Cut my first thread on a lathe

[idahoan]

I have done tons of fabricating, milling, you name it, but threading (not with a tap and die set) was always voodoo to me. Well for christmas my wife got me a 7x16 lathe and I cut my first thread tonight.

I feel like a "real" machinist, lol.

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[rick benjamin]

Hidyhoahan,
Good work!

 

[robertg]

What kind of lathe is it?

 

[idahoan]

Micromark 7x16, its basically the cadillac of the chinese lathes, I looked for close to two years for an older american lathe that wasn't ragged out but every one that I came across they either wanted new lathe prices, or it was in need of serious refurbing.

 

[bellarum]

Super sweet! I did some barrel fluting when I was a kid on my dads Bridgeport mill. He set it up, but I loved doing that stuff back then!Enjoy! post some pics!

 

[robertg]

Nice, look for used tooling, you can save some money that way.
Have fun.

 

[deadeye]

They used to teach that in High School metal shop back when schools still had industrial arts. I wish I had some of the machines we used they probably sold them off cheap years ago.

 

[idahoan]

lol its just a barrel thread protector. I have been learning how to cut my own tooling out of tool steel which is pretty cool cuz its only $8 a foot for 3/8 tool steel. I wish I had the metal lathe that my grandfather had but he died when I was a kid and no one in the family would help me move it. I think it was an early 1900's Hendey. Went to the scrap yard . I learned on that lathe but he never taught me thread cutting.

 

[Nickb]

Good job, how did you check it? Mating part or measure over 3wires?
If you really want to tinker cut a multiple lead thread... Then a nut to go on it.
(It's actually pretty simple to do, they just look cool)
These aren't mine but here is an example.

 

[idahoan]

I just checked it on my barrel and it fit pretty well, a little tighter than I would like but it threaded all the way on.

those do look pretty cool BTW. Do you just start on a differnt point at the thread dial?

 

[Velzey]

Yep just pick the 1/3 2/4 on the dial and away you go. Multi lead acme are fun, small cuts and lots of oil, makes nice threads.

I picked this lathe up a few years ago! Complete with a taper attachement.

 

[1990Turbo]

I did an internal left hand acme with a hand ground tool that was fun. I have 2 cnc lathes at my disposal now makes threading so much easier and faster. Its like cheating

 

[Martini_Up]

I miss metal shop - welding, forge, lathe, press, etc.... small wonder we have become a service society with free-falling debt. Schools no longer teach anything worth anything!

 

[Nickb]

For the multi start threads I always ran my compound parallel to the z. When I learned I did a 4 start thread, machine was set to 10tpi, I cut a couple passes with the compound at 0, moved the compound .025 ( 1/10=.1, divide that by 4, #of starts) take a couple of passes then move the compound to .05, .075 then .100. Then start all over at 0.

I haven't cut threads on a manual lathe for 5 or 6 years. I have cnc's to do my work now.

 

[CounterOfBeans]

Nice stuff guys. Wish I had the equipment to play in that sandbox. I'll just live vicariously through you for now.

 

[idahoan]

Oh thats a very nice lathe Velzey here is a pic of the one I have