I know it sounds a bit congratulatory but i just want to say i really enjoyed reading Mike Cox's article(MEW #239) on the numerous modifications he has made to his Clarke 300mm mini lathe. I think it's great how he has treated the challenges to his machining as opportunities to make new gadgets for his machine which any one of us could make for our own.

He even seems to have gone without a mill for some time, making use of some of the ol' work arounds for milling before realizing he needed a proper mill but even then he gets a small one similar to his own machine.

I'm almost comparing him to a revisionist of the old writers of model engineering by using a machine which is modest by our standards, just like they did back then. I say this because i find alot of the old writers can seem a little out of touch by todays reckoning because of the different things that were and essentially, were not, available back then (i couldn't imagine going into a chemist today and asking for a "wincester quart" of sulfuric acid as tubal cain once suggested).

So thanks very much for inspiring me and others like me i suppose. Here is the website of his that details much more of his home makery **LINK**.

Michael W

Edited By Michael Walters on 29/02/2016 13:41:34

Edited By Michael Walters on 29/02/2016 13:44:04

Hi Here again,

He may reply himself, but i have contacted him about an electronic leadscrew motor in the past (he has motorized feeds on every slide of his machines) and he's very helpful;

he advised me to use a 12v 38mm dia. DC motor, you can buy a speed controller circuit and 2A plug transformer on ebay and have this up and running, i have tested a prototype i made doing this recently. It's all china post though so it'll take a few weeks to get here on standard shipping.

PS. His entire system is a bit more complicated than this, as you will see on his website as he has made a discreet box to control all his motors from 1 point, i wouldn't attempt that to begin with mind you!

Hope this helps a bit

Michael W

Edited By Michael Walters on 08/04/2016 18:18:02