Quote Originally Posted by Don Dalton
Pat, WHEN I served my apprenticeship we had 2 south bend lathes in the shop with the leather belts. When taking to much of a cut the belt would squell and slip off the pulley.Those were the days.

I sold my Shop in 97 , I wish I had taken some of the older equipment and set up a shop in my garage,oh well hind sight.I didn't know I would be building another rod.

Brian, with that size lathe you can make a lot of nice parts.I envey you. Do you have a machinist manual?
Don---I have a "Machinery's Handbook 23rd Edition." and I bought a couple of books on "speeds and feeds". I used a lathe for 6 months during my apprenticeship 40 years ago, and surprisingly enough, I remember most of what I learned then. I also remember REALLY WELL the sound that the compound rest makes when it encounters a spinning chuck---