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Mancave Open and New Toys!


SnakeyJ

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It's taken a long time, but the home workshop is finally a reality - some two years and a half years since moving in.    Rather bijou at roughly 8'x8' and plenty still to do (shelving, replace the old up and over with side hinged doors and make space for my 'new' pillar drill).   But everything works and I am officially open and ready to start playing ;)    I'm thinking some basic steam/standing engines as an introduction and something to engage my lad.

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'The World Turns on Colchester Lathes' - Those were the days!

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I wimped out a little and brought a Transwave Static Converter to run the Lathe via the existing wiring harness as this will run both the lathe and suds pumps (suds pump can only run at the same time as the lathe motor).     I will probably keep an eye out for a 3 phase 240V motor and digital converter in the future, but not cheap and would have to either replace the suds pump or buy another converter just for this.

The pillar drill is easier (being single phase 240V), but still languishing at the office until I find space (and own up - though this was my cheapest purchase at £ 56!).     This is a massive and lightly used Naerok (Korean made) PID25P, with a 1.1KW motor and 9 speeds up to 2550.   I'm hoping I can gently abuse this for a little aluminum and brass milling, having picked up a basic Axminster compound table in my local classifieds.

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At least it's sorted out my cloudy night activities for this winter!

 

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2 minutes ago, sloz1664 said:

That looks great. Being an ex-Toolmaker I am very envious indeed.

Steve 

Thanks Steve - I'm concentrating on going very slowly and not loosing any fingers, but I now know who to ask now when I get stuck ;)

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Thanks all - though I must state I've pretensions, but no real claim to be an engineer!

Forgot to mention that the Lathe weighs in just a little short of half a tonne - Although I had a hand to collect and get it home, I manhandled it into the garage and final position on my own over two weeks ago, pulling muscles I didn't know I possessed!   Seriously hoping that this is my last house and lathe!  I will be bequeathing the lathe in my will with the other chattels ;)

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38 minutes ago, Saganite said:

Very nice Jake.

I  "cut my engineering teeth" on a Colchester Student  lathe many years ago as an apprentice.

Me too, wish I still had one!. Been making do with a Boxford 41/2" "C" type for the last 50 years! 

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6 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

Me too, wish I still had one!. Been making do with a Boxford 41/2" "C" type for the last 50 years! 

Peter, if you look down from the headstock of the Colchester, you might notice a few Boxford bits on the floor.  I picked up a saddle, cross slide, apron, tailstock and countershaft a few years back and haven't had the heart to throw them out.

 

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I built a mancave/shed/workshop a few years back, it was the best thing I done. I love it so much, I spend so much time up there. You will really enjoy it also. You have some nice kit, love the lathe, I settled on a Myford ML7. A milling machine is a really good investment.

Made my first mount a little while ago, it turned out great. Are you going to make any astro items such as mounts, scopes etc.

Have fun.

 

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5 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Now that's a Man Cave indeed, have you heated it as well?

Very nice set up and machinery.
Makes me quite envious with my rubbish B&Q pillar drill (only good for holes in cheese!)

Not actually heated, but I've stopped the drafts and, when the tumble drier's running in what used to be the other half of the garage it's nice and toasty!

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11 minutes ago, SnakeyJ said:

Not actually heated, but I've stopped the drafts and, when the tumble drier's running in what used to be the other half of the garage it's nice and toasty!

So Winter operations involve offering to do the washing,
I like your style :hello2:

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1 minute ago, Doc said:

I built a mancave/shed/workshop a few years back, it was the best thing I done. I love it so much, I spend so much time up there. You will really enjoy it also. You have some nice kit, love the lathe, I settled on a Myford ML7. A milling machine is a really good investment.

Made my first mount a little while ago, it turned out great. Are you going to make any astro items such as mounts, scopes etc.

Have fun.

 

My original intention was to be able to make some mounting hardware and adaptors.    I would love to have a proper mill, but having such a limited space will play with what I have for the moment.     Making a mount would be a true test of engineering prowess - I will try some worm and gear hobbing, but doubt I will ever achieve the accuracy required for a stepper driven mount.   Perhaps something friction or belt driven with a renishaw encoders ;)

 

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2 hours ago, SnakeyJ said:

It's taken a long time, but the home workshop is finally a reality - some two years and a half years since moving in.    Rather bijou at roughly 8'x8' and plenty still to do (shelving, replace the old up and over with side hinged doors and make space for my 'new' pillar drill).   But everything works and I am officially open and ready to start playing ;)    I'm thinking some basic steam/standing engines as an introduction and something to engage my lad.

  • IMG_20171117_080728_50p.thumb.jpg.56f3e182006d95ee8d75075855179c61.jpg
  •  

IMG_20171117_080806_50p.thumb.jpg.d375ef422eef20241dd4501dd8a6d784.jpg

'The World Turns on Colchester Lathes' - Those were the days!

IMG_20171101_200122_50p.thumb.jpg.3b961b551175bf9896c251fa102a3421.jpg

I wimped out a little and brought a Transwave Static Converter to run the Lathe via the existing wiring harness as this will run both the lathe and suds pumps (suds pump can only run at the same time as the lathe motor).     I will probably keep an eye out for a 3 phase 240V motor and digital converter in the future, but not cheap and would have to either replace the suds pump or buy another converter just for this.

The pillar drill is easier (being single phase 240V), but still languishing at the office until I find space (and own up - though this was my cheapest purchase at £ 56!).     This is a massive and lightly used Naerok (Korean made) PID25P, with a 1.1KW motor and 9 speeds up to 2550.   I'm hoping I can gently abuse this for a little aluminum and brass milling, having picked up a basic Axminster compound table in my local classifieds.

IMG_20171117_092716_50p.thumb.jpg.8234bdd0e76f6d461fbb3887f1c22065.jpg

At least it's sorted out my cloudy night activities for this winter!

 

By coincidence, a pillar drill almost identical to yours, is imminently about to leave my Father's workshop ( he is 88 years old) to take up residence in my garage/workshop, along with a box of larger diameter twist drills with 'turned down' shanks. The pillar drill we bought 39 years ago, but it is still going strong, and will get plenty more use ! 

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24 minutes ago, Saganite said:

By coincidence, a pillar drill almost identical to yours, is imminently about to leave my Father's workshop ( he is 88 years old) to take up residence in my garage/workshop, along with a box of larger diameter twist drills with 'turned down' shanks. The pillar drill we bought 39 years ago, but it is still going strong, and will get plenty more use ! 

Things certainly were over engineered to last back in the day.     Glad to hear your Dad's had such a good return on investment and hope he's still fit/active and able to offer some advice over your projects.

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