Postman arrived with my lathe tucked under one arm!

[Twissy]

Wanted to try a metal lathe for ages, but this was all my budget would allow. £200 off fleabay with all the bits in the pics.
Never used a metal lathe before, so it is going to be a steep learning curve! Only one cutter was included, and I'm not even sure of the way round it goes (except that the pointy bit goes towards the work piece)!
Managed to make myself a mandrel for a project I have to replicate some Shaeffer bodies.....first one in the pic.

Trouble is I don't know how to use this one yet, and already I want a bigger one! This one weighs 8kg including the extra bits!

Can anyone suggest some good online tutorials?
Cheers
John

 

[KenV]

The Unimat has a long history of good service --- small and will not handle heavy cuts or really tough service -- but should do you well for pen stuff.

You should be having some fun on the learning curve

 

[BKelley]

I thought the metal lathe bug was indigenous to the United States, but I see that it is spreading!! There are no known preventive measures against this bug, but lucky for you there is a cure. Just lay back a bunch of dollars or pounds for knurling tools, cut-off tools, HS steel cutters, carbide cutters, micrometers, dial indicators, large stock of aluminum, brass, tool steel, cold roll steel all in round rods and hex rods and then of course a larger lathe. This will most likely cure the metal lathe bug, but please use extreme caution because the Metal Milling Machine bug has been known to closely associate with the lathe bug. Welcome and have fun.

Ben

 

[BigShed]

Very nice small metal that Unimat and some nice accessories to with it, good score.

As for the metal lathe bug escaping from the US, it was extant in the Antipodes in 2008, together with Metal Milling bug:wink:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/916955-post52.html