Always wanted to turn some pens.

[WarnerConstCo.]

This has been sitting too long, the time has come to use it or loose it.

I have questions about these centers.  I just got the center out of the tail stock (which seems to be a live center someone had made for it) and was able to remove the center from the head stock (seems to be a spur drive?)

What are the additional centers for?

It also looks like the face plate will unthread as well?

Tailstock center on left headstock center on right



Another view:



Other centers that came with it, what are they, what/when are they used?  (Yes, I have no clue at this moment)





Is it best to use a live center or dead center?  Which ones are for which end?  Those seem like dumb questions.

Current faceplate:



I have the tail stock disassembled and ready to finish cleaning and get painted.  The legs will take some pretty extensive work to get back into the shape I want them to be.

 

[SMJoinery]

Hi Darcy (hope that's correct?)

Many moons ago (early 80's) my working life started as an apprentice Pattern Maker in a prodiminently brass foundry based in Larbert here in Central Scotland.
Sadly the industry was in heavy decline and by my 3rd year Redundancy was looming and shortly after the foundry Drysdale Bros closed its doors.

I remember a similarly sized machine in our Pattern Shop but not sure of its manufacturer or bed sizes etc..
It was an absolute joy to use, fairly quite and so well balanced.
I remember regularly being tasked to turn large rods for various holes to be formed in castings (core boxes). These shafts have a very slight taper on them and have to be very accurate.
Other tasks involved large faceplate turnings for ships gearings and heavy machine parts etc
There was a separate pattern shop in the foundry solely devoted to propeller castings and the work involved there was very skilled.
The lathe also had the capability to turn smaller parts so I'm not surprised to see the drive, live and dead centres in your pics.
All generally had a morse taper to hold in place.
The 4 prong drive centre goes on the "drive" side of the lathe to turn perfectly square ended timber. A quick tap in on a centre mark and off you go.
A 2 prong drive centre is the same but made for any timber ends that weren't square.
A live centre has the point on bearings and revolves on the opposite tail stock from the drive. The bearing stops the piece from burning if the turning is to take an extended time due to complexity.
A dead centre does the same job but doesn't revolve. The timber does on the point and can burn if to tightly held.
The other parts are various drive and dead centres for supporting various types of patterns which cannot be marked on the ends.
Some of the dead centres may be hollow to allow a long drill bit to be passed through the turning and form a hole. (Like a cable for a lamp or a rod to support a long casting). You were guaranteed the accuracy of the holes centre.

I'm not sure if you found it but I also remember a large cluster of roller bearings in a Y shape which could be pushed under a long piece to keep it supported. It was having to be constantly raised as timber was removed.
Also to form the long accurate taper I mention above there was a carriage tool holder that could be aligned along the bed and the tool rest raised a lowered on it. The carriage slid the entire length and could be offset from one end.

Lastly seeing this great old beast makes me think back to a time when a carried a steel contraction rule whilst working with wood. This rule had 4 separate scales on it and Many's  the time as an apprentice we would be caught using the wrong scale and be chastised for it. How simple it is now to use only metric with the odd reference to imperial.

Hope all this helps.
Regards
Scott

 

[Tinker]

I have always been amazed at how much knowledge is/has been accumulated here on the FOG.  I am constantly learning from so many of my "friends" from so many walks and countries at all scales.

Last nite, with my final check in for the day, i had read an entry from Peter Halle asking for posts/pics about some of our smaller projects that have been made using Festoys.  I did not have time for a search of my records, but was determined to do so in the morning.

This morning, I did bring out several of my stored pics, not miniatures by any means, but small projects by most of the standards i have seen here.  I generally take several tries to figure out how to add pics, so, before getting all aggravated with my trials, I decided to check for replies section and some way down the list, i ran across a mention about pen turning.  Of course, when I read Warner Construction Company as the original poster, I just knew this had to be good, no, not good.  It had to be GREAT!  I had forgotten about this thread, so i rewarded myself with a good chuckle as I renewed my acquaintance to the subject.

I am laughing at myself, thinking i had contemplated showing the world a couple of my small projects of which i am no expert in making miniatures.  small is what fits in my shop.  Just a fact of life for me and my working area.  And then, the first thing I come across in the early morning (I actually slept late, like until 3:30) is this thread where I am sure Darcey will be showing us some of his miniature turning projects very soon.

My previous reply to this thread was in reference to Paul Bunyan.  Paul was my very favorite "historical" figure as i was growing up.  I did not enjoy reading just any old stories.  I have an eye problem that can give me all sorts of distortions, especially while reading.  When I found a Paul Bunyan story, i could always find the time for deeper study.  He was born in the logging country up in the French Canadian province of Quebec and was named Paul Bonjean, changing his name to Bunyan as he moved down into the more temperate areas of the western plains which were really covered with huge timbers before Paul took on the task of clearing that vast land.  As Darcey brings home larger and larger machinery and revives same to fine working condition, as all that iron had been meant to be used, I am expecting that someday, he will be showing us some miniatures of his own creation, but on a Paul Bunyanesque scale.

I can hardly wait.

Tinker

 

[Tyler Ernsberger]

Awesome lathe!!!  If you keep buying heavy load you should look at getting an air lift system for your truck to level your vehicle to make it ride better hauling heavy loads.  I had to do it on my f250 and it awesome for towing. 

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Awesome lathe!!!  If you keep buying heavy load you should look at getting an air lift system for your truck to level your vehicle to make it ride better hauling heavy loads.  I had to do it on my f250 and it awesome for towing.

That picture is deceiving.  I was parked in a small valley in the drive.  I did have a bunch of parts in the back of the truck, plus I tend to like that trailer with a little extra tongue weight.

While I have thought about air bags for the old 2500 big block Burban, I won't spend any more money on it then I have to anymore.

Indiana winters have finally started taking their toll on the poor girls body and I have hit almost a quarter million miles.

I bought another truck for shorter hauls:





I am looking for an International DT466 for long distance hauls now.

 

[Cheese]

Posted by: WarnerConstCo.
Is it best to use a live center or dead center?  Which ones are for which end?  Those seem like dumb questions.

I have an Atlas 618 metal lathe that I also use to turn some wood projects on. Repeatability is the strong suit when turning wood on metal lathes.

Spur center, used on the drive end of the machine to turn the blank [attachthumb=1]

Live center, used on the tailstock end of the lathe[attachthumb=2]

Dead center, used on the tailstock end and originally came with this machine. When turning steel, a small center drill hole would be drilled in the metal being turned, some special dead center black grease inserted and then the dead center moved into place. The grease needed to be replenished on a continuous basis, thus the reason for live centers.[attachthumb=3]

At some time if the piece being turned becomes longer than 2-3 feet AND depending upon the diameter, a steady rest will be needed to support the item from deflection.[attachthumb=4]

Cool idea to turn porch columns. Keep the restoration pictures coming.

 

[Tyler Ernsberger]

Awesome lathe!!!  If you keep buying heavy load you should look at getting an air lift system for your truck to level your vehicle to make it ride better hauling heavy loads.  I had to do it on my f250 and it awesome for towing.

That picture is deceiving.  I was parked in a small valley in the drive.  I did have a bunch of parts in the back of the truck, plus I tend to like that trailer with a little extra tongue weight.

While I have thought about air bags for the old 2500 big block Burban, I won't spend any more money on it then I have to anymore.

Indiana winters have finally started taking their toll on the poor girls body and I have hit almost a quarter million miles.

I bought another truck for shorter hauls:





I am looking for an International DT466 for long distance hauls now.

I like the k30.  That will pull a house!  Does it have the 454 with the granny low 4 speed?  Its in great shape!!

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

It's a 78 C30 Silverado Camper Special, 454 TH400 auto, factory air, factory cruise, wiper delay, dual tanks.

It had 108,000 on it when I bought it.  I have changed all gaskets and seals, rebuilt rear end, rebuilt the Q-jet, new headliner, redid door panels, new windshield, found OEM hub caps.  Still needs new carpet.

I am averaging 12.2 mpg with it.  It came from Mid state Washington.  It has two quarter sized rust blisters on the back of the cab corners.

I do love that truck and it was cheap to buy, cheap to work on and cheap to insure.

 

[Cheese]

Gotta love a 37 year old American chunk of steel that's still on the road and earning its living. Take that Toyota...

 

[Tyler Ernsberger]

You get better gas mileage than me.  I have a f250 with a v10,  i average 10mpg thats loaded down with all my tools.