Inversions and Contortions

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The 22 mm steel stock in my lathe ready for centre-turning. I'm going to finish up on making the replacement, second change-wheel stub for the lathe itself. A rough sketch of the project can be seen scribbled on a bit of wood in the background, just forward of the tailstock. My jury-rigged support holds the end of the billet long enough to establish the centre-drill, after which it can be dispensed with and the piece held on the dead centre for machining.

I've got a few choices as to how I approach this. I'd like to leave the centred end as the flange, and machine the bearing surface and the spigot to carry the thread for the clamping nut, back from there toward the chuck. Except I don't have a left-hand turning tool. However, rather than fork out speculatively, I think I'll try rotating the tool in the tool post, as the TC inserts are symmetrical and I reckon that I can get the right cutting angle that way: we'll see, but it will be fun trying. Keep you posted...
 

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