Making washers on a lathe.

Maker · Sep 27, 2016

I only ever make them if they're odd, like a stepped face to retain a spring or a really big ID. They take far too long unless you have a capstan lathe.

God mode restorations · Sep 27, 2016

ronan said:
Its a question of using the grey matter, spending 4 or 5 hours or more even, making something you can buy in the local hardware for a fiver is a fools errand.

Yes I agree. But The main reason I try to make as much as posible is the fact that when even I go to different stores or places to get washers or bolt ect is they never have what I want. They can't be bothered to order it.the washer on my tractor unit are 5 mm thick.so I have to replace like for like. If I can't then I will make.just the way I am. But have found a place on the net that have what I want so all good.

ronan · Sep 27, 2016

Maker said:
I only ever make them if they're odd, like a stepped face to retain a spring or a really big ID. They take far too long unless you have a capstan lathe.

Maker is now daydreaming about, and heading off to ebay to look at .................capstan lathes !

Seadog · Sep 27, 2016

I can't understand all the negative posts. If it makes you happy doing it, then do it. I do lots of things that have no real value to anyone but myself.

God mode restorations · Sep 27, 2016

Maker said:
I only ever make them if they're odd, like a stepped face to retain a spring or a really big ID. They take far too long unless you have a capstan lathe.

I was just intrest ed in how they are made on a lathe.and the tooling needed and used to perform the task. Am totally new to the lathe side of things.but look forward to doing stuff over winter

God mode restorations · Sep 27, 2016

Seadog said:
I can't understand all the negative posts. If it makes you happy doing it, then do it. I do lots of things that have no real value to anyone but myself.

It's ok. I don't take them as negative. I asked a question and I appreciate people's opinions and there thoughts about hat I have asked.it's all good

Mr shiney · Sep 27, 2016

It will cost you more to Tool up and make them than you will EVER make back. Use your lathe time to learn useful skills.

God mode restorations · Sep 27, 2016

Mr shiney said:
It will cost you more to Tool up and make them than you will EVER make back. Use your lathe time to learn useful skills.

I will indeed Mr shiney. .thanks

rory1 · Sep 27, 2016

The way I would do it is this, chuck material up with as much sticking out of the chuck as you can get away with without too much overhang, face off, turn OD, centre drill, drill to required size , bore out if required. Part off to length and then keep parting off till you run out of hole.

If you fancy making washers then make some washers, it's your decision if it's cost effective, even if it's not cost effective it's good practice at the basic lathe operations of facing, drilling , boring , turning and parting .

ronan · Sep 27, 2016

Use your lathe to make up a punch and die for a press, to knock the washers out of flat stock

.

rory1 · Sep 27, 2016

I can't think of many more useful basic lathe skills than the operations required to make a washer, facing, turning, drilling, boring and parting.

I'm sure there are many time served chaps out there that honed their basic skills as an apprentice by making basic items such as washers?

If in the future spencer 427 wants to make a bush or a plain bearing for one of his trucks then it will use the same principles and skills as when he made his washers, if he wants to screw cut a shaft then he will face off and turn his material before he cuts his thread, all of which ( apart from the screw cutting) he mastered whilst making a load of washers.

By the way, I'm not arguing that making washers may be non profit making but it is skill building

Wendelspanswick · Sep 27, 2016

I turned up 60 washers on the lathe for a customer, they were for a number of sluice gates that were being refurbished and they had to be made of bronze in imperial sizes.
It was a nice easy job, had about 3" projecting out the chuck, turned the bar stock down to the correct OD, run a drill through with the tailstock about 2 inches in, rotate the toolpost to bring the blade type parting tool in, part off slices till you get to the end of your drilling, extend out another 2" from the chuck and repeat.
At the end of the day the tolerances and finish were not critical as they would spend the majority of their life underwater and never be seen.
The customer was happy.

Screwdriver · Sep 27, 2016

Problem with parting off is it is the single most horrible chore on a lathe! (Next to cleaning it).

Parting off 5mm washers is going to turn more than half your stock to swarf and I dread to think how many busted parting off tools you'll end up with. I thought the superglue trick was worth having a play with....

S.

God mode restorations · Sep 27, 2016

rory1 said:
The way I would do it is this, chuck material up with as much sticking out of the chuck as you can get away with without too much overhang, face off, turn OD, centre drill, drill to required size , bore out if required. Part off to length and then keep parting off till you run out of hole.

If you fancy making washers then make some washers, it's your decision if it's cost effective, even if it's not cost effective it's good practice at the basic lathe operations of facing, drilling , boring , turning and parting .

Thanks for your reply Rory. It will give me some practice over the winter and get familiar with the machine. I have a huge box of off cuts of different sizes and diameters so have plenty to get on wiyh

Wendelspanswick · Sep 27, 2016

Screwdriver said:
Problem with parting off is it is the single most horrible chore on a lathe! (Next to cleaning it).

Parting off 5mm washers is going to turn more than half your stock to swarf and I dread to think how many busted parting off tools you'll end up with. I thought the superglue trick was worth having a play with....

S.

What don't you like about parting? I never have any issues since I switched to a blade type parting tool and I lock the carriage before I powerfeed the cross slide in.

brightspark · Sep 27, 2016

u will soon get peed off after u have parted half a dozen knacked a few and nearly wrecked your lathe and tool when u get a dig in :laughing:

500e · Sep 27, 2016

Have a rear mounted holder for parting off on the Colchester works a lot smother than holding in tool post, it is an old machine though :dontknow:

brightspark · Sep 27, 2016

500e said:
Have a rear mounted holder for parting off on the Colchester works a lot smother than holding in tool post, it is an old machine though

even on a new machine its more robust a rear tool post u don't get dig ins

Mr shiney · Sep 27, 2016

brightspark said:
even on a new machine its more robust a rear tool post u don't get dig ins

Yep. I use a rear tool post on mine. I still would not **** around making washers though!!

RaceDiagnostics · Sep 27, 2016

I made some out of stainless a couple of weeks ago, first time on a lathe in 35 years.

Bit of bar 44mm in diameter which is close enough.

Drilled out a 16mm hole.

Then parted off eight washers.

Needed to clean off a lip from the parting tool.

Job done, shouldn't have to worry about these rusting.

Making washers on a lathe.

Most folk just call me; Orange Joe

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