Subject: Tapers with compound ?

From: Walt Black <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 06 Dec 1996 23:44:00 -0800

I need some help to understand cutting short tapers using the compound. 
Do you bring the carriage back to a stop, then advance the compound into
the work at the proper angle then cut with the carriage advance,
repeating until the taper is cut?  Obviously you cnat just feed the
compound into the work as it will be making much to deep a cut.  I have
the South Bend Book on using a lathe and it doesn't explain this very
well. As a new amateur machinist I would appreciate a somewhat detailed
explanation please.

Walt Black
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Jens)
Date: Fri, 06 Dec 1996 20:18:00 -0800

>I need some help to understand cutting short tapers using the compound. 
<snip>
>  Obviously you cnat just feed the
>compound into the work as it will be making much to deep a cut.

You can rough out the taper first either by using the infeed or by
using the compound. I usually use the compound and start the cut at
the end that will be the thin side and take a slice however thick the
setup will allow. I then move the carriage a bit towards the thick end
of the taper (by as much as I can cut off in one pass of the compound)
and take another slice off the work piece. 
Don't know if this description makes any sense but what it ends up as
is a gradual taper buildup from the pointy end of the taper until you
got the right length of taper (or the right small or large end) 

Yes, I know what I am trying to say - it just doesn't come out too
well :)

Jens

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From: [email-masked] (Peter Drumm)
Date: 8 Dec 1996 14:59:58 GMT

In message <[email-masked]> - Walt Black
<[email-masked]>Fri, 06 Dec 1996 23:44:00 -0800 writes:
:->
:->I need some help to understand cutting short tapers using the compound. 
:->Do you bring the carriage back to a stop, then advance the compound into
:->the work at the proper angle then cut with the carriage advance,
:->repeating until the taper is cut?  Obviously you cnat just feed the
:->compound into the work as it will be making much to deep a cut.  I have
:->the South Bend Book on using a lathe and it doesn't explain this very
:->well. As a new amateur machinist I would appreciate a somewhat detailed
:->explanation please.

Once the compound is set to the right angle, back it off so there's
enough travel to cut the whole taper. Set the carriage so your tool is
where the cut is to start (usually the small end) and lock it. Then
feed in with the cross-slide, and take a cut by using the compound. At
the end of the cut, back up the compound to the starting position,
feed in again with the cross-slide, take another cut. Repeat this
until your taper is the size needed.

[email-masked] <http://www.dwave.net/~pdrumm>
Using OS/2 Warp 4!
Wausau, WI. 44d 58m 00s N x 89d 36m 45s W
All opinions are mine alone, you go get your own!

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 8 Dec 1996 17:10:11 GMT

>well. As a new amateur machinist I would appreciate a somewhat detailed

You do in fact feed the compound into the work. Here's the sequence.

Set the compound to the angle you want to cut.

Position the tool to cut as though you were going to do conventional
parallel cutting, commonly referred to as "turning" as apposed to "facing"
which is done with the cross-slide.

Wind the compound all the way back towards the tailstock, then advance it
forwards, towards the chuck enough to take up any backlash.

Move the carriage and the cross-slide to position the tool at the edge of
the work.

Lock the saddle movement with the clamping screw.

Advance the cross-slide in enough for a normal depth of cut.

Now, using the compound *only* advance it until it runs out of material to
cut.

Rewind the compound and advance the cross-slide in for another cut.

Repeat the about two operations and you will have a taper.

Peter

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From: David Fogg <"[email-masked]"@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Sun, 08 Dec 1996 01:51:18 -0500

Walt Black wrote:
> [email-masked] Walt , Let's see if I can help. First set The compound at the desired 
angle. You will cut the taper using the compound slide. Set your toolbit 
so that it will cut a proper chip as you traverse across your workpiece 
with the compound slide. Bring the carriage close to the workpiece and 
lock the carraige in position. Now present your cutting tool to the 
workpiece using the crosslide. Make your cuts using the compound slide. 
gradually dial in with your crosslide untill you reach the length you 
desire. Good Luck.

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From: "Dennis A. Armstrong" <[email-masked]>
Date: 7 Dec 96 18:22:24 GMT

Cutting tapers with the compound feed is a routine technique for lathe
work.  First set the compound angle to the desired angle for the finished
work.  Then set the compound screw feed to be sure that you will have
enough travel to make the full length cut on the workpiece.  I then
position the carriage and lock it in place; most lathes feature a lock
screw to hold the carriage firmly in place.  This is important, because any
movement if the carriage will give poor surface finish results or errors in
the taper.  All cutting is done by manual feed of the compound screw. 
Depth of cut is set by infeed of the cross feed on the carriage.  Cutting a
very steep taper will take some amount of time because all cutting is done
manually.  Try it out and have fun cutting.
-- 
Dennis A. Armstrong
[email-masked]

Walt Black <[email-masked]> wrote in article
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