Lathe Turning Work Between Centers

Course Number: 824

This course takes the student through a series of operations on the lathe to make a student project (a plug gauge). It covers lathe setup, rough turning procedures, finish turning, and chamfering. Next it covers shouldering, knurling, and notching operations. The course concludes with external thread cutting and maker tapers.

Recommended Contact Hours - 8

Chapter 1: Lathe Setup and Workpiece Preparation

Topics: Setting up the lathe; Installing the faceplate and lathe dog; Live and dead centers; Facing ends; Test running; Tool selection and mounting; Speed and feed

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how to select a work mounting method.
• Install a faceplate and lathe dog in a lathe.
• Select and mount a cutting tool for facing the ends of a workpiece.
• Explain how the optimum speed and feed are selected.
• Face the ends of the workpiece.

Chapter 2: Rough and Finish Turning

Topics: Selecting and aligning the cutting tool; Speed and feed selection; Trial cuts; Rough and finish turning; Setting controls; Chamfering

Learning Objectives:

• Align the cutting tool with the workpiece.
• Take a trial cut on the workpiece.
• Rough turn the workpiece.
• Finish turn the workpiece.
• Chamfer edges of the workpiece.

Chapter 3: Shouldering, Knurling, and Notching

Topics: Laying off shoulders; Caliper; Scriber; Turning filleted shoulders, large fillets, and square shoulders; Round-nose cutter; Notching; Knurling; Polishing

Learning Objectives:

• Describe how to lay off shoulders using the caliper, scriber, and parting tool methods.
• Turn a filleted shoulder on the workpiece.
• Explain how to notch a workpiece with a parting tool.
• Knurl the workpiece.
• Perform a polishing and filing operation between centers.

Chapter 4: Cutting External Threads

Topics: Lathe thread-cutting parts; Lead screw; Split nuts; Screw thread features; Thread-cutting tools; Dial indicator; Setting speed and depth of cut

Learning Objectives:

• Prepare and mount the workpiece.
• Describe screw thread features.
• Explain in detail how threads are cut on a lathe.
• Set the thread cutting speed and use the thread dial indicator.
• Determine the total depth of cut and take a trial and finish cut on the workpiece.

Chapter 5: Turning Tapers Between Centers

Topics: Taper calculation; Laying off; Tailstock setover; Taper attachment; Taper turning; Machining the taper; Using the dial indicator and bevel protractor

Learning Objectives:

• Designate standard types of tapers as well as calculate special tapers.
• Explain how to turn a taper using the tailstock setover method.
• Describe how to turn a taper using a taper attachment.
• Turn a taper using the compound rest method.
• Tell how to use the dial test indicator and vernier bevel protractor for close tolerances.