Zoltan S.'s Profile

2 Reviews

I have often wanted to spend a couple of hours with an advanced machinist like Rudy. I wanted to ask about those small but important details that the books never seem to cover.

The best thing in the video was a method to zero your tailstock offset. (I have heard horror stories from friends about how hard this was to do, so I have never touched the offset on my lathes tailstock.)

Rudy shows a really easy way to make a test device and the method to precisely true up the tailstock offset. It's one of those moments where you think "He's right... why didn't I think of that!" This alone was worth the rental, but there is a lot more for someone who wants to fill in those missing fine details in their machining knowledge.

I was always hesitant to grind my own lathe bits. Somehow I thought that you needed one of those fancy grinders with the calibrated adjustable table and miter gauge.

Well nothing could be further from the truth.

Rudy uses nothing more than an inexpensive bench grinder and a home made tool rest to support the bits. He shows you how to build this supporting tool rest with an adjustable miter gauge. He then shows how to adjust the unit and calibrate and verify the cutting angles.

Seeing his technique for grinding the bits was also useful. He also covers the different types of grinding wheels, their uses and care.

Well worth my time.