Up the garden path to new lathe

[Anonymous]

Posted by larry Phelan on 14/08/2017 20:57:02:

Hi Andrew,

That you need to make multiple parts economically would suggest that you operate more as a business rather than a hobby,in which case CNC would make sense.

Both, but my real interest is design and engineering, not machining, unless it's a technique I haven't used before.

The items which have been made in the largest quantities have been for my traction engines, wheel spokes on the CNC mill and nuts, bolts and studs on the Britan. Likewise most of the items I couldn't have made on manual machines have also been for the traction engines, such as cutters and bevel gears.

It is interesting to note the common view in the UK that CNC is not for hobbyists, whereas in a thread on CNC on another forum many of the US hobbyists were all for CNC and wanted it, even if they couldn't currently afford it.

Andrew

[SteveIParticipant @stevei]

Andrew,

I for one am increasingly interested in CNC. One of the compelling reasons is that as a hobbyist it will facilitate me being more productive with my limited time!

Whilst I do enjoy and appreciate this forum when it comes to for example matters of machine rebuild (scraping etc) and CNC it is spoiled by a lot of nonsense being posted. It is a shame.

Steve

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

Good morning Andrew,

Thank you for your reply,I can see now why CNC would appeal to you,since your interests are somewhat different to mine. When it comes to design work,CNC seems to be the way to go,and where time is important,to say nothing of more consistent results. For those at the other end of the scale CNC is something we read about,think about,and ask ourselves do we need it ? can we afford it ? would we even understand it ?. In my case I think the answer to all three would be no ! I can just about manage to use my laptop [simple things,nothing fancy ] and even then,I get it wrong now and then. At that point I have to send for the local six year old to sort it out.In exchange,I fix a puncture in his state-of-the-art bike [he can,t do that yet,it,s not on his course this year ] Neither do I have a Smart phone or an I Pod,both are beond me,just a plain and simple phone. Make calls,get calls and the odd text. As the say "Horses for courses"

Hi Steve,

I must apologise for having posted nonsense when commenting on CNC. This was never my intention,nor was it my intention to rattle someones cage [how easy it is to do this ! ] Put it down to "Old Age"and I shall try to be more careful from now on. Please excuse me while I go eat humble pie and creep back into my cave.

[old AlParticipant @oldal]

we must remember that when this hobby started, it was a luxury, not a necessity , to own a micrometer. I bet they argued there value in those days. How this hobby has developed.

we are all different and enjoy being so

[Anonymous]

Posted by old Al on 15/08/2017 11:08:44:

we must remember that when this hobby started, it was a luxury, not a necessity , to own a micrometer. I bet they argued there value in those days.

I expect there were heated debates about new fangled electric motors versus the treadle too.

Andrew

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Water powered looms vs treadle looms….

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

Looks like I stired up a hornets nest this time !! All I can say is what was wrong with windmills?,why all these newfangled inventions ? Perhaps the Luddites were right ! The rot seems to have set in once the wheel was invented,it,s been all downhill since then,cars,pollution,,train tracks all over the country,where will it end ?.And to cap it all, aircraft !!

I can see I shall have to think twice before posting again.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Nothing wrong with windmills, they may even be supplying the power to someones CNC machine.

I was quite tempted to a CNC mill as it would open up a whole load of other possibilities, as I prefer to make models that you can't get castings for it would make parts possible that would be a nightmare to do manually as try as I might I just can't wind all three handwheels at the same time to machine compound curves or create raised letters on that compound surface.

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

I too have often lamented the lack of a third hand,as when both my hands are fully occupied,my nose begins to itch !

[Andy CarruthersParticipant @andycarruthers33275]

There is a solution to your problem Larry

Cut off your nose to spite your face – third hand no longer required

I am, of course, joking – personally I don't see anything wrong with diversity of views – I have yet to master the basics but progress has been made, I am booked onto an Axminster Lathe course soon…

[SteveIParticipant @stevei]

Larry,

 

Now it is my turn to apologise. I am sorry for my post as when I read it back now it does seem a little curt! What I mean't to say was in the context of this web sites forums I do not think that the CNC debate is well represented. I did not mean to be specific to your comment on this thread. Your perfectly entitled to your opinion. It is just that to provide a balanced discussion the forum needs the other point of view. Sadly much of that point of view is missing or shot down here whilst it is available on other forums. If you put that in to the context of so many unfinished models out there, the squeeze on free time with work and other commitments and the price and quality of castings; then hopefully you'll understand why I think it important that the use of CNC really ought to be a positive point of discussion on the site.

 

On a personal note I was perhaps a little scared off by some of the CNC requirements, mostly regarding the CAD and CAM and a year ago would have never thought I would ever consider it let alone be rethinking my whole approach to embrace it. Since then, I've got started on Fusion360 and made some small progress, and have my first 3D printed pattern at a foundry and am hopeful I will be getting a result with a cast steel pony truck in the near future. In the mean time I am now evaluating how to do the cylinders, CNC from solid, or print a pattern and get a casting.

 

Steve

Edited By SteveI on 15/08/2017 17:03:38

[Nigel BennettParticipant @nigelbennett69913]

This thread is certainly wandering about a bit! Regarding your cylinders, Steve, you could do worse than fabricate them either from several bits of mild steel (or brass) silver-soldered together, and fit either cast iron or bronze liners – your choice. With a bit of forethought you can make all (or at least some of) the bits to self-jig together, or else knock up some kind of fixture to hold them all in place when brazing up.

Having said that, printing a pattern can allow you to include all sorts of detail that would be tedious and tricky to machine from solid or fabricate. Cast-in passages? Let us know how you get on!

[SteveIParticipant @stevei]

Yes more than a little off topic. So a sorry to the OP.

 

Back on topic, it looks a nice lathe. I did not find any reference to the manufacturer on lathes.co.uk. 

 

Steve

Edited By SteveI on 15/08/2017 18:07:24

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

From the colour scheme, it looks like a Warco BH600, with the Boulton and Paul plate screwed on to it.

(Maybe the plate is to denote it as a Company asset?)

It is also a fairly late model, since the early ones did not have the shallow guide grooves for the levers on the Norton box. From its condition, it does not look to have done much work.

Looks like you got a bargain, Rik!

HOW do you keep your shop so clean, neat and tidy? Knowing that there's no room to be swung, the cats will sometimes venture into mine! With two people, its getting extremely close to being crowded.

Howard

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

Hi Andy

, Why did I not think of that ? True what my Mother always said "Two heads are better than one " !

Enjoy your course and dont forget to let us know all about it.

Hi Stevel,

No need to apologise,no offence intended or taken. What I find great about this forum is the wealth of information available and all for free ! You are of course right,CNC is here to stay so we might as well get used to it. Like you,I am scared of the whole thing,but then I was scared of my first motorbike as well. Perhaps at some stage I will have a go at it [by that time the local six year old will be ten and doing his Masters degree ] I will read up a bit more about it but when I come across some of the terms————I get cold feet.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Come on guys, keep up. Rik has been posting about his lathe for a while now. There is a clue in the title

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