My Shop

[jdurnya]

Hey Guys, been working on my shop for a couple years now... Im still laying everything out, running air and electric, working on lights, buying tooling and making cabinets. Still have a full time job, but i am able to get to the shop for maybe 10 hours a week.

Becoming obsessed with machines and increasing my lathe collection. Im not a flipper per say, but if i see a better machine than i currently own ill buy it and sell the existing machine.

20 years ago i was building / modifying R/C marine engines. This is what started my dive into machining. I enjoy working with my hands as it eases the stress of daily life.

Here is a link to my youtube channel documenting my Shop and my machine adventures !

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMg_SnwPfiHu9PbZ8w8Trdw?

 

[DJP]

I took the tour of your shop and I would feel right at home there. I have the same Bridgeport J head diagonally placed in the shop and the mushroomed brass hammer to release R8 collets or to set up work in the vise is identical. My used machines are also upgrades from previous used machines but I have been lucky that they have not required serious rebuilding. I still am a Southbend fan even though my current upgrade was been to a Myford. I try not to change machines too often as familiarity means productivity. Every 10 years seems often enough for me.

Welcome to this forum. You will like the guys here as interests are common and everyone is helpful.

 

[Blogwitch]

Hi J,

I had a look at your video, starting to become a well structured shop but it looks like you haven't much hand and precision tooling to go around.

With regards to your script sets for your engraving machine.

I recently bought a bench top engraver, a Taylor Hobson, with a couple of broken bits (easy to repair, just hardened bushes), but as soon as I bought it, I set about collecting script sets for it, the same size as yours. Here in the UK (off Ebay) I can buy full sets from about $50 to $100 including lower case, numbers and punctuation. Mainly from Germany and Belgium but a lot from the UK. I have now well over a dozen full sets of all script styles.
Maybe you should have a search about on there.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gravogra...m=302895123334&_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982

John

 

[jdurnya]

I took the tour of your shop and I would feel right at home there. I have the same Bridgeport J head diagonally placed in the shop and the mushroomed brass hammer to release R8 collets or to set up work in the vise is identical. My used machines are also upgrades from previous used machines but I have been lucky that they have not required serious rebuilding. I still am a Southbend fan even though my current upgrade was been to a Myford. I try not to change machines too often as familiarity means productivity. Every 10 years seems often enough for me.

Welcome to this forum. You will like the guys here as interests are common and everyone is helpful.

Thanks for the welcome ! How do you compare the Myford to the SouthBend ? I did have a gearhead 13 x 40 that i purchased new from MSC and i liked that quite abit... my next upgrade will be to pick up a hardinge ... ive been wanting one of those for awhile !

 

[jdurnya]

Hi J,

I had a look at your video, starting to become a well structured shop but it looks like you haven't much hand and precision tooling to go around.

With regards to your script sets for your engraving machine.

I recently bought a bench top engraver, a Taylor Hobson, with a couple of broken bits (easy to repair, just hardened bushes), but as soon as I bought it, I set about collecting script sets for it, the same size as yours. Here in the UK (off Ebay) I can buy full sets from about $50 to $100 including lower case, numbers and punctuation. Mainly from Germany and Belgium but a lot from the UK. I have now well over a dozen full sets of all script styles.
Maybe you should have a search about on there.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gravograph-sans-serif-typeface-copy-13mm-letters-set-A/302895123334?_trkparms=aid=888007&algo=DISC.MBE&ao=1&asc=20140328180637&meid=8a2ee7b9bd2546aaae6b3c220a3afa59&pid=100009&rk=1&rkt=1&sd=302895062953&itm=302895123334&_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982

John

John, thanks for the reply. So far I have been concentrating on the larger stuff.. My goal was to get the basic layout of the shop as to where i could fit everything Since thats pretty much done i will start building shelving / storage for all the tooling, tool boxes and such. After that point ill be bringing out my more precision stuff..

Joe

 

[DJP]

I still find myself reaching for controls on the Myford at are different on the Southbend like engaging the lead screw. I can't compare the too machines fairly as the Southbend was from the 1940s and had seen a tough life while the Myford is newer and it has the gear change box.

It's a good time to look for classic metal working machines as the hobby is not growing in my opinion. I have introduced use of my machines to grandchildren but I doubt that they will take my machines and I have seen this often with machinist friends who need to downsize their homes. Enjoy collecting machines as the time is now.

 

[jdurnya]

I still find myself reaching for controls on the Myford at are different on the Southbend like engaging the lead screw. I can't compare the too machines fairly as the Southbend was from the 1940s and had seen a tough life while the Myford is newer and it has the gear change box.

It's a good time to look for classic metal working machines as the hobby is not growing in my opinion. I have introduced use of my machines to grandchildren but I doubt that they will take my machines and I have seen this often with machinist friends who need to downsize their homes. Enjoy collecting machines as the time is now.

I hope machining will still have some future. My children are not at all interested, but seems like there will always be some need for it. I follow Steve Jordan on YouTube.. he seems to like his myford.. as well as John Creasey i haven't researched them but was under the impression they were a bit smaller ?

My first lathe was a war production Heavy 10 i didn't really appreciate it back them... My large lathe now is a south bend 13 I also have 2 Delta Rockwell 11 lathes.. they are surprisingly well built much heavier than the heavy 10 but the heavy 10 is still a great lathe for its size.

I have been trading up in terms of better condition, later models, hardened beds, and accessories.. I have purchased one a couple months ago with the intention to have the bed ground and learn how to scrape in the carriage and tailstock to bring it back to factory specs.. or as close as i can get it .

Joe

 

[DJP]

Yes the Myford is smaller than my old Southbend 9 and that is always a nuisance but I am OK with it now. It does what I need done. I figure that no matter what size of machine you have there is always a time when the next bigger size is required.

I am not a collector like you. For me space is very limited. I layout machines for a one man shop as two people would constantly interfere. My shop is my quiet place even though it may be noisy. The machines that I own still have lots of useful life so no need to change them. Besides, 3D printing or CNC are the standard and my machines are all a generation or more behind. DRO is a luxury for me.

It's been good chatting with you and I know that everyone likes pictures so you are at the right place.

Take care.

 

[jdurnya]

Yes the Myford is smaller than my old Southbend 9 and that is always a nuisance but I am OK with it now. It does what I need done. I figure that no matter what size of machine you have there is always a time when the next bigger size is required.

I am not a collector like you. For me space is very limited. I layout machines for a one man shop as two people would constantly interfere. My shop is my quiet place even though it may be noisy. The machines that I own still have lots of useful life so no need to change them. Besides, 3D printing or CNC are the standard and my machines are all a generation or more behind. DRO is a luxury for me.

It's been good chatting with you and I know that everyone likes pictures so you are at the right place.

Take care.

thanks for the reply ! well, glad you like the myford ! and i agree.. my shop is my quiet space as well... glad you are enjoying your machines !!

Joe

 

[Mike_Bondarczuk]

Thanks for the welcome ! How do you compare the Myford to the SouthBend ? I did have a gearhead 13 x 40 that i purchased new from MSC and i liked that quite abit... my next upgrade will be to pick up a hardinge ... ive been wanting one of those for awhile !

Hi Joe,

I have an HLV-H Hardinge and I can assure you that when you do get yours you will enjoy every second of using it.

Although mine is the metric version it is equipped with a DRO so I can easily switch between imperial and metric, though I do not have the change gear quadrant to convert between metric and imperial for thread cutting but I do have an imperial Myford 7 which does that admirably.

Take care when purchasing that you get as many accessories as possible as when you can find them they are rather expensive.

Mike

 

[jdurnya]

Mike, yes they are beautiful machines ! I have a 5/8 turret for one of my south bends.. and i have been collecting hardinge tooling and accessories for awhile.

Joe