The Ford Barn

38bill · 06-15-2021, 03:00 PM

Collets are used to hold small round parts instead of using the chuck. The drawbar holds the collets in the head stock arbor. I purchased a set when I bought my lathe and have yet to use them. If your chuck isnt great you may want collets. I do use expanding arbors a lot to hold things like bushings so I can turn the outside. Ebay has some arbors made in the US that look pretty good and are priced ok. The cheaper Chinese sets are pretty bad. Get a free catalog from CDCO and one from Shars. You can learn a lot just looking through them.

You may want to get a quick change AXA tool holder set up. Makes it much easier to change the cutting tools.

I work with a guy who just bought the new Grizzle version of your lathe. Yours looks much more heavy duty. Have fun and wear eye protection.

06-15-2021, 03:00 PM	#18
38bill Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,207	Re: Lathe set up help for my shop Collets are used to hold small round parts instead of using the chuck. The drawbar holds the collets in the head stock arbor. I purchased a set when I bought my lathe and have yet to use them. If your chuck isnt great you may want collets. I do use expanding arbors a lot to hold things like bushings so I can turn the outside. Ebay has some arbors made in the US that look pretty good and are priced ok. The cheaper Chinese sets are pretty bad. Get a free catalog from CDCO and one from Shars. You can learn a lot just looking through them. You may want to get a quick change AXA tool holder set up. Makes it much easier to change the cutting tools. I work with a guy who just bought the new Grizzle version of your lathe. Yours looks much more heavy duty. Have fun and wear eye protection. Last edited by 38bill; 06-15-2021 at 03:07 PM.