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Model Forum / General / Models / February 2009Small lathe?
Hi, I am not into model engineering, but I do occasionally find I have a need for a small lathe - so I'm looking at what is available. In particular I'm looking at this one on Ebay - item # 360110596015 or for a write up on the unit http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe/Reviews/Big_dog/bigdog2.htm One job I had in mind for it was to try to true up the brake disks on my car, but its 180mm swing means that they are far too big to fit - however looking at some of the second hand full size home lathes, I don't think they would fit in those either. So opinions please - would the above unit represent a reasonable investment for occasional general purpose use?  SignatureRegards, Harry (M1BYT) (L) http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk On Feb 22, 7:01 pm, Harry Bloomfield <harry.m1...@NOSPAM.tiscali.co.uk> wrote: > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Regards, > Harry (M1BYT) (L)http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk Try a company called buypartsby http://www.buypartsby.co.uk/ Ive had disks off them at such a price (not chinese either ) that its not even worth skimming had vented disks off them for rover 420 ...made in Copenhagen for £7.50 each so by a few things and get one postage price ..think its £6.99 Also...you need carbide tools to skim cast iron. and it isnt a beginners job ... You have to mount the disk on the face of the chuck with a draw bar and large pieces of metal as washers ..and have to do both sides without moving it . all the best.markj > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > So opinions please - would the above unit represent a reasonable > investment for occasional general purpose use? I've been though a similar(ish) thought process recently. I found that 90% of the work that I did with my old Boxford model C was pushing it to the limit. I sold it and purchased an old Colchester Student gap bed - you'll swing brake discs easily enough with one of those. I'd say that an old lathe like a Colchester or Harrison (provided you've got the space) is one hell of a lot better than one of those cheap Chinese things from Machine Mart and the like. Julian. > > One job I had in mind for it was to try to true up the brake disks on my > > car, but its 180mm swing means that they are far too big to fit - however > > looking at some of the second hand full size home lathes, I don't think > > they would fit in those either. > Julian. I`m with Mark on this.Nobody in their right mind wants to skim brake discs unless they are so rare they cannot be found.As Mark says they are a pig to set up,but even making proper setups to do it,you just cannot skim them cheaper than you can buy from the factors.Add the tooling costs and it`s a non-starter. >> > One job I had in mind for it was to try to true up the brake disks on >> > my [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > cannot skim them cheaper than you can buy from the factors.Add the > tooling costs and it`s a non-starter. Well yes, but I'm not trying to skim brake discs - that was the OP's example.... (NB) Julian. Julian laid this down on his screen : >>> > One job I had in mind for it was to try to true up the brake disks on my >>> > car, but its 180mm swing means that they are far too big to fit - [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Well yes, but I'm not trying to skim brake discs - that was the OP's > example.... I wasn't actually suggesting skimming them, it was intended to be more of an example of what could NOT be done on this lathe - a bit of a red herring. It actually came to mind because the new front disks on my car were causing some severe judder and at that time I thought the only solution was for them to be skimmed or replaced. Rather OT - but the solution was much less costly and easy to implement. I solved it by a series of maximum stops from high speed, with no delays between, which relieved the stresses in the disks and completely cured the judder problem. I was only really interested in report on how useful such small lathe might be for general use. SignatureRegards, Harry (M1BYT) (L) http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk > I was only really interested in report on how useful such small lathe > might be for general use. I should hate to be without one. Have a look at lathes.co.uk for some very useful info, here's an extract: What makes the perfect workshop? I think we can all agree on a warm, dry space with a well-lit bench of stout construction, a strong vice, a good selection of quality hand tools and a bench drill (USA = drill press). However, beyond that what you really need - is a lathe. The only machine tool able to produce a replica of itself the lathe can not only turn, bore, grind, drill and generate screw threads but even, with a few simple modifications, be converted into milling machine or even a shaper capable of producing flat surfaces. It can be adapted to make the most precise of circular components or, with suitable cunning, set up to machine a crankcase or rebore a cylinder. With a lathe in your workshop you will not only be able to save a great deal of money but also complete jobs to a much higher standard than without. For example, would you like exactly 1.5 turns of threads protruding neatly from every nut on your classic motorcycle or car rebuild? Do you need to loose 2 lbs from your racer by thinning bolt heads and drilling into their stems? Turn distance pieces to locate part X into part Y without Y bending all over the place when the nut is tightened? Build a model of a radial, rotary Bentley aero engine? With a lathe those jobs – and a hundred others - will be simplicity itself (OK, the Bentley might not be so easy …..). If your interest is watch, clock or instrument making look at this section. Until the1980s small lathes were always difficult to find, with even worn examples commanding high prices. Today the situation is, happily, much easier, and prices - in relation to earnings - far lower. I understood that skimming a brake disc was just an example of yours, the trouble is that examples always give people a reason to fly off at a tangent! Julian. > > I was only really interested in report on how useful such small lathe > > might be for general use. [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > > Julian. Julian, You, too, have flown off at a tangent. The ordinary bloke who 'fancies' a lathe could be in dead trouble buying a worn out lathe of Western origin. A Far Eastern lathe will be far easier and generally more accurate than its ancient counterpart. Every metal working forum that I visit has someone wanting to know how to mend a 'worn out mangle'. And this reminds me, I have two gears to finish off for my Myford mangle- but I now know what I am doing. When I got my first lathe, I had, unwittingly bought a heap of scrap. Norman On 22 Feb, 22:09, "Julian" <j...@supanet.com> wrote: > "Harry Bloomfield" <harry.m1...@NOSPAM.tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] > > Julian. Julian, You, too, have flown off at a tangent. *************************************************************************************************** Maybe, but only a slight one:-) The OP's example of potential work was of the size far beyond what the budget Chinese stuff could do. To my mind you're left with two choices. 1: A substantial lathe capable of such work - probably not a reasonable solution due to size, cost etc. or 2: Something like a gap bed Student which probably best fits the bill. I muck around with vintage cars and full size steam and I have found that the little lathes are pretty much hopeless because I always found myself unable to get the saddle under the work piece or the jaws wide enough etc. I'd sooner have a slightly worn Colchester that can handle large(ish) bits and bobs - I'm not after rocket engineering tolerances for the most part! Julian. The tangent increases! Few of us on a UK, recreation, models, engineering.forum are into full size steam locomotives. I have a mate who has/had one but he got 3 railway wagons full of spares- and has a long bed Myford with a 7" swing. Again, I have double distinctions in City and Guilds Motor Vehicle Restoration( coo, eh?) and had a Chinese 918 and a 10mm Pultra. I've a mate who has a garage full of Hotchkiss's and Delahaye's and hasn't got a lathe but the Geordie doctor who died and his Bugatti went for £3 million had only a Myford. I bought some of his workshop tools- and they were George Thomas stuff- not Vickers Armstrongs. I suppose that it takes all sorts. Norm >The tangent increases! Hmm...if I remember my school geometry, a tangent isn't associated with a magnitude; it eiter is or is not a tangent, end of. So it can't increase. You can have more of them I guess... Regards, Tony >> The tangent increases! > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Regards, > Tony The disassociation between the direction of the tangent and the direction of the original thread has increased then :) >>> The tangent increases! >> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > The disassociation between the direction of the tangent and the direction > of the original thread has increased then :) And if you manage to unravel that tangent you'll be getting an involute? Julian. >> The tangent increases! > > Hmm...if I remember my school geometry, a tangent isn't associated > with a magnitude; it either is or is not a tangent, end of. a tangent line is associated with an angle, which has a magnitude. a tangent plane is associated with two angles, and so on. of course an angle has a tangent too ... -- \peter f 9not emulating mehitabel, this keyboard sucks0 >a tangent plane is associated with two angles, and so on. Three direction cosines as a rule ;-) Mark Rand RTFM > >a tangent plane is associated with two angles, and so on. > > Three direction cosines as a rule ;-) > > Mark Rand > RTFM A tangent to unravel? I'd rather have Ravel.- to pick The tangent increases! Few of us on a UK, recreation, models, engineering.forum are into full size steam locomotives. I have a mate who has/had one but he got 3 railway wagons full of spares- and has a long bed Myford with a 7" swing. Again, I have double distinctions in City and Guilds Motor Vehicle Restoration( coo, eh?) and had a Chinese 918 and a 10mm Pultra. I've a mate who has a garage full of Hotchkiss's and Delahaye's and hasn't got a lathe but the Geordie doctor who died and his Bugatti went for £3 million had only a Myford. I bought some of his workshop tools- and they were George Thomas stuff- not Vickers Armstrongs. I suppose that it takes all sorts. Norm ************************************************************************ (bugger, my bloody Outlook Distress has packed in indenting text!) Not locos, just a rather humble steam roller! I'm thinking that the OP has a ''clean sheet'' here and after 1 (one) lathe only? Looking at the Chinese cheapies suggest a budget of around £500? That's surely enough money for an old perfectly serviceable Student - that's about what I just paid. I did need the motor re-wound, but that's just the luck of the draw. Given enough space and money you could have one of everything imaginable - but I can't think of a better compromise than something Student sized? I struggled to afford my little Boxford some 12 years ago, but prices seems to have dropped a fair bit now. Julian. > The tangent increases! > Few of us on a UK, recreation, models, engineering.forum are into full [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > Julian. ____________________________________________________________ Ah, well? Had I put a Student in the estate here, the value of my property and that of my neighbours would have dropped! It pays to be prudent! |
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