Metal lathe owners (hobbyist level)

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Sean Logie
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Just curious to see if anyone on here has any interest or has a metal turning lathe .
 
I'm an apprentice trained center lathe turner.
 
I did a two year college course on milling and turning ,but went back into a sales job at the end of it .used to have a unimat for model making but long given up on all that.
Super man cave jez
 
Yep - I have a Boxford and a Colchester Master.

My Man Cave by Jez, on Flickr

We had a big old Colchester like that in the Trade School when I was an apprentice. When we put it into it's fastest speed and switched it on, it would gradually pick up speed and gave the impression it wouldn't stop gaining speed, we'd all panic and shut it off quick. :eek::D
As a press toolmaker I gave up a lot of machining after the 2nd year of my apprenticeship. Only used radial, universal and pedestal drills, plus the occasional bit of surface grinding after that. Everything else was done by hand grinders, files and surfacing stones.
 
Yes, Myford lathe. Milling machines, etc for over 40 years. Never thought this hobby extended to many members of this forum.
Nice pictures as well.
 
Yep - I have a Boxford and a Colchester Master.

My Man Cave by Jez, on Flickr

See I just don't have the space for that, My unimat lives on my bookshelf! Could really use something with that kind of rigidity for some jobs though, I've had some things chatter so much the machine has waltzed about like an old washing machine!
 
Super man cave jez

Thanks Jeff! I just need a bit more room... ;-)

We had a big old Colchester like that in the Trade School when I was an apprentice. When we put it into it's fastest speed and switched it on, it would gradually pick up speed and gave the impression it wouldn't stop gaining speed, we'd all panic and shut it off quick. :eek::D
.

I know what you mean - I can't remember ever having the berries to get mine up to top speed! I'm not paid by the piece (or at all fortunately - I'd starve!) so I don't have to remove metal as fast as possible!
 
I used to know a bloke in Cornwall who had a Ward 7 capstan in his shed, complete with more tooling than you could shake a stick at. Apparently he got it in by craning it over his house then building the shed round it.

I spent hours on one of those in my yoof, knocking out big fat spacers from EN1A barstock, which was like a metallic version of cheese.

Anyhow, hands up anybody who remembers how to use sine bars and slip gauges ... :D
 
Anyhow, hands up anybody who remembers how to use sine bars and slip gauges ... :D
I had to make a sign bar as part of my apprenticeship. Never used it though. Used slip gauges all the time for sizing up gaps for wear plates on press tools prior to the machines being updated to CNC and all faces being machined off datum faces allowing standard sized plates to be fitted.
 
I wish !
 
I've just bought a myford ml1,had a woodlathe before always fancied a metal lathe so it'll be a nice wee project over the winter nights .
Will eventually move onto the myford ml7 but this'll do for now .
 
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I've just bought a myford ml1,had a woodlathe before always fancied a metal lathe so it'll be a nice wee project over the winter nights .
Will eventually move onto the myford ml7 but this'll do for now .

I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with it!

At the risk of starting the metalworking equivalent of the Nikon / Canon argument - IMVHO the Myford 7 lathes are a bit over-rated... I think you can get more lathe for less money which take up only slightly more floor space. Look at Boxfords for instance. Granted, there seems to be more tooling available and more tooling related construction articles for the Myford. But the Boxford will probably be better equipped (ie power cross feed is much more common), is more rigid and therefore more suited to harder work. No gap in the bed though - just about the only downside as far as I can see...

You pays your money and you takes your choice! ;)
 
I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with it!

At the risk of starting the metalworking equivalent of the Nikon / Canon argument - IMVHO the Myford 7 lathes are a bit over-rated... I think you can get more lathe for less money which take up only slightly more floor space. Look at Boxfords for instance. Granted, there seems to be more tooling available and more tooling related construction articles for the Myford. But the Boxford will probably be better equipped (ie power cross feed is much more common), is more rigid and therefore more suited to harder work. No gap in the bed though - just about the only downside as far as I can see...

You pays your money and you takes your choice! ;)
Not the reason I started this thread ...mines better than your kinda thing. This is one of the reasons I don't come on here much anymore .
 
Not the reason I started this thread ...mines better than your kinda thing. This is one of the reasons I don't come on here much anymore .

Nope - not saying mine is better than anyone's. Just saying that I think (I did say IMVHO and add a smiley!) that you can get better value for money than a Myford 7 series lathe, and end up with a more rigid, more capable lathe (possibly with some caveats). Their popularity with the model engineering crowd seems to keep their prices high...
 
Anyone use link belt on your spindle drive pulleys. 1475125548255.jpg
 
I've got a metal lathe in the garage, which was left behind by the previous owners. It's belt driven and seems very old. When I eventually have finished the myriad jobs the house needs (six years and still going at the moment) I'll no doubt get back to the fixing racing cars and investigate it.
 
Anyone familiar with the Fortis Model E/B and MB. My threading gearbox isn't running very smooth ,so i've stripped it off the lathe ,just need to figure out how to strip the gearbox .
 
Time kick this thread into action again .
I'm on the look out for a wedge type quick change toolpost for a 6" clausing/fortis lathe . Budget of £150
 
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