Hi Everybody, I've just brought home my first lathe, a 13" x 5' Southbend under motor with quick change gearbox. This lathe is not an all original unit, the serial number indicates a 1941 year of manufacture, but it has a newer headstock with 5C closer and a newer motor. I've wanted a metal lathe for years, mostly because I just like to try to know how everything works and how to fix anything. I'm a self-taught mechanic and artist/maker. My degree in sculpture and photography, combined with my fascination with mechanical/electrical/technical things eventually lead me on a path from fine art reproduction color management, to industrial printer maintenance, to manufacturing automation systems, and digital production workflows and now I'm a sheep farmer! As a farmer I could finally justify owning a lathe as a tool, not just a toy
Not in final position yet, and a bit grimy from the drive. It picked up more dust than I thought it would... I guess you'll have that with oily equipment.
It's got the taper attachment!
Yuck. Needs a good wipedown...
I've had a 3D printer for several years and have gotten lots of use out of it. Though I have yet to complete it, I've been working on a small CNC router for a while now too, but this is my first real machine of any note.
I've also got the steady rest, a 10"(?) Craftsman 4-jaw, faceplate, jacobs chuck, live and dead centers, collet closer, thread protector nut, and a few other bits and bobs. What I DON'T have is a tool post. The previous owner kept his Phase II QCTP and had lost the original lantern-style post. I bought an ACCUSIZE BXA/200 kit, but I still need to figure out how to machine the T-nut without a working lathe or mill... I haven't decided if I'm going to attack it with hand tools or take it to a local shop and get them to mill it for me. Suggestions?
Not in final position yet, and a bit grimy from the drive. It picked up more dust than I thought it would... I guess you'll have that with oily equipment.
It's got the taper attachment!
Yuck. Needs a good wipedown...
I've had a 3D printer for several years and have gotten lots of use out of it. Though I have yet to complete it, I've been working on a small CNC router for a while now too, but this is my first real machine of any note.
I've also got the steady rest, a 10"(?) Craftsman 4-jaw, faceplate, jacobs chuck, live and dead centers, collet closer, thread protector nut, and a few other bits and bobs. What I DON'T have is a tool post. The previous owner kept his Phase II QCTP and had lost the original lantern-style post. I bought an ACCUSIZE BXA/200 kit, but I still need to figure out how to machine the T-nut without a working lathe or mill... I haven't decided if I'm going to attack it with hand tools or take it to a local shop and get them to mill it for me. Suggestions?