Long Work

Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
Find deals on amazon
Home Model Engine Machinist Forum

Help Support Home Model Engine Machinist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
J

Jeremy_BP

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2011
Messages
142
Reaction score
7
Hello all,
It's been a while since I've been around here. Good to see you again.
I've got a bit of a problem at the moment.
I need to machine an axle. It's 36" long, keyed down the length, and threaded at the ends. I need it to be 30" long, which brings me to my problem. I have a 10x36 lathe, with a 25/32" spindle bore. The axle is 1" in diameter. So what to do?

I could try turning it between centers, but I'm not sure how I would go about accurately center drilling one end. I do have a steady rest, but I've never used it and don't know how I would center it on such long work. Also, the axle is keyed, so that seems like straight murder on the poor steady. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
 
Jeremy, You could try making a close fitting sleeve if the capacity of your steady rest is enough...that would let it ride on the sleeve rather than the keyed axle. Even so, I am doubting you have enough length to allow for the tailstock and drill even if you can center the piece. Do you have a friend with a larger lathe that could handle the 1" diameter?

Bill
 
Good idea on the sleeve, but I'm not sure how to center the work so far from the headstock. Also, you're very right that I wouldn't end up with enough room between centers. Hrm.

Finding someone with a larger lathe would be convenient, but I don't think I know anyone nearby with a large lathe. I'll give it a look though. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
Hello,

To set your steady rest, set it up close to the headstock with a dummy shaft that is the same diameter as the axle and will fit through the bushing as Bill suggested. Adjust the fingers to the mocked-up part held in your chuck. Slide the steady down the bed to the position that it will need to be in for your long shaft and you should be very close. Now you can indicate your shaft and make any minor adjustments to get it running true. Hope this helps. Good luck with your project.

Regards,
Mike
 
One way I've read about centering the steady is to put an test indicator on the material and indicate the tail stock center which has previously been centered using the indicator in the chuck.

Greg
 
What machining do you actually need to do on the axle? I assume you will saw off the excess 3" each end or 6" from one end then want to face, maybe reduce dia and then thread the end?

Even at 30" long I doubt you will have room for drill chuck or the carrage. One way around it is to clamp to a vertical slide or even the tool post, face the end by flycutting, clock the end true then reduce dia with a boring head which can also be used to put the external thread on the end.

I've used this method on cast parts that are too big to swing and length is really only limited by when you hit the workshop wall

J
 
I would not attempt to center any shaft in a steady rest.

OK, so I have tried it in the past, but never will again! ::)

The shaft may indicate perfectly round at the chuck and the steady rest, but still
be high or low at the steady rest.

If it's low at the steady rest the shaft will walk into the chuck, possibly causing the machine to bind.
It it's high at the steady rest the stock will walk out of the chuck. That is no fun at all!

If there is any warp at all in the shaft, it will walk.
Which way is anybody's guess.

I don't like using steady rests at all.
It's OK if you have a shaft that is already centered. You can cut a witness for the rollers to run on
then adjust the steady rest into the witness while the tail stock center is still engaged.

It is not a safe way to center a shaft.

Rick
 
Thank you all so much for your replies.
What I actually need to do is cut off 6", face the end, turn down 2.75" to 3/4" diameter, and thread it 3/4 - 16.
Jason -- I like your idea of using the boring head, but the one I have can only go do a depth of 1.8" with the boring bars I have. I will bear that in mind for future projects though.
Rick -- Yipes! That doesn't sound fun at all. Warning heeded.

Additionally, I've just measured my lathe. At 30" long, there's no room to get the carriage to the end of the part.
Looks like I'm back to looking for someone with a larger lathe.

This is what I love about a forum like this. I can pose a problem, and although I may not find a workable solution, I will always learn something new. Thanks for making that possible.
 
Just thought of one other option, turn a bush to fit the axle with an OD to fit your tail stock casting. take all the gibbons out of the tailstock, Fit the bearing and then slide it down the bed to act as a steady.

Without the tailstock at the end of the bed you may just have room to move the carriage far enough to the right.

J
 
My solution would be to use your lathe as a horizontal borer.


That is you make up a jig which fits in the toolpost and holds the shaft. The tools are all driven in the headstock. You remove the tailstock and use the fixed steady to support the free end , (which is not rotating), that way you can have minimum overhang out of the jig. and the shaft is supported as the saddle moves along the bed.

I've only had to do this once, and once was enough, getting the shaft on centre height is the most difficult and vital part of the operation

Best Regards
Bob
 
Hello Jeremy,
The only way you can machine your shaft is to put it in the lathe with the center at the end. Live 30.5" out of the chuck.
Machine the dimension you need close to the chuck, make the thread to 3/4 then cut the extra lenght.

Alain
 
Jeremy,
When I said "cut the extra lenght" I mean with a saw no part off.
Alain
 
Thank you all for your replies. I've found a larger lathe that I can use to machine it, but will bear in mind some of the suggestions from this thread for future reference.
 
That's good news Jeremy...I think you will be much happier with the results.

Bill
 
Don't be afraid of that steady. I used mine for the first time yesterday and it was a piece of cake. Now, I have to mount a 2" tube between centers to turn the OD.

Greg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

TinkerJim
The Moriya Story - #3 A new piston for the Major
Replies
2
Views
880
TinkerJim
TinkerJim
Steam_Monkey
Antique horizontal steam engine project! Any help with identification appreciated!
Replies
1
Views
822
GreenTwin
GreenTwin
SBWHART
Miniature "Potty" Lads and Dads Open Frame Horizontal Mill Engine
Replies
1
Views
567
minh-thanh
minh-thanh
A
How to calculate movement at a pivot?
Replies
15
Views
4K
SmithDoor
SmithDoor
J
Seized taper lock
Replies
10
Views
2K
Rocket Man
R

Latest posts

Back
Top