Hi folks, and thanks for having me. I hope this isn't considered too far off topic and don't mind a rollicking if there's a direct answer to someone else on here somewhere. The last time I used a lathe was as an apprentice in 1967, and I wasn't allowed on it alone. All I remember about that machine was that the chuck was the size of a ship's wheel and it dwarfed wee Archie, its operator. I manage to lighten a few Ford flywheels on it before being moved out of the workshop.

I've just ordered a Warco 290 on a whim really but I do have plans to make bicycle and car tools and the odd piece of art. I'd appreciate some advice on what tooling I should start off with after reading as much as I could for the last 2 months but ending up little wiser. I've bought a dial guage and stand but nothing else yet. I'd also appreciate advice on the best place to find raw materials in small quantities. Thanks in anticipation.

Edited By JasonB on 17/11/2018 06:55:31

Welcome Terry, this is a subject that will give you as many questions as answers ! As a time served toolmaker I go for things like quick change tool post and carbide insert cutters. All over the top for occasional use so just get some HSS blanks and use the four way tool post for a year or two whilst you learn.

Do invest in some measuring equipment a 0 to 25 Micrometer or 0 to 1" if you use old money. An Aldi digital caliper will be just fine for a while and less than £10. Ask away for any queries. Chris.

PS what county/city are you based in ?

You'll need a bench grinder to make those HSS blanks into cutting tools. A cheap Chinese 15cm/6" one with coarse and fine wheels is quite adequate, along with a medium/fine hand stone for a smooth finished edge where it's useful.

As your skill with the cheap grinder increases, so your need for anything better will decline! I've found I throw 'em away every 10 years or so, 'cos the cost and effort of finding, buying and truing up a replacement wheel isn't justified against the price of a new cheapie!

Hi Terry,

Welcome to the forum and congratulations with your 290. I have a similar lathe – different paint scheme – and so far the lathe has not given me any problems. A dial gauge is very handy when centering stock in the 4-jaw. Start with some HSS tools as adviced, and some free-cutting mild steel. There are several UK suppliers of materials for model engineers, a few links:

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Thor

Wow, thank you all so much for the welcome and much appreciated advice. I'm in Newcastle upon Tyne Chris. Larry/Chris I have a cheapo digital vernier caliper but it is mainly plastic and chews batteries like I eat Maltesers so may seek a half decent one, and a micrometer too.

And ega, I'm thinking nice cylindrical things to start with, hopefully to ease me in gently, concentrating on bearing removers and installers for myself and mates who all run full suspension mountain bikes. I also have a top secret idea for a front fork retention system!

Mick, I bought a cheapo 6" grinder a few years back from a general dealer local to me. It's only 150 watts and stops if it hits a finger as well as shaking the place to bits, so I'll invest in a decent one. Should I buy a diamond wheel for it?

Thanks a bunch for the links Thor, spot on. And Neil, ta much for the welcome and adding me in. I'll heed all this advice but if it all goes belly up I won't come back here and admit it, especially after spending the wife's pension on a failed fad!

Thanks Mick. You're dead right about the balance, weird thing is that when it's static no matter where I pull and twist I can't find any slack! May just try changing the wheels. The problem I have with such a low powered thing is when cleaning up my snotty Mig welds, it just sighs and slows to a crawl. I'm at the stage where a bit of a spend can be (almost) justified to get set up properly but after I revert to more normal circumstances I will most definitely be looking to save money where I can.

Thanks again Mick. I'll probably try what you suggest and just use my angle grinder for future weld tidy-ups.

Welcome!

You may find it useful to find drawings for a Tangential Tool Holder. There are at least two sets of drawings around.

One involves compound angles while the other makes the tool shank trapezoidal. Both do the same job, and work well.

(You can buy if you happen to have about £70 to spare)

They use HSS toolbits and once you have the simple grinding jig, only one face needs to be ground, so sharpening is quick and easy. The tool can be used for facing or turning without change.
With a suitably ground toolbit can be used for external screwcutting.

Off to put my one of hobbyhorses back in it's stable!

Howard

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Edited By Howard Lewis on 19/11/2018 17:21:41

Hi Terry,

When I got my 290 lathe I had the help of two strong lads, I placed a shaft with a 200mm dia. wheel at each end under one end of the crate and a sack truck at the other end. We used a few bits of ply on the lawn and we had no problem moving the lathe. It is easy to remove the chuck, topslide and tailstock first. I used a chain hoist and a helper to get the lathe up on its stand. So the four of you shouldn't have much problem.

Thor

Wow that's twice as much as the only slightly smaller 250V! And my mini-lathe was no where near 40kg either…..

When I bought my 250V I had it delivered to work, where it was unloaded with the forklift. I broke it out of the crate, and removed the tailstock, steadies, chuck and topslide. ! wound the carriage to the end of the bed to balance the weight.

Two of us then lifted it into the boot of my car.

I drove home.

Then, a friend and I lifted the lathe out of the car, carried it across the road, down the cellar steps, through the obstacle course and lifted it onto the bench. While that wasn't fun, it's not difficult or dangerous either. If I'd bought it ten years earlier when I worked in a warehouse, neither of us would have raised a sweat doing it. I don't have the space to use an engine crane to lift it onto the bench, and think it would be more work than lifting it on by hand.

Once again Gentlemen I thank you all for the input. Looks like a bit of fun coming with the transport. I think I'll keep it as low as possible, using two scaffold poles on shoulders and slings around each end after stripping the heavy lumps off it. If the stand is included that takes away some kilos which should help a lot. My helpers are stout lads. Sounds like the real job will be hoisting it up on the stand. I can't use a mobile hoist as it would go straight through the shed floor. I'm currently finishing off the wall insulation at that end of the shed, plywood lining going on today and then I can stick the electrics in the right place.

One other question if I may – how much space should I leave behind it, and why?

Behind what? The lathe, insulation or ply covering? Nowt behind the lathe as it should be fixed down tightly.

There is a law which states that if it can happen, it will.

Moving the lathe to recover anything that drops behind can be a pita. But all depends on how much space you have to waste – if plenty, leave enough for easy access when something does fall behind it!

Thanks again Mick, Not DIY and S O D

I was thinking more about access to the motor or whatever else lurks along the 290's backside. But it sounds like a good idea to stop stuff dropping behind so I'll shove it right back. If worse comes to worst I can always cut an access hatch in the side of the shed and stick hinges on it for future.

I should have a minimum two feet at the left side of it and about the same at the right. I have this vision of a ten foot pole coming in through a cutout in the shed front straight through into the chuck some time! Shed is ten feet wide and it's against one of those sides that I'm sticking the lathe. Interesting comment about working height SOD (sorry, Dave!). I'm not too tall but wouldn't mind avoiding further back trouble. That could mean siting it first and then deciding if I need to raise the thing. I'm sure my heavy squad won't mind doing it all again if necessary.

Can I thank our Moderators who seem to have allowed me to get away with veering slightly off the original topic, doesn't happen in some of my biking forums!