Something exciting on its way…

[MichaelRParticipant @michaelr]

Threaded Head wood screws, mark position screw into wood floor drop cabinet over and bolt up.

Mike. **LINK**

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

It's not getting bolted down fast… I can't get the gearbox door fully open, so I might have to saw 8" off my mill/handwork bench and put that across the end of the workshop and the lathe can go where it was…

Anyway, got it running and did the classic of discovering it doesn't work with the guard open…

Lots of head scratching before I worked out how the standard feed and cross feed interlock with each other. At least it seems to be impossible to engage them both at the same time.

This does seem to be a very well thought out machine, look at those oil points and highly useful t-slots on the cross slide and top slide. These are meant for using it with a milling attachment on the back of the bed but in practice will provide lots of options for workholding or mounting accessories.

Way more complicated than a mini lathe.

It's going to be a busy weekend moving benches and cleaning this troll snot off the lathe. Then lots of adventures ahead like parting off under power crossfeed!

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

Posted by Bazyle on 31/08/2017 12:25:52:

3ft long (910mm) so you could use a paving slab if you can get a good old 2in thick one between drip tray and stand.

250lbs. How you going to lift it? Some pictures of that operation might be helpful for others getting this size.

Easy job for two people. One at each end. Using equipment such as engine cranes is just making work for yourself.

We carried my wm250 across the road, down the cellar steps, through both doors and onto the bench.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

It will be interesting to see how far to the right that top slide moves as there is a lot of overhang where the toolpost is at the moment.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

I see it has a four way tool post – are you going to retain it or get a QCTP? If the latter, I would advise against an Arc Euro 'set'. Buying separately is the way to go and here are a few reasons:

Not really cheaper as you prolly won't want all the different tool holders in the set.

The knurling tool is an excessive pressure jobbie – not good for the lathe and the scissor types are far superior (even if a little/lot more expensive).

The parting tool holder is carp (well, mine is). The parting blade is fitted at an angle, so every time the blade is extended or retracted (for different diameter cuts) it must be reset at centre height!

More normal, simple tool holders are the real priority – the cheapest ones in the 'kit'.

Might be more, but will post now. IMO it would have been far better to offer a good price on the tool post and half a dozen, or so, normal tool holders (with maybe one of them with a V notch able to accommodate a round boring tool).

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

twitter photo shows the QCTP in it's box.

Can't quite see which one it is but the QCTP set for the SC4 that ARC suggest on their site just comes with just standard tool holders

 

Edited By JasonB on 01/09/2017 09:10:08

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

I only just realized that the micro lathe comment was just a farce! ​ This lathe is bigger than most of the sieg range and almost a whole 8" longer than mine. Only spindle bore and swing are smaller.

Michael W

 

Edited By Michael-w on 01/09/2017 09:54:35

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by not done it yet on 01/09/2017 08:31:07:

I'll explore different QCTP possibilities.

I don't understand your issue with the parting tool holder? How can you have one that holds the tool at an angle and doesn't need height adjustment if you extend the blade? Even my home-made QC parting blade holder works like that. the alternative is my inserted tip parting tools which fit in an ordinary tool holder.

Having made both scissor and push-in knurling tools, I am far from convinced that the 'excessive pressure' argument really applies in these days of lathes with hefty rolling-element bearings in the headstock. I've shown this before, a 2 1/4" straight knurl done with a push-in tool on my mini-lathe, and it really wasn't difficult or traumatic:

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

I much prefer solid ground to shape parting tools or insert ones rather than the parting blades, they have a suberb ability to bend even at relatively short lengths!

I've never had a problem with knurling, I always follow the rule that you have to run them back up the length of the part in order for it to cut well.

Michael W

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by JasonB on 01/09/2017 07:30:40:

It will be interesting to see how far to the right that top slide moves as there is a lot of overhang where the toolpost is at the moment.

I've checked, it moves a long way, right past where it is fully supported.

About ~15mm overhang when aligned with the edge of the cross slide.

I guess a tool in a QCTP holder should be past the edge of the cross slide with the dovetail fully engaged.

Looks like I finally have a machine I can use my Wimberley tool holder with – I've waited about two years to try it! This is the US alternative take to tangential tooling.

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 01/09/2017 21:11:35

[HacksawParticipant @hacksaw]

Is knurling done dry or lubed ?

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

'Big Red' has now moved into the space formerly occupied by my X2 mill and Record No. 3.

I've retreated to a bottle of Newkie Brown as I can't find a way to cut the end off the old bench so it can fit cross-wise where I was going to put the lathe. Good news is I can fit the small cabinet with reamers, taps, measuring equipment to the left of the lathe. Or maybe park the bandsaw in there…

[Michael BriggsParticipant @michaelbriggs82422]

Posted by Michael-w on 01/09/2017 16:53:35:

I much prefer solid ground to shape parting tools or insert ones rather than the parting blades, they have a suberb ability to bend even at relatively short lengths!

I don't have a problem with parting blades. I have a stock of eclipse H5.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Well I've swapped over the mill bench and fitted my X2 further back on a riser so I can still turn the front handle comfortably. Spent a while looking for the fourth hold down coach screw, before realising it doesn't exist…

Haven't fitted the vice yet, but once I have I will then need to move the shaper, which means moving my 'surface plate'… then hopefully that's the end of the shuffle..

TBH I think it's going to be a better arrangement although I will need to wheel my bandsaw about from time to time.

Neil

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

Neil, couple of manuals you might find interesting

**LINK**

**LINK**

Jim

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Note to self. Build bigger shed first.

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