I just commented on the other thread. I built one of those tailstock turrets and I've never used it. This thread could also include simple accessories that punch above their weight i.e. that turned out really useful and get used a lot.

Also variable speed 3 phase conversion on the lathe. Seriously thinking about modifying my milling machine.

Turkeys:

1. Tailstock Turret (might be handy to some but doesn't get much/any use in practice).

2. Cut Off Slide (hand wheel type). Cross slide and back tool post does the same thing with less faffing around.

Did the phrase "white elephant' originate with the practice of gifting such an animal to someone you wished to ruin. It was of no use, you could not get rid of it but it was extremely expensive to feed. So maybe No. 6 should be something along the lines of "it's too costly to run but I ws given it and I daren't chuck it out?"

Can't for the life of me remember where I heard this but I think it must have been an India practice.

Maybe someone else knows.

regards Martin

PS I do see to have been able of late to resist acquiring things that don't allow me to do anything I couldn't do before but just to do it with more style. Something that plagued me for some years, but maybe it's because I just ran out of stuff in that bracket. That said I've nearly completed the George Thomas retracting topslide because I just liked it, so . . . .

Here goes (with tin hat at the ready )- a 3D printer. I am yet to be convinced they are a good answer to many problems, but then again I have been known to be wrong in the past.

Doug

A number of years ago I bought a metal bending system from a hobby/DIY supply firm here in Canada for CDN dollar equivalent roughly 100 UK pounds. It has many links rollers wedges pads pivots etc in a nice sheetmetal box. Despite trying to use it many times, I have never been able to get it to bend any thickness of metal strips straight without either slipping, bending some part, coming out of the vise, or bending at two angles (not straight 90 or 45 degree bend in one axis only, but a compound angled bend). This thing is completely useless as supplied. For a long time I thought the machine to floor interface (me) was the problem but several other people I have tried to give it to for tests / keep it invariably return it and say "it's completely useless" too. Due to time elapsed from purchase to this realization the sellers will not return my money despite almost all these units having complaints or being returned. It truly is a white elephant in my shop. (Guess who I will never buy tools from again?) Thankfully, everything else I have works very well.

Several electronic gizmos (various calipers, angle gauges, laser this and laser that, etc.) I have had work OK for a while then got chucked when they no longer worked, but as they did function for a while as advertised, they really weren't white elephants, just short lived grey ones.

My problem with a 3D printer is that over the last year it's sucked up so much of my workshop time!

I think in ten years, nearly every workshop will have one, bear in mind the RepRap project only started 12 years ago, they have come very far very fast.

The main problem is that cheap home build ones are so good there's little incentive to mass produce excellent off-the shelf ones.

Neil

I believe it has its origins in Siam. White elephants were considered divine, they automatically belonged to the king and because of their divine status could not be used for work. When given one you were expected to feed it and look after it. I imagine that an elephant of any colour can eat quite a lot and not being able to use it for anything, it would be quite an expense.

(done without reference to google so go easy on me please)

David.

Edited By David Colwill on 15/11/2017 18:23:00

When I bought my Lathe (Chester DB10 ) I also bought a verticle slide, the angles of the mounting plate and the casting of the main body don't match, hence the gib strip, is at least 6mm X 8mm in an attempt to take up the error, but even that has different angles ground on it. If I had produced that as an apprentice I would never have been allowed to completed my first year. An ordinary angle plate with a mounting kit would have proved better quality and a better choice.

David Colwill:

Brewer supports your white elephant derivation. It makes you wonder why there used to be White Elephant stalls at fetes!

– I don't really see how you can call something a white elephant while admitting that you never actually tried it, Phil.

– I feel rather sure that if you had tried the scales you wouldn't think of them as white elephants – anything like. You might think that of your scaled handwheels though. There are quite a few posts in various threads here where others support that position.

Best things since sliced bread. If they broke, I'd buy a new set. Certainly wouldn't want to go back to handwheel scales.

And Clive, I'd hardly say they "cost a fortune" …. well, yeah if you limit your sights to Mitutoyo et al …. but there's plenty of decent hardware around that are well within the cost of other typical workshop tools and add-ons.

Have to nominate my Dickson QCTP as worth it's weight in gold. No more fiddling with shims or limited to only four tools. Tool changes happen in seconds.

I haven't really got any white elephants. I've bought a few things on Ebay out of idle curiosity, like these bent taps, that I'll probably never use:

In all these boxes:

Total cost was 99p, including hand delivery to my mum as the seller was in the same town.

One bit of tooling which I'll probably never use is the Dickson QCTP. I've got one on the hydraulic copy unit, but I'll never fit one to the main toolpost. I reckon 60% of my machining is one tool, around 25% is two tools and the remaining 15% is mostly three tools. I don't sweat centre height setting, as long as it looks about right compared to a tailstock centre that's good enough. You simply don't need to be worrying about the odd thou or so, especially with larger diameter work.

Andrew