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Crashed my Okuma lathe because I ignored a worn insert
Was running a batch of 304 stainless at my shop in Detroit last Thursday, and the finish started looking rough on part 87. Figured I could push it one more cycle to finish the job, but the insert shattered on the next pass and the turret slammed into the chuck. Anyone else ever cheap out on tooling and end up paying way more in repairs?
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jamieb801mo ago
Have you considered that maybe the issue wasn't the insert but rather how you're managing your tool life? Checking inserts after every 50 parts and rotating them early has saved me from exactly this kind of mess more times than I can count on my manual lathe. A little proactive thinking beats pushing for that one extra part every time.
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the_paul1mo ago
Heard a buddy do the same thing with a clapped out brazed carbide tool on a manual lathe years ago. He knew the edge was gone but wanted to get that last part out before lunch break. Ended up replacing the compound rest and having to eat the cost of a new chuck.
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nguyen.angela1mo ago
Yeah @the_paul probably knows that feeling all too well, I definitely pulled a similar stunt once and learned the hard way that "one more cycle" is just code for "call the repair guy." My wallet still hasn't forgiven me for that Tuesday afternoon. Guess that's what I get for thinking 50 cents of carbide was worth more than a $500 turret repair.
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