This article originally appeared in Model Engineers Workshop issue 126, June 2007. Although not used regularly, some workshop accessories can be assets when the need arises. These attachments are often put on the Must make list but we usually manage to do the job using an alterative method. Apart from a difference in size…
Background Back in 1979, when my first lathe, a Myford ML7 gave way to a Colchester Bantam, one of the advantages that rapidly became apparent was the indexable micrometer ring graduated in thous on the tailstock hand wheel. This is a feature usually found on quality toolroom lathes and meant that at least in…
Background I have considered for some time the use of a hand-held turning tool for awkward or final finishing operations on the lathe. I was somewhat put off by the fact that I am a ‘Sinister’ and these operations are awkward left-handed. I can do nothing controlled with my right hand. I even wind…
This article originally appeared in Model engineers’ Workshop issue 129, September 2007. For repetitive work and rough turning a workpiece mounted in the chuck, a saddle-stop fitted to the lathe can save the worry of overshooting the length of a cut and so allow for more concentration on the diameter of the work. After the…
This article originally appeared in Model Engineers’ Workshop issue 128, August 2007 Owners of the Unimat 3 will know that there is no problem removing the drive belt from the auto-feed drive pulley. No doubt many like myself, will also, flip the belt off the auto-feed pulley and leave it to trundle around on the…
Background To improve work holding on my milling machine, I have purchased a Soba precision vice from the Chronos catalogue. The vice is ground all over, allowing clamping on its sides or end. When the jaw is tightened, it is pulled forward and downward, reducing any tendency to lift, photo 1. The catalogue also…
Link to Allendale Background We are often asked if it is possible to fit a DRO to small lathes, and in short it is possible to retrofit a DRO system to the majority of lathes and milling machines often found within the model engineers workshop. To go about demonstrating this, we acquired a 1954 Myford…
A recent project required a number of caps similar in style to hubcaps and rather than having a plain surface, they needed a bit of simple ornamentation to be added. The fancy work was not to be any particular pattern, so there was no difficulty turning one of these in the lathe. Reproducing the…
Sometimes I wonder whether the time spent in making a time saving device is equal to, or more than the time one would have spent, struggling on without it, but having made a the device, its use often makes a job that much easier. One thing that can be time consuming is the setting up…
One useful addition to the Unimat mill/ drill attachment that compliments the Unimat 3 lathe is a depth stop. Such an item is quickly and easily made with most of the dimensions tailored to suit the material available. One dimension to be aware of is the position of the lower fixing screw hole, which must…
