Mini-lathe - still making chips

 You might be wondering what happened to the Model A kickstart shaft project: well, despite various distractions we are still making chips. 

As you might imagine it's taking a while to reduce a 2-in chunk of EN16 to the main shaft diameter of 1 1/8" but we are getting there slowly. 

Currently I'm troubled by the finish I'm getting as I rattle through hogging out the material. I'm running at 700 rpm taking 15 thou cuts with a carbide tool - actually a selection of carbide tools. Yesterday I locked down the compound slide and tightened the gibs on the cross slide and we'll see if that improves matters. Right now the finish looks like a very coarse thread: 

Since we are not in any hurry for this part I think I will look for play in the saddle. Others have suggested removing the compound slide, checking the tool height - suggesting it's too high, changing the revolving centre for a carbide tipped fixed centre, and changing the tool for one with a wider tip, like a parting tool.

The tool height appeared to be the problem - this is much better: