Aligning The Lathe - Beginners Tips & GuideMost lathes, however badly they are set up, will be able to do some useful work. But to do any serious work it is essential that the lathe is setup properly.In practice it is not always possible to do this perfectly. It is, therefore, important to understand how each adjustment affects the accuracy of the lathe.When aligning a lathe each process has to be done in the order listed below. In general there is little point moving onto the next step until th

Using a ball turning attachment A ball turning attachment is an easy way of making a round shape. Its main limitation is there is a very distinct limit as to the diameter of the work piece as well as the angle of the surface that can be made. A ball turning attachment is really just a mechanism that cause the cutting edge to follow a circular path which is the outside of the ball being cut.There are two different ways this can be done. The cutting edge can turn in the horizontal plane or it ca

A common problem on the lathe is turning convex and concave surfaces. A particular case of this is turning a ball. But, usually, it is not a complete ball that is required but a ball on the end of a shaft. Among the possible methods are: - using one or more form tools - making a round surfaces by a series of straight cuts - using a ball turning attachment using linkages to control position of the cross slide.Using a one or more form tools Where a part of a cutting edge makes a cut