Captain America and His Swell Lathe
July 24th, 2009Patriotism no Cure for Stupidity
As a machining hobbyist, I find that I have one problem that is very difficult to overcome. Of course, I am referring to stupidity.
Today I was determined to do something with the lathe. I went out to the garage, and I saw a part on my Moto Guzzi which needed to be replaced. It’s a simple rod with threading at each end. It connects the shifter to the transmission. The original part is chrome-plated, and the chrome fell off. And I just happen to have a lot of stainless rod for machining. Stainless is obviously better than chrome.
I got all excited and decided to take a whack at it. It was just a matter of turning some stainless to the right size and threading both ends.
Then I remembered: I bought a standard lathe, and this is a metric bike. Arrgh.
I rooted around on the web, trying to find out what I could do. It turns out you can get metric gears for the Clausing 5936, but only if you can FIND them. And then you’re likely to get robbed. I found a partial set, but that was no good.
I felt dejected. I decided to quit. I started cursing myself (again) for not listening to Og when he told me to get a Grizzly lathe. I don’t know what I was thinking. That lathe came with a follow rest, steady rest, and metric gears. And a warranty. I still think I should get rid of the Clausing. Antiques are fun, but I am paying a big price for sticking with “old iron.”
Then I remembered something. I had stuff for metric threading! A while back, I bought drill and tap sets. Stupidity had prevented me from remembering.
I took the part off the bike and measured it. I laid it on the workbench and reached for the taps and drills. Then I realized…no dies. I can’t do external metric threading.
So while stupidity had gone into remission on one level, it was still hard at work on another.
Now I have to put the part back on and look around on the web for metric dies.
On top of that, I have no follow rest, because I bought a piece of ancient American history instead of a working tool. The rod I need to make is 0.272″ in diameter and about 7″ long. I’ll bet I can’t make that without a follow rest.
I should sell this thing. Problems like this are going to keep popping up, and the parts are impossible to find. I started searching for a steady rest and follow rest weeks ago, and nothing has turned up.
July 24th, 2009 at 4:40 PM
Once you get the mill, a steadyrest and follower are the easiest things in the world to build.
July 24th, 2009 at 4:48 PM
I hope so, because buying either appears to be out of the question.
July 24th, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Or, You could just chuck it all, grab the guns, and go to the range. Usually works for me when I’m at the level of frustration you sound like!.
Me? I’m going to Disneyland!. No, really. Five days, with a 6 and 7 y/o. That make you feel better?
(As much as I may be regretting the 8 hour drive, and five days of enforced Happiness, the kids are glowing with excitement…so that makes it all worthwhile. And there is a Bar in the hotel…)
July 25th, 2009 at 8:47 PM
Only problem I see is that you shouldn’t be owning any of that foreign junk anyway. If our country produces something we as americans should have the smarts to support the country that supports us.
July 25th, 2009 at 9:27 PM
I guess I should sell my Harley. Which is PACKED with Japanese parts.
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I assume you know your computer is Asian. Unless you made it yourself, starting from ore and crude oil.
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I’m pretty sure there is no such thing as a new manual 12″ lathe made in America. If there is, I guarantee you it costs over $20,000.
July 26th, 2009 at 5:40 AM
Measure the threads and cut them to the closest English (American) Threads Per Inch use a test piece first. You Another choice would be to buy a die set or just a single die Rual King and Ace Hardware has single taps and dies.
If the TPI is close but not exact you will be able to get enough length of thread to hold ( one and one half of the diameter) Make sure you have the Rod length to suit the adjustment of the shifter to fit you.
Clausing is a fine lathe and Moto Guzzi have to be ridden to be appreaciated.
July 26th, 2009 at 6:50 AM
Even with the right gearset you can’t cut metric gears easily, because the leadscrew is off. It will work, but the threading dial is wrong. You have to back off the thread dial the distance of the pitchof the leadscrew times the pitch of the metric thread in inches for the threading dial to work.
I know that sounds like I’m speaking greek, but I’m not. The threading dial (important in knowing where to start the thread)is based on the location of the threads in the leadscrew; it means you have to stop threading, manually turn the lathe backwards to the start point, and start again. Otherwise you might be starting at half a pitch off.
If you can find a manual for your lathe you might be able to determine what the procedure is. Otherwise it’s edifficult at best.
On the other hand, 25 threads per inch is SO close to metric 1 pitch that it’s difficult to determine you have the wrong size without pretty specialized equipment.
July 26th, 2009 at 1:43 PM
The Microlux comes with an inch screw, but you can buy a cheap metric leadscrew and dial for it. Presumably, this would make metric “native,” so maybe it would work.
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Someone at Chaski said I should look into an electronic lead screw. This looks like a brilliant idea, but still pretty half-baked. Like building a Heathkit computer in 1975.
July 26th, 2009 at 7:15 PM
The metric leadscrew is the very best option. The halfnuts will have to change but that’s a piece of cake.
July 26th, 2009 at 7:39 PM
Steve, save yourself some headache – buy a length of 7mm diameter(.275) stainless rod from McMaster Carr. Turning small diameters for long lengths is going to be an exercise in hair pulling.
Littlemachineshop.com has a nifty dieholder that fits in the tailstock, takes either 1″ round, or 13/16 hex dies. about $33. It has a 2 morse taper, so you may need a morse taper sleeve(shouldn’t be more than 20 dollars for a noname import).
Finally – Steadyrests. Go to toolsforcheap.net They sell knockoff tool rests for popular American Iron(SB 9″, heavy 10, Logan, etc). No they don’t make one to fit your machine, but they do make an appropriate sized one, with a bolt on base. You’ll have to make a new base, but making a new base for a $150 Steady, is better than paying 600 bucks for the correct one.
July 27th, 2009 at 11:49 AM
I agree with HTRN on the turning long lengths point and tailstock die holders. Unless you expect to do a lot of metric threads then the die option will be cheaper even if you have to get it posted from Europe or Japan. Don’t forget that metric threads can be either fine or coarse.
If you are interested in an electronic leadscrew then get in contact with the guy who made the “StepperHead” or the guy who made “DivisionMaster” as they are experts in that kind of stuff. Bit scary for my liking through
I’ve not heard the term “follow rest” before, we call them “travelling steadies” over here in the UK.
Having to use some creativity to get the rights bits for the lathe is likely to happen regardless of the make so I’d keep your old lathe for a bit before you jump to any conclusions.
July 27th, 2009 at 3:12 PM
Andy, Standard term in the US for the device in question is “follower rest”. I’ve never heard them called “travelling steadies”, but then again, we call “torches”, flashlights. 🙂
The best way to turn down long length, small diameter parts is in a screw type machine – I’ve turned down 3mm stock down below a mm for over 2 inchs on a production basis in a Citizen B12(Swiss type CNC screw machine), but to do so in a regular lathe? Forget it.
Personally, I’m of the opinion that if you’re gonna do a “Electronic leadscrew”, you’re already doing a significant chunk of the work for a CNC conversion, so you might as well go all the way.
July 27th, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Big, big price difference.