New member intro

Hello everyone. I have enjoyed for a while the threads in this forum, but only today I finally registered as a member.

My name is Andrei, I am from Virginia. I push papers and pencils at work but I have always harbored a passion for wood and metal work. I am OK with wood, but I am still a newbie at metal.

I have finally manged to get some room in my basement and I am starting to build a hobby shop. I am looking at snagging a small-ish lathe (no, I don't want a 6" Atlas) and a small-ish mill. My biggest constraint (besides budget) is size. I live in a townhouse and my basement is only accessible through an inside staircase that is 30 inches wide, if I remove the handrail. Also, the basement is a hair under 8 ft. tall, so there is no room for a real vertical milling machine.

During the next few months I plan to take some machining classes at a nearby adult education school (one offers 5pm to 9pm classes a few times a year), because I don't want to change careers, but I want to learn and become more proficient.

I will go back to lurking in the background as I am nowhere near your level of expertise. In the meantime, any advice and guidance you want to throw my way will be super welcome. Also, if there are any solid, reliable machines you are aware of that are for sale, please, let me know so I can outfit my hobby shop that is taking shape now.

Thanks,
Andrei

Welcome Andrei, you've come to right place for good advice. When I was just starting out helping Noah with his Ark a guy gave me this advice -

" Keep them open ( pointing to my eyes and ears ) and that closed ( pointing to my mouth ) and you'll not go far wrong ".

Regards Tyrone.

Welcome to the board! Read the stickies at the top of each page. Learn the posting guidelines, have thick skin and don't get your feelings hurt if someone is a bit shitty and you'll do just fine.

Technically by the rules this thread will be locked. Read the stickies and you'll see why....

Brent

Another noob here. Many years cutting wood but just hours on metal. Snooped around a bit and finally bit the bullet and signed up. Thanks

welcome, rollei and RIwb!

yes, as has been said, don't get bent out of shape if you get some nasty comments, I.E., don't feed the trolls!

you will find most here to be helpfull, but do be as specific as necessary to get good answers, and do search for easily found answers.

as to machinery, do your homework and search this site and others for the brands and models that will serve your needs within your constraints, there is plenty of info, then come back and ask "what do you think of..." trust me, you will get plenty of opinions..

It is up to YOU however to find the "solid reliable machines"

Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Welcome Andrei, you've come to right place for good advice. When I was just starting out helping Noah with his Ark a guy gave me this advice -

" Keep them open ( pointing to my eyes and ears ) and that closed ( pointing to my mouth ) and you'll not go far wrong ".

Regards Tyrone.

Click to expand...

That is my standard operating mode anyway. I lurked here for a long time before stepping up as a member. Maybe in time I will be able to provide some valuable input, but for now, I will sit back, relax, and benefit from the group's wisdom and experience.