Birthday Turning....and a question

[Jamie Straw]

Had a birthday last Sunday, chose to visit a Vortex Friend about 3 hours away to get some mentoring on bowl turning. Fun!! The next day, the birthday took an unexpected turn when I found a virtually new, but old blue, Jet 1236 on Craig's List. Runs smoother than my original Jet, the owner got it for a "get well" present after having a heart attack, and never used it. I want to avoid a problem I had on the older lathe -- dirt in the Morse taper scoring the taper and the spur drive. How do you clean them? I've seen that green twisty thing in the catalogs, does it work better than a rag over a dowl or some such thing? I don't know how in the world it happened, but the first Jet got something in it that scored badly.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have one Jamie and I use it all the time. Also keep a rag close by to wipe off like spur drives, etc. before sticking them in the headstock or tailstock. I also use some air after using it.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Congrats on your 'new' lathe and a belated Happy Birthday as well!

Looking forward to seeing the photos once you have everything all set up! Have fun!

[Jamie Straw]

........ I also use some air after using it.

Hadn't though of using air, good idea.

[Jamie Straw]

Thanks, Steve. We got the old lathe out to storage Thursday, and yesterday got the "new" one mounted onto the shop-made base and relocated to a new lathe space. My friend Dennis talked me into putting the dust collector outside, have to build a closet for it. Lathe, bandsaw and tablesaw will be close to that wall, so the pipe run will be short, especially to the lathe. Don't hold your breath for pics, though, I don't get much shop-time these days. :rolleyes: I'll probably opt to turn and make a mess for awhile.