Bennypapa Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 I want to make some barrel mandrels both to use and for the practice cutting threads. What metal should I make them from? I can get drill rod locally as well as 1018 but I don't know which would be best. Thanks, Bennypapa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donmarkey Posted March 14, 2007 Report Share Posted March 14, 2007 1018 is fine, that's what mine are. -Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doble Troble Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 I agree with Don, 1018 is good stuff. Cheap, easy to machine and will actually harden a bit if you want to break out the Kasenite. There's a good chance that the drill rod will be 1018. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennypapa Posted March 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 I agree with Don, 1018 is good stuff. Cheap, easy to machine and will actually harden a bit if you want to break out the Kasenite. There's a good chance that the drill rod will be 1018. The local industrial supply house has 0-1, W-1, A-2, AND D-2 in some sizes of drill rod. Then of course there is Enco. The O-1 I have tried doesn't turn all that great and is such overkill for things that aren't heat treated. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennypapa Posted March 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 The local industrial supply house has 0-1, W-1, A-2, AND D-2 in some sizes of drill rod. Then of course there is Enco. The O-1 I have tried doesn't turn all that great and is such overkill for things that aren't heat treated. Ben I bought some 1.25" dia 1018 cold rolled steel friday and i am having some trouble. I am turning it on my craftsman 12x36 lathe between centers and it is chattering like mad. I have tried various speeds and tool bits and bit heights and it just chatters away. It also doesn't make nice long curly cuttings. The cuttings are short and chip off when they get to be about 0.125" long. Am I missing someting about 1018? Should I have gotten Hot rolled? The guy at the steel place said I should use cold rolled. Thanks, Bennypapa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doble Troble Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 The chatter isn't coming from the steel, it's something about the lathe or how you have it set-up in the lathe. If it's a long piece you may need a follower. Make sure everything on the lathe is rock solid. Make sure your tool is sharp and at the right height (tool height is a likely suspect). Light cuts first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brokengun Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 You need to use either a steady rest or a follow rest, depending on the cut that you are making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennypapa Posted March 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 You need to use either a steady rest or a follow rest, depending on the cut that you are making. OOOOH that's too bad. I don't have either. What is considered a light cut? I was starting with .002" I had the compund set to 90degrees from the work piece and backed off the cross feed so that I could set the compund to 0 with no slack. I then ran the bit up to the work until it just touched. I then turned the compund to 4 (4 little lines form 0) I am going to go through all the setup procedures in my manual and try it again. Thanks, Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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