A better lathe ….

[Roger Provins 2Participant @rogerprovins2]

It's often said that the lathe is the only tool that can reproduce itself and I suppose, with the help of a guiding human hand, it can.

So, it should be possible to buy a cheap lathe, use this to make a better one then that to make an even better one – ad infinitum.

Who’s done this?

Roger

[Roger Provins 2Participant @rogerprovins2]

[Paul LousickParticipant @paullousick59116]

Probably this guy,

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Nicely done, Paul

… That sums it up perfectly.

MichaelG.

[JAParticipant @ja]

Henry Maudslay.

JA

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Roger Provins 2 on 03/02/2015 05:46:53:

– ad infinitum.

Who’s done this?

.

Strictly speaking … no-one

ad infinitum can, by definintion, never be 'done'.

MichaelG.

.

Please Sir: Can I have the 'Pedant of the Day' Award ?

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Lest this descend further into jest, I am giving consideration to repeating the 1940's ME competition to design the 'perfect' hobby engineers' lathe.

I need to identify a suitable prize, and then decide on some rules. I will limit centre hight and set requirements for supplying a GA and a fixed maximum number of words.

Neil

[CotswoldsPhilParticipant @cotswoldsphil]

Morning Neil…

Lest this descend further into jest, I am giving consideration to repeating the 1940's ME competition to design the 'perfect' hobby engineers' lathe.

That's were the ML7 came from then

Phil H

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

They made the best hobby lathe ever back in the 1940s IMO

A cantilever bed so you could bolt it to a fairy cake, a leadscrew clutch to make screwcutting a doddle and solid headstock bearings which last forever, …oh and I nearly forgot, no electronics

Drummond/Myford M series

Just redid my 70 year old headstock bearings yesterday

My definition of a hobby lathe is one you can carry up a flight of stairs to the first floor on your own without being Arnold Schwarzenegger

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 03/02/2015 09:02:31:

Lest this descend further into jest, I am giving consideration to repeating the 1940's ME competition to design the 'perfect' hobby engineers' lathe.

I need to identify a suitable prize, and then decide on some rules. I will limit centre hight and set requirements for supplying a GA and a fixed maximum number of words.

Neil

.

Excellent idea, Neil

… 'though I am slightly put-out by your opening phrase.

Do be meticulous with the drafting of the Rules.

MichaelG.

[CotswoldsPhilParticipant @cotswoldsphil]

Hi Ady1,

I would agree that the lack of electronics is a good thing IMO with less to go (expensively) wrong. Similar to modern cars which become uneconomical to repair (electronically) long before the full embedded value can be realised.

Regards

Phi H

[Paul LousickParticipant @paullousick59116]

In America they manufactured the Southbend lathe which was also built in Australia as a Hercus. It was the lathe issued to the Army workshops in WW2 and was used in schools to teach metalwork.

Paul.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 03/02/2015 09:02:31:

I need to identify a suitable prize,

Neil

.

Clapped out Sooper Adapt ??

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Never had to get rid of a car due to the electronics needing repair. Mostly it's due to prangs, emissions and MOT failures these days. What make are you talking about?

[Alan JacksonParticipant @alanjackson47790]

If a lack of electronics is so necessary I dare say it would need to be treadle operated to ensure complete freedom from the nasty electronics and computers etc. Replies on a post card please headed "An Ideal Lathe circa 1940".

Alan

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Alan Jackson on 03/02/2015 11:09:35:

If a lack of electronics is so necessary I dare say it would need to be treadle operated to ensure complete freedom from the nasty electronics and computers etc. Replies on a post card please headed "An Ideal Lathe circa 1940".

Alan

.

… and presumably; no PaceMaker permitted for the Operator.

MichaelG.

[CotswoldsPhilParticipant @cotswoldsphil]

Muzzer, It was a small french car (still in production) where a electronic dashboard repair (the odometer was faulty) required to get it through the MOT was more than the value of the car. Otherwise, it was sill good for its shopping trolley job.

So in effect, the electronic failure fits into your category of MOT failure.

Regards

Phil H

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Here is my ideal lathe – Wish I could get my hands on one, a fascinating machine. **LINK**

* Danny M *

[VersabossParticipant @versaboss]

The dream of my sleepless nights:

Hommel UWG with a complete set of accessories.

**LINK**

Regards,

HnasR.

[Phil WhitleyParticipant @philwhitley94135]

Hi all, Just to flip back to the begining, about building a lathe to make a better lathe, the answer to the "who's done this" question is Henry Maudsley, who built the first screw cutting lathe with a hand cut leadscrew thread, and immediatley used it to cut a better lead screw thread, which was then fitted to the lathe, and the process repeated.

Phil

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

It's pretty well documented that Leonardo da Vinci designed a screwcutting lathe with changewheels and a leadscrew.

Neil

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

David Urwicks Metalmaster must be a candidate if cost is ruled out as a factor.

Mike

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

I'm not convinced I'd be looking at the likes of the Metalmaster or any of these all-in-ones. Apart from not wishing to spend half my life endlessly reconfiguring the thing between operations, there are many compromises that make them jack of all trades and master of none, starting with rigidity.

If we I posed the "Desert Island Disks" question ie "you are only allowed one machine tool, so what will it be", then perhaps I might be persuaded. Until then, I'd have a lathe for turning, a mill for milling etc etc. And if cost were truly ruled out as a factor, I'd be ringing an industrial architect to plan the new factory!

For "old metal", perhaps it would be a Hardinge, although I've never given the question any serious thought. There are some absolutely superlative modern machine tools around nowadays that cost the same as a small house – CNC controlled, mostly.

Murray

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by Ady1 on 03/02/2015 10:09:13:

 

My definition of a hobby lathe is one you can carry up a flight of stairs to the first floor on your own without being Arnold Schwarzenegger

But that could leave the hobbiest with the problem of how to get that 4" traction engine out of the spare bedroom and down the stairs without damaging the carpet

 

I don't think there can really be an ideal hobby lathe as the hobby itself is so varied what may suit one user would be completely impractical for another.

J

Edited By JasonB on 03/02/2015 17:47:48

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

The Boxford ME10 – good solid structure, big enough for most modelling before people got into 4 in TEs and half ton NG locos on 7 1/4 . Just too expensive for me back when launched, However it was aimed at the ME market and hence a second hand one should be in good condition not misused in school or factory.
Nowadays I think people are moving up in size – The Myfords heyday was when people built 3 1/2 , Boxford for 5in, now one probably is looking for a bigger machine for 7 1/4.

[Author]

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