New Metal Lathe

BigShed · Sep 8, 2008

Back in May I asked a question about using metal lathes for pen turning. Since then I have been doing a lot of reading and gathering information.

Initially I leaned towards the 7x14 Mini Lathe, but eventually I found a 9x20 Lathe with EVS (Electronc Variable Speed).

I recently purchased one of these and after making up a base cabinet with some drawers (14 actually!) I now have this lathe installed in my shed (or workshop).
About the only thing I didn't like was the digital speed read out being mounted flat, making it hard to read, so will have to make some mods there. I do like the camlock on the tailstock, most 7x14 and 9x20 lathes have a single nut here.

I thought I would share some pictures of the new addition.

bgray · Sep 8, 2008

Very nice lathe!

I don't think that there is any equal machine here in the States.

I'm curious. Why is the threading dial mounted on the left?

If you have the option, I would mount it on the right.

I can't tell from the photos, but it seems to me that you could easily crash the threading dial into the lathe body if your are not careful.

Either that, or mounting the threading dial on the left could limit how far your carriage can travel.

Darley · Sep 8, 2008

Fred I see that you're ready for some awsone pen now that all is set up, I like your cabinet well done :good: look like your crack your piggy bank too for the tools, I see that you fix the speed read out all ready just need a new housing:wink: let us know your impression about this leathe, thanks mate to show us.

BigShed · Sep 8, 2008

bgray said:
Very nice lathe!

I don't think that there is any equal machine here in the States.

I'm curious. Why is the threading dial mounted on the left?

If you have the option, I would mount it on the right.

I can't tell from the photos, but it seems to me that you could easily crash the threading dial into the lathe body if your are not careful.

Either that, or mounting the threading dial on the left could limit how far your carriage can travel.

I have only found this lathe at one supplier here in Oz, and you're right I haven't found it at any of the major US suppliers.

I am also curious why the threading dial is on the left, asked this question on the Oz forum. Someone came back to say that it would be much easier to read on that side. You are correct that it limits the travel, the mounting bolt will hit the leadscrew bush and stop it crashing in to the chuck.
To mount it on the right I would have to drill and tap a mounting hole on that side of the apron, bit reluctant to do that at this stage.

Not sure about any of this, will investigate further.

BigShed · Sep 8, 2008

Darley said:
Fred I see that you're ready for some awsone pen now that all is set up, I like your cabinet well done :good: look like your crack your piggy bank too for the tools, I see that you fix the speed read out all ready just need a new housing:wink: let us know your impression about this leathe, thanks mate to show us.

Actually all the tooling you see there came with the lathe, by the time you add up the cost of all of that this lathe actually costs no more than a 7x14 which doesn't have all those extras.

Got a delivery from CDCO in the US yesterday with some more tooling, a Quick Change Tool Post among them as well as the live centre you see on the lathe.

Paid $US24 for the live centre from them, costs $A60 for the same thing here. I know it is the same thing as I bought one for my woodturning lathe a few months ago and even the box is the same! Our Oz dealers obviously work on bigger margins!

bruce119 · Sep 13, 2008

Very nice I got a 7x14 mini and just love it. I give it a real work out. I love the variable speed and reversing. I use the tool post for getting blanks round then put on a wood tool rest and finish up with a skew. Yea I got a wrench to tighten the tail stock but they got a conversion kit. I got it just got to put it on. I'd say about a 2 hour job.

I just love my mini metal lathe a real work horse

Bruce
.
.

rherrell · Sep 14, 2008

Great lathe but an even nicer cabinet!

You can be very proud of that set-up Fred.:wink:

Daniel · Sep 16, 2008

That was definitely some well spent homework time. Very nice set up and the electronic speed readout is a great feature that my lathe does not have.

Buzz · Sep 16, 2008

Hi Fred. Great looking set-up. Your cabinet work is very impressive, really nice.

Ligget · Sep 20, 2008

Awesome set-up, the cabinet is fantastic!

BigShed · Dec 12, 2008

New addition to the metal side

I recently purchased an X2 Mini Mill to add to the metal side of the shed.

Took a little while to get it set up and make a base cabinet to match the one I made for the 9x20.

The wheel on the wall, next to the lathe/mill tools, is for turning the 9x20 lathe by hand for threading.

Still have to make a spindle adapter for the 9x20

areaman · Dec 13, 2008

great looking lathe and cabinet!

skiprat · Dec 13, 2008

Fred, that workshop is cleaner than most UK hospitals ( unfortunately it's no joke either ) You must take another pic in a years time and see if you don't have greasy oil stains all over those fantastic cabinets:biggrin:

That mill is really cool. Wish I had space and money for one.

NewLondon88 · Dec 13, 2008

OK Fred.. now all you have to do is get Skiprat to show you how to mount
that mill onto the lathe.. :tongue:

Nice looking setup.. the cabinets look great. Now all you need is some metal
shavings and sawdust on the floor to convince us that this is really *your*
shop (and not a page you tore out of a catalog..) :biggrin:

jhs494 · Dec 13, 2008

Very nice looking set up! Seeing these pictures has convinced me to never post any pictures of my shop. Wow is that a clean and organized set up.

Great looking equipment and thanks for sharing it with us!

Darley · Dec 13, 2008

Holly Cow

Fred you done well with this matching cabinets, the mill look awesome, is the wheel is from a hand water pump? have to try an antique shop to find one when I up on your way

BigShed · Dec 13, 2008

Darley said:
Holly Cow Fred you done well with this matching cabinets, the mill look awesome, is the wheel is from a hand water pump? have to try an antique shop to find one when I up on your way

Don't know Serge, the handle actually can be folded in against the wheel. When I saw it for sale at $10 I thought that would do nicely.

You can inspect it "in the flesh" on Friday.

BigShed · Dec 13, 2008

skiprat said:
Fred, that workshop is cleaner than most UK hospitals ( unfortunately it's no joke either ) You must take another pic in a years time and see if you don't have greasy oil stains all over those fantastic cabinets:biggrin:

That mill is really cool. Wish I had space and money for one.

Steven, I think I would be a bit worried to have open heart surgery in my workshop:doctor:!

I actually had to put up some pictures on the Oz forum to prove that my whole workshop is not all that clean.

I do have 2 vacuum in the workshop, one is an old Vax which doesn't use the paper cartridge, I use that one for cleaning up the lathe/mill.

The other one is for wood dust, it uses the big paper cartridge, I also have a 2hp dust collector system with a pleated filter cartridge.

Being a retired industrial chemist, I got used to working in a clean and tidy environment. Every friday at 3.00 pm my staff had to down tools and clean up.

NewLondon88 · Dec 14, 2008

Aaaahh .. sawdust!

OK, now we can speak to you again. :tongue:

PenPal · Dec 16, 2008

Big shed

Thanks for the additional pics, my question would have been how would you access the planer, but the following pics show it is on wheels. Admire your cabinets lathe and small mill, well done.

Regards Peter.

skiprat · Dec 16, 2008

Fred, I was looking at the rest of your set up pics and saw the close up of the lathe carriage. It has two levers on it. One must be for the half-nuts. Is the other one a carriage lock? If it is then that is a nice feature. Mine locks with a very difficult to reach allen screw, often ends up being under the topslide.

PS. I still think your shop is too clean!!!!:biggrin:

randyrls · Dec 16, 2008

I wish this model lathe was available in the US, but I haven't been able to find any suppliers here in States.

The variable speed and CAM LOCK handle on the tail stock are very handy.

I also added a monster Phase II 200 series quick change tool post.

One problem with these lathes is that as a group, chucks made for metal lathes and chucks made for wood lathes generally are not interchangeable because the spindle threads are not the same.

BigShed · Dec 17, 2008

skiprat said:
Fred, I was looking at the rest of your set up pics and saw the close up of the lathe carriage. It has two levers on it. One must be for the half-nuts. Is the other one a carriage lock? If it is then that is a nice feature. Mine locks with a very difficult to reach allen screw, often ends up being under the topslide.

PS. I still think your shop is too clean!!!!:biggrin:

No Steve, the second lever is the saddle feed, mine also has the same annoying allen screw saddle lock. Steve Bedair has a mod on his site for a lever, one day I'll get a round tuit!:biggrin:

BigShed · Dec 17, 2008

randyrls said:
I wish this model lathe was available in the US, but I haven't been able to find any suppliers here in States.

The variable speed and CAM LOCK handle on the tail stock are very handy.

I also added a monster Phase II 200 series quick change tool post.

One problem with these lathes is that as a group, chucks made for metal lathes and chucks made for wood lathes generally are not interchangeable because the spindle threads are not the same.

Randy, I am currently addressing this very issue, tossing up whether to make/have made a 39mmx4mm female to 1"x8tpi male adapter so that I can use the Nova G3 chuck I have for my wood lathe (as well as a couple of Nova Compac chucks), or get a 3MT arbor with 38mm soft head (like this one) and cut a 1"x8tpi thread on it. It has a threaded end for a drawbar.

Yes, the variable speed is great, as is the cam lock. I was going to do these mods to the 9x20 I had originally selected, but when I found this one I was sold. It only cost $100 more than the belt drive model without the camlock, so money well spent.

BigShed · Dec 17, 2008

pwhay said:
Thanks for the additional pics, my question would have been how would you access the planer, but the following pics show it is on wheels. Admire your cabinets lathe and small mill, well done.

Regards Peter.

Thanks Peter, yes most of the machines in my workshop are on mobile bases, either bought that way (thicknesser) or made by me (bandsaw, jointer/planer, tablesaw, router table).

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