Hello all,
Just finished converting the garage and now ready to purchase lathe
and milling machnine.
Floor area is 17x10ft height 8.6ft
Will be building a 4" Little Samson traction engine & 7.1/4" 0-4-0
loco.
Anyone have any suggestions please as to what to buy.
Went to the Ally Pally Exhibition beginning of the year and looked at
Warco/Chester.
Will be going to the Warwich Exhibition to make final decision.
Am looking at:
lathes - BH900 or 1232. I like the possibility of using the 900 belt
drive as improvised clutch by raising and lowering the motor?
milling - GH-Universal, Super Major? or VMC
Would consider a Colchester, but which one?
Would love a Bridgeport, but height to roof supports is 2100mm.
I converted the up & over door to swing and am suprised at the extra
space available. I realised the up & over took up space, but not just
how much.
GeoffH
Norfolk
Geoff Hi, the BH900 is a long bed version of the BH600 and there has
been much discussion on this lathe on this forum, if you do a search on
BH600 you will see many opinions of this machine. I have one and find
it to be an accurate and reliable machine. I have not used the belt as
a clutch although it was covered in one of the articles on the machine
either in Model Engineer or Model Engineers Workshop. When I did this
mod on a Myford I used to have I found it difficult to get a smooth
pickup and experienced a lot of belt snatching at the point of drive. I
don't think I would make it a deciding factor if I was going to buy a
new machine. Although I spent a lot of time looking at the 1232 I
eventually chose the BH600 because I like belt drive, it was a very
close run thing however and it seems to be a fine machine.
There are of course many secondhand machines in this sort of price
range if you know enough about picking a "goodun". The scale you are
building means that you will need a fairly large machine (in ME terms)
and I'm not sure if a 5" machine like a Bantum/Chipmaster would be
large enough so you would be looking a a Student or 2500 type
Colchester. The Harrison machines are also well regarded and a 300
might do very nicely. Don't forget that machines of this size are
expensive to equip so make sure if you buy secondhand it comes with
chucks, steadies etc. One advantage of the new import route is that
they are usually supplied with some basic equipment.
Again, if you do a search on this site you will find plenty of
information about these machines. The VMC seems well regarded but is a
bit limited in size, I had planned to get one but in the end got a
Bridgeport which I still need to put together.
Pity as the BRJ stands 2145mm tall and the BR2J2 2255, might be worth
seeing if you can position it between supports for a bit extra room but
don't forget you need room for a drawbar as well. Although at a push
you can swing the head over to remove that if necessary.
Geoff, you need to make sure that you have a good idea of the minimum
size machine that will do the necessary for you and maybe let us know
what sort of budget you envisage and I'm sure you will get some more
specific recommendations.
Best regards
Keith
Hello Keith,
Thanks for the info.
Just come back from a loco running afternoon at Norwich club, where
one of the members is building a 4" Samson.
It was only my second visit since joining, so am getting to know the
other members.
He has invited me round to his place, which will give me a good idea
as to what will be needed. He has his model running on air.
I would hate to go too small on lathe/mill.
My last lather/mill was an Emco V10P and FP2 mill. Very light duty,
but very very good quality.
It's the quality part that's making me think thrice, but what I saw at
Ally Pally reassured me somewhat.
I can remember the Taiwanese items in the '70/'80s, with some making
me shudder.
Regards
GeoffH
Norfolk- UK not VA
I got my bridgeport clone through an up and over,, had to turn the head 90
degrees, and put it on a pallet truck..
the motor has to go between two rafters.. and I only just have room to
change the draw bar.
Jonathan.
Dig a pit the size of the base about 6" deep.
That will give you height and make it easier to reach the head.
Drawbar's aren't a problem as you can tilt the head but how often do
you need to change it? You don't get much choice on R8 like you do
when using MT3 with oddsock tooling.
I personally haven't seen any R8 that's not on 7/16" UNF.
Not saying it doesn't exist just that I haven't seen any.
.
--
Regards,
John Stevenson
Nottingham, England.
Visit the new Model Engineering adverts page at:-
Hi Geoff,
Please excuse the blantant advertising, but I have a mini-lathes and milling
machines for sale - brand new and good prices. The milling machines I've
sold to one or two members of G1MRA (Gauge 1.......................) and all
very experienced model makers and engineers - they seemd quite pleased!
At the moment I have some on eBay where you can see the specs. and I sell
privately too.
formatting link
for the lathe, and
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for the milling machine.
As you will see, I'm open to offers!
Hugh
Hugh Stewart-Smith (harryuk101 - on eBay)
member of G!MRA Gauge 1 Model Railway Association - mem.no 3330)
Whilst not Geoff.
A 4" gauge Little Sampson hardly rates at gauge 1 and if he's
thinking along the correct lines of a BH900 and Bridgeport then these
benchtop's are a tad too small.
--
Regards,
John Stevenson
Nottingham, England.
Visit the new Model Engineering adverts page at:-
Hi
I have a Colchester roundhead Triumph gap bed for sale two three ja
chucks one four jaw face plate , fixed steady and travelling stead
.Lathe is in good nick.
£550 can send a pic if you want
Dick (Near Stamford Lincs
--
rjelli
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rjellis's Profile:
Hello Johathan,
Thanks for response.
No problem for me then, with the extra height now the door is hinged.
What is the distance floor to ceiling of your garage?
Mine is 2222mm to underside of flat roof.
From your post, it is probably the same.
Maybe there's hope yet on a Bridgy.
Geoff
Hello John,
Thanks for the reply.
The obvious solution, just too lazy to dig.
But . . if it means I get one into the garage, then dig is must be.
Come to think of it, it will only need damp proofing after cementing
or bricking.
Who/where should I be looking to get one?
Mill that is not cement or bricks:-))
Knowing JS I could expect all sorts of answers!
Geoff
I think it all started going downhill when I mentioned the lathes that I'm
selling in eBay.
Oh well, you can't win 'em all.
Unless, of course, you bid high enough!
:-)
Hugh
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