New member with a question

Hello all

I have been lurking reading the forums for a while.

I hope to be setting up a small workshop soon mainly for small static steam engines..

Does anyone have a link to a website that could give me a basic list of kit to get going. I intend to get a small sc4 type lathe and maybe a mill.

But it’s all the bits and pieces that I need. I need a basic list to get me going that I can build on over time

All help appreciated

Regards Chris

Welcome Chris, I'm sure there will be lots of suggestions from others but what about hand tools; do you have any or do you need to start gathering them as well?

I'd be inclined to pick out an engine that you would like to make and go from there when you have the machinery.

You could buy sets of lathe tools and endmills but you would find that some of the items never get used and you would need to buy items that are the right size for your lathe & mill.

Drills, taps and dies would be needed but again, you would need to know what sizes.

Roughly, whereabouts are you? it may be that there is a Forum member near to you or a model engineering society that would give you exposure to more advice.

All the best with your exciting quest,

Brian

I got very lucky at a boot sale and bought a tool box full of mills drills and different bits for £40 most of them new. They are one of the best quality makes as well.

Hi Chris wecome to the forum where are you based, it helps as local supliers clubs etc are more likley to help.

David

Welcome Chris, have a look at the back issues of Mew and Neils articles on using a lathe & mill it will give you some ideas of what you need but rather than go out and buy a heap of stuff you may, may not need I would buy the basics and acquire other things as you go along - depends on what you end up doing.
Also my advice is buy on quality and not price, in some cases you will pay double or more but in the end you will not regret it.
Worth adding your location to your profile as well so member can see where you are

John

Thanks everyone.

I am based in Rayleigh Essex.

anyone local to me?

Here is thread you can read. It probably has as much positively bad advice in it as good advice, and that would apply to most lists, threads, websites.
An oldish book might be a bit more practical and restrained. It is all too easy on the internet in whatever form to throw in a long list but with a book the author took a bit of time and could only give it one shot before publication.

It also depends on what you are doing and how much you have to spend. You can cut an iron bar with a blunt file (if you are in jail), or a junior hacksaw, or a full size hacksaw, or a power hacksaw, each one new or second hand. Do you have money or time?

I am in Ockendon. i found the bits i said about earlier at Dunton boot sale.

The question has been asked before on the forum but I couldn't find the answers!

This would be my beginner list for a lathe, in order of importance:

A good book, Sparey is my favourite even though it doesn’t cover modern developments like carbide. Get Neil’s ‘The Mini-lathe’ as well.

Hacksaw and vice fitted to bench.

Bench or stand for lathe

Set of HSS Tools or Set of carbide index tools. Don’t buy fixed carbide tipped tools. This HSS set contains a reasonable selection, beware of sets with odd combinations you may never use.

1x Right Hand Knife Tool

1x Left Hand Knife Tool

1x Chamfer Tool

1x 60° Thread Cutting Tool (Metric & US Threads)

1x 55° Thread Cutting Tool (Imperial)

1x Parting-Off Tool

1x 60° Internal Thread Cutting Tool

1x Boring Tool

A thin 6” metal rule or steel strip, (nipped between tool and work to indicate centre-height)

Metal strip for shimming tools to correct centre height. (Scrap is fine)

A selection of known metals to practice on. Avoid scrap and DIY store metals!

Tin of WD40 or paraffin for cutting Aluminium.

Digital Caliper (Not necessary to spend big money). Later a Micrometer

A DTI, plunger type plus magnetic stand. Later a lever type DTI as well.

Tailstock drill chuck and twist drills to match.

Bandsaw - not essential but you will soon get fed up cutting stock by hand with a hacksaw. This is my single most appreciated tool.

May require:

Taps and Dies with handles etc.

Reamers

Selection of Boring Bars

Rear Toolpost

Clamp type Knurling tool

A few comments on HSS vs Carbide Indexed tips. HSS is cheap, and gets a good finish, and is well suited to slower lathes but you have to grind it to keep it sharp. Carbide indexed inserts are convenient (including no sharpening) but more expensive to get started. They also like to be driven hard to get good results, which may not be possible on older machines. In hobby use they are harder to get good results from than well-sharpened HSS, but much easier to set up and change. You don't need a bench grinder, and most metals can be cut dry - no cutting fluid required to protect the HSS edge. An interesting HSS alternative is a tangent cutter and tool-holder as advertised by Eccentric on this site. These can do a wide range of cuts with a singe simple tool that's easy to sharpen. Don't have one myself, but they are well liked.

Likewise sets of tools vs buying individual tools as required is controversial. Chaps who know what they're doing understand sets usually contain tools that they will never use. Also some sets come with peculiar selections of duplicate or unusual tools - a waste of money. For good reason, they're dead against sets. However, for a beginner, I see sets as a good way of getting started and learning enough to join the 'Chaps who know what they're doing'

The good news is you don't have to have everything ready on day one. I'd guess most of us have bought a high percentage of our tooling as and when needed. The internet makes it easy to get stuff.

The thing that caught me out on day one was not having anything to shim tools to height. You need a selection of thin metal strips of various thicknesses to fit the toolpost. Very low tech and deeply frustrating if you have to make them by hand from a poorly stocked junk box. For fine adjustments you can cut shims from aluminium cans. I mainly make shims from the steel metal bands used to secure packaging, but these supplement a number of thicker blocks cut to shape and size on a mill.

Dave

Edited By JasonB on 20/01/2019 13:14:28

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the forum. Have you seen the beginner's lathework and milling series in MEW. They give a pretty good overview (I hope) of what is useful to a beginner (and how to use it). The lathework series uses an SC4 as an example.

Neil

If you are thinking of buying the Arc SC4 lathe, I would budget for the no. 2 starter set to go with it as a good starting point.

Russell

Thanks all for your comments ,

I have a few of the books mentioned and have been watching a lot of you tube videos as well. When i did my apprenticeship at Marconi's I spent a year in the machine shop---probably forgotten more than I learnt.

I am desperately trying to make room in my shed for the equipment I need, Which is proving a battle with all the other crap I have accumulated!

Edited By Chris Thorn on 20/01/2019 14:11:50

You will always find a tool that "Might come in handy one day", so choose carefully.

You will need LOTS of shelving.

And make sure that the shop is well insulated; reduces rusting, (small low power background heater) and warms up quicker when you go in and turn on the major heater. NO combustion heaters, just electric or piped central heating for the luxurious shop. Nothing that emits water vapour, except the operator!

Plastic matting (modern version of duckboards) keep your feet off the cold floor, and lets the swarf fall through, ready for the time of the annual clean up.

ENJOY yourself

Howard.

If you are able to get to London, you could look at the SMEE model engineering basic training programme which starts in February - details on the Society web site. Part 1 is three Saturday sessions covering setting up a workshop,hand tools, choosing lathe and milling machines, tool sharpening etc etc. Part 2 which runs for six Saturday sessions covers all aspects of building a small steam engine and boiler. Friendly atmosphere and lots of good advice.