Before you begin using the lathe it is a good idea to try a number of ‘dummy runs’ so you become familiar with the controls. You should practise changing spindle speeds by altering pulley belts or using the gearbox and learn how to engage the back gear, if one is fitted. It is also important … Read more
To remove metal from work effectively you must pay some attention to the rate of metal removal; this is affected by the speed of the lathe, the speed of cutting, the depth of the cut and the feed. Lathe speed Lathe speed, measured in revolutions per minute. Is the speed at which the lathe spindle … Read more
Cutting tools used for turning on a lathe come in a number of forms. The simplest form is a piece of square section high speed steel (HSS) which is ground to the correct cutting shape. You can buy ready hardened HSS in various sizes up to about 12.5mm square. After grinding small section tool bits … Read more
There is no single best method of holding work in a lathe; how a particular job is to be held will depend not only upon the holding devices available, but also upon the size and shape of the work you intend to turn. If you have bought a second-hand lathe, you may have been lucky … Read more
The centre lathe, which will help you to produce and repair a wide range of articles in metal, has been developed from the woodworking lathe. It consists of a power-driven spindle incorporating a holding device for work, a tailstock to support the other end of the work and a cutting tool between the two so … Read more
Brazing and silver soldering, also known as hard soldering, are basically identical operations; the difference between them is the alloy used to make the joint. They both require more heat than is needed in soft soldering but are similar processes in terms of preparation and technique. Brazing alloy This, strictly speaking, is brass and is … Read more
You will use tubing for many jobs around the home; follow the correct techniques since mistakes can be hard to rectify. Although plumbing installations are the one obvious example of where tubing has to be bent and joined, there are many other uses to which tubing can be put; these include towel rails, fence and … Read more
A basic knowledge of how sheet metal is worked will enable you to carry out a large range of repairs and projects. There are five main processes involved in forming sheet metal into shapes: bending, shearing and stretching can usually be accomplished without elaborate equipment, while deep drawing and spinning in most cases will require … Read more
In comparison with wood, metal is an expensive and difficult material in which to rectify cutting or machining errors. Therefore you should design any metalwork project very carefully before you begin. Designing requires a logical approach and a lot of practical knowledge relating to the project in mind; so learn to apply your mind to … Read more
Blind rivets, sometimes called hollow rivets, are invaluable when you have access to one side of the work only. With solid rivets you need access to both sides. Blind rivets may be set with a special plierlike tool which is easy to use and inexpensive; because the rivets require no hammering, they have become increasingly … Read more
Riveting is a method of permanently joining metals or other materials, such as leather, plastic and thin plywood. Modern equipment has enabled the home metalworker to place accurately and set strong rivets, which are made of malleable metals such as iron, steel, copper, brass, aluminium and aluminium alloys. The material of the rivet is usually … Read more