If your machining skills are iffy it'll be cheaper to trash an axle rather than a wheel casting. So yes, wheels before axles if your boring skills aren't where they should be. Personally, I dislike machining axles so I do them first to get them out of the way. Lots of people use reamers for axle holes in the wheels, I prefer a single tip tool and sturdy boring bar.shild wrote: ↑Sun Dec 20, 2020 8:06 pm Yeah. Can you tell me more about this? I probably want to finish all the wheels before I make any axles incase I accidentally bore the axle hole a little too big on some, I can compensate leaving more meat on an axle? Which side of the wheels do you think should be machined first?
Start by facing the back of the wheel.
Learn to use a 4 jaw chuck proficiently for accuracy and holding ability.
Long ago I was a class a machinist/lead at a shipyard with dozens of large and small lathes, there was hardly a 3 jaw to be found and they were rarely used. The 3 jaw chucks we had were chucked up in a 4 jaw if we were doing quick lower accuracy work. It was a great learning/work experience, a rough crowd with lots of gallows humor.
Denny