Metal Lathe Operation, Practice and First Project

What to do with your lathe in the first few hours of operation!! Understand the essential functionality, Head Stock, Spindle Speeds, Gearbox Settings, Lead Screw, Feed Rod and Half Nuts. Practice Feeding, Basic Threading and what to make for that first project!

This video demos all the features of a Precision Matthews 1440TL Lathe. Gives you some practical examples of what to practice to get comfortable running your lathe and goes through cutting a thread and making one project to practice freehand contouring on a lathe and provides plans for another lathe project.

Lathe Operation - 0 to 14:25
Practice Feeding, making first chips - 14:25 to 28:15
Basic Threading Operation - 28:15 to 37:35
Freehand Contouring - 37:35 to 53:00 (making a chess pawn freehand)
Project Idea - 53:45-54:10 (screw jacks, other plans for similar in this thread)

If you watch my video on Lathe Quick Change Tool Post Speed Nut, that will provide more details for making a part similar to the screw jack plans provided in this video. Link to Speed Nut Video -    • Lathe Quick Change Tool Post Speed Nu...  


Thanks for watching!