Member postings for john halfpenny

The main, almost sole, purpose of a manual advance/retard is to permit starting without drama, ie no backfire or broken wrist if hand cranking (and forgetting to tuck the thumb in). Modern fuels allow the control to be moved immediately to full advance upon firing, where it can stay. I think the Austin 16 of 1948 was possibly the last to have an ignition control on the steering wheel, but I'm sure my BSA Bantam still had it in 1968. Most low compression vintage cars (pre 1930) will happily drive in top gear everywhere, and my Model A Ford will accelerate from rest to 50mph just as fast in top gear as when using the intermediates, such is the delay consequent on getting a silent ratio change.

Toolpost is a model 100, as sold by Arc, Warco and others. I recall it was a straight swop, but they can probably confirm. Bought on offer at the MES from one of the big traders, with 4 holders. Tool capacity is 14mm. Best thing is the ability to set tool hieght without shims.

Robin, perhaps it was a bit naughty to post the three tenths figure, but it was a true single reading. Having re-chucked a few times, the repeatable figure is in the range 6-8 tenths of a thou. Some people have clearly had a bad experience with this lathe, and manufacturing quality may well be patchy so some caution is probably advisable. I think my lathe was made in Taiwan, a country quite capable of quality work, but I suspect standards slipped when production first moved to China, though it may be better now.

My reason for posting, and admitting my ownership of an unfashionable machine, is that it can, as you confirm, turn out good work and be adapted to do better. I have even used the mill, before getting my Naerok; it is not a Bridgeport for sure, but for a hobbyist with not much room it can, with care, be made to work. In any event, the cross slide is slotted X and Y, so a milling vice can be fitted. What a pity a little more care was not taken with the detail.

On the Naerok, the pulley is steel, and the thread right-hand, but if I am right (and lathes.co.uk seems to confirm) the OP also knows that by now. I find a heat gun is safe and remarkably effective.

I think this mill is the same as the Naerok RDM 350M, which I have. Search 'naerok' on here to find a manual, which has a very good exploded diagram and annotated parts list.

In the lockdown I have implemented some of the mods collected over the years. I bought this lathe secondhand more than 25 years ago, and although it has a poor reputation, it has served me well as a bench top lathe. I can now afford something 'better', but it's capacity and familiarity have always won through. The controls lack a quality feel, but accuracy has been fine; yesterday I clocked run-out on the three jaw (using a ground bar) at 0.0003 tir, which is pretty good I think.

Some years ago I fitted a VFD, which solves the problem of a minimum speed which is too high, as well as giving a smoother, quieter drive.

First is an extended banjo to permit l.h. screw thread cutting. There is room for an extra gear to reverse rotation of the lead screw. I needed this to make a new screw for extending the travel of the tailstock barrel by 25mm. Next was a cycle computer to give me rpm. The display shows kph which, with a wheel circumference of 1667mm, is an analogue of rpm.

Last is a reversed tailstock. This is possible because the bed is flat and the barrel is on a through bore. It substantially improves reach over the saddle, but requires the barrel clamp to be moved to the other end, which requires a block to be bolted in place, and boring of a 25mm through hole.

I bought a black Halfords double roll cab, on offer, about 10 years ago. A bit flimsy, but no issues in use

Likewise, I used nut inserts, and my picture shows the base of my drill grinding jig. No movement in use with plastic ball, which is what initially surprised me.

The screw is fixed in the eccentric, though I can't remember how - possibly a press fit utilising the knurl on the cap head. Obviously, two flats are optional. Very easy to make. Not hardened in my case, but not needed by me. A very powerful, low profile clamp.

Edited By john halfpenny on 28/06/2020 09:53:50

I made several of these eccentric clamps, I think to a Harold Hall design in MEW.

Here is mine. The two items in the foreground are Harold's suggested tool holders.

I built the simple version. It's surprisingly (to me) rigid in use, and does my lathe tools and pointy bits well. Not difficult to make as my first project, some 40 years after leaving the apprentice school machine shop.

My tracked package from them went awol with Parcel force ( and is still missing). Ian had the order re-shipped. Great service worth recording.

I've had one of these for 25 years (and am content with it). The movable collar needs a good shove to get from lathe to mill drive, and vice versa. There is a mid-position that feels like full engagement, but it's not.