Member postings for Chris Evans 6

Look on Ebay for motor brushes. Lots listing the sizes and cheap, mainly from China so a couple of weeks wait for postage.

Automotion are in Cranliegh Surrey. The parts are made in the UK . Make sure to put Automotion in the search not Automation. Good list of stocked imperial sizes and specials to order.

Nitrile gloves are a no no on powered tools. They can grab on to rotating parts.

I have just ordered from Automotion Components a one metre length of 16mm x 4 mm pitch left hand thread lead screw. Cost less than £14 plus vat two matching bronze nuts at around the same cost. With a bit of machining I will have new cross slide lead screw and nuts in the lathe for just over £50 Imperial sizes are available.

As someone who spent 50 years in toolmaking and 30 of those in a very high precision environment, a lathe is not for the kind of tolerances being bandied about here. To achieve the 2 or 3 tenths sizes we had a temperature controlled shop and ground to those sizes. Our Jones and Shipman 1400 machines where never turned off so that they stayed stable. Inspection was at up to 100 to one shadograph and digital probing. A new toolroom lathe needs a very smokey operator to hold better than 1/2 a thou.

I upgraded from 8.1 with the thoughts that anything would be better. So far it is mostly better but still not as user friendly for me as XP.

I recently bought a cheap bench grinder from Screw Fix. The pressed steel discs for holding the wheel true left a little to be desired no matter how many positions tried. Turning some aluminium discs got the wheels running very close to true.

Once you are happy with the alignment try shortening the centre drill. I always grind mine back before using them.

The pre cast concrete structures are a nightmare for condensation and dam cold. My garage was added to the house when it was converted from a Victorian stable block. It is of conventional brick outer and insulated thermalite type blocks, (The ones with insulation in the centre of the block) Years later cavity wall insulation was added, The downside is that it is up to the full height of the house roof so very high to heat. Green oak beams where used to support the roof and an extra bedroom, these have shrunk and moved a bit and allow smells to enter from garage to house no mater how much sealing is done.

Would a timber framed/wood clad effort look out of place ? Wooden buildings are nice and warm, may be a Heritage style oak framed thing if budget allows.

I use Huanyang VFD on my 2HP Bridgeport mill, been on nearly two years now and trouble free. Only downside is the "Chinglish" instructions. A friend installed mine for me, he has five of them on various machines in his shop.

All makes my washing up liquid bottle filled with suds look a little low tech. It does however work on the lathe/mill and saw.

Lambton, Thanks for the link, a few differences but enough for me to go with. I have just made a pattern to get a new beefed up cross slide cast and have ordered acme threaded rod to make a new cross slide lead screw, The lathe should be good again then. Chris.

I have a Taiwanese 14"x40" lathe badged/distributed by Excel. The machine was made by Lliang Dei Enterprises. Does anyone know of a source of manual or spares ? Excel are still trading but do not bother answering any queries on a machine of 1996 vintage.

My Brother in law has recently made patterns for a tilting/swivelling angle plate. I had a set cast off at the same time so that is a new year project. Works out dearer than buying one but so much better.

Only managed a couple of hours workshop time before going to Daughters for lunch. After a good tidy up I cleaned the lathe ready for a major strip down tomorrow. I intend to make patterns and get a new cross slide cast so I can incorporate rear tool post, I will make (From threaded acme bar) a new cross slide lead screw and modify a pair of nuts from the same supplier. The cross slide will be beefed up a fair bit in the process. One other thing to sort is the traverse which has started to falter as it gets close to the chuck, not sure what is going on there but needs sorting.

Howard, welcome and Merry Christmas from another recently joined member. I retired over two years ago after a lifetime in toolmaking.

Gosh, when I first mentioned that my pattern tool holder did not lock little did I realise how widespread a problem it was. I relegated my dodgy holder to the chamfering tool but think when I get more they will be used genuine Dickson or I take the tool post to the supplier and try a few for fit.

Chris.

If you go ahead with the purchase consider keeping the 3 phase. Chinese VFD inverters are around £100 and you get smoother running. I have used various Deckle machines, all very accurate. You may depending on spindle taper get an ER chuck for it, much nicer than the Autolock.

Norman, Can you tell me the source of your Dickson style holders please ? The pattern ones I have bought do not lock up as they should and I could do with buying another 5 or 6 as I only have 4 at present. Genuine ones are to pricey for me. Chris.