Thread: For my very first time, Like a virgin Thanks Madonna

Haha a bit of tool making for my very first lathe job i was going so well than i crapped it and drilled a off center hole, i will be replacing the bolt with a grub screw just don't have any on hand, bolt just for reference

i ordered a set of new drill bits so this Sutton bit will become my tool cutting tip, the hole was drilled with it so no other better fit, hole was tapped for a M5 now seeing it i wish i had went with a M3 or something small so there would be more meat left as the thicker end of the boring tool is 10.48mm thick

Hi Gazza,

Thank you for the video !

I shuddered with fear though that. I half expected the drill bit to shatter and bits fly all over the place. Whilst you got away with it that is definitely not the way to do it. That job was a drill press job with the end of the bar held at the angle you wanted and firmly secured in a vise.

Starting the hole with a centre drill was correct and would stop the drill from wandering about on the curved surface. But you really must take care to provide adequate support for the work piece.

Ok will remove the video

If my lathe was designed as a lathe/milling machine surely i cant be that much off in what i done just the tool was not properly supported, the drill bit in the chuck i thought was ok it would be the same as using the lathe in milling mode

Hi Gazza,

No problem using a drill in the chuck ! The problem was the large unsupported length hanging in mid air only supported by a thin 6 mm diameter piece in the tool holder.

I know you were careful, but what if the drill had grabbed, shattered, bits flung all over the place. Definitely not the safe way to do that job.

I'm not getting at you, we all have to learn somehow, but I would hate to see you, or anybody else for that matter, risk getting hurt.

The drill bit was under very little tension that one hole took over 20mins to drill i would have liked the whole tool in the tool post but it wouldnt fit i would have used the bench drill but i dont have a vice on it

Hi Gazza,

By gum you're up late ! Its just turned 6 pm here.

A drill vise, even a cheap one is a good investment to prevent getting hurt.

To some extent I'm fortunate that I have a cheap X-Y table on the drill press with a reasonable vise fastened to the table. For setting work at an angle I simply cut a bit of scrap plywood at the angle that I want, and use that as a guide. Before I got the X-Y table I would use a nut and bolt through one of the drill table slots or a "G" clamp to secure the vise.

Even then you have to take care. I've had a drill break and embed itself in my finger whilst holding work with my hand.

Thanks Baron i never even thought i was placing my self in a dangerous position i was more worried about the steel shavings burning me the other day than a drill bit snapping

I have snapped a few drill bits in the past i never even consider it a risk as the bits just snap in two from what i have observed no hundreds of metal shards its only 4mm

Long weekend here fri,sat,sun,mon all for easter

Hi Gazza,

Yes its Easter weekend here as well ! I can't wait for Tuesday to come round, then its away for seven and a half weeks, wondering around France ! Maybe Italy, Switzerland and Germany, though we both really like France.

No internet or computers, just a phone for emergency use. In some ways I envy you guys in AU having all that country to explore, not that I'm ever likely to get to AU.

Ah well ! Take care, catch up with you when I get back.

Lucky bugger Baron sounds like an adventure

My practices may not be acceptable but this is how the tool turned out, this is what Baron is talking about the way i mounted the tool in the tool holder, this is my first steel job i was quiet worried about cutting steel on the lathe after the aluminium was jammed in the chuck but the steal is almost as easy to machine as aluminium