Mini Lathe Question.

[docwatson1938]

OK, I have asked about this before but where I just cant remember. (CRAFTs disease)
I am looking into getting a Lathe, now I know there are a lot to chose from but I need guidance here.
What are you guys using?
Good, bad, indifferent?
Accessory's I should be looking at?
Is there any Lathe/mill combos that don't cost 10g?
Any comments on what would be the best for me?
(Other than psychological help)
I have heard Sherline are not that good but they offer some good package deals, should I avoid tham?
I also need to know some of the basics of what I'm looking at, IE:
(Taken from an advert http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/mini...-professional/)

Power of motor: 400W, 240V/50Hz. What power rating is considered good? How much does it matter?

Distance between center: 300mm. Is that long enough? Should I be looking at something longer?

Swing over bed: 180mm. What the hell [I]is [/I]that?

Swing over cross slide: 110mm. See above?

Spindle taper: MT3. Above again!

Tailstock taper: MT2. What the?

Chuck diameter: 80mm. I know this one, but whats a good size, or should I have a few different ones?

Spindle bore: 20mm. Errr.............?

Cross slide travel: 65mm. Um.........?

Tool slide travel: 35mm. Yeah, er, what?

Range of metric threads: 0.5-2.5mm. Importance?
Range of imperial threads: 12-52TPI.

Spindle accuracy: 0.01mm. Im guessing this is IMPORTANT!

Spindle speed: 50-2500RPM. Do I need to go faster (Red ones go faster don't they?) How important is variable speed?

Net weight: 38kg. Irrelevant as I'm not carrying it on my back.

Gross weight: 42kg.See above.

Whats auto feed? Do I need it?

I would like to stick as close to $1,000 as I can but going over one or two hundred wont kill me (I hope!) I can get the basics in tools to start me at this cost and purchase as need be later on. Having said that, what tools should I be looking at?
Will be working in most all mediums from 1/144th to minor components for my 1/1 Gasser.
Probably do a lot in 1/24-25 1/16 and 1/8th scales, mainly cars but ships and aircraft too.
Thanks guys,
Doc.

[Mario Lucchini]

OK, I have asked about this before but where I just cant remember. (CRAFTs disease)
I am looking into getting a Lathe, now I know there are a lot to chose from but I need guidance here.
What are you guys using?
Good, bad, indifferent?
Accessory's I should be looking at?
Is there any Lathe/mill combos that don't cost 10g?
Any comments on what would be the best for me?
(Other than psychological help)
I have heard Sherline are not that good but they offer some good package deals, should I avoid tham?
I also need to know some of the basics of what I'm looking at, IE:
(Taken from an advert http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/mini...-professional/)

Power of motor: 400W, 240V/50Hz. What power rating is considered good? How much does it matter?

Distance between center: 300mm. Is that long enough? Should I be looking at something longer?

Swing over bed: 180mm. What the hell [I]is [/I]that?

Swing over cross slide: 110mm. See above?

Spindle taper: MT3. Above again!

Tailstock taper: MT2. What the?

Chuck diameter: 80mm. I know this one, but whats a good size, or should I have a few different ones?

Spindle bore: 20mm. Errr.............?

Cross slide travel: 65mm. Um.........?

Tool slide travel: 35mm. Yeah, er, what?

Range of metric threads: 0.5-2.5mm. Importance?
Range of imperial threads: 12-52TPI.

Spindle accuracy: 0.01mm. Im guessing this is IMPORTANT!

Spindle speed: 50-2500RPM. Do I need to go faster (Red ones go faster don't they?) How important is variable speed?

Net weight: 38kg. Irrelevant as I'm not carrying it on my back.

Gross weight: 42kg.See above.

Whats auto feed? Do I need it?

I would like to stick as close to $1,000 as I can but going over one or two hundred wont kill me (I hope!) I can get the basics in tools to start me at this cost and purchase as need be later on. Having said that, what tools should I be looking at?
Will be working in most all mediums from 1/144th to minor components for my 1/1 Gasser.
Probably do a lot in 1/24-25 1/16 and 1/8th scales, mainly cars but ships and aircraft too.
Thanks guys,
Doc.

Hey Doc!
First of all, what's the main use you're going to give the lathe?
This is of utmost importance, cause that's what decides the lathe's size is going to be...
Once you have that decided, I can give you nearly all the other answers....

Cheers...

Mario

[Merlin]

Look for a copy of South Bends "how to run a lathe" manual. It will answer all of the above questions and more. Marios right, figure out what you want to do first, then go shopping. I have two lathes now, because the first was'nt big enough, and the second isn't big enough for some things out isde of modeling.

[little gü]

Hey guys
I`ve got my mini lathe last week. Now I must learn to use it.
I hope I can do this before I`m on cloud Nr.7.
Mario, can you take a look and tell me if it`s ok for scratchbuilding one or another?????
little gü

[Nortley]

Hi Little Gu,
That lathe ought to work just fine for modelling. Did it come with more tooling than you show? One can really get into tooling, both buying and making it. You'll also find yourself picking up odd scraps of metal that you may find along life's paths. I'll second Merlin's suggestion about the South Bend manual. Lindsay publications, http://www.lindsaybks.com/ sells a reprint version, also a good number of other interesting books, usually reprints of old material. Lathe work scales up or down, so a trick, set up, or technique in one size will work for most sizes. Happy turning!

[hot ford coupe]

What about the Sherline manual? I heard that is supposed to be pretty good.

[Mario Lucchini]

Hey guys
I`ve got my mini lathe last week. Now I must learn to use it.
I hope I can do this before I`m on cloud Nr.7.
Mario, can you take a look and tell me if it`s ok for scratchbuilding one or another?????
little gü

Hey little gu!
Wonderful machine you have there....please give me your Email so I can send you some tutorials that will be most useful to you....

Mario

[little gü]

Thank`s Nortley and HFC for your comment.
Yes Nortley, there are some tools to change in the box. I have to look, where I needed for.
I`m looking for a guide in german language - I told you, my english is not the best.
My father was working on lathes most of his life. The lathes he was working with are in an other dimension (up to 5 meters) . He did some stuff for the railroad. Maybe he can help a little, but he`s 89 now and his eyes don`t work well. Let`s see
little gü

[little gü]

Thanks Mario, that`s nice to hear that I`ve bought a machine to do some work and not to waste it.
I`ll send you a PM with my Email. Thank you
little gü

[Nortley]

What about the Sherline manual? I heard that is supposed to be pretty good.

I did not find the Sherline manual to be very useful. It does have a few projects that one might find handy, but all in all it is a big expensive infomercial hyping a fine product that needs no hype. I have found that the best way to get one's feet wet is to just jump in and make the things that you wish to make. Never throw anything away, you can always make smaller things out of big ones that didn't come out right. To quote my dad, "I've cut this part twice and it's still too small".

[hot ford coupe]

There was something put out with the Sherline machine as the center of attention that was supposed to be good. Was that manual the one you were talking about, Nortley? I just don't remember one book from the next.

[mouppe]

I have Tabletop Machining by Joe Martin (of Sherline). I believe this is the book to which you are referring. It is very useful, well-written, with good pictures, and covers milling, lathes, projects and general machining etc. With respect to Nortley I have to disagree with him about it being a marketing tool for Sherline tools. Although it features Sherline machines, it is relevant for any machine.

I grabbed it off ebay for 25 bucks or so; it goes for around $40 normally.

Mouppe.

[hot ford coupe]

That's the book, mouppe. Thanks. I guess if Joe Martin works for Sherline, then that would be the machine he's be most familiar with. As you said, the idea is to apply the principles to the particular machine you're using and you should be o.k.

[Herman]

This guy needed a large lathe...




edit: sorry to mess up the layout.

[hot ford coupe]

Dang, I wish I thought of that.