(click and hold on images to enlarge, desktop only)
2024-06-17I occasionally get asked for suggestions about gift ideas for the lathe. Here's a range of things that I'd always love! Where feasible, I'm linking to specific examples of the items I'm interested in, but unless otherwise noted, these are examples of a category. That said, for machining tools and accessories, quality is pretty critical. There are certain brands that are the "gold standard", such as Starrett and Mitutoyo, but plenty of quality cheaper options.
McMaster-Carr is a great source for this kind of stuff. They're not the cheapest, but they stand behind what they sell. I find in general that if I know what I'm doing, I can usually find a better buy elsewhere. But, if I'm buying something I don't know a lot about, I can be confident that anything bought from McMaster won't be of poor quality.
MT-2 Slim Live Center ($26.99)
Live centers are used in tail stock to support long work, or when turning between centers.
Internal Threading Insert (16IR-AG60) ($7.99)
These inserts go in threading tools to cut single-point (lathe-cut vs. tap & die) threads. Can't ever have too many, as they always seem to break at the worst time!
MT3 ER32 Collet Adapter
This fits in the Morse taper 3 (MT3) spindle nose of the lathe, and accepts ER32 collets (which use a different taper/closure system). These are very versatile for holding small work or milling tools.
Note that it's critical that the adapter have a threaded narrow end to accept a drawbar to secure it in the lathe spindle.
MT2 Collets
I've got one 5/8 MT2 collet that fits right into the spindle nose. I've made a drawbar for the one I have, which has 3/8-16 threads on the rear. I can always make different drawbars, but it'd be ideal if any additional MT2 collets matched.
I've only got a 1 inch micrometer, which is mostly fine since since most of the precision work I attempt is 1 inch or smaller, but a 2 inch micrometer would occasionally be extremely useful.
Nice Calipers
Any size or set of drill bits with MT2 shanks would be a treat. I can easily chuck up to about a 5/8 bit, but anything over that I need to find in an MT2 shank, or buy a larger chuck.
Used to get an accurate interior diameter, because you can't fit a micrometer in there and calipers may not be accurate enough.