Lathe Speed???

italdesign · Post by **italdesign** » Wed May 06, 2009 4:02 am

Hi guys,

I recently purchased a Jet Mini lathe and I'm still getting used to it. I was just wondering what speed or RPM you use when shaping the bowl and shank. Thank you.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Wed May 06, 2009 10:00 am

1200 to 1800 RPM typically. For the way I work, that seems to give the best finish.

Sasquatch · Post by **Sasquatch** » Wed May 06, 2009 7:06 pm

I use the highest speed possible without the lathe jumping around. Usually for pipes I graduate through the bottom 3 "gears".

The jet is a nice little lathe. Bit fiddly for changing speeds, but a good quality little lathe.

ToddJohnson · Post by **ToddJohnson** » Wed May 06, 2009 11:29 pm

1725, though if I remember correctly, your Jet mini lathe has a setting for 1800.

TJ

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Thu May 07, 2009 8:17 am

You guys are your "memorizing speeds"

I use the second to the last gear unless i get real bad vibrations, then I use the third to the last...

Even then it sometimes wobbles real bad and I have to sit on the lathe.

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Thu May 07, 2009 10:51 am

ToddJohnson wrote:1725, though if I remember correctly, your Jet mini lathe has a setting for 1800.

TJ

Yep. 1250 and 1800. I use either one depending on size of the bowl.

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Thu May 07, 2009 1:02 pm

bscofield wrote:I use the second to the last gear unless i get real bad vibrations, then I use the third to the last...

Even then it sometimes wobbles real bad and I have to sit on the lathe.

Bolt the lathe to the stand/bench, bolt the stand/bench to the wall and/or floor. It should help reduce the vibration.

LexKY_Pipe · Post by **LexKY_Pipe** » Fri May 08, 2009 2:09 pm

I use the Jet Mini Lathe too. My rule of thumb is the lower the sanding grade the higher the speed. 1800 rpm for 80 grit and below. Slow down as the grit increases.

kbadkar · Post by **kbadkar** » Fri May 08, 2009 2:18 pm

LexKY_Pipe wrote:I use the Jet Mini Lathe too. My rule of thumb is the lower the sanding grade the higher the speed. 1800 rpm for 80 grit and below. Slow down as the grit increases.

Huh? You shape your stummel on the lathe with sandpaper?

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Fri May 08, 2009 2:31 pm

These days I actually do a lot of lathe shaping with a wheel spun by a motor. Not a lathe, per se, but similar in idea. I've been doing a ton of shaping on the belt grinder, but recently decided to try the wheel for rough shaping in addition to the finish sanding that I normally do. I took a cue from Todd and use a 36-grit wheel to start with, followed by my normal finish sanding procedures. I'm finding that rough shaping on a wheel gives more freedom in shape versus the belt grinder. You do have to be careful of that edge though - it's like a saw blade!

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Fri May 08, 2009 3:11 pm

KurtHuhn wrote:You do have to be careful of that edge though - it's like a saw blade!

Yep, 36 grit moving under power is scary stuff. After a couple of nicks to the fingers, almost to the bone, you get to be very wary of it.

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Fri May 08, 2009 5:28 pm

KurtHuhn wrote:These days I actually do a lot of lathe shaping with a wheel spun by a motor. Not a lathe, per se, but similar in idea. I've been doing a ton of shaping on the belt grinder, but recently decided to try the wheel for rough shaping in addition to the finish sanding that I normally do. I took a cue from Todd and use a 36-grit wheel to start with, followed by my normal finish sanding procedures. I'm finding that rough shaping on a wheel gives more freedom in shape versus the belt grinder. You do have to be careful of that edge though - it's like a saw blade!

Well it's about time, Kurt!

We've been praising the superiority of the grinding wheel over belt grinder for shaping for years. I'm glad you've finally crossed over. I would continue to recommend the belt grinder to anyone who wants to make the task of pipe shaping more difficult and time consuming than necessary.

...reminds me a little of the wood v. metal lathe argument several years ago.

Jeff

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Fri May 08, 2009 5:34 pm

I use a 24 grit wheel for rough shaping.

Rad

kbadkar · Post by **kbadkar** » Fri May 08, 2009 6:06 pm

Okay, I'm confused. I thought the question in the thread was about drilling and shaping the stummel on the lathe, so I am imagining a block in a chuck and drilling and then using wood turning tools to shape the outer bowl and shank. I thought, man, these guys got the RPM way up for drilling and shaping with chisels, gouges, and the like. I'm thinking around 800 rpm, and everyone else is 1200 and up?

But, it seems, you guys are actually talking about chucking up a "sanding" wheel on the lathe to do rough shaping, which is a wholenother ball of wax.

What is the question again?

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Fri May 08, 2009 6:42 pm

jeff wrote:Well it's about time, Kurt! We've been praising the superiority of the grinding wheel over belt grinder for shaping for years. I'm glad you've finally crossed over. I would continue to recommend the belt grinder to anyone who wants to make the task of pipe shaping more difficult and time consuming than necessary.

...reminds me a little of the wood v. metal lathe argument several years ago.

You know, as willing to learn as I am, there are times when habit simply wins over. Or the wallet, as was the case with the metal lathe.

The very first tool I used to shape pipes with was a belt grinder - because that's what I had at the time, and didn't know any better. Years pass and I got pretty damn good at belt grinder shaping. It's not an inferior tool, as tools go - as long as you're willing to put up with some limitations. However, the wheel is simply better suited for some stuff - like a blowfish for example.

And, I also sat down and designed an arbor for the fiber/resin wheels, making life that much easier. I've been doing my finish sanding on wheels for years now - but only now have begun to use them for rough shaping as well.

But I do feel I should point out that I never denied the technical, procedural, and artistic superiority of a metal lathe - only that it wasn't strictly necessary to make "a pipe".

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Fri May 08, 2009 6:44 pm

kbadkar wrote:Okay, I'm confused. I thought the question in the thread was about drilling and shaping the stummel on the lathe, so I am imagining a block in a chuck and drilling and then using wood turning tools to shape the outer bowl and shank. I thought, man, these guys got the RPM way up for drilling and shaping with chisels, gouges, and the like. I'm thinking around 800 rpm, and everyone else is 1200 and up?

But, it seems, you guys are actually talking about chucking up a "sanding" wheel on the lathe to do rough shaping, which is a wholenother ball of wax.

What is the question again?

Naw, you're correct. That's how it started out, and then - as per usual - it morphed into something else entirely.

RadDavis · Post by **RadDavis** » Fri May 08, 2009 7:24 pm

KurtHuhn wrote:
However, the wheel is simply better suited for some stuff - like a blowfish for example.

I think you'll find that the wheel is better suited for everything.

Rad

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Fri May 08, 2009 8:06 pm

RadDavis wrote:I think you'll find that the wheel is better suited for everything.

So far I can't argue that point at *all*.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Fri May 08, 2009 9:27 pm

Frank wrote:
bscofield wrote:I use the second to the last gear unless i get real bad vibrations, then I use the third to the last...

Even then it sometimes wobbles real bad and I have to sit on the lathe.
Bolt the lathe to the stand/bench, bolt the stand/bench to the wall and/or floor. It should help reduce the vibration.

I was joking. The lathe is bolted to the bench and the bench to the wall... but there are times when I am off center enough to have to lean on it a bit... just so stuff doesn't walk off my bench.

smokindawg · Post by **smokindawg** » Mon May 11, 2009 11:40 am

After a trip to visit Kim Kendall back in October, I've been using a wheel to shape and have them set up in different grades for different phases of shaping and sanding.

For the roughest I make the backing plate about half the diameter of the wheel so that I can get some flex in the wheel when I'm shaping.

As for drilling, I actually use my Delta Midi lathe on the slowest speed which I think is about 500rpm! And I've only shaped one poker with aid of the lathe and I had it set on a mid range speed. Somewhere around 1800rpm