An Introduction To Engine Lathe

An engine lathe is a flat shaped piece of workholding, which is most frequently used to turn metal manually. By turning the metal and by using particular cutting devices, the engine lathe is competent of forming the metal into exact shapes. As its name goes, the engine lathe is over and over again used to make metal pieces for use in an engine, whether it could be for an automobile, a tractor, a boat, or as well for any other motorized vehicle or machine.
Even though people may use the engine lathe initially for spinning sheet metals, it is as well used for drilling, making square blocks, and for shaping shafts. Candle cup dies, copy burner nozzles, foundry pattern core boxes, and other prints are products an engine lathe could produce. Most modern tools were shaped with the assistance of an engine lathe. In addition, those who own an engine lathe could create their own devices with the machine. For these reasons, the engine lathe is regularly referred as a workholding machine.
Further features of an engine lathe consist of gears, a carriage, a tailstock, and a stepped pulley that are generally used for different kinds of spindle speeds. The workings in the engine lathe are used to control the carriage. Simultaneously, the carriage bolsters of the cutting tools. The tailstock is commonly used to hold up the hole-drilling process, which takes place in the spindle.
Engine lathes were in style in the 19th and 20th centuries at blacksmith shops and are yet far and wide used today. There have, on the other hand, been a few amendments to the engine lathe over the following years. In the unique engine lathe, the carriage might catch all the dust and dirt. When this mixed with the oil in the engine, it would shape up a grinding motion as the carriage moved back and forth while turning and for shaping the metal. The steady grinding finally wore the machine down and made it useless.
Today, the cart on an engine lathe is self-oiling further on and the rear. The carriage on the engine lathe has as well been improved, and is built to defend the machine from the remnants of the jobs it performs.
Article Tags: carriage, engine, lathe

Wood Turning - Beginning by Choosing a Lathe - Seven Points to Consider

Obviously, to begin to turn wood you will need a lathe. These are not complicated machines when it comes to wood lathes and have been around for at least three thousand years. The first lathes were simply two points that held a piece of wood in place while the assistant to the turner used a rope to make the wood rotate and the turner cut the shapes. Today's wood lathes are made of steel or cast iron or some combination of the two and are powered by electric motors. They still use two points to hold the wood although some other attachment devices may be used. Here are seven points to look for when choosing a lathe.
 

1. Decide what you would most like to turn and get a lathe big enough to do so. Some people will want to turn little other than writing pens while others will want to make lamps, table legs, salad bowls or even wearable wooden hats. Lathe size will be indicated by a number such as the common 12 x 36, meaning the lathe will hold a piece of wood up to twelve inches in diameter and thirty-six inches long.
2. Make sure the lathe is sturdy enough to hold the wood you intend to turn. Obviously a lathe made to turn pens can be a lot lighter than one intended for large, unbalanced locks of green hardwood for salad bowls. Many lathes advertised as "professional" or "heavy duty" are anything but substantial. Be careful to buy from a reputable dealer and look for lots of cast iron and steel. Remember that you can turn small items on a big lathe but not the reverse.
3. Get a lathe that has appropriate speeds available for your preferred turning. Spindles such as chair legs, candle sticks and writing pens will want a higher speed than bowls. Speed is adjusted by moving belts along different pulleys or with mechanical or electronic variable speed drives. The latter are the more expensive but both work well. Rather than the adjustment procedure, which should be simple to do, it is the adjustment range with which we are concerned. Generally a low end of at most 600 rpm (revolutions per minute) and a high end of at least 2000 rpm is sufficient on most beginner lathes.
4. Be sure that the lathe will easily handle readily available accessories. It is frustrating to want a particular accessory and find that is extremely rare in sizes that fit your lathe. The two sizes that are most important for accessories are the head stock spindle thread and the head stock and tail stock tapers. Common thread sizes for most beginner lathes will be 1" x 8 tpi and 3/4" x 16 tpi with the former more common all the time. Accessories are readily available for either. Most spindles will be sizes with a Morse taper which will accommodate a number of accessories. Look for either a #1 or #2 Morse taper with #2 slightly preferred.
5. If the lathe comes with a stand or legs, be sure it is at your correct height. The accepted standard is to place the center of the spindle at the height of your elbow above the floor with your arm loosely at your side. This is not crucial as the lathe can be set up on blocks for tall people and short people can stand on a raised floor or box, but it is more convenient. Most beginner lathes will avoid this problem all together by needing a stand built for them. Make sure it is sturdy and of course the right height.
6. The lathe should be an appropriate size for the shop. Do not get more than your shop can accommodate.
7. If at all possible, get advice from a local turner. Remember that someone who has been turning a long time will have likely upgraded their first lathe to a higher standard and will want to boast of the accomplishments of the newest acquisition, however it is likely to be more than a beginner needs. On the other hand, this tends to be a highly addictive hobby and it makes sense to buy all your budget can afford. Above all, prepare to have fun and take care to be safe. Remember that the lathe is only the start and tools will be needed so be careful to leave room in the budget for those and other accessories.

Darrell Feltmate is a juried wood turner whose web site, http://aroundthewoods.com , contains detailed information about wood turning for the novice or experienced turner as well as a collection of turnings for your viewing pleasure. You too can learn to turn wood, here is the place to start. Wondering what it looks like? Follow the page links for a free video. http://aroundthewoods.comYou can easily ask your questions about wood turning at his blog athttp://roundopinions.blogspot.com as well as comment on any thing related to the web site, this article or other aspects of wood turning, art and craft.

Lathe Art - How To Start Doing Lathe Art By Creating A Picture With Wood Strips

Years ago, my family enjoyed going to a small chain restaurant in town called the Ponderosa. It was affordable, and they served solid food. I liked it myself. But the thing that really stayed with me after the meal was over was the artwork they decorated with. The pictures were made out of thin strips of wood, fixed together to create landscapes, seascapes and scenery. It was so very comfortable to look at. Well, the Ponderosa here eventually went out of business, and now there is yet one more hamburger joint in town. That makes at least six, and this is a small town. Does this not seem a bit much?

In the years that have since gone by, there were a lot of bills to pay, sports and dances to take the kids to, and just plain things to do. I was busy. What can I say? A while back, I met a lady. It was not really spare time that she used in which to paint, but she painted every night after work. She was, and still is relentless about it. Painting is important to her, so she keeps doing it. Eventually, I told her about the art work I remembered from the Ponderosa. She must have held on to the idea, because the next year for Christmas, I got a precut kit of a seascape in lathe art.

At that time, it seemed to me that it would take a very gifted and artistic type of a person to create one of these pictures. I had no idea that I was able to do it! Now that lady that I was telling you about, has a work shop. Complete with all the tools. I was a little surprised too. She even knew how to use the tools! On our day off in the winter, she would have a fire going in the wood stove, and work on her projects all day out there. She did furniture refinishing and repairs. That was where my lathe art project was assembled.

After I put it together, it was easy to see that it would not be hard to continue, and create my own unique piece. All that was needed was a flat background to glue the wood strips to, and of coarse the wooden strips of wood. Where the edges needed to be formed for the strips, was an easy cut out on her band saw. All it took to get me going was a piece of 3/8" plywood, about 2' wide by 16" tall, and a two foot long 2"x4" that I ripped into 1/4" stats on the table saw.

I then drew a very simple picture to begin with on the plywood. It was an old red barn, with hills in the background. Almost like some of the folk art paintings. Just totally simple. The wood strips were placed on the plywood to be marked for each of the cuts. After all of the cuts were made to the wood strips, I assembled them, and glued them in place on the plywood. And voila! So easy to paint when all of the edges are already there for you! To keep the theme of the painting simple, I bordered it with straight cut and thinner strips, then framed it by cutting right angles on the end of 2" wide strips of wood, a little thicker than the slats that made up the picture.

The lady thinks that the piece is beautiful. It now hangs in our living room. Now I ask myself why I ever waited so long to try it. It's even a little easier to look forward to cold winter days!
To see more of the work I have done in lathe art, please visit my lady's website at http://www.reversepaintinglady.com and look for the Lathe Art page. Since beginning to work in this medium, I have also done some pictures in natural wood tones, using only different types of wood with varying grains to create the scenery.