Thank you for showing a new user's warts'n'all first use of this, and the lessons you learned. This is a SUPER useful video for a newbie like me, planning on getting this lathe. Plus, the comments section is a whole 'nother education!
oh yes! I've learned many things since that first day! at harbor freight there are these dirt cheap tiny tiny drill sets. they break the time - except when used with this lathe! they actually boring bits and can make hair size holes in brass. most of what I put in this machine is brass or plastic. it took a little bit of time to learn it. also the blank tools for this machine are often kept under the counter. I learned how to shape my own tools and it's amazing!
I've thought about doing cans, but you need to build a special smelter to get high enough heat. As for a tank car, what I would do is make a master form using the lathe and then bend tin around it. that is a special project that needs to be explored in the future. It may be possible to use some of that super hard crabapple wood I have to do the same thing. Tank cars are not in my budget, so to have them means building them from scratch!
I'm sure you have have learned alot since this. However, just because you can buy something doesnt mean you should. Sorry I couldnt resist. I nearly fell out of my chair laughing so hard when that wood had a motor on it. Classic. Enjoy the hobby, its a hoot! 👍
oh yeah!! I have learned and made several human levels since this! Many MANY many people sent me messages telling me how wrong I did this! I studied up a lot, learned to make my tools, and learned how to turn wood on this awesome machine so I could make more handles for my other machines! Now I can do the things that I bought this machine to actually do.... I think today I am going to attempt to part brass rod using an xacto blade as a parting tool - that is probably against the rules, but I can also be an example of how not to do things! I have used this machine to make so wickedly cool stuff for model trains and that's why I needed it! Stay tuned for success or failure - I do love to show the fails just as much as the success!
just a hint but those brazed carbide tool bits are as sharp as a bowling ball out of the box. they don't tell you this but you need to sharpen and then hone the carbide before they will do anything.
Just remembered those cool AHM/Rock 50' six axle heavy duty flat cars have the same wheels. Very neat freight car if you can find them. Even better with the Caterpillar Scraper load.
@@elite194 Cool freight car. F-up and sold the two I had years ago. Wonder if you can switch out the Roco/AHM trucks for Athearn Buckeye trucks ? Never thought to try when I had them.
you could, but I found out that you can change the wheelsets using a truck tuner - one of these flat cars shorted the layout until I figured out that if the wheels are closer together than the standards gauge they touch and short!
this was the only thing even close to my budget and I have to use coupons on a sale day and sign up for the credit card to buy this - totally worth it now that I've learned a lot more since I did this video!
I hear you,,, l bought a 618 atlas for 200 ,, actually 3 now all under 300 and 2 12 inch for under 400 each and a 11 inch Logan for 300 , vintage are out there all cast iron built for life..
@@georgespangler1517 I looked for years and never had an option to get an old lathe to restore! but don't count out the Harbor Freight model - there is a lot of support for ungrading this simple lathe, you probably already know, but I'm thinking about a 4 jaw chuck and hand scraping the ways....!
@@elite194 no thanks, I'll stick with my vintage, really is night and day difference with heavy metal and stamped steel when it comes to lathes and Mills,, my buddy has one and us really limited to aluminum as far as metal turning with steel it chatters itself apart
@@georgespangler1517 I hear you! I do lots of aluminum and brass, but almost never steel in my work. I build model trains and steel is not usually some used... same with my milling machine, brass and aluminum!
as I discovered... now I do have the ability to turn wood since I learned how to make the tooling - I need this kind of lathe to turn accurate size wood, but the normal material used is brass bar stock. this machine also makes hair size holes in the ends of tiny brass rods so I can make a 2mm brass rod fit over a 1mm shaft perfectly! this is a great machine and the more I learn, the more work it does!
For the first time you did good. I mean you still have your fingers and you didn't blind yourself. All kidding aside, wear safety glasses and take your time. Maybe, read the south bend how to run a lathe book. You should be able to find it online. Love all your other videos. Good Luck and be careful.
I made my first tool! it will take me a while to learn this machine but I think it was a good choice since so many people will show you how to improve it. making the upgrades is also an important learning step. I suspect we'll start making some amazing things that we don't even know about yet!
oh yeah, that was a good one all right! this has become a very useful machine since - I also figured out that they sell tool steel at Harbor Freight, but you have to ask and they keep it under the counter!
@@TexasWatersyes it is worth the money! and I learned to make tools from tool steel and I've learned to drill holes in the end of brass rods that are no bigger than a hair!
I do need to do a follow up on this because I get a lot of a email that is not that favorable.... I have to explain that this lathe is meant to be used on soft materials like aluminum, brass, 3D printed PLA, acrylic and yes - wait for it - wood!!!
since this video I have been studying up and soon there will be a follow-up - I learned to make tooling the proper way. now it's time to show some progress from clown show to level 1 lathe operator!
This was a prank video right? I was a center lathe turner for may years and saw many nasty accidents. 1. No chuck guard. Number 1 violation. I remember on a 45 inch throw lathe seeing an apprentice being dragged under the chuck fortunately it was low rpm and someone saw what was happening and hit the factory wide emergency stop button. 2. Trying to start the chuck revolving by using your hand!!!!!! Look if you read the instructions you would know what you should have done to get the machine working. NEVER put your hands near the chuck while it is powered. About the same as pulling the trigger on a gun with your finger in the barrel, would toy do that? 3. Not ensuring cutting tool is secure!!!! I once saw an unsecure cutting tool being thrown out of the holder and across a training room and embed itself 3 inches into a wall. 4. Not ensuring the workpiece is secure!!!! Same as 3. 5. Using a metal turning lathe to cut wood. While this is not the worst offence use the right tool for the job. The dust from the wood will get into the slides and end up causing things to jam and incur a lot of clean up afterwards. A nice new Aluminum handle would have been nice. Now I have turned plastics and and plastic wood substitutes, but for a first experience using the lathe I would stick with Aluminum. Overall I like the video and made me aware of some of the issues that I might face if I ever bought one. Thank you and please stay safe!!!!!!
This was not an actual prank! this was me unboxing a tool I wanted for a long time. ok the wood was because I had nothing else to try plus those red tools were the only ones I was able to get! I felt obligated to show how real people do things that they are completely untrained to do! Now, I have learned my machine and have made incredible and amazing parts. I learned to make the tool with the grinder. I learned how to do things the right way. Now I can turn down an LED to fit the headlight socket on any locomotive. I can also bore holes that are smaller than a human hair into the end of a piece of round barstock. Yuup I have learned since this, but I keep it here to show that I was new and this is what happens when you're new!
hahah i used this kind of lathe in my first year in collage in Sweden and i know that aint right. lol. also its just use for metal. Also important thing is the cutter must be the right level in the middle to get everything. a tips is to check videos on youtube how to use a lathe, also this kind of lathe is older version compare to the big modern ones. this is a small version of the old ones but looks new.
wood is my learning material!! mostly I will be turning brass, aluminum and PLA. I make super small parts for model trains so there won't usually be any steel. But, I included that ridiculous wood thing just because people who know me would appreciate the irony! I've been training on this machine and there will be a follow up pretty quick. I'm still learning - I have now made my first set of tooling for this using the methods of Joe Pie and Frank Hoose (youtube machinists) and soon this work will pay off big! I could have gotten the wood lathe for a lot less money, but since I drill hair size holes in the ends of brass rod, that wasn't going to cut it! My old Chinese all in one lathe could actually do this until the chuck developed terrible runout that I couldn't center anything..... this machine is going to be amazing for the kinds of material that I work with!
those wheels are just a warm up to making totally new wheels! I'm stingy on parts but I love upgrading the shop - I still spent less than a single premium locomotive costs!
@@elite194 It's OK, I was poking fun at you! Actually, I've been watching several YT videos about Harbor Freight's lathes because the same notion finally occurred to me. I have some older locos made before the RP 25 wheels that I would like to shave down to a smaller diameter to fit my Atlas track and turn-outs. I'll be watching you to see how you fare with your new machine. Be safe!
I can take the fun! I am almost a total beginner, other than I've had my mill for a few years. first test, it worked - the trick will be to find a better way to clamp them. I tried a pinewood derby wheel tool, but the shaft is too big to fit a locomotive wheel. I believe I will put the ancient flak vest nearby for safety!
Thank you for showing a new user's warts'n'all first use of this, and the lessons you learned. This is a SUPER useful video for a newbie like me, planning on getting this lathe. Plus, the comments section is a whole 'nother education!
oh yes! I've learned many things since that first day! at harbor freight there are these dirt cheap tiny tiny drill sets. they break the time - except when used with this lathe! they actually boring bits and can make hair size holes in brass. most of what I put in this machine is brass or plastic. it took a little bit of time to learn it. also the blank tools for this machine are often kept under the counter. I learned how to shape my own tools and it's amazing!
Glad you got a new toy. Good luck on your lathe journey. Watch those knuckles.
I think we will make axles for locomotives
I've thought about doing cans, but you need to build a special smelter to get high enough heat. As for a tank car, what I would do is make a master form using the lathe and then bend tin around it. that is a special project that needs to be explored in the future. It may be possible to use some of that super hard crabapple wood I have to do the same thing. Tank cars are not in my budget, so to have them means building them from scratch!
I'm sure you have have learned alot since this. However, just because you can buy something doesnt mean you should. Sorry I couldnt resist. I nearly fell out of my chair laughing so hard when that wood had a motor on it. Classic. Enjoy the hobby, its a hoot! 👍
oh yeah!! I have learned and made several human levels since this! Many MANY many people sent me messages telling me how wrong I did this! I studied up a lot, learned to make my tools, and learned how to turn wood on this awesome machine so I could make more handles for my other machines! Now I can do the things that I bought this machine to actually do.... I think today I am going to attempt to part brass rod using an xacto blade as a parting tool - that is probably against the rules, but I can also be an example of how not to do things! I have used this machine to make so wickedly cool stuff for model trains and that's why I needed it! Stay tuned for success or failure - I do love to show the fails just as much as the success!
just a hint but those brazed carbide tool bits are as sharp as a bowling ball out of the box. they don't tell you this but you need to sharpen and then hone the carbide before they will do anything.
I'm learning! I got some blank tool steel to make tools and I did my first grind - this is going to be fun to learn how to use this machine!
Just remembered those cool AHM/Rock 50' six axle heavy duty flat cars have the same wheels. Very neat freight car if you can find them. Even better with the Caterpillar Scraper load.
I have one of those that is Army on the layout right now
@@elite194 Cool freight car. F-up and sold the two I had years ago. Wonder if you can switch out the Roco/AHM trucks for Athearn Buckeye trucks ? Never thought to try when I had them.
you could, but I found out that you can change the wheelsets using a truck tuner - one of these flat cars shorted the layout until I figured out that if the wheels are closer together than the standards gauge they touch and short!
I almost bought one but went with vintage instead, so much better still after 50 year's, have 6 now, l restore and sell them.
this was the only thing even close to my budget and I have to use coupons on a sale day and sign up for the credit card to buy this - totally worth it now that I've learned a lot more since I did this video!
I hear you,,, l bought a 618 atlas for 200 ,, actually 3 now all under 300 and 2 12 inch for under 400 each and a 11 inch Logan for 300 , vintage are out there all cast iron built for life..
@@georgespangler1517 I looked for years and never had an option to get an old lathe to restore! but don't count out the Harbor Freight model - there is a lot of support for ungrading this simple lathe, you probably already know, but I'm thinking about a 4 jaw chuck and hand scraping the ways....!
@@elite194 no thanks, I'll stick with my vintage, really is night and day difference with heavy metal and stamped steel when it comes to lathes and Mills,, my buddy has one and us really limited to aluminum as far as metal turning with steel it chatters itself apart
@@georgespangler1517 I hear you! I do lots of aluminum and brass, but almost never steel in my work. I build model trains and steel is not usually some used... same with my milling machine, brass and aluminum!
Turning wood with a metal turning chuck, not a good idea
as I discovered... now I do have the ability to turn wood since I learned how to make the tooling - I need this kind of lathe to turn accurate size wood, but the normal material used is brass bar stock. this machine also makes hair size holes in the ends of tiny brass rods so I can make a 2mm brass rod fit over a 1mm shaft perfectly! this is a great machine and the more I learn, the more work it does!
Home boy you need to slow down and think twice before you hurt yourself
as I learned the hard way!
This is great
I've learned a little since this one - I like this machine a lot and it can be endlessly upgraded!
For the first time you did good. I mean you still have your fingers and you didn't blind yourself. All kidding aside, wear safety glasses and take your time. Maybe, read the south bend how to run a lathe book. You should be able to find it online. Love all your other videos. Good Luck and be careful.
I made my first tool! it will take me a while to learn this machine but I think it was a good choice since so many people will show you how to improve it. making the upgrades is also an important learning step. I suspect we'll start making some amazing things that we don't even know about yet!
Wow!
oh yeah, that was a good one all right! this has become a very useful machine since - I also figured out that they sell tool steel at Harbor Freight, but you have to ask and they keep it under the counter!
@@elite194 Looked like a rough start, glad you got it sorted out.
@@TexasWatersyes it is worth the money! and I learned to make tools from tool steel and I've learned to drill holes in the end of brass rods that are no bigger than a hair!
Trying to roll the chuck to get it going - man keep them fingers outta there.............
oh yes those were good times - I have learned now how to bore a hair size hole in the end of a rod! this is a really cool tool!
Thanks for sharing!
I still have to do a follow up to this now that I've made a few things....
@@elite194 yes please
I do need to do a follow up on this because I get a lot of a email that is not that favorable.... I have to explain that this lathe is meant to be used on soft materials like aluminum, brass, 3D printed PLA, acrylic and yes - wait for it - wood!!!
@@elite194 who cares what they think if it works it works . Wood is cheap , we learn by trying.
This end up?
I took it as a suggestion!
@@elite194 More of a guideline than a rule?...LOL... Too funny!
Check out and subscribe to my page!
since this video I have been studying up and soon there will be a follow-up - I learned to make tooling the proper way. now it's time to show some progress from clown show to level 1 lathe operator!
@@elite194 As long as we learn mistakes are gain.
This open a tone of doors for making the locomotives!
indeed it does!
This was a prank video right? I was a center lathe turner for may years and saw many nasty accidents.
1. No chuck guard. Number 1 violation. I remember on a 45 inch throw lathe seeing an apprentice being dragged under the chuck fortunately it was low rpm and someone saw what was happening and hit the factory wide emergency stop button.
2. Trying to start the chuck revolving by using your hand!!!!!! Look if you read the instructions you would know what you should have done to get the machine working. NEVER put your hands near the chuck while it is powered. About the same as pulling the trigger on a gun with your finger in the barrel, would toy do that?
3. Not ensuring cutting tool is secure!!!! I once saw an unsecure cutting tool being thrown out of the holder and across a training room and embed itself 3 inches into a wall.
4. Not ensuring the workpiece is secure!!!! Same as 3.
5. Using a metal turning lathe to cut wood. While this is not the worst offence use the right tool for the job. The dust from the wood will get into the slides and end up causing things to jam and incur a lot of clean up afterwards. A nice new Aluminum handle would have been nice. Now I have turned plastics and and plastic wood substitutes, but for a first experience using the lathe I would stick with Aluminum.
Overall I like the video and made me aware of some of the issues that I might face if I ever bought one. Thank you and please stay safe!!!!!!
This was not an actual prank! this was me unboxing a tool I wanted for a long time. ok the wood was because I had nothing else to try plus those red tools were the only ones I was able to get! I felt obligated to show how real people do things that they are completely untrained to do! Now, I have learned my machine and have made incredible and amazing parts. I learned to make the tool with the grinder. I learned how to do things the right way. Now I can turn down an LED to fit the headlight socket on any locomotive. I can also bore holes that are smaller than a human hair into the end of a piece of round barstock. Yuup I have learned since this, but I keep it here to show that I was new and this is what happens when you're new!
Holy crap! Way too fast for wood!!!
as I found out!
Read the manual and Google how to use a lathe.
reading the manual is the secret to success, plus I'm watching every video I can about using this tool!
Can’t hear you taking with machine operating.
it' ok, wasn't important since I did it wrong right there!
hahah i used this kind of lathe in my first year in collage in Sweden and i know that aint right. lol. also its just use for metal.
Also important thing is the cutter must be the right level in the middle to get everything. a tips is to check videos on youtube how to use a lathe, also this kind of lathe is older version compare to the big modern ones. this is a small version of the old ones but looks new.
indeed it is.... it is a metal lathe, but in my shop I rarely use steel. mostly aluminum, brass, plastic and sometimes wood
Jesus man, if you want to turn wood BUY A WOOD LATHE!!!
wood is my learning material!! mostly I will be turning brass, aluminum and PLA. I make super small parts for model trains so there won't usually be any steel. But, I included that ridiculous wood thing just because people who know me would appreciate the irony! I've been training on this machine and there will be a follow up pretty quick. I'm still learning - I have now made my first set of tooling for this using the methods of Joe Pie and Frank Hoose (youtube machinists) and soon this work will pay off big! I could have gotten the wood lathe for a lot less money, but since I drill hair size holes in the ends of brass rod, that wasn't going to cut it! My old Chinese all in one lathe could actually do this until the chuck developed terrible runout that I couldn't center anything..... this machine is going to be amazing for the kinds of material that I work with!
😂
Yeah it would have been cheaper. Unless he wants to turn metal aswell. Plastic would be a better learning on a mini lathe than however.
Dude! You don’t wanna spend $25 on wheels for a $5 loco, but you’ll spend $700 for a lathe? C’mon! What are you thinking...or not? :)
those wheels are just a warm up to making totally new wheels! I'm stingy on parts but I love upgrading the shop - I still spent less than a single premium locomotive costs!
@@elite194 It's OK, I was poking fun at you! Actually, I've been watching several YT videos about Harbor Freight's lathes because the same notion finally occurred to me. I have some older locos made before the RP 25 wheels that I would like to shave down to a smaller diameter to fit my Atlas track and turn-outs. I'll be watching you to see how you fare with your new machine. Be safe!
I can take the fun! I am almost a total beginner, other than I've had my mill for a few years. first test, it worked - the trick will be to find a better way to clamp them. I tried a pinewood derby wheel tool, but the shaft is too big to fit a locomotive wheel. I believe I will put the ancient flak vest nearby for safety!