Lathe Center Height Tool 

+Lewis Mcclain Hi Lewis, Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hey Buddy, Thanks for the comment. Now that I'm thinking of it how does Abom set his tool on center accurately? I know you don't turn much below six or eight inches in diameter but how do you do it? TTYS, Tom

oxtoolco Interesting question Tom. The turning tools I use daily I try and keep locked on center, like the turning insert tools. The lock on the Multifix holders works great and you have to use the t-handle wrench to loosen it, so they tend to stay on center height. The other holders like the ones for my hss tool bits, I adjust either by cutting the center of the part and adjusting, or eyeball it with a center point in the tail stock. Sometimes if I'm in a hurry I just wing it and go! LOL! Those larger diameters can be a little forgiving if your a shade high/low. So there ya go...the Abom style! Thanks buddy! Adam

Hi Robert, After I finished I went back and looked at the bar. It was 4140. I was wondering why it threaded so ragged. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hey Kevin, Thanks for the comment. Its kind of scary the conversations I have with myself sometimes. Cheers, Tom

Hi GaWajn, Thanks for the comment and support. I think I might have another one up my sleeve. All the best, Tom

I got a laugh out of that. "Crapping myself when I throw in the half nuts" priceless. Cheers, Tom

+Dave Hair Hi Dave, Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

I'm thinking that it will be collecting chips from whatever magnetic metals you are cutting over time.

Hi Grumpy, I sealed the magnet with epoxy. It does collect chips but you can wipe them right off. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hi Jeff, I'm happy to hear you made one. They are quick and easy and very accurate. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hey Daniel, This one is buried in a tomb of epoxy. I don't think I'll be digging it out any time soon. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

oxtoolco Exactly my point! Cheers!

Idomake Hi Make, Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

floyd green Hi Floyd, Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hi Joe, Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

What do you do when you have a unset tool and a piece in the chuck you can't remove? That's where another method such as this is necessary.

David Callista Hey David, I seem to remember him on TV when I was a wee lad. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hi Pierre, I've used the height gage a few times now and I have to say I really like it. You can sight from the side and really see what is going on. Should have done it years ago when I got the Hardinge unit. Cheers, Tom

Hi Tom, and it's kind of easy to make one, I'll look into it as soon as my roto-phase is back to functioning... BIG KABOOOM !!! from blown capacitors.

Hey Richard, Thanks for the comment. My toolpost hangs over the cross slide so I need a spanner bar to get the height gage under the tool. I can also reach boring bars that are sticking out further as well. All the best, Tom

+Shawn Hawkins Hey Shawn, Does it work for boring bars? Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hi Oliver, That sounds like a simple method to create a center gage. Nice wide base as well. Great idea. Cheers, Tom

Hey John, Want some more of it to keep your steel company? I should have used brass or non magnetic stainless. Cheers, Tom

+Andrew Wawrzynaik Hi Andrew, Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hey Chuck, I have some scales we can test with. I can't wait to hear the story behind all this. cheers, Tom

Hi Larry, Glad you got something out of it. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hi Omar, You could do that. Sometimes you need to set a new tool but not remove your part from the chuck. You would not be able to use the half rod to set the tool. Having another standard allows you to leave the part in the machine and sharpen or replace a tool and still set it accurately on center. Cheers, Tom

Arrrggg, Mr Wizard meets Blackbeard. Those little magnets are like barnacles. Cheers, Tom

Hi Andrew, Sound is an important indicator in the machine shop. Many things make a very distinctive sound that is an indicator of what is happening. Cheers, Tom

Hi Kevin, That is a good method for quick and dirty center setting. When you turn very small diameters and or slender parts its very important the tool is very close to the correct center height. I suggest an experiment. Use your ruler method then compare it to the tailstock center or better yet a split round. I think you will find its pretty easy to be off a bit. The diameter of the test bar also plays a part in how well this method works. Thanks for the comment and suggestion. All the best, Tom

Hey O, Thanks for the comment. I know you like tools with at least an inch and half shank on them. The Nickole only comes with 5/8 max. All the best, Tom

Yee haw Nickole'....

I was wondering about that. I've seen others talk about that method too especially when doing internal threading where you can't really see what you're doing always.

Hi Craig, Sitting on the vee ways should be fine as long as they are the same height. Many are not the same size. If not you could easily make a bar that steps over the vee's and sits on the flats of the lathe ways that should be on the same plane. Cheers, Tom

Lost too many carbide & cbn inserts that way. When tightening down the toolpost has rotated the insert into the tailstock centre.

Hey Tom, I like the tape idea and snapping it to a bar to set the space. Good idea. Cheers, Tom

Hi David, That would be a good addition to the setup. I would want a real small one for that purpose. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hi Michael, That is a pretty common operation in the shop. I prefer to watch the tool as that is the way I learned many years ago. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hey Colin, Having trouble measuring up to center? I can send another test kit out. All the best, Tom

Haha, I'm measuring up just fine there mister...LOL My mail lady had a weird look when she brought the last tool order the other day..... ;-)

😂😂😂😂😂

+Lewis Mcclain Hi Lewis, Not everybody is using six jaw chucks. The parts drive the process. Check out Adam Booth. He almost exclusively uses a four jaw. In general six works better for thin shell parts and a four makes you do better work because you have to indicate everything in each time. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hi Mr P, Good question. The tailstock works fine but sometimes when you need to set a tool the tailstock is not available. Maybe your turning between centers and need to touch up a tool and reset the center height. Having a loose standard is really fast and handy. Winding the tailstock out to get close to the tool can be a hassle. Many tailstocks are very low from wear as well and not on the center of the spindle rotation. This is really important with small diameter turning. Cheers, Tom

Hi Tom, Thanks for the answer, I didn't think about that. Very nice to learn something new. Cheers -MrP

Hi Tommy, Is that side rake or back rack of 15 degrees that you are suggesting? Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

The "back rake" to make sure we are talking in the same terms it would be ground in the top of the tool. If working on a large tool be aware it will change the inclued angle of the thread. A thread as small as you were doing is not a problem.Machine on. Tom

Hi Richard, That would make a left hand thread. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Upside down tool and reverse spindle.

Thats right...

Hi Rock, I don't make that many chips so they generally go out as trash. There is not enough of any one type to make it worth while to collect and store until it makes sense to take it to a scrap dealer. Cheers, Tom

Interesting, I would have thought (being in the SF Bay Area) that they would get recycled or something.

Scott Burrous Until the lathe gets some age on it and the gear levers don't line up with the marks anymore. Then, you guess from experience and use the trial cut to verify. There's nothing wrong with double checking your work.

Sean Hazelwood: Sean, I never said there is anything wrong with double checking but there are things you just shouldn't have to check. If your lathe is so old or worn that you can't depend on it to cut the threads you set it for, it NEEDS to go away or at the very least have some TLC thrown at it. Kind of like moving your cross slide in 0.025 then make a test cut and measure before believing it's really 0.025 or never knowing what speed the spindle is turning after changing a belt position or shifting a lever or knob or believing which gear you put your car in without letting the clutch out a tiny bit first each time you shift. There are postulates and theorems. Gear settings and leadscrews (sans backlash) are postulates anything you do after setting the gears is a theorem and double checking is fine - to a point. You trust your micrometer and don't get a second one to verify the first is correct and if there is a discrepancy do you get a third mic? And on and on.

Sean Hazelwood: I don't apologize for being critical of the video length and the necessity of checking the TPI remarks but I do apologize for not remarking on content and quality! Process and procedure were well done and video clarity was outstanding.

Scott Burrous I meant that sometimes you have to guess at which position the gear lever is actually In...not that the TPI is off. Position marks, plaques, etc. do get damaged/missing eventually. I've repaired all of that on the machines in this shop, but it took those "test cuts" (and several months) to verify the positions. And, I still teach the new guys to double-check their work until they know the machines well. enough. I can agree with the video length.

+Jim Hughart Hey Jim, That would work as well. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom

Hey Rod, Its the organic environmentally friendly vegan free range low sodium fat free version of Tapmatic. Cheers, Tom

oxtoolco Does it make a good vinaigrette?