First Pass of the Toolpost...

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Well, I think I've got a plan for the order of business in making this part. I've decided that as the end of the piece nearest the chuck will eventually be a narrow flange of around 3/16" - and hence will prevent me from holding the piece in the chuck to start the thread on the stud (the end nearest the camera) - I'm cutting the spigot longer than needed, so that I can leave the piece centred on the tailstock while I cut the shaft itself to size and back as far as the flange.

The next step is to cut the stock to just over the full length of the finished piece, size the spigot and cut the thread to form the stud. Then I'll size the bearing itself, up to the shoulder of the flange and part that off rough, before turning the piece around in the chuck and gripping the piece by the bearing surface, so that I can face off, and bevel and knurl the flange: hopefully job done! BTW, as I've mentioned before, I won't be stressing my antique old lathe trying to part steel: rather I'll cut the piece roughly in the vice with a hacksaw and clean the piece up on the lathe. All good clean - oily - fun and no animals were harmed in the process.

I've also made a start on the total re-organisation of the studio spaces in anticipation of getting the front wall reinforced, and a new roof installed at some point in the not-too-distant future, to render the structure, once and for all, watertight and easy to heat in the winter. I've also decided on an interim plot for the photographic darkroom: initially it will be a bit of a pop-up, rather than a permanent installation, with all the gear to hand, set up and broken down as wanted. Keep you posted!
 

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