Metal Lathe training
This is reference material for people interested in using our lathe. This material is collected here in order to assist a workshop on using the lathe as well as for people to teach themselves how to use this machine.
Diagram
This is a diagram of the parts of our lathe. Please note that this picture was taken before it was restored to full working condition. See that process here: Atlas_Lathe_Restoration.
Reading Material
For additional material on the subject of running and using a lathe use these links. The MIT guide is a single page with a good overview of lathe parts and operations. The WE Williams site contains complete PDF's of older books on using lathes. I have two expensive classroom books which cover lathe work which I will provide to Bloominglabs members in the near future.
- http://web.mit.edu/2.670/www/Tutorials/Machining/lathe/Description.html
- http://www.americanmachinetools.com/how_to_use_a_lathe.htm - A deeper read on lathes and how to use them
- http://www.wewilliams.net/SBLibrary.htm - Complete PDF's of older lathe manuals, all still relavent information.
Video Tutorials
These are free MIT videos which are a reasonable introduction to using a lathe. They are part of a 10 video series on machine tools, these are the lathe videos from this series. They each are about 45 minutes in length.
- [4] - Youtube search for "Tubalcain" maching videos, many different videos on different aspects of using a lathe.
Tool Grinding
Tool grinding is just as important as knowing how to use the lathe. You literally grind a small bar of high quality tool steel down to the correct shape you need for the cuts you need to make.
