# few words and pics about my shop and mill... and me



## ariz (Jun 25, 2009)

well, I met you and this great group some months ago, but I never presented myself
I'm sorry, but I'm a little reserved, almost timid on myself

anyway, now I know you and the feeling of this group, so any embarassment has gone 
I'm italian and I live near Mantova, a small city in the north, near Verona (do you remember Romeo and Giulietta?)
I'm a librarian, but my hobby has always been mechanics: I like cars and bikes and to work on them.
Model engines are a new discovery for me, just after having met this group.

why I'm writing here in the 'Shop' section?
because some days ago I sold my mill, an X2 mini-mill, to buy a greater mill
but in the meantime I'm a little puzzled, because I can't work as every day in the last months ???

yesterday I built a new bench for the new mill
I made it with a square tube of iron of 4 x 4 cm and 3 mm thickness
on the top there is a piece of MDF of 4 cm thickness, where I cut a square hollow of 15 x 15 cm for inspect and lube the mill
the legs and all the structure are welded, while the table is supported only and fixed with silicone
I hope that the bench could support the new mill, which is about 180 kg in weight



























and this is my workshop... ehm, it is a shed indeed, it was the garage for my car, but day after day the car was expelled :




































space is never enough here. 
besides this shop has a mysterious ability: it produces powder from nothing!
if I sweep the shop with a broom 10 times, there is always new powder coming from somewhere... :'(

well, here there is a violent storm... must go!!!


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## Maryak (Jun 25, 2009)

Ariz,

That's a very nice shop you have. :bow:

What brand of lathe is your lathe. ???

I apologise in advance for being picky but those open change and tumbler gears behind the headstock would make me nervous. Same with your bench grinder wheels. If you have ever seen a grinding wheel shatter you would understand my concern for your safety. 

Best Regards
Bob


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## 1Kenny (Jun 25, 2009)

Hi Ariz,

Thanks for showing us your shop. Seeing other peoples work shops is something I enjoy very much.

Kenny


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## RobWilson (Jun 25, 2009)

Hi Ariz, great looking workshop ;D
Rob


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## zeeprogrammer (Jun 25, 2009)

Welcome Ariz.

You brought back some happy memories.

I spent a couple of weeks at an international Boy Scouts jamboree just outside of Verona many years ago. It was watermelon season. I remember being at a square there...a stamp shop...lots of pigeons. Wow. Thanks.

Looking forward to your builds and thanks for the shop pics.


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## ariz (Jun 26, 2009)

thank you zee, rob, kenny, maryak
this group is the friendliest I have ever seen

maryak I agree with your think about safety
the lathe is an old boley, a german firm: it is almost 80 years old
I described it here: http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=4447.0
it has a guard that covers the gears and I never remove it when in use
in these days I'm not working with the lathe: I removed the guard to clean the lathe

the bench grinder is another story. it mounts 125 mm wheels, but I cannot find those wheels, so I went with 150 mm wheels...
I know that it is a dangerous solution. I'll try to remedy this deficiensy in some way


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## Maryak (Jun 26, 2009)

Ariz,

Thank you for your understanding of what I was trying to say and the issues involved. :bow: :bow: :bow:

I am very sure you will find a solution for your grinder.

Best Regards
Bob


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## Paolo (Jun 29, 2009)

Welcome on the club ariz wEc1 wEc1 wEc1 .
I'm Paolo an Italian too living in Rome...
Cheers


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## ariz (Jun 30, 2009)

thank you Paolo

I'm following your bild and appreciate very much your silver soldering works on the boiler :bow:

are there other italian in this great community?


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## Paolo (Jun 30, 2009)

Thanks ariz for your appreciation
...I was contacted from another one and there are another machinist, English, living in Italy...That is all!!!
best regards
Paolo


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## prof65 (Jul 4, 2009)

Hi Paolo & ariz

I'm Italian too, I'm living near Pavia.

Roberto


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## Paolo (Jul 4, 2009)

Hi Roberto
Nice to meet You...Now We are three


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## Maryak (Jul 4, 2009)

Now, all you need is D'Artagnan. ;D

Best Regards
Bob


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## Paolo (Jul 4, 2009)

Welcome D'artagnan with you We are ALL... :big: :big: :big: :big:
Bye


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## ariz (Jul 5, 2009)

:big:

Hi Roberto, nice to meet you here

well, for clarity my full name is Aristide, but I like ariz as nickname

so, the Metro Goldwin Mayer presents... ROARRRR

"The three Musketeers", by a novel of Alexandre Dumas
with Paolo, Roberto and Ariz
and special guest Maryak as D'Artagnan

 :big:


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## Maryak (Jul 5, 2009)

My Dear Italian Colleagues,

I am honoured and flattered to be offered the role of D'Artagnan in your upcoming extravaganza :bow: :bow: :bow: I am confident that this will be more along the lines of Ben Hur rather than The Good The Bad and The Ugly. ??? ??? ???

I am also aware that this could turn into a very humourous production. I will probably laugh in all the wrong places because I don't speak Italian.

Please excuse your Antipodean Misfit.    ;D ;D ;D   .

Best Regards
Bob


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## steamer (Jul 6, 2009)

You talk purrdy Bob.... :big:


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## Maryak (Jul 7, 2009)

When I'm annoyed I also talk durrdy. ;D and apologies for hijacking the thread. :bow:

Best Regards
Bob


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## ariz (Jul 7, 2009)

no problem at all Maryak ;D

soon I'll post the mods to my grinding wheel as you wisely suggested

and I hope to post the pics of my new mill, when it will arrive
now it's about 1 mounth that I sold my X2 and I can't wait any longer... :-\


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## ariz (Jul 22, 2009)

finally the new mill has arrived, this morning
2 months from order, I bought it in China
model is ZAY7025FG, a square column mill of about 150/180 kg

to place it on the bench I had to disassemble the main parts, to reduce the weight (in the meanwhile I'll clean the mill and lube the critical points)

here are some pics































the first impression is that chinese machinery is going to be better time after time
the quality is enough good IMO
the ways seem scraped, don't they?











and there was also a nice oil can with the keys ;D






I hope to mount all the parts in the next days, to be able to trim the mill in the correct way and finally to made some chips


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## Maryak (Jul 22, 2009)

Ariz,

Congratulations on what looks to be one very nice milling machine, hand scraped ways and all. :bow: :bow: :bow:

Best Regards
Bob


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## ariz (Jul 23, 2009)

thank you Maryak, you're always glad with all :bow:

well, today I have finished to mount the mill and to trim it













I'm quite happy with it, all seems to be right
I have to have confidence with the tapered gibbs, can't regulate well like I did with the conventional gibbs of the X2 mini mill

and I have also to make a drawbar, because that one that came with the mill is greater than the thread of my ER32 chuck (M12 vs. M10)

I have only a piece of bronze of hexagonal shape, can I use it or it is too malleable for a drawbar?


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