. Superb method - thanks Joe. As a side note, if the tailstock isn't true to the axis of rotation, the resulting setup angle will be out too - learned the hard way on a Colchester Student at work which is used and abused by people who shouldn't.

[@richardfrisbie6069]

Joe, have you ever considered being an instructor? You are right now, but you have a real gift for putting things in perspective. Oh and BTW I still like the un loosen term, mainly because I know it drives people crazy, Happy Fourth!

[@philbrown2878]

260 videos, thank you and keep them coming. Always learn somthing new 🙂

[@kendog4570]

This demonstration has helped me immensely. For my semi-retirement day job I do quite a bit of advanced gunsmithing for local brick and mortar shops, which include installing muzzle brakes. Some of those jobs call for a seamless blending with the barrel at the thread joint, and carrying the existing barrel taper out to the end of the brake. The last one I did was approximately .050" over 2.030" length. About pulled what is left of my hair out trying to fudge the compound to cut a .35 degree taper! Have another similar one to do soon. I'm quite certain the customer and I can live with the almost un-measurable trig error others have mentioned. Thanks!

[@practicalplinking6133]

You're worth every minute of angle you discuss !!

[@metalshopwithtroy5755]

Thank you Joe I really enjoyed this video the break down was really eye opening and built on your previous video, many videos ago. I find I reference that very same video over and over again as I will this one too. Love the metric imperial switch over on the your cross slide too. Yea, was jealous when I saw that. Well something to aspire too any how. If you do find time some rotary table follow ups would be appreciated in the future if you were figuring on a new topic Love your work, always looking forward to your next. Cheers Troy

[@ghl3488]

5 am Wales (centre of the universe) time Joe and I'm wide awake watching this. Very relevant for me as I have to machine a con rod from a rectangular bar to a taper over a fixed distance so this really helped. We,ll see! Once again, thank you very much for the video Joe. Regards from Wales

[@RalfyCustoms]

Gods country boyo bach

[@joepie221]

Glad it was timely. Thanks for your continued comments.

[@philnolan6292]

Love your videos Joe. I'm a novice, amateur, and an Aussie, but love learning from old dogs.

[@joepie221]

Happy to help.

[@Rich1ab]

Thanks for sharing your technical skill and knowledge!

[@AJR2208]

Hi Joe, for all of us at one time or another, we get bogged down or stuck with one thought or process when doing one particular thing. With this in mind and with all you have shown during your "mini makes", could you show some of your other work where you've used these or similar techniques? It might help a lot of people see outside of the box a bit and cement these lessons you've been delivering all along. Stay safe and well :)

[@bwcordes]

Joe, that was an exceptional video. Thanks for taking the time to make it. Very nice work.

[@joepie221]

I hope it helps.

[@nickfox6339]

Great work Joe. I love the lesson on the boring bar for the outside taper to match exactly the inside taper. Just love your geometry lessons as well. In Aust. we have been using metric for years now.

[@joepie221]

I showed an old toolmaker that trick and he laughed. Right up until I put a pair of his parts on a comparator and sine plate.

[@richb419]

HI Joe thanks for the recap of 2016, I use this technique often and it works well and I go back from time to time and visit that video. for this feature I bought a reamer for $15, I'm guessing that the carbide boring bar was far more. you are right though I haven used it again. Rich

[@petermcneill80]

Just re watched this video and took notes in my wee note book , what an excellent technique it is. You’ve really inspired me to get into trig and try not be afraid of it. Appreciate your videos Joe 👍🏻

[@markhansford178]

Brilliant, thanks for taking the time to do this. You are really good at teaching and I have learned a lot from you. I like the way that you are imperial but reference metric too, I seem to work in a world where I constantly convert one to the other, my machines are metric and most of my work is from imperial drawings.. Thanks Joe 👍

[@gilbertodiaz-castro626]

Thanks for a great class, I think my shop class instructor should watch it too.

[@euclidallglorytotheloglady5500]

Thank you Joe! Seriously, the lessons you've taught me have been invaluable. Not to mention, very easy to follow.

[@joepie221]

Thanks. I'm glad they get through as intended.

[@TomokosEnterprize]

What a treat. I get you, Abom and Steve Summers on the same day. Great combo eh ! Time for a dive ? As fast as that heat dome from California showed up it moved out yesterday. A high of 26C then and forecasted for the next couple of days now. Bloody balmy eh, LOL. We lost an entire town here (Lytton BC) on. A train caused a spark causing a wildfire. Entire town burned, every building leveled in 3 hours. Many died. Depending on what forecaster is used the temp was hovering around 52C. Approx. 130F. May the missing have not suffered. I have died twice and have clear memory of one time. It really is truly a very nice place. No pain nor confusion at all. A time of comfort and reflection. I tell all this but just don't be in a rush to get there. All good things take time eh.

[@erwanrc8117]

I had never seen a lathe that is metric and imperial at the same time that's great !

[@garyfodden5034]

Colchester Chipmaster is metric/imp as are most Colchesters

[@joepie221]

I very rarely use the underside of those dials, but its nice to have.

[@bobengelhardt856]

Pseudo metric, really. One turn of the dial is 0.200" off the diameter, or 5.08mm. That .08 makes metric kinda messy. I.e., if you wanted 10mm, how much would you turn? It's that not returning to 0 after 1 turn that's the fly in the ointment.

[@kimber1958]

Thanks Joe

[@life.is.to.short1414]

Tell us than show us. Thumbs 👍 up. Respect..

[@ttabbal]

I did this to make an arbor for a drill chuck. It worked great and everything fit up great.

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

Hello Joe, This is a very useful video... I would not be telling the truth if I said I have watched all your videos so having this again is good. Thank you. Take care. Paul,,

[@kelleysimonds5945]

I just recently purchased an import 5c collet chuck and, it was holding the collets unacceptably off-center. After checking measurements of the chuck and it's parts I determined it would be usable if I reground the nose to center. After setting the compound using your excellent advice, I successfully remade the nose and now it holds collets within .0005. So, thank you VERY much.

[@joepie221]

Good work !

[@adamstripp39]

Awesome video. Love the use of trigonometry

[@joepie221]

Its a strong tool.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

That's exactly what I need for my next week project. Have to turn a little 8 degree taper for a new tool. Thanks for sharing!

[@joepie221]

You'll nail it now.

[@markfulmer8501]

I appreciate the on board sketches showing the math and then the step by step shop demo. Not moving the compound for internal and external made sense only changing direction of the spindle. Thanks

[@bud-in-pa589]

Just be careful running a lathe in reverse if the chuck is threaded on...you may have a chuck in your lap.

[@daveharriman2756]

Great tutorial, thanks for this, I have to turn a 2 morse taper OD, will try to get some figures and use your method, thanks again!

[@carlwilson1772]

Thank you for this, a good explanation. I was taught that machine tools are "Machines of Applied Geometry". Once that is understood then anything becomes possible. I am British so metric and imperial are used in my workshop depending on which side of the bed I get out of in the morning. I have subscribed to you, your channel is an excellent complement to Mr. Crispin.

[@joepie221]

Thanks for the sub. I too enjoy Mr. Crispin. He is a sharp guy.

[@carlwilson1772]

@@joepie221 My pleasure. He is a sharp guy. I believe it is on record that he is the youngest Apprentice Master that Rolls Royce have ever had since the company was founded in 1904. You are also a sharp guy and you have a gift for teaching. One of the things I've always loved about machining and machine tool engineering in general is the way it brings geometric and trigonometric concepts into the real world. I enjoyed your explanation of this method of setting the compound over accurately. I'm currently in the early stages of a project that I hope will make it possible to read out the compound angle to an accuracy of around 6 arc minutes. If I can do it!

[@johnseptien3138]

Just got home from a class in Trinidad Colorado. Blueprinting Remington 700 actions for precision rifle barreling. Some great discussions regarding machining and even better when someone mentions seeing something or learning something on Joe Pieczynski's youtube channel. The world is watching Joe. So for my question: My world is shooting and 1 MOA at 100 yds is equal to 1.047 inches. Am I missing something with your .0174"

[@joepie221]

An MOA is equal to one minute of 1 degree. My .0174 over 1" statement uses a full 60 degree minute, so they are 2 different measurements.

[@tobyjsands8330]

Always learning when watching you

[@mchiodox69]

Awesome will try this tomorrow on my little lathe...thanks

[@martineastburn3679]

I scored on a beautiful blue bound book called "Shop Mathematics". It is a 1916 so your work was a bit above the guys in shops at the time. But I have trig books of all sorts that help me calculate and set up things. Just to hot in the shop in the summer. Time will tell. Nice instructions.

[@robscully3312]

At these levels of angular accuracy , tool height becomes a factor. Incorrect tool height will reduce the angle of external tapers and increase the angle of internal tapers.

[@joepie221]

True. Tool height is very important.

[@allanb1778]

Love the WTF at the end Joe. That, you can't disguise no matter how well you speak woodpecker language. Love your work, Cheers from Down under

[@andybelcher1767]

All I can say is "Wow!" Thanks Joe

[@joemiller5110]

My Thumbs up! Thanks Joe

[@johncollins719]

don't forget to put a tang on the 4/0 center. Few things tick me off more than having to take the quill out of the tailstock to drive out a cheapie center (import) that has no tang. (insert unhappy smiley here) ; ) Thanks for another great vid. Have a great 4th!

[@hoernst2762]

Danke Mr. Pie, obwohl ich ihre Sprache nicht gut verstehe, könnte ich ihnen stundenlang zusehen!

[@thecatofnineswords]

::flails:: in super-smöl! So tiny! The very fine level of accuracy you need to achieve to make this is incredible.

[@joepie221]

Thanks. I figured I could always buy the reamer if it didn't work out.

[@toneault7499]

HI Joe . I'm dyslexic so anything i do takes a long time . but it will be done right. now you have shone us how to do it the wright way. oh praise the Joe Pieczynski. of this world. thank you oh so much .. atb TONE UK

[@joepie221]

Thanks Tone.

[@pontoonrob7948]

260, is that all??? Haha. I've watch so much, learned so much...I'd almost be offended if I saw you in the grocery and you didn't call me by name...hahah. just kidding, of course. I love your teaching moments the best, your one of the few that truly shares the knowledge. Thanks again

[@ChrisB257]

Great refresher Joe - I always have to think super hard when I set up for this ... every time!! :)

[@donaldnaymon3270]

Great tip. Great demonstration. Thank you for sharing.

[@timothyprochilo4840]

Joe, we always called the dials direct read - amount off diameter and indirect read - amount off radius, on the different machines. Its a pain when your used to one and get on the other...🤔🤔🤣🤣😎😎

[@alclifford3291]

Wow, cool. That's how that's done. I learn something every time I watch. Thanks Joe (ps....I heard that when the belt broke....hee, hee) Al

[@joepie221]

It just rolled off my tongue. Twice.

[@TrPrecisionMachining]

very good video JOE..thanks for your time

[@jackbonanno8186]

You know Joe, you would have made an excellent navigator back in WW2. You would have been every pilot's dream. A lost art. Now we have GPS. We had it when I learned to fly, but the instructor made us do it the old way, I had no idea it would play a role in machine work.

[@JB-kw4ug]

Great video as always, thanks Joe. JB San Diego.

[@ianlainchbury]

Superb lesson. Thanks Joe

[@PaulSteMarie]

I've always heard diameter-reading dials called "direct-reading". Mentally, I think of them as diameter dials and real dials, as in the dial reading is how far it actually moved. Make the distance a few thousand miles and now we're talking milli-arcsecond accuracy. That's done in radio astronomy using not an indicator, but the phase of the emitted signal from whatever you're looking at.

[@ngauge22]

Out-takes! LOVE EM.

[@EGDoftheSea]

You are a Champion of Machining in them shorts, Joe!

[@joepie221]

I draw the line at flip flops though.

[@MrCrispinEnterprises]

Nice video. Always good to have a refresher!

[@joepie221]

Thanks for dropping by Crispin. I wish I could have filmed the boring of that 4/0 taper hole, but it was just too small.

[@metalbones]

John Collins suggested that you put a tang on your 4/0 center to knock it out of the tailstock, or you can dial back the tailstock all the way in and it will kick out, if not, next time you use the dead center put in a small piece of round stock to make up the tang distance, now dial it in out it will be kicked out.

[@wibblywobblyidiotvision]

Hi Joe. Whilst your method for setting angles is great, and is the way I set my own angles if I'm not working from a master, your error estimation method is subject to cosine error and only really valid for low angles. It will tell you which side of "off" you're on, of course. Taking your measure of 0,015" too much at 3", your error estimation would be just under 1/3 of a degree (0.015 is a bit less than 0.0174). By trigonometry we get sin α = 1.515 / 3 = 30°19', pretty much bang on. Now let's assume we were going for 60°, and had the same error of 0.015, so we have a measure of 2.598 + 0.015 = 2.613. But trigonometry gives us a real error in this case of not the ~19' we've estimated, but 35', or out of tolerance for a 30' specification. Love those dual metric / imperial dials, by the way. Very clever.

[@charleseck3941]

Hi Michel, I agree that the use of proper trigonometry is much more accurate than shop estimating. I try to calculate my distances using proper trigonometry when I set up my lathe. Most machinists get spooked out when it comes to sines, cosines and tangents. Some don’t even like to think about the Pythagorean theorem. I think what Joe is doing here is teaching a way of shop estimating without the use of trig.

[@stanervin6108]

@@charleseck3941 A book of trig tables is only a coupla Samstamps...the small investment is well worth the amount of time saved and headaches avoided.

[@joepie221]

The error was not 0.015, it was 0.0015 at 3 ". I'll stand by my values used here.

[@RobB_VK6ES]

For small angular corrections linear interpolation ( proportioning ) is OK for this level of precision. Indeed for greater precision the lathe will not be able to reproduce such tiny changes since by then you are well into grinding territory.

[@zumbazumba1]

You guys do know that there is no absolute 0 in machining? That even best cnc electric discharge wire machine will make the errors? You can pay all the money in the world to a best company to make you a machine and still it will not be absolute 0 like a print says. Thats why people invented tolerances -or how i like to call them the fuck up scale !

[@richharr]

Great video, as always!

[@dauber1828]

Joe for me to remember 174 In my home town the 174th attack wing is based in Syracuse New York there are known to be the boys from Syracuse years ago I believe that they are operating the reapers before that F16 and before that the incredible A10s

[@edwardhayes5000]

Another great video. I always called the dials direct feed and indirect feed. Direct being if it says you moved in .200 the tool actually moved. 200

[@metalshopwithtroy5755]

Happy Independence Day Joe to you and your Family

[@garyknight3019]

Thanks Joe…that was a super informative video👍👍

[@tommcelroy6975]

Another great video. I always learn new things watching you.

[@joepie221]

Great to hear that. Thanks.

[@christurley391]

Thanks for the video Joe.

[@onestopfabshop3224]

I'm with you on the metric. I learned imperial, I worked imperial. Then in the early 80's, cars started having a mix of metric and imperial. That used to pi$$ me off!!!! After having your whole toolbox out to change the alternator for Gods sake.

[@zumbazumba1]

I feeel you brother ,i got the same problem when US made caterpilar excavators come for repair and everything is in god dammn imperial ,and all my wrenches are metric.There should be 1 standard for everything across the world in every field of work.Only time it should be replaced if something that is 50% or more better is invented.

[@onestopfabshop3224]

@@zumbazumba1 I approve this message! Lol

[@dennisleadbetter7721]

Hi Joe, Trig is a very useful skill to know, as is measuring accurately. I was a bit disappointed to see that big rust mark on that dead centre! Regards Dennis

[@dankolar6066]

John Mills might have made a profound utterance following that broken belt. Cheers. Wish you well.

[@jonsworkshop]

Hi Dan, listen again very carefully, there is definitely a mickey mouse WTF after it snaps. Lol. Doubleboost eat your heart out. Cheers, Jon

[@adrianrevill7686]

I have watched them all, except the spider ones!

[@ferrumignis]

Me too, don't go anywhere near the spider vids!

[@MrEh5]

Exactly the method i was taught.

[@johnfriend240]

Don't think we saw the 0.080" carbide boring bar, Joe...

[@joepie221]

It may have been edited out. I'll show it in another video.

[@johnspathonis1078]

Hi Joe Don't be afraid of metric. I learnt both imperial and metric as our country changed to metric while I was going to school. There is no way I would use imperial. Even you imperial micrometer, calliper and lathe scales are metric. They use decimals not 1/64" or 1/32". Basically all your lathes, mills etc are part metric. Cheers John

[@robertoswalt319]

I feel much the same way as you. I grew up working in the printing industry where I had to work in inches, agate and pica. As long as I looked at them as just numbers, it didn't make that much difference to me. And using German presses, usually I could get really close just adjusting by feel and mainly used the numbers on the scales to center everything when starting the next job.

[@steveshopworxmachine5716]

Setting up a compound to a certain angle can also give a high resolution for making small infeeds on cuts. I belive I figured it at 78⁰, so 12⁰ from parallel to the lathe axis, the compound will take 5 thou of feed to equal 1 thou of infeed. If you dial 1 thou on the compound you can, in theory, move your tool in 2 tenths.

[@joepie221]

Good idea. Just don't forget your Z axis setting is being affected as well.

[@jkyontz]

Thanks, Joe. You never know what a job like that might come along.

[@joepie221]

You got that right!

[@robertwalker7457]

Very helpful thank you Joe.

[@_S_79]

Finaly, it feels like a month ago. Way to interesting to wait a day or two. Nice work hav learned a new profesion because of your videos. By the way first again to write a coment😁

[@johnm840]

Jersey Joe faster to trigger, but close.

[@SierraScout2]

Awesome Joe! Thanks.