compound slide position

[jack3140]

is there a preferred angle for the compound slide for day to day use? i have mine set at 30 degs on my lathe

[vpt]

Mine is always left at 29-30 as well.

[rohart]

I can see why you two do that, but - and bear in mind I'm new to proper leadscrew lathes - my first priority is to know that tools I put in my toolpost will be cutting at 90 degrees, so I leave my compound at 90 degrees.

Today, I did need 30 degrees. But I needed thirty degrees the other way - to make a 30 degree point, not a socket.

With my plain lathe, I now have two crossslide units - one I keep at 90 degrees, because I have to have one that's as dead nuts straight as a bed would be, and the other is the go to for angles. This one has never been put on without my having to alter the angle, as far as I can remember.

[jack3140]

Mine is always left at 29-30 as well.

i am trying to learn as much as i can being a newbie so much i dont know

[jack3140]

I can see why you two do that, but - and bear in mind I'm new to proper leadscrew lathes - my first priority is to know that tools I put in my toolpost will be cutting at 90 degrees, so I leave my compound at 90 degrees.

Today, I did need 30 degrees. But I needed thirty degrees the other way - to make a 30 degree point, not a socket.

With my plain lathe, I now have two crossslide units - one I keep at 90 degrees, because I have to have one that's as dead nuts straight as a bed would be, and the other is the go to for angles. This one has never been put on without my having to alter the angle, as far as I can remember.

i do that thinking it gives me extra reach to stay away from the chuck guess how i learned that lol

[krutch]

I was taught in metal 101 to set at 25 degrees toward spindle for turning. Don't remember any real reason why. I usually have it at that for the same reason(?) today. But it does depend on whether I'm doing a lot of chamfers or some other repeat angles on the work. I do index for 29.5 for threading and will leave it there if the work has threads to do. Mostly depends on what the jobs are and what works for you.

[SGW]

I leave mine at 30 degrees (allegedly 29.5, but the graduations are pretty small!) most of the time. It seems like a convenient place to have it.

[John Stevenson]

Mines always set / sat ? on the top shelf in the lathe cupboard.

Compound slides are ugly things and need to be kept out of sight.

[loose nut]

Setting it to 30 Degs, according to my trig program, with a .001" feed on the compound will give you .0009" (effectively .001") feed towards the headstock and .0005" deep cut or .001' off the diam. Some people like to leave it in line with the bed axis so that they can make a direct reading fine cut againdst the face of the workpiece.

Apples and oranges.

[brian Rupnow]

In days of old, (when I was about 15 years old) in "metal shop" at school, we were taught to have the top slide set at about 30 degrees swing to the right of the bottom slide. I have no particular idea why.---And you are absolutely correct----When set that way, the tool is not even close to being in the correct rotational aspect to the workpeice, so to compensate for that fact, one must then rotate the toolholder. About the only thing I can say in favour of having it set that way, is that it gains you a great deal more clearance from the tailstock, if the bed of your lathe is not a long one.