Show us your lathe?

[Flip]

Show us your lathe of mill?

I have a wee Milford ML7 with the milling attachment and every tool and attachment you can get. Over the last 5 or so years I can only think of one thing I have sent away because it was too big to do at home. Which was a new timing key way in a vintage crankshaft.

I have the face and driving plates, fixed and traveling stedies, a 4 and 3 jaw chuck and a minitature model makers 3 jaw and the milling attachment. About the only thing I don't have is the quick change tool post holder.

[unstuck]

Sounds like a nice piece of machinery flip. A lathe is something I really would like in my shed, we had a great old one from the Mataura paper mill, but it was too big for where I am now.

[Pumba]

Ok iso the gif is a bit small but you get the idea

A lathe or drill mill is on the wish list but I cant see it happening anytime soon, unless I stumble across an absolute bargin, and magically find enough space.

[unstuck]

Well this is one very similar to the one we got from the paper mill.

[AllanB]

My old man has a mint one. I remember it coming home when I was 10 or something - it arrived on the back of a truck and I clearly remember him saying 'that's your university fund right there son'. Maybe I'll get that fund back one day ......

[slowpoke]

Show us your lathe? Hell No!!! Mine is anatomically correct and fuckin' tiny..........

[speights_bud]

If anyone wants a fucking heavy table saw give me a yell, mate picked it up from a workshop closing down tender with the intention of just flicking it for scrap. It's far too nice for that, in fact it's really a very nice piece of kit. One of the oldies but very well engineered. I don't have pics at the moment but she's 3 phase and takes up a full size pallet. few hundred kilo's worth of steel in it. Haven't run it but it should all go. Will consider a swap+cash for a good 4pole 1.5HP single phase electric motor to re-fit the drill press he also got...

Can get it to a trucking company no probs.

[Yow Ling]

Ok iso the gif is a bit small but you get the idea

Heres mine, I dont really need 2 but just didnt have the heart to get rid of the little one

[Flip]

Here is my trusty old Myford.

It's amazing what has been made with one of these wee lathes.

A couple more pics added.

[leathel]

I have a couple of old lathes.... found some picks of the older bigger one

Making some indicator mounts





an older pic



When I purchased it

[Hoon]

A little off topic, but I want to buy a lathe and learn to "lathe" things. What's the best way to get started?

Me, I'm your typical sheddie who wants to expand his ability to make things as required. I'm confident with mechanical, electrical, spraypainting, woodwork and design but turning (and welding) are tools I'd like to add to my toolbox. I know almost nothing about metalwork.

What size lathe should I buy to get started (only small jobs i.e. nuts/bolts, spacers, couplings etc)?

What is a good resource to self-learn from?

[bogan]

A little off topic, but I want to buy a lathe and learn to "lathe" things. What's the best way to get started?

Me, I'm your typical sheddie who wants to expand his ability to make things as required. I'm confident with mechanical, electrical, spraypainting, woodwork and design but turning (and welding) are tools I'd like to add to my toolbox. I know almost nothing about metalwork.

What size lathe should I buy to get started (only small jobs i.e. nuts/bolts, spacers, couplings etc)?

What is a good resource to self-learn from?

Step 1: Terminology, you 'turn' things with a lathe, not 'lathe' them
Step 2: Make a list of what you would want to do with it, length and diameter determine the main dimensions, spindle bore can also be a dimension worth looking for.
Step 3: Check bank balance and price lists
Step 4: Cross off most of step 2's list
Step 5: Repeat step 3
Step 6: Keep an eye out for second hand bargains...

Learning, go down to the op shop for some student clothes, turn up at the uni and bluff your way into getting a lesson for some 'uni project' work...

[carburator]

A little off topic, but I want to buy a lathe and learn to "lathe" things. What's the best way to get started?

Me, I'm your typical sheddie who wants to expand his ability to make things as required. I'm confident with mechanical, electrical, spraypainting, woodwork and design but turning (and welding) are tools I'd like to add to my toolbox. I know almost nothing about metalwork.

What size lathe should I buy to get started (only small jobs i.e. nuts/bolts, spacers, couplings etc)?

What is a good resource to self-learn from?

bogan has covered a number of the issues, set a realistic budget and have realistic terms
of the size and accuracy you are going to turn to.. most old flogged out machines are only
good for spacers and a number of them certainly are going to be shit for threading..

machineryhouse has some little ones for what I call good pricing, why pay 3K for some
old shit when you can buy brand new.

( mind you was in a workshop recently and they had no idea how to old school thread ...)

spending a day with someone who drives a lathe for a living will teach you more than classes
or utube for that matter.. there are reason's why I machine stuff in a certain order fit, finish
and final sizing..

[pete-blen]

A little off topic, but I want to buy a lathe and learn to "lathe" things. What's the best way to get started?

Me, I'm your typical sheddie who wants to expand his ability to make things as required. I'm confident with mechanical, electrical, spraypainting, woodwork and design but turning (and welding) are tools I'd like to add to my toolbox. I know almost nothing about metalwork.

What size lathe should I buy to get started (only small jobs i.e. nuts/bolts, spacers, couplings etc)?

What is a good resource to self-learn from?

Bed length "betwreen centres"... 99% of your machneing is done with in 200/300mm of the chuck....
swing... Dia that can be turned...
SPINDAL BORE... dia of the hole though the head stock..this can have a bearing on how longer bed
length "between centres" is required... most long shafts tend to be machined on the ends..So the bigger the
spindal bore the better...If the bore is small then a long peice has to be held in chuck & tail stock long bed
is required.. BUT if the bore is small yer can't put the shaft in to put a centre in it for the tail stock/live centre..

My lathe has a 40mm bore but only 600mm between centres.. i have machined 1300mm x 38m shafts in it..
the shafts twice the centre length but because of the bore size it can be done...

SO EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO THE SIZE OF THE SPINDAL BORE...

[Yow Ling]

A little off topic, but I want to buy a lathe and learn to "lathe" things. What's the best way to get started?

Me, I'm your typical sheddie who wants to expand his ability to make things as required. I'm confident with mechanical, electrical, spraypainting, woodwork and design but turning (and welding) are tools I'd like to add to my toolbox. I know almost nothing about metalwork.

What size lathe should I buy to get started (only small jobs i.e. nuts/bolts, spacers, couplings etc)?

What is a good resource to self-learn from?

a very good book to get is "How to run a lathe" from southbend
even a copy from the 1950s is good, not much has changed for your average backyarder , that and find somebody who uses a lathe to at least show you the safety basics. don't underestimate just how dangerous this machine can be. that said they are the coolest thing you can ever have in the shed. I feel pity for people who don't have one.