Tool size question from newbie!

[The Artful Bodger]

New to lathe ownership that is, my generic Chinese 12x36 was delivered early this year and so far I have always used very light weight tools but now I have some much heavier HSS tools with 1/2" or maybe 9/16" shanks. They are more rigid and I persuade myself that I am getting a better finish.

So now I am worried as having twisted and broken a couple of the lighter weight tools I dont know what would break if the similar situation occurs with a heavy tool in the holder

In one case a cut off tool jammed and snapped the tool (yes I had my goggles on!) and in another while turning up to a shoulder I pushed the power handle through 'stop' right into 'reverse' which it being a single phase machine just continued merrily along to jam the tool and twist the shank into a pretzel shape!

Question, what are some of the things old hands do to avoid the consequences of a nasty prang?

[Ken_Shea]

Think.... you have to think ahead of your work progress, you cannot be behind your progress or this will most surely happen, or worse.



Ken

[airsmith282]

ther ligtest tools i use in my lathe are 1/8 and the bigest are 1/2 just depends what iam doing , but i have shatterard a 1/2 tool once that was HSS and man i was upset thoes buggers were not to cheap , anyhow take your cuts a bit ighter. just cause you can hog some big cuts dont mean you should, i have a 10x18 busy bee b2227l lathe and it can hog some good cuts but i dont do it,

[websterz]

What's a prang?

[doctor demo]

What's a prang?

A Prang is just like a Prong, only different .


Steve

[websterz]

I really don't think we should be discussing our prongs here.

[speedy]

What's a prang?

What you can expect if you let the missus (or your children) drive your car or ride your bike.
Sometimes minor, mostly not.

[Glenn Wegman]

and in another while turning up to a shoulder I pushed the power handle through 'stop' right into 'reverse' which it being a single phase machine just continued merrily along to jam the tool and twist the shank into a pretzel shape!

You should be disengaging the carriage feed lever to stop the travel, not the power lever.

It sounds as though you are using the motor foreward/reverse switch (power lever) in an attempt to stop the travel at the end of your cut.

[Quetico Bob]

What Glenn said and stop shy of the shoulder using your hand wheel to sneak up on it.
Quote “ What’s a prang” quote
You know, like the sound a spring makes when it breaks…pranggggg.

Cheers, Bob

[andy_b]

i guess as long as his tool isn't going "shwinnngggg" when using his lathe, he should be okay.

andy b.