Spinny things for that grey stuff

[jake]

I need to do a couple of bits of little spinny wood stuff, but haven't much call for a wood lathe, and the learning some metal working bug has been itching. Like others, I can't afford the space for or justify the cost of both.

So fingers crossed this is in reasonable order and just got neglected a bit rather than broken and shoved in a corner.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170914013676? ... _cvip=true

[Mr Ed]

That looks a nice machine jake.

I don't have a wood lathe, so have done various bits of wood turning on my metal lathe and it's fine. You need to clean up quite thoroughly to get all the dust off the slideways afterwards, but if it's only occasional that's not too much of a chore.

I made a little tool rest that bolts onto the cross slide for when I want to use a chisel on the piece, but mainly I just use the normal metal cutting tools on wood.

As an example, these were turned on a metal lathe;




Ed

[modernist]

Very nice Ed. Are these a by-product of the nose job?

[lynx]

Ed. I like the look of those. Are you selling them?

[jake]

That looks a nice machine jake.

I don't have a wood lathe, so have done various bits of wood turning on my metal lathe and it's fine. You need to clean up quite thoroughly to get all the dust off the slideways afterwards, but if it's only occasional that's not too much of a chore.

Well like I say hopefully it wasn't broken first, just abandoned. It's a bit of a gamble but that's reflected in the price, I think. The milling machine is a bonus (which if I get into metal I could never otherwise fit in to my cellar).

As to wood on a metal lathe, I'd noticed your stuff doing some digging on lathes, together with similar comments from others (e.g. http://www.holteyplanes.com/blog/2010/0 ... rkshop-45/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). If it is good enough for two perfectionists, it'll do a bodger like me! Top speed is 3k on this, which should help with wood.

[modernist]

I need to do a couple of bits of little spinny wood stuff, but haven't much call for a wood lathe, and the learning some metal working bug has been itching. Like others, I can't afford the space for or justify the cost of both.

So fingers crossed this is in reasonable order and just got neglected a bit rather than broken and shoved in a corner.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170914013676? ... _cvip=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Emcomat are OK and there are a lot of useful accessories such as collets and of course the miller. Its also a good price for what it is.

Did you win it?

[Mr Ed]

Very nice Ed. Are these a by-product of the nose job?

No they're a relic from 2008 that I dredged up illustrate the point about minor woodturning on a metal lathe. I think turning rosewood might possibly be one of the worst things I could have a crack at just at the moment.

[Mr Ed]

Ed. I like the look of those. Are you selling them?

These all went various places around the country in UKW Secret Santas years ago, Jason also has a slightly different one I made from the WWUK Secret Santa.

At the time I made these (2008) I did consider making more and selling them but the problem (as ever it seems) is that the cost of time and materials make them unattractive in comparison to the likes of the Veritas ones you can buy quite reasonably.

[jake]

Yes, its mine. I had a poke around and the milling head seems to go for more than the BIN, which takes out some of the risk if it is just breakable for parts. having said that, that was on lathes.co.uk or whatever it is called, where the asking prices seem pretty toppy.

[Mr Ed]

I think the milling head makes it a really versatile package. I don't have one, but I do have a vertical slide that allows milling with cutters mounted in the chuck and I can see that having a proper milling facility opens up all sorts of other avenues.

So, what's the first project?

[jake]

My first excuse is 2 panga-panga doorstops to match the floor of the bathroom and toilet I'm doing - a nice simple first go. Maybe some rim lock door knobs to match if I have the time. But the ideas are bubbling.