The Home Machinist!

John Evans wrote:Good as any I would say. More to the point is the condition of the machine. If totally clapped out the cheapest Chinese machine might be a better opition unless you are in to restoring a lathe. Again price ,condition and what tooling all have a bearing here.

ABSOLUTELY !
Bill

Harold, a guy that has a project that requires, or who can work within two tenths, probably does not ask many questions on this board. I have been turning out stuff in my shop for 15 years and very seldom measure tenths. In fact, I think I have only one mic that is capable of such accuracy. For you ...

In the picture, the gear appear to be a separate part. and probably press fitted onto the shaft. I would guess it is, especially if it is hard and the ajoining shaft is soft. If so, another way to skin the cat might be to chuck up the shaft with the gear exposed and drill/bore the old shaft out of t...

Ridgerunner, here is a larger, much more substantial machine for less money. You'd be a lot less likely to find this one to be wanting in capacity. http://www.penntoolco.com/catalog/products/products.cfm?categoryID=4493 Need I say I know nothing about the machine or the company? I do know that a guy...

I have purchased a lot of small items from WT. It is a pretty large company that has been in business for many years with several stores. Certainly not a fly by night operation the name might imply. As for the mill, it is a common model widely available from several vendors. Who makes them or how go...

It looks as though the worm gear is removable. If so, the best approach would be to make a new shaft. It would still be a low buck repair. Saving such a shaft is possible, but a lot of work and I see no reason to do it in this situation. Now if you want to do it for the learning experience, remove t...

I have been using one for the 10+ years. It functions as advertised. They really are handy, it gets used for about 95% of the turning I do and I have a drawer full of sharp conventional tool bits. If you deduct the necking and boring operations, the number is probably closer to 99%. I wish I had one...

As the owner of a "109", I can say without hesitation they are handy as bulky door stops or light duty anchors. I never tried to use it on aluminum or plastic, it might do just fine. Keep the revs up (no jackshaft) and the feeds light. The most it can do is crash. But you really should giv...

Harold, the guy was enquiring about the wisdom of converting a wood bandsaw. Did not want to spend much money, has no room for a big saw. He gets treated to posts extolling the virtures of saws way out of that league. Maybe those saws have a place in a home machine shop, but not his. It seems to hap...

"This is still a "home machinist" website, isn't it? LOL." From some of the advice I see, I sometimes wonder. Bill How do you define the title, "home machinist"? Well, if it is anything more than a guy at home, messing around trying to make things with the limited spac...

"This is still a "home machinist" website, isn't it? LOL."

From some of the advice I see, I sometimes wonder.

Bill

gange, haven't you heard, thee is no such thing as too many clamps. You can can have not enough, or enough, but not too many.

Bill