Making a Mandrel and Turning Between Centers

[@vintagemachines1]

Fantastic Keith!!! I also learn a lot watching your videos. -Allen H.

[@PacoOtis]

Wow! Very professional and educational. Thanks for the video.

[@johnmarmion8824]

Joseph Stokes

[@55chevytruck]

I have a brown and sharp horizontal, and just look for an excuse to to use it, but I fully understand your logic. God bless and keep the videos coming!

[@phuturephunk]

Why is lathing so fascinating to me!! I must know!

[@VintageMachinery]

+phuturephunk It is just plain fun!

[@remige2006]

+phuturephunk Man, so are so lucky! Most of us ask ourselves the same question...about sex!

[@chronokoks]

Ha great trick with the fresh cut on the center.. I will use that for the shaft I need to make next week!

[@robertqueberg4612]

Kieth, A long tool is ok in the bedroom or back seat. On an engine lathe, the shorter tool wins the race. Shove the tool bit or insert holder back as short as possible.

[@VintageMachinery]

The skill I have (or at least I like to think I do). What I am lacking is the proper piece of equipment needed to properly to do the job. Because the face of the pulley is multiple of curves, what I really need is a tracing attachment for my lathe to do it properly (or a CNC lathe). Which is why I an sending that part of the job out to Keith Fenner, who has a tracing attachment on his lathe.

[@davidyoussef9626]

it's always pleasure to watch your videos and learn things is it possible to tell me what kind of carbide tool you were using or usually use whenever you machine cast iron the number or type of the carbide as in our country we don't have that developed companies to cast iron it's usually hard and white inside what do you advise me to use. and I will appreciate it if you share the sort of the carbide. thank you

[@CandidZulu]

Between centers is the original way to hold work in a lathe. Chucks did not come around for a long long time.

[@russbirzescu2579]

perfect Keith

[@VintageMachinery]

+Russ Birzescu Thank you!

[@Jm4steam]

good video/information

[@bobjimenez4464]

Keith, I know that Index makes some of the best lathes but I have never seen an Index mill. Where did you find yours and how did you know that it was a keeper? Index lathes were the only approved capital equipment for Rolls-Royce North America although many managers skirted around the additional cost by purchasing Japanese equipment; at the expense of process control. Nice mill vise too. Thanks for the video.

[@RollingEasy]

Excellent work.... Really enjoy your style and also your skills at communicating the job and the methods used to us the viewers. I'm looking to find a mandrel which used rubber O rings which expanded when compressed to hold the inside of a pipe when machining on centers. 1"1/2 pipe, 6'' long with a 4" circular plate welded in the middle. Brass bushing will be pressed at each end in the pipe as bearings and then the whole lot needs to be machined not to tolerance as much as to uniformity and to being concentric with a sprocket bolted onto the plate. Otherwise, how best would you hold something like this in a lathe?

[@VintageMachinery]

+Tom Tee Make your own mandrel - turn a shoulder on the chuck side of a long piece of rod that is a little longer than the length of the pipe. On the other end, cut some threads. Then make two bushings that fit then ends of the pipe to put it on center and tighten them together with a nut on the threaded end. Then turn between centers. Hope that makes sense. If not, shoot me an email and I will draw a picture for you.

[@RollingEasy]

+Keith Rucker - VintageMachinery.org Thanks Keith. Best or easiest perhaps a couple of machined plugs pressed in each end then turning on centers? Once this OD is true, can then bore for the bushes, fit, weld and face the plate square on each axis... Thank you for your suggestion and will try what suits best if the plug idea is a 'fizzer'.

[@charleshanse8573]

keith, enjoy your videos very much, am new to machine work, was wondering why you use the f style caliper instead of micrometer?

[@agwhitaker]

Wott !! No shoulder on the lathe chuck dead center ? If the center gets pushed into the chuck under the pressure of the cut - things will get exciting. Besides, with a shoulder, you can rechuck the center, give it a thump with a chunk of copper or aluminum, and get it to run true.

[@55chevytruck]

Love watching your videos though I thought you would use the horizontal for the key way.

[@Guds777]

the wise you milled the keyway, what brand is it...

[@VintageMachinery]

+Guds777 I do not know. It is not marked and I have been trying to figure that out.

[@Mekratrig]

Forgive an ignorance, but what is that thing clamped on the chuck side of the bar? Why is it necessary?

[@ronwilken5219]

Mekratig. It's called a drive dog. The centre in the headstock end has no way to drive the work. The drive dog has a bent arm that catches on one of the chuck jaws and thereby transfers the rotation of the chuck to the work without effecting the alignment of the work. A flexible drive so to speak. If using a drive plate the tang would contact either a post on or a slot in the face of the drive plate.

[@northzero2390]

You should set the compound to 30 deg for a 60 deg inclusive angle?? What you did was machine a 120 inclusive angle.

[@crookedriver2079]

No he didn't. Start thinking. Soon.

[@bentontool]

Keith, why did you not machine these yourself? You seem to have the skills...

[@geckoproductions4128]

Keith: Do you feel turning between centers or turning in a 4-jaw is more true ? Thanks, mike T

[@VintageMachinery]

Both have their place. For short stuff, I usually just indicate it into a four jaw. For longer stuff, turning between centers wins every time.

[@northzero2390]

Why did you put a 60 deg chamfer on the end and not 45?

[@crookedriver2079]

Why does it matter? The chamfer does affect fit or function.

[@RJGMWR]

Did you cut the keyway in steps or all at once? I am sure Mr. Fenner will Get 'er done for you.

[@monkeyboy4746]

You say that you sent these parts out to be worked on by another shop, so that is just a few parts, not a large order. In my experience with small machine shops has been that they are always looking for large orders and seem annoyed by someone coming with with a small job. Is it really realistic for a small machine shop to really expect everyone who walks in to need 50 of something?

[@VintageMachinery]

+monkeyboy4746 There are plenty of "job shops" out there that will take on small jobs like this - some even specialize it in. But most machine shops are focused on production work. They are running CNC machines that are programmed to make the same part over and over. These guys usually don't want to work on just one of something. You just have to find the right shop.

[@paradiseroad6405]

...a center that turns with the work piece is a live center...so you are actually turning between two live centers...dead centers require lubrication and neither of yours do because they're both turning with the work...so both are live...

[@thewarlordscalling6537]

u r right about that

[@davidmotoman4956]

Keith Fenner Has a Follower adapter on his Lathe I Think keith :) Hi from Australia

[@VintageMachinery]

+David Fullston I think he does. I have actually found a follow rest for the museums Lodge and Shipley lathe since making that video a while back.

[@davidmotoman4956]

+Keith Rucker - VintageMachinery.org No worries Keith, Such a great Addition to a Lathe For sure mate.

[@That_Teal_fummins]

so your saying you cant get a 4 jaw right on running true

[@That_Teal_fummins]

yea how close on average can you get a 3 jaw? +- .005 all we runs is 4 jaws and once you get good on them you can have something indicated in within .002 pretty quick and go from there. basically it all on what your makeing

[@bobjimenez4464]

He could always beat on his 3 jaw chuck with a hammer to get the center running true but is it really worth it? Yes, I am guilty of doing that but it wasn't my machine and I was a green machinist following the instructions of my lead man. Shame on me, I knew better.

[@ClownWhisper]

I never understand why people put a dead center in a Chuck like that. I mean I understand why it's a lot less of a hassle than putting a plate on it but like you say you deal with run out and inconsistency. Really it only takes a minute to take a damn Chuck off and put on a plate and a dog and then you got it with no run out hopefully if your nose is true. Don't get me wrong I'm a total novice compared to you I'm just kind of expressing my feelings on the subject. I appreciate your efforts and your videos above all

[@ronwilken5219]

Even if you use a dead centre in the mandrel it needs to be machined to true up the centre. This counteracts any dings or dirt in the taper of the mandrel or on the body of the dead centre and makes sure that you have a perfect centre for your job. What Keith has done is just eliminate the removal of the chuck and mounting of a drive plate. Quicker in the run of things and he may not have a suitable drive plate available.

[@fabrizioleonetti1806]

parli troppo ma che voi fa da grande?