A soon to be newbie from Banbury UK

[John Glover 1Participant @johnglover1]

Hi everyone, I should soon be taking delivery of a Warco 250ELS lathe (it was ordered and paid for in October!).  Later one I hope to aquire a milling machine as well and plan to use my retirement to make myself a chess set and board out of aluminium and brass.  The family have been buying me bits and pieces for the last 5 years when I came up with this idea.

My very first project though is going to be creating 2 or 3 tyre mounting studs for my son to help him change the wheels on his car for summer/winter tyres.

I last used a lathe 55 years ago at school but was scared away from metal work when I walked into the room just as someone switched a lathe on with the chuck key still in the chuck.  Basically I am a complete beginner who is looking forward to converting large bits of metal into much smaller ones as I gradually learn how to do stuff.

So please be gentle with me if I ask really stupid questions and also ask for advice.  For example – where is the best place to buy metal from.  I have used a couple of sites but who do y’all use or recommend.

 

Cheers

 

John

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I find that M-Machine have a very large range and plenty of metric sizes if you prefer that to imperial. No Online shopping but just email a list of what you wnat and they will send back a total and then I pay by bank transfer or you can phone & use a card.

https://www.m-machine-metals.co.uk/downloads/Metals%20Catalogue.pdf

Noggin End are reasonable again somemetric stock

https://www.nogginend.com/

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Hi John,

Welcome to the forum, I hope your new lathe arrives soon. There are many knowledgeable members that should be able to answer you questions and give you advice. I don’t know if you already have books on suing a lathe, here is an old thread that recommends some books.

Thor

[Mark EasingwoodParticipant @markeasingwood33578]

welcome.

You can add Macc Models to the above, they have good prices on metals, they also sell via Ebay.

“Streamlinemetal” also on Ebay are good for 6082T6 Aluminium sections.

Mark.

[Stuart Smith 5Participant @stuartsmith5]

I have used Macc Models and Metals4u. Both reasonable and quick delivery. If you spend over £115 you get free delivery from Metals4u.

Also Simmal.com for aluminium.

Stuart

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

summer and winter tyres where in the uk are you?

[bernard towers]

On bernard towers Said:

summer and winter tyres where in the uk are you?

There is a big clue in the thread tite.

 

But who knows where the OPs son may live. Even then I have a friend with a kit car who runs near slicks in the summer but fits something with a bit more tread in the winter. I used to do similar with my 4×4, mud tyres for off road events or if snow was forcast and we both live within the M25.

[DellParticipant @dell]

Hi John

welcome I am not far from you just outside Chipping Norton & I have plenty books on using a lathe & as for metal supplies I use Rapid metals mainly because there is no minimum order & they will cut to size.

i will send you a private message with my phone number in case you want to borrow any books.

Dell

[John Glover 1Participant @johnglover1]

Hi Dell,

that is very kind of you.   I must admit after 5 years of thinking and planning  and then 6 months of buying it and (still) waiting for Warco to deliver it I am both scared and excited :-).

[John Glover 1Participant @johnglover1]

Hi Bernard,

as JasonB pointed out I live near Banbury (North Oxfordshire).  However my son lives in the West Lake District – just off the Ulverston to Whitehaven road – with a big hill to get out of his village and twisty backroads to get into Ulverston.  He drives a BMW 540 Tourer which is a big and quick beast – hence he feels much safer in the winter swapping the tyres.  As he spent 6 years living (and driving) in Ontario, Canada I think he discovered first hand how tyres for the season helps with control 🙂

[John Glover 1Participant @johnglover1]

Hi Dell,

I did not see the reply option in your post and just posted a new message, then I saw the reply – DOH!  The joys of being a newbie!

 

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I used to do similar with my 4×4, mud tyres for off road events or if snow was forecast and we both live within the M25.

A wise precaution! When I worked inside the M25 half an inch of snow would result in half the staff ‘unable to get in’. I cycled in. No wonder Costco stocked snow blowers at the Watford branch.

If you join the local ME club you may find there are often people with spare metal available. Also the Men’s Shed may have some especially if they are mostly working in wood as people will give them grey stuff they don’t know what to do with, and tools they don’t understand.

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