Who has machine tools?!?

[Deus Machina]

I miss mine. 😭
I started off with a MicroMark 7x14 lathe (the same as the Harbor Freight mini-lathe, just longer) and matching mini-mill:
(and a huge mess on the workbench that day)
And eventually upgraded to a Grizzly mill

and Grizzly 10x22 lathe.


I absolutely loves those machines.
Also, for scale and what it's worth, the bench the Grizzly lathe is on is the same one the original two machines were one.
In, like, a Theseus' Ship sense. But that's the same top piece.

[desertT1]

The last of my main tools, which is getting rotated by MCB somehow, is the one that will get me in trouble. It’s a Morgan Press from the 80’s. They actually still make 3 versions of this press with a few nice changes over the years. It’s an upright injection molding machine. This machine hasn’t changed much, but the newer one at the now closed Techshop Chandler could fill a mold of mine that this one won’t for some very annoying unknown reason. Talked with tech support and it might have been the guy that designed the machine for all I know, but we couldn’t figure it out.

Anyway, it’s cool. Cutting a non-paintball mold on the CNC now and hope to test it early next week.

[desertT1]

My Rockwell (Delta) 11x36 lathe. Added the DRO since X didn’t have any travel indicator, but Y does. Go figure. Has a turret changer, but no tailstock. Not normally an issue, but could be for sure if I wanted to do something like Freak bore a barrel. Also, has a collect system instead of a chuck. It’s an L-00 though, if I ever needed one.

Have the receipt from the job shop in PHX that bought it new in 76 or 77. It made brass bushings for aerospace parts for years, actually I think it was the same part almost non-stop for 30 years before it sat idle. I cleaned it up and gave it new paint.

interesting thing is the speed is supposed to be selectable with a lever that you can lock into place. There are high and low gears too. The lever was broken and I made one out of aluminum that I just leave in place. Cuts fine in high and parts and single points nicely in low.

[desertT1]

This is my X2 mill that I converted to CNC. Running Mach3 as shown. It’s all on the desk Flounder have to me when he moved away. I build the enclosure out of chipboard pieces of an old dresser and desk before they got tossed. Currently cutting a mold. More on that in a bit.

[DocsMachine]

Very interested to see what parts you're going run with that machine. What's the minimum parts run to make up for machine setup time with a turret lathe?

-Depends on how complex the part is. If I need all six stations full plus some posts on the cross-slide, yeah, I'm gonna want to run as many as I can to make it worthwhile. (Also keeping in mind I don't need to run 600 parts of an item I'm pretty sure will only sell 20. )

If it's just a drill-and-part, like for a spacer or thick washer or something, that can be set up in minutes, and might be worth it for even just one part.

On the other hand, again depending on the complexity of the part, I might be able to have this tooled up and running, before a CAD guy has modeled and toolpath'ed the same part for a CNC.

But really, this thing's just a stopgap- something to help out while I get some proper CNC stuff sorted out, and afterward, I'll keep it as a "second op" machine, for things like cleaning up the parted-off end, and the like.

Doc.

[XEMON]

Free with the base and all ... Just missing the plate/job support piece for the belt side.
Also has a 10 or 12" disk on the side (now i think of it, i need to post a pic).

[Kit]

A free 6x48 belt sander? Mines a 2x48. Big box stores don't carry 2x48 so i just buy 6x48 and cut them to fit.

[XEMON]

I was really looking at those before I pulled a 6X48 Wilton from the dumpster at work ... They bought the wrong size belt and when it didn't work, they threw the entire grinder in the garbage ...

[desertT1]

I have something typed up, but it won’t attach my phone pics because it says they are too big. I see there is an upload from album, but clicking that says I don’t have anything in an album. Yes, I know. I would like to change that please. I can’t find any album info poking around the new site. What obvious thing am I missing?

[Kit]

Two into one to save space.

[Kit]

Very interested to see what parts you're going run with that machine. What's the minimum parts run to make up for machine setup time with a turret lathe?

[DocsMachine]

Latest acquisition:



Yep, Old Iron Disease is a terrible thing. Won't you donate today to help wipe out this debilitating illness?

(Hey, I gotta do something to help anchor my shop against earthquakes. )

Doc.

[DocsMachine]

I know it only has three jaws holding it down. No, I did not spin the contraption at speed. Only rotated it by hand to machine the 0.015 needed for the feedneck groove.

-That still kind of hurts to see.

But, it got the job done, and no on was killed or maimed, so hey, if it works...!

[/Does anyone know of a large head lathe (big enough to hold a body) with a through bore of 1+" bit a SHORT bed (no more than 36")?

-New? Grizzly has a couple models, look for one that says it can take 5C collets. You need at least 1-3/8" for the drawtube to use those. Used? Same game- look for one that can take 5C collets. My 11" Logan and 10" Sheldon both can, the 10" South Bends can, and of course a ton of 'professional' models like the Monarch 10EE, virtually all Hardinges, most Rivetts, etc. My Logan has a 24" bed, and the Sheldon has a 36". That range is common for the Southbends too. But of course with used machines, what matters most is more simply what's available locally, not necessarily what might be the best choice.

Also, do you guys use your lathe as a "mill" and put a vertical vise on the tool post?

-I've done that a few times for some specialty needs, but generally of course I'll use an actual mill. But, that said, "milling attachments" for lathes are common, and lacking a better option, very useful.

While it's always nice to have a proper, easy-to-use, purpose-built machine, there are definitely times where any machine is far and away better than no machine at all.

Doc.

[XEMON]

Definably a contender.
Thanks for the info

[russc]

Just picked up a sherline CNC Mill and Lathe AND 4th axis for a grand!! Gonna flip the mill and keep the rest. The 4th axis will literally wire right up to the Gecko 540 I'm using to control my Taig, so I'm gonna keep it to use with that machine.