Free Plans: Quick-Release Lathe Mounted Dial Indicator Holder

QRHLD1SwarfRat Enterprises has a set of free plans for a quick-release dial indicator holder that mounts on the front of a mini-lathe.   The holder is made from a 5-inch long piece of .875-inch square aluminum stock.  It also uses a quick-release lever from a bicycle seat or wheel that can be purchased inexpensively or salvaged off an old bike. … Read the rest

Use Friction Turning to Make Thin Disks and Flywheels on the Lathe

This article describes how I made two round disks on my lathe out of sheet metal that was too thin to be held in a lathe chuck.  I also could not use a mandrel because one of the disks was not going to have a hole drilled through its center.  The two disks were made from .073-inch thick aluminum sheet metal and are about 5-inches in diameter. … Read the rest

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