[TheForge] Lathe dogs?

[David E. Smucker]

Bruce, Of course you can forge them -- but I have always just made them from 
pipe, square stock and a welder.

Just cut off a short length of pipe.  Weld a nut to one side, with a through 
hole for the set screw and then just weld a length of square stock on the 
other side to fit into your face plate.  With a few different sizes of scrap 
pipe you can make up several sizes this way faster than you can heat up the 
forge.

Now comes the real question, will you ever use them.  Lathe dogs always look 
good in the "machine shop book" but you will find that if you have a good 3 
jaw and a good 4 jaw chuck you will use these for most things.  If you have 
a lathe that will accept 5c collets you will also use these a great deal 
more than than a lathe dog.  I would always but my money in to collets (and 
the collets set up for your lathe) before I would buy lathe dogs.

Good luck with your lathe, how big is it?

Dave

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Bruce Freeman" <freemab222 at gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2009 6:37 PM
To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [TheForge] Lathe dogs?

> I've just acquired a lathe and expect to need a few bent-tail type
> lathe dogs in various sizes.  They look pretty simple to me but get
> pretty pricey in even moderate sizes.  I'm thinking of giving a go to
> forging them myself, as they look pretty simple.  Has any of you tried
> forging lathe dogs?
>
> -- 
> Bruce
> NJ
>
> The total lack of evidence is the surest sign that the conspiracy is 
> working.
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