Eliminating tool chatter on a Sherline lathe

Tool chatter occurs on a lathe when a cutting tool is not cutting continuously. The tool is bouncing off the spinning part instead of cutting a steady curl of swarf. It makes a screaching sound that causes most new machinists to back off and take a lighter cut. The proper solution is to cut more aggressively so the tool bites in. This is done by either turning the handwheel faster or slowing down the spindle speed. The saying is, "If the tool chatters, decrease speed and increase feed." The video gives an example of this when cutting steel on a small Sherline benchtop lathe, but it works on larger lathes as well.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Lathe
• chatter
• cutting
• tool
• machining
• Sherline

[ryanstewart86]

my sieg C1 motor just cuts out if i put too much load on it

[craiglibuse]

@ryanstewart86 The Sherline DC motor has a self-resetting overload circuit built in to the speed control that will cut off power if it gets above a certain temperature to protect the motor from heat damage. If your Sherline motor were cutting out I'd say you were taking too heavy a cut for too long a time. However, the Sieg lathe is made in China. I have no idea if yours is heat protected or if you just a faulty motor. Try calling Seig customer support and see what they say.

[noxnflame]

Does this work the same for parting? i have a Jet 9x20 and I can't part for my life! I get the horrible sound of chatter and when i push harder, it will catch and usually break my drive belt.

Please Help

[ncblu66]

this might be the right thing to do but i tell you when she howls i think it's instinctive to back off - gonna be hard to push it through a little harder, maybe ear plugs.

[01Z06guy]

The chatter that is much more difficult to deal with is when your work piece what's bouncing, not the tool.

[wally53511]

Is that all you do? D'oh!

Could you please do a video on using a parting tool? Mine chatters, grinds, breaks, frustrates. I'm going to subscribe so I'll know when you put new videos out.

THX

[Axbent]

can be a bad tool mounting set up; loose gib, loose toolrest, too much overhang etc...

[tzkelley]

Thanks, I've been doing it wrong.

[happymark1805]

is'nt it also that the cutting tool is blunt ?

[bjones44264]

Helpful tip for beginning machinist