The Home Machinist!

Thought I'd chime in here tonight...
IMHO, it's all about what you can afford.
The bed on the basic 7x10/12 lathe might be just a little too short for turning axles if you are building your CliShay for the 7.25/7.5" gauge. Once you account for length of the dead and live centers while turning between centers, considering considering the axle length, it might be just a little tight to get a carriage and tool post in onto the work. And remember, the ID of the headstock spindle will limit the diameter of round stock you can turn in your lathe (for facing and drilling).
Everybody's experiences with HF varies with the product they sell. Your mileage may vary.. I've had good and bad. Over ten years ago, I used a part of my tax return to buy a mini mill from them. Got a little rough and munched the gears in the head. Little Machine Shop (out of Pasadena, CA) sold me an external belt kit for the little beast and it worked fine after that. I'd recommend checking out their web page: www.littlemachineshop.com for what they sell.
As far as the base, bought a piece of plate at the steel supplier and had it cut to the my dimensions. Took it home, marked out my specs and hauled the base over to a welder that cut out the holes for me with his plasma cutter. In the original article, Bob Maynard used a drill bit, chisel, grinder, and file to cut out the material. Lot of work and I'd prefer to do the minimum it takes to get the job done.
Enjoy building your CliShay.

You mentioned wheels from DLS....
Do you have info for them, I’m not finding them.
I going to use harbor freight 7”x 12, I have been
using for couple years for aluminum.
Starting a CliShay build, 1 st project
Thanks,
JohnHoward , N Georgia Live Steamers
6aerobat@gmail.com

If you haven't already, get the Clishay project book by Village Press.

The January 1978 installment used wheels of a size range from 4" to 4.375" diameter having a 3/4" thickness. Also, you'll need 3/4" C/R round stock for the axles.

Venders change over the years. Try eBay, Little Engines, Allan models and others.

Have a good project.

If it will fit, I would advise you to make your wheels 7/8" thickness instead of 3/4". 3/4" is the minimum thickness and was commonly used on stuff back in the earlier days. With many tracks now running 7 9/16" or 7 5/8" gage, especially on curves, the narrower wheels will derail easier when the track is a bit out of gauge. It is for that reason that most builders use the wider tread on the wheels. It won't hurt anything, or cause any other problems, as long as it can fit into your Clishay trucks. Some people object to the wider wheels saying they are not prototypical width. OK, suit yourself.

John,

Try this link:

https://auctions.discoverlivesteam.com/ ... r=Skelonis

Peter