Member postings for Phil Ashman

Rik,

I use a Vertex HV6 on my WM-16, and I'm glad I didn't go for anything smaller. The table has a 2MT in the centre, and it's ideal for taking a chuck adapter. The ability to unscrew the chuck from the lathe, complete with job, and screw it to the rotary table, and then back again, is a facility I use over and over again.

Even with the chuck mounted on the rotary table,+ job, there's usually plenty of clearance from the cutter.

Phil

That idea occurred to me as well, but I didn't try it because I didn't think I'd be able to get the backhead up to silver soldering temperature. I made up some fixings that consist of a thin hexagon flange, with a threaded piece either side. These screw into the backhead, then the door fitting is fixed to the protruding thread with nuts, the idea being that the door assembly could be removed without having to unscrew anything from the backhead.

The firehole ring protrudes slightly from the backhead about the thickness of the flanges, so the door closes fairly snugly over the firehole.

But in view of what's been said, I think I'll change the fittings to PB instead.

Phil

Ricky,

I'm also building a Manor, and have a John Ellis boiler. I fixed my firedoor assembly by tapping directly into the boiler, fixing it with stainless steel screws. I'm not sure if this is correct, or whether I should have used bronze screws as Michael suggests.

The backhead is certainly not as thick as 3/16", nearer to 1/8th I would say, but the fixing seems perfectly sound.

Phil

Mine's similar to John's too, except the needle goes through a rubber plug cut from a soft pencil eraser. Then you can push the needle through and vary the ratio between the long and short lengths.

Phil

I have a WM-16, and find that the stand is ok. I couldn't bolt it to the floor, so I bolted it to the wall instead, and it's fine. One of the reasons I chose this mill was because it had MT2 taper, and so all the lathe stuff is interchangeable with the mill. The drawbar on these mills unscrews against a collar screwed onto the end of the spindle, pushing the taper out, so you never have to bash the end of the drawbar with a hammer.

Phil

I used a piercing saw to do mine. You can cut to within a few thou of a scribed line, zero distortion, and cutting out window apertures etc is a doddle.

Phil

I've bought O rings from this company,

**LINK**

I think they come in bags of 20, but they're not too expensive, about £7 for 9.5mm.

Phil

I've had a WM16 for two years now, and it's given no trouble at all. I've never had a blown fuse. It's accurate, the slides are silky smooth, and it's done everything I've ever asked of it.

I agree with Charlie about the "chewing gum" rubber cover though, mines just the same. Arc-Euro do some flexible bellows that might fit. I was also delighted with the little green box, and also the two tins of touch up paint that it contained, which in my case had just a bit of semi-solid goo in the bottom.

But I could certainly recommend it on the basis of my own experience.

Phil

Sid,

Re "it took a long time". If I remember right, it took about 3 weeks, but I had plenty of other things to do while I waited. Keiths post was interesting, I didn't realise it could be done as quickly as that. But I couldn't boil it like he did, I only had a few CCs in a plasticene cup. I also used a saturated solution, but is that the best strength? Maybe the chemists among us would know.

I broke a tap in my boiler, and removed it using Alum. It took quite a long time, but it leaves the copper and brass /bronze completely undamaged. It works quicker if it's stong and hot, but in my case it was on the backhead bush, and I had to mould a litttle plasticene container round it to hold the Alum, it wasn't possible to keep it hot.

Like John, I have one of the cheaper ones, and it's perfectly adequate. All the usual suspects sell them, RDG, Chronos etc. But be aware, you'll need a lot more toolholders than is supplied with it!

I'd forgotten the leadscrew handle, absolutely indispensable. It's a handwheel that goes on the end of the leadscrew and allows you to advance the saddle by a known amount, they're marked in thou's, assuming an imperial lathe. I don't know how they mark the metric ones.

The tailstock is 2MT, as is the headstock. I think what sort of tools is very much a personal preference, I always use HSS. There's been loads of arguments for and against in this forum! But if funds will run to it, I'd get a quick change toolholder, it saves loads of time packing up tools to the right height.

Hope you enjoy your ML7. I wouldn't part with mine for any money!

Phil

Edited By Phil Ashman on 07/07/2011 15:02:15