Machinistblog.com

LittleMachineShop.com's method for centering work in a four-jaw lathe chuck (PDF file).

Marv Klotz's method for centering work in a four-jaw lathe chuck

A collection of good tips for those who build internal combustion engines. Many won't be useful if you don't build engines, but there are some good machining and metalworking tips also.

This is based on Harlan's design and it includes more construction details.

A nice pictorial showing how to find the exact center line of a rod using an edge finder. You can use this method to center a drill bit or an end mill.

A really well written and complete guide to making your own springs. It covers materials, equipment and tooling, methods, safety and some basic information about spring design. This guide can also be downloaded as a .zip file or purchased as a printed book.

Many mini-lathes and mini-mills can be improved by lapping the gibs on a very flat surface. This article will get you started. In addition, you might want to follow Mike Taglieri's procedure for lapping the dovetails (found elsewhere here).

You'll find templates, directions and a video here showing how to fold very nice leadscrew covers for a Sherline lathe from a piece of thin plastic or Mylar. This design can probably be adapted to create a way-cover for a mini-lathe.

This article by Jim Sapp describes a simple and inexpensive way of making a worm wheel using a home-made hob made out of a tap or a threaded rod. The finished set of worm gears won't be as good as a commercially produced product, but they will be suitable for many applications. The author uses them for his home-made telescopes.

Lapping a mini-lathe's or mini-mill's dovetails, along with gibs, can help the controls operate smoother, reduce backlash, and improve rigidity.

A step-by-step guide to replacing the 7x mini-lathe's standard headstock bearings with tapered roller bearings. This modification may reduce chatter and produce a better finish on your workpiece.

This article discusses a variety of home-made methods for measuring the spindle speed of a mill or lathe, so that the speed control can be calibrated. A number of methods are given, ranging from "stroboscopic" discs that you can print out and mount, to a digital read-out made from an inexpensive digital voltage-ohm meter.

This is not a slick video, but it will teach you a lot about using oxygen and acetylene cylinders and regulators, including how to use them safely.

The video quality leaves a lot to desire, the sound could be a louder, and it starts out kind of slow, but this is one of the best free videos we have been able to find about oxy-acetylene welding. It starts with a classroom session which is followed by a demonstration.

Tony is a welding instructor with more than forty years of teaching experience. You will find here more than fifty videos of him teaching MIG, ARC, TIG and Oxy-Acetylene welding. None of these videos are professionally made but they are free, educational and interesting.

This version has a table of contents and links that makes it easy to jump from one section to another.

Using a center finder is one way of aligning a drill bit over the dimple made by a center punch.