Lathe only engine?

[wtaylor3]

Hello all,
I've been lurking here for some time now and as a cnc machinist for a living I just want to say you guys are great. That being said I recently acquired a Grizzly G0602 and I was wondering if any of you could recommend an engine that could be made with only a lather and somewhat limited tooling? I'd rather not run compressed air I would much prefer IC or steam power. Thanks

 

[tornitore45]

Do not let the absence of a mill limit your choices. Look at the thread "Forrest Edwards radial 5" started by "josodl1953". He does not not have a mill but sure gets a lot out of his lathe and homemade tooling.
The classic lathe was called "engine lathe" because it could practically build an entire engine.

 

[Rod Cole]

I'm building the Mary from A.J.Reeves, the "build book" that can be bought to go with it seems to be aimed at only a lathe.

 

[Hopper]

The Potty Mill Engine is good starting project, all in the lathe. Drawings are available free online if you Google around. In fact featured in this thread here https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/potty-lads-and-dads-mill-engine.20650/

 

[goldstar31]

I'm building the Mary from A.J.Reeves, the "build book" that can be bought to go with it seems to be aimed at only a lathe.

If you have been really following the 'Tubal Cain' story here, the 'Mary" engine was designed by Tom Walshaw who had a Myford Super7 lathe with a vertical slide.
True , he had a Britannia lathe for his daughter but that doesn't affect the issue, does it?

What seems to be missing in the story of building anything in the way of models was that not until about 1973 or so that the first decent home milling machine was made by Ned Westbury and this was improved by Dore Engineering( Arnold Throp) as a kit.

Prior to this, some British workers had a small shaper- mine was a battered old Drummond and I then made a Westbury out of poor castings dropped at the local college

Unquestionably almost any model can be made on the lathe itself. I made a Quorn t&c which is probably a lot more complicated than most things.

However, we seem to be missing the vital part in the story that regardless of whether we have a shaper or a milling machine to supplement our King of Tools, we have to make or acquire a lot of accessories.

Merely going to E-Bay to buy a couple of carbide insert tools is not the answer to making anything.

My way of thinking- of course

Norm

 

[wtaylor3]

The main problem I see with "millturning" on the G0602 is that during such operations it would seem that machinists often remover the crosslide and bolt down chucks or rotary tables on the t-slots. However, I'm led to believe that the G0602 does not have Tslots under the cross slide. I've been meaning to investigate this further but havent had the time or energy to tear it down. i appreciate the responses and ill certainly look into the suggested engines. I'm also very interested in the flame eater engines

 

[Rod Cole]

Those T slots are part of the cross slide, look here:https://www.myford.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_Saddle_and_Cross_Slide_Assembly.html
You would need to "devise" some way of bolting down to the cross slide which becomes the Y axis (I think it's Y anyhow)

 

[goldstar31]

There are at least 5 Myford variations of design whilst the Tee nut slots are standard- for Myford but not for standard tee slots. I had a count and now have reached 6/

Moving to a prismatic bed which is what the OP seems to have, his saddle can take a lot of vertical slides from assorted machines. I have still a Perfecto vertical slide which was on a Zyto but probably made in the Myford factory( cos the feed nuts are Myford Chinese metal. That's 8 now but that slide was fitted to a 9x20 of Eastern origin and happily fits my Sieg C4.

Sometimes, I have fitted a simple piece of flat steel as an intermediate 'sub table' with a few tapped holes.

The size thickness etc were - what was lying about without an immediate use

Norman

I have lots of 'funny bits' of metal that serve all sorts of functions.

 

[Rod Cole]

The "sub-table" idea would be an easy way to "get your feet wet" so to speak.
I always wanted a BSA 500 single, not to change the subject, just saying~

 

[deverett]

Looking at pics of your lathe on the internet, it appears this machine does not have T slots on the cross slide. If you don't mind modifying the cross slide, you could drill/tap some holes outboard of the dovetail slides to which could be mounted a tooling plate. This could be used to bolt your vertical slide or even mount parts directly on the plate using extra holes for securing clamps.

Although this is on a Myford lathe with a T slotted cross slide, you can get the idea.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

 

[CrashedAgain]

If you have been really following the 'Tubal Cain' story here, the 'Mary" engine was designed by Tom Walshaw who had a Myford Super7 lathe with a vertical slide.
True , he had a Britannia lathe for his daughter but that doesn't affect the issue, does it?

What seems to be missing in the story of building anything in the way of models was that not until about 1973 or so that the first decent home milling machine was made by Ned Westbury and this was improved by Dore Engineering( Arnold Throp) as a kit.

Prior to this, some British workers had a small shaper- mine was a battered old Drummond and I then made a Westbury out of poor castings dropped at the local college

Unquestionably almost any model can be made on the lathe itself. I made a Quorn t&c which is probably a lot more complicated than most things.

However, we seem to be missing the vital part in the story that regardless of whether we have a shaper or a milling machine to supplement our King of Tools, we have to make or acquire a lot of accessories.

Merely going to E-Bay to buy a couple of carbide insert tools is not the answer to making anything.

My way of thinking- of course

Norm

Goldstar31, you can do this to get started. This is on a mini-lathe but no reason it won't work on a larger lathe. Uses a piece of trued-up angle plate to mount the compound slide vertically and attaching a bolt plate and/or small angle plate to hold the work. Complete details in the Jan/Feb 2014 issue of Home Shop Machinist magazine, including how to true up the angle plate using only the lathe.
(Shameless plug here): Details of this and many other attachments (including a shop made milling attachment...other photo) in my book "The Complete Mini Lathe Workshop" also available from Village Press. Most ideas should be adaptable to other lathes.

 

[wtaylor3]

I get home shop machinist magazine but I apparently missed this, I actually drew something similar but I wasn't going to use the cross slide for vertical adjustment (because I didn't think of it) I had drawn a t slot in a vertical plate and had planned moving the clamps but the cross slide would be adjustable and simpler. I appreciate the suggestions

 

[goldstar31]

Goldstar31, you can do this to get started. lathes.View attachment 109048 View attachment 109049

It would really be fun. In a month I'll be 89 years of age!



Above all, Thank You for trying to help.

My kindest regards

Norm

 

[a41capt]

The "sub-table" idea would be an easy way to "get your feet wet" so to speak.
I always wanted a BSA 500 single, not to change the subject, just saying~

I have owned and raced two Rod; one Gold Star, and one B50MX, and your desires are well founded!

John W
Camp Verde, AZ USA

 

[Rod Cole]

My very first ride was on the back of a 5oo Gold Star, my sisters boy friend. He took me around the sharpest corner around, flat out & I was hooked.

 

[Rod Cole]

I have owned and raced two Rod; one Gold Star, and one B50MX, and your desires are well founded!

John W
Camp Verde, AZ USA

Where did you race, I ran a 750 Bonny at Loudon, vintage RR for a few years, almost did Datona for their vintage but the reality of business kept me home. That B50MX must have been a handful, I used to have a lot of fun with a Sherpa S at a closed down moto-X track, but never really did a serious MX. Tried indoor flat track once but had more fun watching~

 

[Hopper]

The Potty Mill Engine I mentioned does not even need a vertical slide. It can all be done with lathe and drill press. The flat surface on the cylinder for the valve chest to attach to is faced off in the lathe with job held in four jaw chuck. Machining of bearing pedestals etc are also done in four jaw chuck.

Aside from that, on other jobs there is also a lot of milling you can do by clamping small model-sized pieces in the toolpost. Just takes more fiddling about than using a vertical slide. You have to use different thickness packing pieces to raise or lower the job and do all your movement for taking a cut via the cross slide.

You can also take the toolpost off and use the centre bolt that clamps it down to clamp down various jobs on packers etc with custom made clamps and packers from the scrap box.

 

[goldstar31]

I would guess that something as complicated as Chaddock's Quorn tool and cutter grinder was done mostly on an old Drummond lathe. He and lots of the old school had a couple of steel or cast iron blocks which were peppered with plain and tapped holes- as they were made to fit a job.

Incidentally, I have a Quorn! As I remarked earlier, I have some peculiar bits and pieces.
Sometimes I weld them, sometimes cut them or drill holes in them and -- often I throw things away- and then wish that I hadn't.

Norm

 

[Tim Wescott]

Sadly, the guy who wrote http://modelenginenews.org/ has passed away, but there's a lot of material in there. He's got plenty of builds documented that were done entirely on the lathe, and there should be some links to plans. This link points to a pair of books associated with that blog: https://www.homemodelenginemachinis...-ic-engine-plan-books-free-to-download.30160/