Projects In Metal, LLC Free Metalworking Projects, Plans, Tips, and Tricks for the Amateur Machinist

Here’s a nice weekend metalworking project for you, an adjustable tailstock for a 5c collet indexer! I have noticed in several articles that there seems to be a lot of interest in an adjustable tailstock for a 5c Collet Indexer.  Over the years I have accumulated three of these handy gizmos and not a one of them came with a ... Read More »

In this metalworking project Jim walks us through the steps required to build a handy cross slide retractor for the lathe. This modification simplifies the threading process by allowing the user to quickly retract the threading tool away from the part with a lever rather than by using the cross feed dial. It's also useful when making finish passes as the tool can be retracted prior to moving the carriage (thus your tool doesn't drag across the finished surface). The dimensions in the free drawings for this modification are for the popular G0602 10x22 lathe by Grizzly, but the drawings can be easily modified to fit the dimensions of other lathes. Read More »

Russ shows us his handy tap guides that are easy to make and convenient to have! Read More »

by “JimSchroed” Material:  Steel Units: (in) Earlier I posted a brief article in the forum on an a simple reverse idler gear for G0602.  I have received several requests for additional information on this project. This article will provide specifics on how to make this modification.  A few points before I get into the details:  First, you must have access to ... Read More »

by Gareth Bellringer Do you have trouble turning to a shoulder? Do you long for an easy way of repeating where you stop the carriage? If you answered yes to either one of these, you could need a carriage stop. Here is what mine looks like. This was made from a block of aluminium which is 51×26.3x22mm To machine the ... Read More »