Setting up Shop Questions - from an NZ learner

[goldstar31]

In any event I digress here. A QCTP is a very useful upgrade. Setting up center height after adjusting stick out is a breeze.

I confess to sheer laziness, perversity and ingrained meanness. I rarely admit to where I put my lathe tool height gauge. Anyhow, my upside down part of it to do inverted rear parting off tools- (George Thomas rides again) is hardly ever is adjusted
, I use my 6" rule nipped up until it is vertical. If my memory serves me right, I use the same 6" rule in a horizontal plane on the miller.

It's the Sixth Proposition of Euclid or Pythagoras or the Gospel according to Tubal Cain in the Book of Kings. If you forgotten or never knew, it is cheep, cheep!:hDe:

Norman

 

[SmithDoor]

Like the drawing
Note: Wife's car door swing need on your drawing She will tell about will be a good day for you. :hDe:
I have about same for my shop I put the work bench on wheel with lathe and mill on wall. Ever one is happy :thumbup:
I use a shop vac for all chips

Yup - have dual 1200mm fluorescent fixtures. One centre of car zone, one directly over lathe position, one over workbench. Will be adding more over length of workbench as well as getting led or halogen flexible neck work area lights to add to lathe and mill. That should fix the frequency issue on the fluorescent tubes for rotating parts.

I also have electrical points wired to the ceiling between lathe/mill and at other end of lathe (referenced from insert below) as well as at 4 positions along the length the workbench. The Lathe and Mill have access to a 15 amp circuit and there is a 15 amp circuit on two of the four bench located points. The 15amp circuits are to provide flexibility of where I connect my welder. A nice little BOC Multiprocess unit (MIG/MAG, DC TIG, DC Stick) http://www.boc.co.nz/shop/en/nz/boc-smootharc-multiprocess-175-welder
View attachment 83616

Alternative layout that brings the machines closer to one of the dual 15amp sockets in the ceiling.
View attachment 83615

 

[XD351]

If your going to place your mill & lathe there i would seriously look at some sort of dividing wall to stop any stray swarf landing on the car it will also help when welding and grinding etc , it does not need to be a structural wall even an old truck tarp on a tight wire you could pull along to shield the car would do but a simple frame and thin ply or masonite would be best .
Before you go forking out your hard earned i would park the car in its usual position and open the doors fully .
Then lay out the footprint of your lathe and mill on the concrete with some chalk, allow a good couple of feet at each end of the mill table for travel and a couple on the front for the vice handle to stick out , trust me on that one as i have nootered myself on the damned vice handle as i walked past enough times to know !
You want some clearance between the lathe and mill to access the change gears and belts without having to move the mill table along to get in there because it is a PIA to do so and you may have something set up on the mill that you don't want to have to reset positions on .

Ian

 

[joco-nz]

Good ideas gents. The existing bench is very solid and I'm reluctant to dismantel it to put the tools aginst the wall. It also has a lot of storage under it (cupboards and draws). Plus the laundry end of the bench will be the computer station. Hence why the mill is at that end in the revised layout. Im already thinking CNC setup.

The points re clearance for the car are well made and sufficient door opening clearance has been measured into the red car zone dimensions. The areas have been calculated based on existing usage and the "crap" zone which takes up the "man zone" being cleaned up. Things will ruthlessly end up in the dump if need be.

The spread of metal swath has been a worry. I'm pondering some form of backing "wall" or hood mounted to the machine benches to deflect stray cuttings from flying backwards. Either way a strong shop vac will be a must as "she who must be obeyed" will insist on the garage being clean. Already had that lesson from woodworking in there. Thinking something like:
https://www.bunnings.co.nz/ryobi-wet-dry-vacuum-30l-stainless-steel_p06210674

The stands im looking at fabricating for the machines will be pretty solid using a mix of SHS and RHS steel construction. Since i have the room they will be deeper than strictly needed for equipment to sit on. This should make them pretty stable. It will also mean they can add to available storage. Actually I need to start modelling them up.

Cheers,
James

 

[joco-nz]

Did some more on dimensions this morning while warming up. The joys of annual leave.

Looking at things the lathe table dimensions could be a little large as the depth is nearly twice that of the lathe. Mind you that extra size can be used to hold metal stock in the back half. I don't have a good spot to put stock otherwise.

The Mill could end up on the main workbench which would provide some more room back on the floor. The bench is definitely solid enough for an SX3 sized mill. If I do that it would need to be either side of the window else it will get baked in the summer. Down side is the bench is probably not the best hight for easy use.

Still, thinking and plans progress.

 

[DJP]

A nice place for a mill is diagonally in a corner. It takes less space this way and the walls do not prevent full travel of the bed, at least in my case.

Just a thought for your consideration.

 

[goldstar31]

I'm somewhat sceptical about mixing a valuable car (and a wife's possible ire) and welding, sawdust and whatever.

Had I attempted this with my wife's prized Mercedes sports car alongside, I would have been a certain candidate for the Vatican Choir.

I look forward - with interest and a sense of foreboding!

Regards


Norman

 

[joco-nz]

Been looking into QCTP's, specifically the home made variety. While they clearly are not a necessity, they can be quite useful and a fun project to make as well. Heck I've had as much fun making tools for wood working as I have to making the final projects. I can totally see the same thing happening in metal working.
There are some good looking designs out there. These look quite interesting:

 

[joco-nz]

I'm somewhat sceptical about mixing a valuable car (and a wife's possible ire) and welding, sawdust and whatever.

Had I attempted this with my wife's prized Mercedes sports car alongside, I would have been a certain candidate for the Vatican Choir.

I look forward - with interest and a sense of foreboding!

Regards


Norman

I tend to take over the car space when doing sizeable projects. So when there is welding going on etc the car won't be in the garage. The same process has been happening when doing woodworking. For example when the table saw is setup you need a good amount of room. You just can't do it the garage with the car. That left side gets taken over and I have to clean it all up and put the car back in.

So depending on what I end up with for the configuration of lathe and mill and what sort of swath "hoods" I can come up with I may or may not be able to work with car in garage. If I can't the precedent and working protocol has been set. :thumbup:

 

[XD351]

Try the HOMEWS.CO.UK website Harold has a tool post system with a different slant , there is a video link on his website to see how it works .

 

[goldstar31]

Been looking into QCTP's, specifically the home made variety. While they clearly are not a necessity, they can be quite useful and a fun project to make as well. Heck I've had as much fun making tools for wood working as I have to making the final projects. I can totally see the same thing happening in metal working.
There are some good looking designs out there. These look quite interesting:
View attachment 83631
View attachment 83632
View attachment 83633

This where I turn around and question these designs.

Unless something is solidly secured, it will add to the already existing flexings of the tool.

What has to be remembered is that I didn't trip along following the questionable dictates of sometimes suspect tutors. I'm far from alone in questioning the increased flexibility and therefore suggest a better way.

What is the better way? Well, look at Bradley who added extra gib screws in his own top slides. Again, Thomas put in pins and locks not only in top slides but boring tables but went on to suggest modifying the tips of the screws. Cleeve threw out all the supplied screws that Myford supplied and substituted his own. Tubal Cain- the one who was a lecturer in machining in Darlington and designer of many engines, produced something called a Gibraltar tool post. The castings are still being sold! Jack Radford threw out the top slide- but I've said that before.

I am following tried and tested views of long termed seasoned model engineers- of whom YOU want to copy their designs but sadly seem unwilling to adopt their machining practices.

So there!:fan:

Norman

 

[imagineering]

Thanks Norman. I have the Workshop Series #3 "Screw Cutting in the Lathe". I'll see what results I get in finding some of his other material. I tend to look to collect useful material like this.

Hi James, we have most of these Publications in the HVMES Library. You just need to become a member ...

 

[goldstar31]

Hi James, we have most of these Publications in the HVMES Library. You just need to become a member ...

Does this mean that your club has the most of the ME Books or the old Model Engineers, Model Engineers Workshop and Engineering in Miniature-- or all, please?

If the magazines are available, they will invaluable to a newcomer and confirm much of what I have written

Norman.

Whilst my morning coffee was cooling, my attention was drawn to lathes.co.uk/stepperhead/

Impressive-- and it has tee slots.

 

[joco-nz]

Try the HOMEWS.CO.UK website Harold has a tool post system with a different slant , there is a video link on his website to see how it works .

Excellent - I had completely forgotten about this site, lost in a mass of bookmarks. All sorts of cool stuff here including that QCTP: http://homews.co.uk/page508.html

 

[joco-nz]

Ah yes the mighty gibraltar tool post:

I have plans for something like this somewhere in the piles of stuff I have been collecting. Basically made out of a sodding great lump of steel. Not as elegant looking as the casting sold for the myford but I am guessing probably as effective or dang close to it.

Its on the "probably should have one for when I need crap loads of rigidity" list. :thumbup:

Not sure how soon I'll get to needing that list. Time will tell. But at the moment its all a big learning exercise and nothing starts the learning process than making some of your own mistakes.

Cheers,
James.

 

[joco-nz]

Whilst my morning coffee was cooling, my attention was drawn to lathes.co.uk/stepperhead/

Impressive-- and it has tee slots.

Yeah the Stepperhead looks very cool.

I have read through that build closely. Still many parts I'm lost on but its a very interesting machine. It seems to have taken some design inspiration from the MetalMaster by David Urwick.
METALMASTER

 

[goldstar31]

Glad you liked it.

Being an ancient old fart, I followed through the original design concept. Aged that it is, it is not original. have a look at the Murad Bormilathe as well. Then look at the Jack Radford bits that he fitted to his Myford Super 7. They are in his book!

I got interested in what was called the Murad Antarctica lathe because I had to be involved in the Joint Norwegian, Swedish, British Antarctic Expedition in 1949. Good story there but it is still under official wraps.

Fun, though

Norman

 

[joco-nz]

Glad you liked it.

Being an ancient old fart, I followed through the original design concept. Aged that it is, it is not original. have a look at the Murad Bormilathe as well. Then look at the Jack Radford bits that he fitted to his Myford Super 7. They are in his book!

I got interested in what was called the Murad Antarctica lathe because I had to be involved in the Joint Norwegian, Swedish, British Antarctic Expedition in 1949. Good story there but it is still under official wraps.

Fun, though

Norman

That Murad looks rather interesting. Vertically adjustable head and tail!

 

[goldstar31]

There are only two lathes which really 'turn me on', the Bormie and the Holzapffel.

So you buy a Super 7B and a set of local castings or be really clever and find out where Jack Radford's lathe is- ex Timaru.

On that, my best wishes

norman

 

[imagineering]

Does this mean that your club has the most of the ME Books or the old Model Engineers, Model Engineers Workshop and Engineering in Miniature-- or all, please?

I haven't dug into then myself but our Archivist/President has been acquiring them for years on behalf of the Assoc. I know that we go back to the 1920's but I don't know if the Collection is complete from that Era.