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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
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    1,322

    Default New Lathe - AL-346V ?

    I think I like the look of this unit - good size & features, but can't find any reviews or forum posts about it. Anyone have any experience with it?
    https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/L555D

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Laidley, SE Qld
    Posts
    1,038

    Default

    I think the AL340 morphed into the 346.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
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    1,322

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bob ward View Post
    I think the AL340 morphed into the 346.
    I can see some similar elements, but a lot that is different, so not really sure what its provenance is. However the feature set includes much of what I'd look to add to a lathe (variable speed, DRO, QCTP) and the base machine has a few things I like the idea of, such as a reasonably-sized 40mm bore, foot brake and metric lead screw.

    I had a chat to the local dealer who re-selles H&F gear this morning - with freight to CBR ($175), delivery (they charge $300 to debox it, run it in out the back of the shop, and have their own tilt tray and a custom dolly for getting it into place) and some tooling (insert cutter set, insert parting tool, live centre & chuck) it'll be around the $7k mark.

    I think it'll make for a decent first lathe that'll allow me to ruin a large variety of perfectly good metal with impunity.

    The sale ends Monday, which is about $600 off the normal price, so have a day or so to work out if I feel like parting with that much cash for my Christmas present....

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    If someone bought it for me as a Chrissy present, I would not be complaining!

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    1,322

    Default

    Now I have an answer for that nagging "what do you want for Christmas" question

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    New Zealand
    Age
    76
    Posts
    2

    Default

    Hi there 2months ago I bought the al356v a very similar machine .I then had a senior moment and crashed the machine stripping 2 teeth of the pinion gear. Investigation showed that the assemblers over tightened the spring loaded ball bearings on the apron drive.As every one is on holliday I have had to braise up the gaps and cut new teeth I will be haveing stern words with machinery house when buisness reopens

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    1,322

    Default

    Thread update. Unfortunately I've been out of town on and off for most of January, but was home briefly to take delivery of the machine last Monday. I had winced at the $300 delivery fee, but to their credit, they did do a bit of futzing on the machine before delivery, including setting the pins on the camlock chuck. And with their tilt-tray and machine dolley, installation was distinctly uneventful.

    I've had little time to try out the machine, but first impressions are that with carbide insert tooling along with a chart for RPM based on material and desired finish, plus a DRO, and having watched hours of lathe operations on Youtube, it's not too hard to get in and do accurate work with a decent level of finish (only on aluminium so far).

    My only criticism of the machine so far is that the foot "brake" is not mechanical, rather it just triggers the stop on the variable speed drive, which while having a braking resistor, still takes quite a few turns to come to a stop, and no faster than just stopping the lathe using the lever.

    The other thing that struck me, not having run a lathe since school, *many* years ago, was that while Yanks (on Youtube) seem to have their compound always set at 29 degrees with the toolpost angled accordingly to square the tool up to the work , the ex-toolmaker staff member who was there for delivery said it wasn't needed for threading, and just to leave it in line with the bed.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    sydney ( st marys )
    Age
    64
    Posts
    4,887

    Default

    The choice of how you cut your threads is totally up to the individual, when the time arises try both ways, there may be instances when you will need to cut with the compound parallel to the bed.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Australia east coast
    Age
    71
    Posts
    2,713

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pipeclay View Post
    The choice of how you cut your threads is totally up to the individual, when the time arises try both ways, there may be instances when you will need to cut with the compound parallel to the bed.
    This. I usually have mine swiveled for cutting 60 deg threads but it isn't necessary. There are lots of ways to do it. The logic of swiveling the compound is, you're taking the cut on the leading edge of the tool and the trailing edge is just taking a skim cut to keep the angle correct so 29 deg is only 'correct' for a 60 deg thread anyway. A plunge cut (straight in) has the tool cutting on both faces, bigger tendency to tear the thread flank. But - depends on spindle speed, tool used, rigidity, the day of the month, whether your SO is feeling friendly etc etc etc......

    PDW

    PDW

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    1,322

    Default

    Thanks for the clarification - I'd read that the 29 degree thing was to ensure the cut was on the leading edge, but I assume you then need to feed in with the compound, rather than the cross-slide?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
    Posts
    6,436

    Default

    Hi Guys,

    FWIW I'm sure that you will have seen the pictures of my threading set up ! But I do try to ensure that the tool bit is accurately on centre line and square to the work piece. Non of this swinging the compound ! Since I discovered carbide threading inserts, threading has become a pleasure rather than a chore.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    I used to swing the compound, but after I successfully tried threading by purely plunging the tool in I don't bother anymore.

    Call it laziness, I don't mind!

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Country West Oz
    Age
    77
    Posts
    169

    Default

    I have cut thousands of threads on the lathe and I always swing the compound and finish with a light plunge cut, this is the method I have used for many years, and it always works perfectly. I mostly use HSS tooling for thread cutting, seems to give a better finish.
    Everybody seems to develop their own method for doing this, whatever works is the best method for you.
    Regards
    Bradford

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
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    Default

    Being both inexperienced and lazy, I do like the idea of leaving the compound alone and just plunging in square. My experiments so far doing a 1mm thread on aluminium have been reasonably successful. On the advice on the guy from the shop, I left the half-nuts engaged while I completed the thread, which worked, but very slow to reset the carriage for the next cut.

    My machine has a metric leadscrew, meaning I should be able to use the threading dial, but for the life of me, I cannot work out what the corresponding chart means for 1mm pitch, nor what "T" refers to:
    8_Imperial-Thread-Chart-and-Ondicator-Table.jpg

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    sydney ( st marys )
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    64
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    Default

    Do you have a choice of different gears to use on your chasing dial/ star wheel.

    If so the large number 14,15 &16 correspond to the pitch of the thread being cut.

    For your 1 mm pitch there is no large number there fore you can engage your half nut anywhere.

    The other pitches that don't also correspond or fall in the 1 mm pitch range or choices need to have the correct large number gear changed to engage on your leadscrew and the corresponding engagement point used.

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