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IOF the lathe has an American pattern bed, that is a inverter V way up front and a flat way to the back a single clamp is all you need. That is as long as the clamp pulls the saddle down on the V way. If that is done the saddle can not go anywhere as you are bound inthe forward/reverse...

This is a tough one. I couldn’t possibly buy the whole collection and frankly wouldn’t have room for them. As for museums I doubt any wood buy, they might take donations though. The exception here would bean original and rare engine. Honestly I’m not even sure which museums would take...

I suspect metal chips in bare feet cause more issues than grinding dust. In any event you are right in that a hostile wife can lead to problems. I’m not sure of the original posters living situation but one nice thing about a roll around toolbox or stiff metal cart is the ability to move...

I’d avoid any sort of 3 in 1 machine, very frustrating devices. As for life getting in the way I’m not sure I will ever have the cash to get everything I want into a shop! Just this year had a new roof put on the house, need a furnace and then old age medical issues. Buying used only...

I hope you read the qualifications people have already made because this is one of those things that can be done and has been done but is also a huge compromise. Given that there are actually a few options here some simpler than others. Before we get into those options there is one issue...

It could very well be the contractor, an auxiliary contact or even a contact in the thermal overload. The problem with this Chinese stuff is the difficulty in getting the proper parts. This is why you often find the entire contractor assembly replaced on these machines with products that...

Comments like these are very common with respect to Chinese lathes and is why I made my previous comment. We had very similar problem with a small lathe at work where the push buttons just didn’t work reliably. In one case I got some life out of the switch by shimming some parts to achieve...

I tried looking at the photo you posted with respect to the relay you think is a problem. The first problem to resolve is are you changing directions with the motor stopped? The forward and revers should be electrically interlocked to prevent that and likely mechanically interlocked. As...

Mulling attachments for a lathe can and do work but are significant compromises. Going that route should come down to “is the price right”. As I mentioned in the USA mulling attachments are often too expensive to justify in my opinion. Now in the UK things might be different. In any...

If this is the case I’d seriously consider budgeting a lot of money for tools & tooling before you get a place to build a shop. Honestly I’d start with a good chest type tool box. Most of the machining related tools I currently have I managed to obtain over the last couple of years largely...

I have no opinion on the devices itself having never even seen one. However if you have nothing in the way of a milling capability it might be a smart move if the price is right. Unfortunately on this side of the pond milling attachments for lathes are strangely expensive, so they don't get...

It kinda sounds like there is an external switch causing you issues. possibly an over travel to the saddle? Unless you have a accurate electrical diagram you are basically shooting in the dark. It is very difficult to do diagnostic work over the net plus I don't want you to end up dead...

Do you have a wiring diagram for the lathe? By the way what do you mean by the "relay/contactor pops out". If you are talking about an overload button on the contactor then there are a number of possibilities. One could be that the overload mechanism is malfunctioning. The second is...

I suspect even more of us start out with hardware that they know will be a limitation but for various reasons can not go with "the proper tool". The nice thing about starting out with a watch makers or Taig style lathe is that they can be part of your shop even if you move to a larger lathe...

You have lots of good comments here but ultimately you need to ask yourself, “how big of an engine”? Prices can escalate quickly as smaller lathes with swings in the 10 to 14” swing range are in demand. Here is the problem though short beds grossly impact what tooling you can use. A...

Most of my casting experience comes from years ago in the die cast industry so take this with a grain of salt. The best 3D printing approach to cast metal would likely be the use of PLA with the investment casting process. That is print your structure with minimal infill. Cast vestment...

You likely already know this but do realize that old paints and fillers, on old machine tools have a very high probability for lead. So you will not want to have young people around when refinishing the paint. Clean up is important too. Unfortunately machine tools are a tough environment...

Hope vacation went well!!! As for the video that is icing on the cake. As for your code I'm a bit surprised that you found it easy. In my mind anyways keeping those two spindles in sync and not loosing timing would be a major headache.

Hi Toolman Fusion 360 sure does get a lot of good press but in the end it is still an AutoCAD product. I've never had much of a positive image of AutoCad mostly due the the extremely high prices on what are now outdated CAD programs. Today Fusion 360 is free for hobbiests but how long...

Nice lathe! It might look like junk but it appears to be in good condition with many of the parts till there. Frankly I've seen operating machines that looked worse. If it was me I'd overhaul the stand first. Clean it up and paint it with an good epoxy mastic. That gives you a base to...