Show us your lathe?

[Flip]

++1 for the Southbend book.

As a first lathe you wont go wrong with a Myford like this one http://www.trademe.co.nz/business-fa...-600320113.htm

This was all Burt Munro used to have and he did heaps with his.

[Ocean1]

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..

When I were a nipper a live centre was one that went in the headstock, not simply a rotating tailstock centre.

Terminology seems to have changed over time...

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

Correct.

I used to work on a Leblond that was nominally an 800mm swing, so not a baby, but the drive was via an internal ring gear behind the drive flange and it had massive main bearings, the headstock bore was just over 250mm. Used to get a lot of work just because of that, even though there were bigger machines locally.

[avgas]

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

There is a new way? I am assuming that is fundangled CNC thing? Rather than Tap and Dies?

Hoon a really cool thing to do if you have a small amount of money and want to play is little wood lathes - go for about $300. But other than that I would do what the others say - go watch someone do it, ask if you can have a go while they watch. On the older stuff its not a difficult as it sounds. I wouldn't know where to begin on the new rigs.......the newest lathe I ever worked on was made in 1962. The oldest was was from 45.

PS: women who know how to use a sewing machine well are actually bloody good on a lathe as well. I was quite shocked to see how quickly they picked it up in comparison to some of the guys.

[speights_bud]

There is a new way? I am assuming that is fundangled CNC thing? Rather than Tap and Dies?

Dies? now that's the REALLY old way Nothing like screw cutting a thread up to a shoulder at speed to get yer panties in a twist!

[Ocean1]

Nothing like screw cutting a thread up to a shoulder at speed to get yer panties in a twist!

Run the lathe in reverse with the tool upside down. And run the backlash out by hand before you wind the tool in.

Or just roll the last couple of turns over by hand...

[pete-blen]

Heres my 2 toys...

320 swing / 600centres / 40mm bore..
http://imageshack.us/a/img843/1104/ssa41635.jpg

gear head mill
http://imageshack.us/a/img52/9770/ssa41759.jpg

makeing fork valves
http://imageshack.us/a/img32/7183/ssa41921.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img812/2962/ssa41924.jpg

[leathel]

Nice gear pb

A tad more modern than my gear :P

Although my mill is only a few years old its a Chinese shitter, but does most of what I need

[jonbuoy]

I keep looking at chinese/myfords but I can only think of $200's of stuff to make on a $800+ rig - clearly I need to think harder.

[F5 Dave]

Well you've seen me crappy old Sheldon Phil, might post a pic when I'm not on the pad. Couldn't be without it, just today making up spacers for the clutch springs. I still send stuff out for tricky stuff but 80% I can do there and then, that's the best part.

[edit] crap photo, glad I had 3 phase at home

[granstar]

Got one of those, just have a look in the man cave...trots off into the darkness....returns...yup found it ... It's a ZYTO because that's what it has says it is ...





Was gifted by my clever father in law model engineer who used this for years before claiming a well earned Myford .

Used it occasionally to make wee bits and pieces for drum kits and motorcycles, not too proficient with it mainly as i give all the big jobs to said FIL .

[sketch]

Heres my old beast. Dunno how to use it but its good fun when the boys are round to put the chuck key in and fire her up, edit..... im lying its in a workshop im working in at the moment and thought id chuck it in for kick and giggles

[Yow Ling]

Heres my old beast. Dunno how to use it but its good fun when the boys are round to put the chuck key in and fire her up, edit..... im lying its in a workshop im working in at the moment and thought id chuck it in for kick and giggles

has it got an allergy to oil?

[F5 Dave]

Drier than a nun's habit.



you thought I was going to say Cunt you dirty bstds.

[GSF]

I have just started a new job in a machine shop about a month ago, I had never used a lathe prior but always wanted to learn. Shit it's fun and I never realised how versatile they can be.
Being very green though I'm pretty bloody careful. My workshop manager has a really impressive scar across his knuckles that he did on a lathe long time ago.

We have an old Colchester Bantam and several Myford Super 7s. We also have a separate machine shop full of really interesting jewelry lathes, Sixis, Posalux and Carl Benzinger machines. Most of which are at least 40+ years old. Awesome stuff!

[unstuck]

I have just started a new job in a machine shop about a month ago, I had never used a lathe prior but always wanted to learn. Shit it's fun and I never realised how versatile they can be.
Being very green though I'm pretty bloody careful. My workshop manager has a really impressive scar across his knuckles that he did on a lathe long time ago.

We have an old Colchester Bantam and several Myford Super 7s. We also have a separate machine shop full of really interesting jewelry lathes, Sixis, Posalux and Carl Benzinger machines. Most of which are at least 40+ years old. Awesome stuff!

Sounds like the Ideal man cave to me.