# homemade machines?



## Lorenz (Feb 15, 2010)

hello!

I was asking myself of there is anybody who making machines for hobby?
Because the most people have metalworking machines on this forum, 
Is there a hobby in making machines? or scale machines? 
I saw on google example homemade engraving machines and homemade motorized hacksaw machines, so i was thinking, 
maybe is there people who make machines like milling machines or mini lathes for fun?

greetings!


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## rake60 (Feb 15, 2010)

I have never attempted build a machine tool, but there are several
old reprints of plans out there.

This is my favorite link for those some of plans: _*Vintage Projects*_.

Rick


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## Dan Rowe (Feb 15, 2010)

I have only made one of the Stuart line of shop machines but I really want a full mini shop. 
The photo shows the size of the Stuart steam hammer next to a Minitool press.
Cheers Dan


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## Twmaster (Feb 15, 2010)

I've never attempted to build my own. There are the Gingery series of machines. Google will give loads of hits.

I am planning to build a power hacksaw once I get moved.


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## GWRdriver (Feb 15, 2010)

I have never built a "machine" tool but I have built tools. One of the most useful was a tapping stand and I have a set of Geo.Thomas (ME) sheet metal rolls under construction. Some years ago I started a rotary table from castings made by an old fellow around here, but I found a nice commercial table before I got very far. Things I'd like to make in the future are a compound slide toolpost for a Boley WW lathe and an improved (over the one I have) ball turning ficture.

As for making a hobby of building model machine tools, there are a number of people who have or are doing this, with spectacular results. For starters (and finishers) look at the "Craftsmanship Museum" web site for more information.


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## Omnimill (Feb 15, 2010)

Have a look: http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/jordan.htm http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/images/Jordan06.JPG

Stunning work!

Vic.


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## Mainer (Feb 15, 2010)

Well, there was the jaw-dropping half-size Hardinge toolroom lathe somebody built that got auctioned off at Cabin Fever this year. It was a steal at $16,000. I've got a really bad picture of it....

And PM Research sells a series of kits of 1:12 scale machine tools, shown in the other pictures as part of the PM Research table display at Cabin Fever.


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## Twmaster (Feb 15, 2010)

Bill Huxhold's 1:5 Hardinge brought $16,000??

Wow.


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## Mainer (Feb 15, 2010)

Yep.


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## Blogwitch (Feb 15, 2010)

I have made a few benchtop machines to do specific jobs.

When I was making model boats, I made a miniature vertical bench router and a miniature bench saw (2" diameter blade), mainly for cutting thin veneer strips. They both now reside in a friends shop, where he uses them in the making of dolls houses and their tiny furniture. They used mainly PVC sheet for the main bodywork, and ran on 12 volt DC motors.

I have everything coming together now to make my own water dipped diamond lapping plate for sharpening almost any tooling, but especially lathe tooling. This will use a slow running mains motor (250RPM) taken from a peristaltic pump.

I tend to use anything I have knocking around the shop for making tools like this, and the main body will be made from the glut of 12mm thick acrylic sheet I have, with a metal facing in any wear areas.


Blogs


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## kcmillin (Feb 15, 2010)

I find nothing more satisfying than using a tool wich you made. I often look for projects to do, and there are plenty of tools on that list. Ive made countless saw blades for use on alumoinum, wood, and brass. Homemade flycutters, and other tool bit holders for the lath and mill. 

Here are a couple I use all the time.

This is based on a hand vice I seen in a catalog. I used walnut for the handle. I also made four of them and gave them away as presents. Cant find these at the hardware store.






Here is a 3 inch milling vice I made out of a big chunk of steel. It is verry handy when a small vice is needed.





kel


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## New_Guy (Feb 15, 2010)

......i suppose im the only crazy one on here who wants to build working machine tools 

ill keep my mouth shut so you guys dont see the seriousness of my condition :hDe:


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## Tin Falcon (Feb 15, 2010)

Lorenz:
Yes miniature tool building certainly is a branch or sub division of model engineering or engineering in miniature. There are several vendors that offer kits of mini machine tools as others have mentioned. I do not recall many plan sets available I think most folks copy a machine they have. As our banner states this site is dedicated to model engines from bar stock. This does not mean you can not post builds of model machines . We would love to see such posts and they will be encouraged. You may not get a lot of help simply because this is not the forums area of expertise. 
Tin .


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## DavesWimshurst (Feb 15, 2010)

Lorenz,
Metal and wood cutting band saw 17.5 inch wheels, speeds from 115 to 3350 feet per minute using belt changes and gear speed reducer:





belt sander:










This machine uses 1" x 42" belts.

PM Research lathe and drill press





Dave


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## kuhncw (Feb 15, 2010)

Dave, nice job on the home built machines. What did you use for the 17.5 inch wheels on your bandsaw?

I've not yet built any complete machines, but I am working toward converting a Taig lathe to CNC. 

Thanks for the post. Home built machines are always interesting to me.

Regeards,

Chuck


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## E Chris (Feb 15, 2010)

Hi Lorenz, 

There seems to be some of us out there that do enjoy making small machine tools. 
Some are more interested in form, others, function. The English author, L.C. Mason wrote a fine book called "Building a Small Lathe". Anyone considering to build a small lathe would find this book very useful. A person that combined form and function to a very high degree is Bill Huxhold. Mr. Huxhold's model of a Hardinge lathe is in all probability just as fine as the prototype.

I have recently made a small swing-type tool and cutter grinder. It has the capability of having either a horizontal (shown) or vertical spindle. As you can see I am definitely in the function, not form, camp.

Chris


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## New_Guy (Feb 15, 2010)

wow Chris thats just amazing!!


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## bentprop (Feb 16, 2010)

As far as powered machines go,I made a 6" disk sander using the motor out of a factory extractor fan.Uses a mdf disk as backing.It's a bit of a pain having to scrape of the glue when changing a disk,but I don't do it very often now.
I also made a small circular saw,using a motor out of an old drill press.The blade was a 2" Minicraft blade,that had been in a drawer for at least 10 years!
When I think of it,I'll take a few pics.
Chris,that's a nice piece of workmanship,care to tell a bit more about it?I don't really see how it works.


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## 1hand (Feb 16, 2010)

I'm with Bentprop, I also interrested in how that works Chris. Thm:

Matt


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## E Chris (Feb 16, 2010)

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the kind remarks. I believe they call this type a swing grinder and indeed it does. The column and of course the head/motor are free to swing from side to side and to rise and fall. There is a ball bearing at the bottom of the column that acts as a thrust bearing and at the top there is an fine (40 tpi) elevating screw that has about a half inch travel. The 40 tpi and large graduated hand wheel gives sub-thousandth height control. The coarse screw towards the back is for rough height adjustment and is locked by the know on the side of the arm. As I mentioned in an earlier post the horizontal spindle assembly can be replaced with a vertical spindle for using cup wheels. The vertical spindle will do double duty when I finish the Quorn grinder. My son calls this a tin can grinder because of my use of a can to make the dust shield for the column. The base plate and indeed the column base are surplus mainframe computer tape parts. And I didn't think computers were of any use!

I will try and attach a photo of a drawing and hope it will help.






I will be glad to answer any other questions.

Chris


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## Lorenz (Feb 16, 2010)

thanks for all fast reactions!

Chris, is that grinding machine an own design? 
and for what do you use it?

now I know the site von craftsmanship I can find a lot of information about things on google,
I'm always looking for projects for the future, making a own machine seems interesting.

kcmillin,

you said: 





> Ive made countless saw blades for use on alumoinum, wood, and brass. Homemade flycutters



how do you make sawblades? 

thanks! 
greetings!


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## E Chris (Feb 16, 2010)

Hi all,

To answer Lorenz question: Yes it is my own design based on the operating principle of a commercially available punch and die grinder. I originally used a vertical spindle (as shown in the drawing) but later made a horizontal spindle for it. It is used to sharpen lathe tools, special cutters, and to do light surface grinding. It is a Small machine but seems serve my needs.

Chris


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## kcmillin (Feb 16, 2010)

Lorenz,
  Making a saw blade is easier than you may think. Although the way I do it it quite hack. I start with a steel bar (diameter not important) I used an inch and a half. I cut a small peice off and then face both sidesd in the lathe. I then mount it on a mandrel (I also use theis to hold the blade while cutting) I face it down to the thickness I want. Then I transfer the peice to the rotary table in the mill. I make my first cuts off center to creat a rake in the tooth. Then I cut the back of the tooth off. This creates a nice saw blade looking peice of steel. I also do a crude and dirty tempering of the blade by heating it up red hot and quenching it in oil. 

I have used these many times for aluminum and other softer materials. If you use water or oil hardening drill rod you can cut steel with them. 

I hope this was not too confusing. I will probobly make a thread of this process if anybody wants to know how to make a saw blade the frugal mans way.

kel


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## GWRdriver (Feb 16, 2010)

Dave,
Here's a little old drill press somewhat similar to your model. I rescued this from a barn shed (purchased) and hope to make it a slow speed driver for vertical reaming and honing.


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## New_Guy (Feb 18, 2010)

Chris that looks great not sure if it would be as versatile as a conventional tool and cutter grinder but get yourself a small mag chuck and your set for surface grinding great work Thm:

dont they use swing grinders in the auto industry for specific jobs?


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