# But it will never be clean..



## Lakc (Jun 22, 2010)

I guess if I wait until a good shop cleaning I will never get around to posting some pics. Since this is such a friendly bunch, and likely just as cluttered in your own workshops at times, that excuse wont hold any water. 

 I am rather new around here, but some of you I have followed for quite some time. I was a mechanic at a local Detroit car dealership for 11 years before I hung up my wrenches to do telephone tech support for a big 3 automaker. It didnt take long to go stir crazy behind a desk, and the machining bug bit hard after meeting Bob Washburn at NAMES in the late 90's. Even before then, I was a lurker on rec.crafts.metalworking, when actively drag racing with a good friend who was a metal model maker at Chrysler in the late 60's early 70's. He hung out his own shingle after the layoffs in 1974, and I was mostly self taught in his well equipped shop. From RCM, to numerous Yahoo groups, and now finally here. I have yet to actually complete one of my engine designs, but I expect that to change soon. 

 Enough about me, on to the dirty shop pics. ;D






Genuine Millport, vintage 1979. Rescued from a local screw machine shop whose business had gone overseas. I spent most of the summer of 08 running around auctions and shop closings looking for one at the right price. A good cleaning, tightening of the gibs, and she should do fine service replacing the mill head on my old 3-1 machine. Hidden behind her and a few model aircraft is a sewing machine, further to the left is a small craftsman jig saw. The motor mounted to the wall is the 3 phase converter, its floating on some old cup type valve seals to cut down on the vibration and noise. I am currently trying to fix a leak in the one-shot oiler. Its a real head scratcher, as it appears to be coming from in between the iron pump and the (cast in place?) aluminum housing.








This is the old 3-1 machine of dubious far eastern lineage. I cant complain, I bought it new from Production Tool, and it has taught me a great deal. Its a bit of a rarity as far as 3-1 machines go, very rarely see any more like it around. It was always a much better lathe then mill, however, so when the Millport came home the milling column was removed, possibly a project for another day. This is the lathe I dropped a few months back and wrote about in the oops forum. Its sporting a homemade quick change toolholder and there is a dovetail sliding 2" dial indicator as a poor mans DRO. 







One possibly origional idea I had to keep little fiddly bits from jumping under the mill. Regular tile footing from the local big box hardware store. 





This is the homemade bench for the lathe. Top is .090 P&O steel over 2x4's, 2x6 construction everywhere else. Secured into the wall studs to make it rock solid. The old milling head is on the bottom shelf. Obligitory shop vac where it can reach both machines easily. 

Well I hope you enjoyed the little tour. I left out the bench grinder, bandsaw, and belt sander as they arent any different from the catalog nearest you. As you can probably tell, my shop used to be my daughters room. While fresh paint and tile would have been nice, I had to get the Millport in the basement before the snow fell. There just isnt always enough time in the day. 

Edit: swapping pic hosts


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## New_Guy (Jun 23, 2010)

nice shop mate no matter how much we want a clean shop its more fun to make things  thats one good looking Bridgeport i like how you put the skirting around the base


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## tel (Jun 23, 2010)

Clutter? I see no clutter! Your shop is a paragon of tidiness compared to mine.


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## Tin Falcon (Jun 23, 2010)

Nice shop: As far as the clutter goes IIRC a scientific study proving that the machinist gene, the creativity gene ,and the clutter gene are closely cross-linked in 99% of the study group of HSM folks. :big:
Tin


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## Troutsqueezer (Jun 23, 2010)

Nice. What does the motor that's mounted up on the wall do, sharpen pencils?

-Trout


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## techonehundred (Jun 23, 2010)

I hope the writing on the wall behind the lathe is not in Blood. ;D


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## Noitoen (Jun 23, 2010)

I see no pictures  ???


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## Lakc (Jun 23, 2010)

Troutsqueezer  said:
			
		

> Nice. What does the motor that's mounted up on the wall do, sharpen pencils?
> 
> -Trout



Thats a fancy manually operated 3hp 3phase converter.  



			
				techonehundred  said:
			
		

> I hope the writing on the wall behind the lathe is not in Blood. ;D



The blood is usually just running down the side of the machines, I have gotten very little on the walls and ceiling so far.  

That is leftover glitter glue, and along with the spongebob stickers, and nail polish on the floor, and ugly teenage refinish on my furniture, is all remnants of when my shop was my daughters room.



			
				Noitoen  said:
			
		

> I see no pictures  ???



They were there! Actually, either Earthlink has a problem or there may have been more views then allowed. When I get home, I will sign up to photobucket if it doesnt clear up by then.


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