Member postings for Pete.

The fact this gives you energy independence in a part of the world where things are less guaranteed is a big plus, if it helps the environment also that's a bonus, I think it's very impressive personally.

Matt, there have been a few threads on this subject recently, one was a 60 degrees V design for checking roundness, I think there was some info there that might help you check your spindle, there was this thread https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=183984 where there was some discussion about your problem.

Gavlar, nothing serious I was just going to mention you should have an M16 hole in the first web between the bed way for putting a lifting hook if you need to lift it again.

I've found GWR to be a good supplier for fasteners etc, always decent prices and rapid despatch.

Gavlar, which model of X10 lathe did/do you own, do you still have it?

I parked up near the city centre of Leicester last year and witnessed two men brazenly walking car to car putting their face to a car window with their hands cupped around their eyes to see better, they were walking car to car without a care in the world so I believe they do look for something to steal before smashing your window, not living in an area like that is probably a much better option than tinted windows.

I'm indifferent on tinted windows, my car has them but only because the previous owner had it done, rear 3 windows on a hatchback done in a very dark tint and front light, it does hinder the ability to reverse at night time, I wouldn't bother doing it myself but it's already there so I just leave it, I must admit I do like the privacy in slow moving traffic but earlier today while driving I did think about what people had said and maybe there is a point to be said about seeing the car in front of the car fronts brake lights, but only in slow moving traffic.

When actually driving I tried looking through through the car in fronts windscreen driving at 40mph about 20 car lengths behind them which is what I deemed safe for that road at that time, and my vision isn't good enough to see anything of value from that distance through their window, the approach I generally use is as you say just gently put the brakes on to put a bit of distance between my car and the car in front, then continue at your previous speed.

Most people seem incapable of leaving a safe distance in front of themselves, when they see someone driving a safe distance they assume you've left space for them to cut in, bring on semi autonomous vehicles that have sensors blocking drivers from cutting in where there isn't space or driving too close to the car in front.

So if you can see sufficiently, what difference does tinted rear windows make?

Edit, I was looking for a measurement of distance? As safety is clearly subjective given the driving behaviour I witness nearly every time I go anywhere in my car, clearly people have very different ideas about what is safe. 

Edited By Pete. on 12/12/2022 23:12:26

I don't think Bill was taking your comment in a strange direction, he was just reading what you wrote.

How far behind the car in front are you? country road, twists and turns 45~50mph safe travelling speed, how far behind the car in front would you be?

If you find yourself needing to view through the car in fronts windscreen to see the road, you should probably slow down a bit, put a bit of distance between your car and the car in front and use your own windscreen to view the road.

Why is it late in the year to paint something? I've just been in my unheated garage to check the Union T&C Grinder cabinet I sprayed Sunday afternoon and it's as expected, just fine, I'm genuinely confused why you shouldn't paint at this time of the year?

Thanks that'd be good, if I can can find a horizontal arbor I'd like to have that capability, so I probably will make a support, photos dimensions would be helpful.

Yes the height of the machine is odd, or should I say the height of base, quick assessment gave me a 400mm sub base height to get the table to my hip, I'm an average 5' 11" so if you're tall you might need to increase that a bit.

I did also find this, it lives on with a few changes.

I thought thought it was pretty good too, and the fact it has int30 on both spindles sealed the deal, I can swap tooling between my VM30.

Thanks for that, it's definitely less than you'd think, my motor is three phase and having no tag on it I opened it up check if it's dual voltage, it's not so I took it off to weigh it and it's 13.2kg which is about what I'd expect from a 1hp 0.75kw which is what I'll likely replace it with.

It also has an odd tapered shaft on the motor.

Mystery solved, thanks Craig, I had a look at your photo album, I remember seeing yours for sale but my brain remembered it as a slightly different machine, but no it is the same and yes I did purchase this it just got delivered today.

It was local so I was able to go and have a look at it before the auction ended, I thought it was a pretty solid little machine so put a bid in.

I see you have the horizontal support section and Arbor, which mine does not have which is a shame but it wasn't silly money so can't complain.

Could I ask what power your motor is on the vertical spindle, the rating plate has been removed on my, I'm guessing 1hp?

I had a Pinnacle 9x20 Taiwan lathe made in 1988, it was actually very well finished, it had hardened bed ways with nice grinding, hand scraped cross slide ways, the only thing that let it down was the gear train, it was a metal plate attached to the back of the headstock with all the gears on, it seemed like an afterthought and everything meshed quite poorly, I'm not sure if all 9x20 versions are like this?

It was supplied by a company called Excel machine tools which are in the midlands.

I've scraped some paint off and there is Warco green underneath, so it's possible they could have imported it

Anyone know what this little mill is? It was listed as a "Baby Bridgeport" as the seller didn't know either, the hammerite monster removed the nameplates during the attack, I've added a photo with a 300mm/12" combination square to give some scale it's not huge in size, but seems pretty well made with tapered gibs on both table axis and pretty heavy castings.

But at a loss to what it is I'm guessing 80's or early 90's Taiwan import? Anyone have any idea?

I own a Femi but it wouldn't be my first choice for sheet metal work, I've just been making a shelf for inside a tool cabinet, using an 18v Makita shear it took me about 40 seconds to cut a 500mm x 700mm shelf out of 1mm sheet steel.