pipemakersforum.com

So I got a midi lathe and I have a question about tooling. I've got some experience on metal lathes and some on wood lathes but none of that is pipe related. I've got a barracuda 2 self centering 4 jaw chuck on the way. I've also got a drill chuck for my tailstock as well as some pen jaws that I plan to use for holding rod stock and such for drilling. I'm also getting a set of custom jaws from smokindawg. I also have a standard set of wood chisels. I think I have most bases covered, but am I missing something that's a no brainer? For you guys that drill and shape stummels and drill rod stock on your wood lathe, what other things do you keep by the lathe? I know everyone has different methods and preferences, just wanted to hear some of your thoughts. If there is already a thread here that covers this, just point me in that direction. I appreciate it.

Obviously drill bits. I chuck french wheels in the lathe. 3 on lathe buffing mandrel, diamond hone, calipers, xacto knife.

Sounds like you've got everything to get started except you'll definitely need tools to keep your turning tools sharp. Another option is to go with the turning tools with the replaceable tips. In addition to not having to sharpen, they are easier to learn on. I use the square tipped one ALL the time. You can get replacement tips much cheaper on ebay.

Wayne, I'm glad you mentioned that. I've seen the ones with the indexable carbide inserts and thought those would be the way to go. I'll pick up a couple of those as I go, starting with the square one. Thanks

Don't forget to wear safety glasses when you're turning. Other than that, I think everything has been covered. It's nice to see someone trying to start off with a full setup instead of risking life and limb on a halfway rig. Of course, you'll end up buying a lot more tools in the future, but you should be set on your lathe for at least a while.

wdteipen wrote:Sounds like you've got everything to get started except you'll definitely need tools to keep your turning tools sharp. Another option is to go with the turning tools with the replaceable tips. In addition to not having to sharpen, they are easier to learn on. I use the square tipped one ALL the time. You can get replacement tips much cheaper on ebay.

Those are the only turning tools I own.....love 'em

One more item I use on a regular basis is a beall collet chuck. It is great for holding smaller diameter items, up to 3/4" or so, more accurate than a scroll chuck and holds tight without leaving marks from the chuck. I suggest getting the metric set of collets for it as there are some gaps in the imperial set that make it hard to hold some specific diameters.

Jthompson1995 wrote:One more item I use on a regular basis is a beall collet chuck. It is great for holding smaller diameter items, up to 3/4" or so, more accurate than a scroll chuck and holds tight without leaving marks from the chuck. I suggest getting the metric set of collets for it as there are some gaps in the imperial set that make it hard to hold some specific diameters.

+1 on the collet chuck. Makes drilling delrin and rod stock a breeze.