LATHES AND LATHE MACHINING

OPERATIONS
The engine lathe, its use, and its principal parts and their uses are knowledges and skills expected
of an EN2. Although machine shop work is generally done by personnel in the Machinery
Repairman (MR) rating, there may be times that you will find the lathe essential to complete a
repair job. This chapter will help you to identify the engine lathe’s attachments, accessories, and
their uses. Also, it will identify and explain different machining operations and the factors related
to machining operations. Of course, you will be expected to know and to follow the safety
precautions associated with machining operations.

There are a number of different types of lathes installed in the machine shops in various Navy
ships. These include the engine lathe, the horizontal turret lathe, and several variations of the
basic engine lathe, such as bench, toolroom, and gap lathes. All lathes, except the vertical turret
type, have one thing in common. For all usual machining operations, the workpiece is held and
rotated about a horizontal axis, while being formed to size and shape by a cutting tool. In the
vertical turret lathe, the workpiece is rotated about a vertical axis. Of the various types of lathes,
the type you are most likely to use is the engine lathe. Therefore, this chapter deals only with
engine lathes and the machining operations you may have to perform.

NOTE: Before you attempt to operate any lathe, make sure you know how to operate it. Read all
operating instructions supplied with the machine. Learn the locations of the various controls and
how to operate themCompound Rest

The compound rest (fig. 9-4), mounted on the compound slide, provides a rigid adjustable
mounting for the cutting tool. The compound rest assembly has the following principal parts:

1. The compound rest SWIVEL, which can be swung around to any desired angle and clamped
in position. It is graduated over an arc of 90° on each side of its center position for easier setting
to the angle selected. This feature is used for machining short, steep tapers, such as the angle on
bevel gears, valve disks, and lathe centers.

2. The compound rest, or TOP SLIDE, which is mounted on the swivel section on a dovetailed
slide. It is moved by the compound rest feed screw.

Figure 9-5.—Common types of toolholders.

Figure 9-6.—Knurling and threading toolholders.

This arrangement permits feeding the tool to the work at any angle (determined by the angular
setting of the swivel section). The graduated collars on the crossfeed and compound rest feed
screws read in thousandths of an inch for fine adjustment in regulating the depth of cut.

Accessories and Attachments

Accessories are the tools and equipment used in routine lathe machining operations. Attachments
are special fixtures that may be mounted on the lathe to expand the use of the lathe to include
taper cutting, milling, and grinding. Some of the common accessories and attachments are
described in the following paragraphs.

TOOL POST.—The sole purpose of the tool post is to provide a rigid support for the tool. It is
mounted in the T-slot of the compound rest. A forged tool or a toolholder is inserted in the slot in
the tool post. By tightening a setscrew, you will firmly clamp the whole unit in place with the tool
in the desired position.

TOOLHOLDERS—Some of the common toolholders used in lathe work are illustrated in figure
9-5. Notice the angles at which the tool bits are set in the various holders. These angles must be
considered with respect to the angles ground on the tools and the angle that the toolholder is set
with respect to the axis of the work.

Two types of toolholders that differ slightly from the common toolholders are those used for
threading and knurling. (See fig. 9-6.)

The threading toolholder has a formed cutter which needs to be ground only on the top surface for
sharpening. Since the thread form is accurately shaped

Figure 9-7.—Lathe tools and their applications.

over a large arc of the tool, as the surface is worn away by grinding, the cutter can be rotated to
the correct position and secured by the setscrew.
A knurling toolholder carries two knurled rollers which impress their patterns on the work as it
revolves. The purpose of the knurling tool is to provide a roughened surface on round metal parts,
such as knobs, to give a better grip in handling. The knurled rollers come in a variety of patterns.

Cutting Speeds and Feeds

Cutting speed is the rate at which the surface of the work passes the point of the cutting tool. It is
expressed in feet per minute (fpm).

Feed is the amount the tool advances for each revolution of the work. It is usually expressed in
thousandths of an inch per revolution of the spindle. Cutting speeds and tool feeds are determined
by various considerations: the hardness and toughness of the metal being cut; the quality, shape,
and sharpness of the cutting tool; the depth of the cut; the tendency of the work to spring away
from the tool; and the strength and power of the lathe. Since conditions vary, it is good practice to
find out what the tool and work will stand and then select the most practical and efficient speed
and feed for the finish desired.

When ROUGHING parts down to size, use the greatest depth of cut and feed per revolution that
the work, the machine, and the tool will stand at the highest practical speed. On many pieces
where tool failure is the limiting factor in the size of the roughing cut, you may be able to reduce
the speed slightly and increase the feed to remove more metal. This will prolong tool life.
Consider an example where the depth of cut is 1/4 inch, the feed 0.020 inch per revolution, and
the speed 80 fpm. If the tool will not permit additional feed at this speed, you can drop the speed
to 60 fpm and increase the feed to about 0.040 inch per revolution without having tool trouble.
The speed is therefore reduced 25 percent, but the feed is increased 100 percent. Thus the actual
time required to complete the work is less with the second setup.

For the FINISH TURNING OPERATION, take a very light cut, since you removed most of the
stock during the roughing cut. Use a fine feed to run at a high surface speed. Try a 50 percent
increase in speed over the roughing speed. In some cases, the finishing speed may be twice the
roughing speed. In any event, run the work as fast as the tool will withstand to obtain the
maximum speed during this operation. Be sure to use a sharp tool when you are finish turning

COOLANTS

A cutting lubricant serves two main purposes: (1) It cools the tool by absorbing a portion of the
heat and reducing the friction between the tool and the metal being cut. (2) It also keeps the
cutting edge of the tool flushed clean.

The best lubricants to use for cutting metal must often be determined by experiment. Water-
soluble oil is acceptable for most common metals. Special cutting compounds containing such
ingredients as tallow, graphite, and lard, marketed under various names, are also used. But these
are expensive and used mainly in manufacturing where high cutting speeds are the rule.

Some common materials and their cutting lubricants are as follows:

A lubricant is more important for threading than for straight turning. Mineral lard oil is
recommended for threading the majority of metals that are used by the

PRELIMINARY PROCEDURES

Before starting a lathe machining operation, always ensure that the machine is set up properly. If
the work is mounted between centers, check the alignment of the dead center and the live center
and make any necessary changes. Ensure that the toolholder and cutting tool are set at the proper
height and angle. Check the work-holding accessory to ensure that the workpiece is held securely.
Use the center rest or follower rest to support long workpieces.

HOLDING THE WORK

You cannot perform accurate work if the workpiece is improperly mounted. The requirements for
proper mounting are as follows:

1. The work center line must be accurately centered along the axis of the lathe spindle.

2. The work must be held rigidly while being turned.

3. The work must NOT be sprung out of shape by the holding device.

4. The work must be adequately supported against any sagging caused by its own weight and
against springing caused by the action of the cutting tool.

There are four general methods of holding work in the lathe: (1) between centers, (2) on a
mandrel, (3) in a chuck, and (4) on a faceplate. Work may also be clamped to the carriage for
boring and milling, in which case the boring bar or milling cutter is held and driven by the
headstock spindle.
Other methods of holding work to suit special conditions are (1) one end on the live center or in a
chuck and the other end supported in a center rest, and (2) one end in a chuck and the other end
on the dead cente

Holding Work in Chucks

The independent chuck and universal chuck are used more often than other work-holding devices
in lathe operations. The universal chuck is used for holding relatively true cylindrical work when
the time required to do the job is more important than the concentricity of the machined surface
and the holding power of the chuck When the work is irregular in shape, must be accurately
centered, or must be held securely for heavy feeds and depth of cuts, an independent chuck is
used. FOUR- JAW INDEPENDENT CHUCK.-Figure 9-23 shows a rough cylindrical casting
mounted in a four-jaw independent lathe chuck on the spindle of the lathe. Before truing the
work, determine which part you wish to have turned true. To mount this casting in the chuck,
proceed as follows:

1. Adjust the chuck jaws to receive the casting. The same point on each jaw should touch the
same ring on the face of the chuck If there are no

Figure 9-23.—Work mounted in a four-jaw chuck.

rings, put each jaw the same distance from the outside edge of the body of the chuck.

2. Fasten the work in the chuck by turning the adjusting screw on jaw 1 and then on jaw 3, a pair
of jaws which are opposite each other. Next, tighten jaws 2 and 4.

3. At this stage the work should be held in the jaws just tightly enough so it will not fall out of the
chuck while you turn it.

4. Revolve the spindle slowly by hand and, with a piece of chalk, mark the high spot (A in fig. 9-
23) on the work while it is revolving. Steady your hand on the tool post while holding the chalk.
5. Stop the spindle. Locate the high spot on the work and move the high spot toward the center of
the chuck by releasing the jaw opposite the chalk mark and tightening the one nearest the mark

6. Sometimes the high spot on the work will be located between adjacent jaws. In that case,
loosen the two opposite jaws and tighten the jaws adjacent to the high spot.

THREE-JAW UNIVERSAL CHUCK.—The three-jaw universal or scroll chuck is made so

that all jaws move at the same time. A universal chuck will center almost exactly at the first
clamping, but after a long period of use may develop inaccuracies of up to 0.010 inch in centering
the work. You can usually correct the inaccuracy by inserting a piece of paper or thin shim stock
between the jaw and the work on the high side.

When you chuck thin sections, be careful not to clamp the work too tightly because the work will
distort. If you machine distorted work, the finished work will have as many high spots as there
are jaws, and the turned surface will not be true.

Care of Chucks

To preserve the accuracy of a chuck, handle it carefully and keep it clean and free from grit.

NEVER force a chuck jaw by using a pipe as an extension on the chuck wrench.

Before mounting a chuck, remove the live center and fill the hole with a rag to prevent chips and
dirt from getting into the tapered hole of the spindle. Clean and oil the threads of the chuck and
the spindle nose. Dirt or chips on the threads will not allow the chuck to run true when it is
screwed up to the shoulder. Screw the chuck on carefully, tightening it just enough to make it
difficult to remove. Never use mechanical power to install a chuck.

To remove a chuck, place a spanner wrench on the collar of the chuck and strike a smart blow on
the handle of the wrench with your hand. When you mount or remove a heavy chuck, lay a board
across the bed ways to protect them; the board will support the chuck as you put it on or take it
off.

The comments on mounting and removing chucks also apply to faceplates.

Rough Turning

When a great deal of stock is to be removed, you should take heavy cuts to complete the job in
the least possible time. This is called rough turning. Select the proper tool for taking a heavy chip.
The speed of the work and the amount of feed of the tool should be as great as the tool will stand.

When you take a roughing cut on steel, cast iron, or any other metal that has a scale on its surface,
be sure to set the tool deep enough to get under the scale in the first cut. Unless you do, the scale
on the metal will dull or break the point of the tool.

Rough machine the work to almost the finished size; then take careful measurements.
Bear in mind that the diameter of the work being turned is reduced by an amount equal to twice
the depth of the cuts; thus, if you desire to reduce the diameter of a piece by 1/4 inch, you must
remove 1/8 inch of metal from the surface.

Figure 9-28 shows the position of the tool for taking a heavy cut on large work. Set the tool so
that if anything

Figure 9-28.—Position of the tool for a heavy cut.

Figure 9-29.—Machining to a shoulder.

occurs during machining to change the position of the tool, it will not dig into the work, but rather
will move in the direction of the arrow-away from the work

Finish Turning

When you have rough turned the work to within about 1/32 inch of the finished size, take a
finishing cut. A fine feed, the proper lubricant, and, above all, a keen-edged tool are necessary to
produce a smooth finish. Measure carefully to be sure you are machining the work to the proper
dimension. Stop the lathe when you take measurements.

If you must finish the work to close tolerances, be sure the work is not hot when you take the
finish cut. If you turn the workpiece to exact size when it is hot, it will be undersize when it has
cooled.

Perhaps the most difficult operation for a beginner in machine work is to make accurate
measurements. So much depends on the accuracy of the work that you should make every effort
to become proficient in the use of measuring instruments. You will develop a certain “feel” in the
application of micrometers through experience alone; do not be discouraged if your first efforts
do not produce perfect results. Practice taking micrometer measurements on pieces of known
dimensions. You will acquire skill if you are persistent.

Turning to a Shoulder

Machining to a shoulder is often done by locating the shoulder with a parting tool. Insert the
parting tool about 1/32 inch from the shoulder line toward the small diameter end of the work Cut
to a depth 1/32 inch larger than the small diameter of the work. Then machine the stock by taking
heavy chips up to the shoulder. This procedure eliminates detailed measuring and speeds up
production.

Figure 9-29 illustrates this method of shouldering. A parting tool has been used at P and the
turning tool is taking a chip. It will be unnecessary to waste any time in taking measurements.
You can devote your time to rough machining until the necessary stock is removed. Then you can
take a finishing cut to accurate measurement.

Boring

Boring is the machining of holes or any interior cylindrical surface. The piece to be bored must
have a drilled or cored hole, and the hole must be large enough to insert the tool. The boring
process merely enlarges the hole to the desired size or shape. The advantage of boring is that a
true round hole is obtained, and two or more holes of the same or different diameters may be
bored at one setting, thus ensuring absolute alignment of the axis of the holes.

Work to be bored may be held in a chuck, bolted to the faceplate, or bolted to the carriage. Long
pieces must be supported at the free end in a center rest. When the boring tool is fed into the hole
of work being rotated on a chuck or faceplate, the process is called single point boring. It is the
same as turning except that the cutting chip is taken from the inside. The cutting edge of the
boring tool resembles that of a turning tool. Boring tools may be the solid forged type or the
inserted cutter bit type.

When the work to be bored is clamped to the top of the carriage, a boring bar is held between
centers and driven by a dog. The work is fed to the tool by the automatic longitudinal feed of the
carriage. Three types of boring bars are shown in figure 9-30. Note the center holes at the ends to
fit the lathe centers.

Figure 9-30, view A, shows a boring bar fitted with a fly cutter held by a headless setscrew. The
other setscrew, bearing on the end of the cutter, is for adjusting the cutter to the work

Figure 9-30, view B, shows a boring bar fitted with a two-edged cutter held by a taper key. This
is more of a finishing or sizing cutter, as it cuts on both sides and is used for production work.

The boring bar shown in figure 9-30, view C, is fitted with a cast-iron head to adapt it for boring
work
Figure 9-30.–Boring bars.

Figure 9-31.–Tapers.

of large diameter. The head is fitted with a fly cutter similar to the one shown in view A of figure
9-30. The setscrew with the tapered point adjusts the cutter to the work

TAPERS

Although you will probably have little need to machine tapers, we have provided the following
explanation for your basic knowledge.

A taper is the gradual decrease in the diameter of a piece of work toward one end. The amount of
taper in any given length of work is found by subtracting the size of the small end from the size
of the large end. Taper is usually expressed as the amount of taper per foot of length or taper per
inch of length. We will take two examples. (See fig. 9-31.)

Example l.–Find the taper per foot of a piece of work 2 inches long. The diameter of the small
end is 1 inch; the diameter of the large end is 2 inches.
The amount of taper is 2 inches minus 1 inch, which equals 1 inch. The length of the taper is
given as 2 inches. Therefore, the taper is 1 inch in 2 inches of length. In 12 inches of length the
taper is 6 inches. (See fig. 9-31.) Example 2.–Find the taper per foot of a piece 6 inches long. The
diameter of the small end is 1 inch; the diameter of the large end is 2 inches. The amount of taper
is the same as in example 1, that is, 1 inch. However, the length of this taper is 6 inches; hence
the taper per foot is 1 inch timSAFETY PRECAUTIONS

In machining operations, always keep safety in mind, no matter how important the job is or how
well you know the machine you are operating.

Listed here are some safety precautions that you MUST follow:

1. Before starting any lathe operations, always prepare yourself by rolling up your shirt sleeves
and removing your watch, rings, and other jewelry that might become caught while you operate
the machine.

2. Wear goggles or an approved face shield at all times whenever you operate a lathe or when you
are near a lathe that is being operated.

3. Be sure the work area is clear of obstructions that you might fall or trip over.

4. Keep the deck area around your machine clear of oil or grease to prevent the possibility of
slipping or falling into the machine.

5. Always use assistance when handling large workpieces or large chucks.

6. NEVER remove chips with your bare hands. Use a stick or brush, and always stop the
machine.

7. Always secure power to the machine when you take measurements or make adjustments to the
chuck.

8. Be attentive, not only to the operation of your machine, but also to events going on around it.
NEVER permit skylarking in the area.

9. Should it become necessary to operate the lathe while the ship is underway, be especially
safety conscious. (Machines should be operated ONLY in relatively calm seas.)

10. Be alert to the location of the cutting tool while you take measurements or make adjustments.

11. Always observe the specific safety precautions posted for the machine you are operating.

SUMMARY

In this chapter, you have learned the principal parts, the attachments and accessories, the uses and
the basic operation of the engine lathe. Additionally, you have learned the basic operational safety
precautions
Content Inside:

The lathe is one of the most common machines found in today’s modern machine shop.
Used primarily to produce cylindrical workpieces. Different from a mill in that it
produces a round diameter on a part by rotating a workpiece against a non-rotating
single-point tool, as Figure 1. shows.The lathe, operated manually, changes the size,
shape, and finish of a workpiece with a variety of cutting tools. Turret Lathe & CNC
Machining Centers. The turret holds multiple cutting tools that rotate into position when
needed. Each time the turret lever is activated, the turret spins or indexes and positions
the next tool in the sequence. It is then ready to carry out different machining operations.
Because the turret holds multiple tools, the machinist does not have to change tools each
and every time a different tool is needed. There are automated versions of these lathes
that are computer controlled and are called CNC Machining Centers. Basic Lathe
Terminology The bed is the base and backbone of the lathe. The bed is a heavy, rigid
frame made of cast iron on which all other components of the lathe are mounted and/or
move. Using the Digital Readout (DRO), Work Holding Devices. Its a
basic/fundamentals guide to operate lathe machine complete with illustration, available to
download in pdf format consist
Basic Operation of a Lathe
Let's Use a Lathe!
A lathe is a machine tool which turns
cylindrical material, touches a cutting tool
to it, and cuts the material. The lathe is one
of the machine tools most well used by
machining (Figure 1).

As shown in Figure 2, a material is firmly

fixed to the chuck of a lathe. The lathe is
switched on and the chuck is rotated. And
since the table which fixed the byte can be
moved in the vertical direction, and the
right-and-left direction by operating some
handles shown in Fig. 3. It touches a byte's Fig.1, Appearance of a Lathe
tip into the material by the operation, and
make a mechanical part.

Fig.2, Chucking of Material

Fig.3, Handles of a Lathe

CAUTIONS!

ﾁ@When we use a lathe, the following things must take great care.
(1) Don't keep a chuck handle attached by the chuck. Next, it flies at the moment of
turning a lathe.
(2) Don't touch the byte table into the rotating chuck. Not only a byte but the table or the
lathe are damaged.
Three Important Elements

In orger to get an efficient propcess and beautiful surface at the lathe machining, it is
important to adjust a rotating speed, a cutting depth and a sending speed. Please note that
the important elements can not decide easily, because these suitable values are quiet
different by materials, size and shapes of the part.

Rotating Speed
It expresses with the number of rotations
(rpm) of the chuck of a lathe. When the
rotating speed is high, processing speed
becomes quick, and a processing surface is
finely finished. However, since a little
operation mistakes may lead to the serious
accident, it is better to set low rotating speed
at the first stage.
Fig.4, Three Important Elements
Cutting Depth
The cutting depth of the tool affects to the A beginner of a lathe must operate with
processing speed and the roughness of low rotating sopeed, small cutting depth
surface. When the cutting depth is big, the and low sending speed.
processing speed becomes quick, but the
surface temperature becomes high, and it
has rough surface. Moreover, a life of byte
also becomes short. If you do not know a
suitable cutting depth, it is better to set to
small value.

Sending Speed (Feed)

The sending speed of the tool also affects to
the processing speed and the roughness of
surface. When the sending speed is high, the
processing speed becomes quick. When the
sending speed is low, the surface is finished
beautiful. There are 'manual sending' which
turns and operates a handle, and 'automatic
sending' which advances a byte
automatically. A beginner must use the
manual sending. Because serious accidents
may be caused, such as touching the rotating
chuck around the byte in automatic sending,.
Cutting Tools for Lathe

There are vrious kinds of the cutting tools for a lathe. We must choose them by the
materials and shape of a part. Three typical cutting tools are introduced in follows. Then
we consider what is an easy process or a hard process.

Form of Typical Cutting Tools

Figure 5(a) shows the most well-used

cutting tool called a side tool. It can
process to cut an outside surface and an
edge surface. Since the material is set at
the right of lathe, then this tool can only
cut the right of the material.

The cutting tool shown in Figure 5(b) is

used at parting and grooving processes. Its Fig.5, Typical Cutting Tools
pointed end is slim, then it is too weak.
Don't add a strong side-force to the tool.
This tool must send vertical direction only.

The cutting tool shown in Figure 5(c) is

called a boring bar. It is used to cut at an
inside surface. It can make a big hole,
which cannot be process by a drill, and an
high accurate hole.

Easy Processing and Hard Processing

The general cutting tool,

shown in Figure 5(a) is
the most easy hangling.
Then the shape, which
can be make using only
the general cutting tool,
has easy processing.

In the case of the parting

or prooving, The process
becomes hard with
decreasing of the width
of a alot, and increasing
of the depth.

In the case of using of

the boring bar, the
process of a penetrated
hole is not so hard. But
the process of no- Fig.6, Easy Processing and Hard Processing
penetrated hole is
somewhat hard. Because
we cannot see the
bottom surface in during
process. In such cases,
we decide the location of
the tool with the sound
or the scale of lathe.
Moreover, the process of
a small hole (less than
10 mm) or a depth hole
is too hard.

Of course, there are

impossible shapes as
shown in Figure 6(c). In
such case, the part must
be divided or have any
contrivances.

Hearing the Sound

In the case of the lathe process, sharpness is known from scraps of the material or a
processing surface. In addition, it is also important to hear the sound. For example, when
the sound is too high, the processing is not suitable. It is caused by the bad edge of the
tool, too higher rotating speed of the lathe, or vibrating of a thin material.
Setting of a Cutting Tool
In case a cutting tool is fixed to a
table, thin metal plates are put
between the tool and the table, and
the height of the edge is adjusted to
the center of material.

In the case of using the general Fig.7, Height of Edge

cutting tool, when the edge is
higher than the center of material,
the edge of a blade does not hit the
material, and it cannot cut at all.
Conversely, if the edge is low, it
becomes impossible to cut the
center of material. Moreover, the
scale of a handle does not have
correct value, then accurate
processing becomes impossible.
 If it says which it is ...

Though the height of the cutting tool is adjusted in careful, we cannot unite with the
center of material completely. Therefore, we have to set the tool to the direction, that the
edge is easy to touch the material. The general cutting tool and the parting tool have to be
set a few low position. The boring bar has to set a few high position.

Basic Lathe Operations

Setups on the lathe:

Description: The term Setup is

used in machining to describe
the setting of the machine
parameters to properly
machine a workpiece. This
involves the work holding
device, or chuck, the tool post
and tool, and the rotational
speed of the part, and feed of
the tool bit into the workpiece.
If a machine is properly setup,
one would expect to see the
machine very efficiently
Facing on the lathe machining the workpiece. Here
are some key elements to a
proper setup:

Rigidity: The more rigidly held a workpiece and tool, the better the accuracy and surface
finish will be. Toward this, a good rule to follow is that the workpiece should never extend
more that 1 ½ times the diameter. If the workpiece must extend further than this amount,
provision should be made to support the workpiece with the Tailstock and Ball Bearing Center.
The Tool Bit should never be extended from the Tool Holder more than necessary, for
instance, with a 3/8" tool (common in the shop) the extension should be no more than ½".

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