Making A parts with lathe

[George Miller]

It was accurate, but it took a lot of operator skill to get the tapper out and stop grinding at the right time. We did many and never had a come back. It made the journal round and to size. I think the biggest problem was the rest of the bearings had went the same distance. We always replaced all the bearings not sure about the ones we did for other shops.

[briphaeton]

I agree with George. A older auto machinist friend used to grind crankshafts and bore cylinders at the customer shop, yard or home in the frame without removing the engine. Tractors and diesel trucks mostly. I ran across the photo of the crankshaft grinder to show him. I think the tool is only as good as the machinist and only a poor machinist would blame the tool for mistakes. My machine shop teacher showed us, he could cut a good thread on a worn out lathe that did not repeat.

[George Miller]

Originally Posted by briphaeton

I agree with George. A older auto machinist friend used to grind crankshafts and bore cylinders at the customer shop, yard or home in the frame without removing the engine. Tractors and diesel trucks mostly. I ran across the photo of the crankshaft grinder to show him. I think the tool is only as good as the machinist and only a poor machinist would blame the tool for mistakes. My machine shop teacher showed us, he could cut a good thread on a worn out lathe that did not repeat.

Yes we did that to boring the block in the car happened a lot back then. People did not have a lot of money and many came from the depression time frame. So they only want to fix what they had to.

The boring machine has a vacuum setup that sucks the chips out as you bore.

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by briphaeton

I agree with George. A older auto machinist friend used to grind crankshafts and bore cylinders at the customer shop, yard or home in the frame without removing the engine. Tractors and diesel trucks mostly. I ran across the photo of the crankshaft grinder to show him. I think the tool is only as good as the machinist and only a poor machinist would blame the tool for mistakes. My machine shop teacher showed us, he could cut a good thread on a worn out lathe that did not repeat.

Interesting, as that 'job' (cutting good thread on a worn lathe) is the first/only job that I did several days ago. 'Teacher' advised me that his machine has some wear and how/why to make adjustments for that wear.
I have no idea whether he was just training on the worn idea, but he seemed to be a perfectionist at his trade.


For those who do not know George, if they look at past threads (of his work posted here) they would see that he makes OHV Heads on a lathe !

[Oldbluoval]

I make a lot of parts for cabby's and a400. Most of my dies and patterns are made on mill, lathe, drill press, shop press. And of course several types of welders and plasma cutter.
Also English wheel some