How to Use a Manual Lathe
Using a manual lathe takes concentration as well as a keen sense of operation regarding the tooling and the direction the material must spin in for proper cutting. Depending on the orientation of the cutter, a manual lathe can cut material traveling clockwise or counter-clockwise. By using the built-in micrometer wheels for precision machining, you can make parts to exacting dimensions time and time again.
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Instructions
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Use a chuck key specifically designed for your lathe chuck to open the jaws to insert the raw material for turning. There are three jaws to hold the material while it is spinning. You want the jaws to clamp down on the material solidly to prevent any slipping, which may cause damage to the machine and the tool being used.
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Close the jaws by turning the key in the opposite direction. If you are clamping on a solid piece of metal, you can use as much force as necessary. If the material is hollow and is made of a softer metal such as aluminum, you will not want to over-tighten. as it may crush the material.
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Start the lathe chuck by engaging the gear lever located at the front of the machine. Lathes have different setups, so locate the gear lever which can be engaged to spin the chuck in either direction. The direction you choose will be dependent on the tool you are using. Common tool holders dictate that the material be spun in a clockwise direction, same with drills used in the tail stock.
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Bring the tool close to the spinning raw material and use the cross slide to face the piece. This will remove the raw material on the end and give you a nice surface to start your machining. Set the X value on the measuring wheel to zero for precision cutting.
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Take an outer dimension cut by turning the X axis wheel. This will send the tool toward the chuck on the X axis, which would be left to right facing the lathe. You want to take some rough cuts, removing about .03 inch per pass before taking a small, .01-inch cut for a nice finish on your outer dimensions.
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Insert a drill into a drill chuck and place in the tail stock. The drill chuck will be held in place through the force of the drilling process. Bring the tip of the drill to the front of the material and rest your wheel to zero to drill to precision depths. Start the chuck and slowly turn the wheel located on the tail stock to drill a hole.
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