Lets learn how to make titanium nails and dabbers!

And don't use WD40/penetrating oil to spray down the bed when your done, it dries really sticky and if you finish your work with a file or emery clothe it may cause problems. That stuff is like sand. Any 30 weight oil works awesome( it's what I use). What assories did you get with your lathe?

Planned to spend tonight working on the lathe, ended up waiting at the vet's for 3 hours for a dog to get stitches in his eye. Little bastards like to fight!

Spent a couple hours tonight setting up the tool heads and figuring out what other "stuff" I need.

Made part of an aluminum nail (obviously, not for use, the aluminum would be the very very wrong material for lighting on fire ), but found I need to get a wheel to make some tools as the ones come with it arent even sharpened. There's a place called LittleMachineShop.com that sells pre-ground ones for a few dollars each, also need a parting tool and a few other small things.

Learned a lot today, tomorrow the aluminum and titanium grade 2h stock comes in tomorrow!

I wish I had as much time as you guys....


Just picking up machining... and glass blowing.... wow..

Most I've done is just "pick up growing"

Sr. Verde said:

I wish I had as much time as you guys....


Just picking up machining... and glass blowing.... wow..

Most I've done is just "pick up growing"

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Thats how I started, too. You'll graduate in time, too!



Yay! Titanium is here! Grade 2.

Amazing. You know im pulling up a chair on this one.

Is that titanium expensive?

just watched your videos, its looking like your gettin the hang of it dude. im impressed a lot of ppl that are new to running one that i have worked with dont seem to grasp it like you have. keep up the goo work

wheres your videos of you doing it? what am i missing? i seen the h.f. instructional videos

dankshizzle said:

Is that titanium expensive?

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It's about $30 for a 12" long rod 1/2" in diameter. Shits very expensive.

WIGGIM said:

just watched your videos, its looking like your gettin the hang of it dude. im impressed a lot of ppl that are new to running one that i have worked with dont seem to grasp it like you have. keep up the goo work

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Those werent me............. BUt thanks

Tooling on these lathes is pretty unique to learn. Apparently the bits you buy in stores to cut the metal with, even though they are carbide tipped and look sharp to start, need to be ground and sharpened before using on a lathe. You use different tools for facing, making tapers, making shoulders, cutting off, threading, etc.... Each tool post holds four tools as long as the tools go in the same direction on the holder. Now I have two tool posts with the proper tools on them, ground sharp as shit and ready to go. I used a tin snipper and a mountain dew can for shims by recommendation of LittleMachineShop.com (<---- Awesome ppl & site) and spent a few hours getting everything perfect.

Everything is centered, ready to cut.

Even though the titanium is here, I want to work on making dabbers and dabber stands before working on the nails themselves. They are much easier to learn on and shape. I've got a few notebook pages full of ideas for new nail designs that I think would be real fun. Tomorrow a pile of aluminum arrives, and I'll be working on that in the afternoon.

Here's the tooling all set and level and sharp ready to cut......

I'd love some cheap dabbers...

I love my HE dabber but they retail $20.... But I still bought a spare to keep in the drawer in case I loose my main .

Sr. Verde said:

I'd love some cheap dabbers...

I love my HE dabber but they retail $20.... But I still bought a spare to keep in the drawer in case I loose my main .

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HE is the best product on the market right now. I do, however, dislike their dabbers. Its tiny, 3 inches long. I lose it all the time. Its also too thin and tends to bend at the tip, and bending titanium isnt recommended, bending it back has a good chance of breaking them. For the 1/8" stock they need for the dabbers, they should be 5 inches long. Its OK, mine will be.

So when this is all up and running how much will you be charging for complete oil set ups? I have a bong and a bunch of oil (ran a couple more batches) but no nail, dome, whatever else there is to an oil rig...

Gastanker said:

So when this is all up and running how much will you be charging for complete oil set ups? I have a bong and a bunch of oil (ran a couple more batches) but no nail, dome, whatever else there is to an oil rig...

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No clue! I wouldnt expect anything from me titanium-wise for a few weeks though, theres a lot to learn.

cleverpiggy said:

DO NOT WEAR GLOVES WHILE OPERATING A LATHE. I have seen people rip the skin off of entire fingers and hands from wearing simple cloth gloves when running machinery.

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Yep. It will happen so fast you will have time to see the inner workings of your hand before it starts to bleed. Don't fret, you'll probably pass out soon afterwards though

I'd add ponytails, necklaces, long sleeves, hell a shirt tail can cause you to have a bad day at the lathe.

Might suggest adding a foot pedal switch. One that you must stand on to allow the motor to run.

Can't wait to see how this goes!

First titanium dabber and aluminum stand..... Gettin there!

Awesome! That didn't take long!!

researchkitty said:

First titanium dabber and aluminum stand..... Gettin there!

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I like. Sold.

Thats just the first one! Wait till I learn to cut em nicer and really polish cut them too.

By the way -- the titanium dabber is real rough -- the dabber stock I ordered is the wrong grade, grade 5, which cuts like steel. Grade 2 is what titanium we use for oil, since its the purest grade with the best heat properties available. The stands most likely will be all in aluminum, with an aluminum dabber or titanium dabber, and I'd like to get a multi-dabber stand one to hold the dabber one for a shovel for scraping dishes etc..........

Ok back to the lathe....