开云体育

Check this site first.



This is where I went to learn avout lathes before I bought my
Homeir. Good luck.


--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "lecompte126"
<lecompte126@h...> wrote:

Hello everyone,

I'm a new member to the group. I would like to buy a mini metal
lathe, can anyone give me websites where i can find them.

Any sugestions on what kind and size to buy (I am an handy cap

person

with limited income to spend on this hobby).

thank you for your help

Kelvin

Hi George,

The HF gadgets fit the Speedway fine. I bought HF's drill chuck with
MT2 taper and it fits my Speedway 7x12 properly.

Easiest way to thread is with taps and dies when that is possible.
Assuming you are interested in single point threading with the lathe:

For outside threading, you just need to grind a toolbit to 60 degrees
(assuming standard thread), set it perpendicular to the work, put the
right gears on (a little tricky the first time out) and have at it
using very light cuts. Best to practice on scrap until you develop a
rythm per the reference below.

Inside threading is a bit more problematical in that you'll likely
want a boring bar to hold a small tool bit. I made a boring bar from
a piece of 3/8 round stock: cross drilled a small hole 1/2 inch from
the end, filed this hole square to hold a 1/8 tool bit, end drilled
and tapped the bar for a 10-32 set screw to secure the bit. Grind a
1/8 tool bit to 60 degrees and cut it to length and put it in your
shiny new boring bar. Then it works much like outside threading
except now you need a boring bar holder...

There is some magic to do with the threading dial vs tpi but it boils
down to: pick any number and ALWAYS start with that same number (I
use 5) and forget the magic. On my lathe the numbers weren't lined
up with the index mark when the leadscrew was engaged -- this is
adjustable by just twisting the threading dial which is a friction
fit, similar to the other dials.

There is a good detailed and practical description of single point
threading here:



Your lathe needs the gibs adjusted to avoid chatter and once this is
done threading works amazingly well on the 7x12. Initially, I
chucked a 16 tpi bolt up, set the gears for 16 tpi, adjusted the tool
just above the existing thread, turned it on low speed and watched as
the tool followed along just above the existing thread -- made me a
believer very quickly.

John



--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "kgmk99" <kgmk99@y...> wrote:

I am a novice and just purchased a 7 X 12 Speedway mini lathe from
Homnier. Will attachemts from Harbour Freight tools such as the

drill

chuck work in this lathe? I will also want to do some threading and
need to know what else I should purchase to do this? Any help on

this

would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

George Kaplan

Correction to my previous post:

It is www.mini-lathe.com (with a hyphen), not www.minilathe.com Sorry.

Chuck K,

Kelvin:

If you spend a couple of hours roaming the right places on the net, you can
get a good picture of things quickly. Here's are some suggestions for you
(others on this group will probably also chime in. This group has many
helpful folks). One thing you should do is have a fairly clear idea of what
you want to do so you don't purchase too much or too little (which is
possibly worse).

www.minilathe.com is THE place with a lot of information and links about the
small Sieg Chinese minilathes. Sieg machines are sold under many brands as
you will see on this site. The consensus of this group seems to be that
Homier is the best value. Homier's site is www.homier.com .

www.littlemachineshop.com is another "must see" site selling tooling,
accessories, and parts for these things. It's loaded with all sorts of
information.

www.sherline.com is Sherline's site. These are American made lathes that
are smaller than the 7x10/7x12/7x14 Chinese lathes but have arguably better
quality. These are sold by many places. They are priced fairly, but you
will likely pay more than for the Chinese lathes.

If something as small as a Sherline is OK, you might consider an older
Unimat lathe. These first came out in the 60's and really popularized the
idea of small lathes. These are always being sold on ebay. Really nice
ones with lots of tooling can go for big bucks as a collector item, but
completely usable ones with a little rust and scraped paint often go for
bargain prices. Those early Unimats are not as strong as the Sherline, but
many have done wonders with them. I couldn't recommend the newer Unimat
products - they have become just too hobby-like.

You can search on ebay for "minilathe", "sherline", "unimat" and even "small
lathes" and see a lot small lathes and accessories.

Note that the tooling you will need (chucks, fancier toolposts, milling
attachments, etc) is about the same for anything and tooling can represent a
significant cost if you want a lot of doodads. It's worth getting an idea
of everything that will be needed for what you want to do, and know what
comes supplied with the lathe, so you don't get surprised later.

Good luck, and enjoy!

Chuck K.

I've owned a Craftsman 6 inch in the past and would consider it better
quality and, if in good condition, likely to produce better results than the
minilathes as they come out of the box. They weren't a "kit", as many on
this group have described the Chinese minilathes. I've got a MicroMark
which is like the Homier and except for some bells and whistles is as good,
or bad, as the Homier.

Condition is the catch. Used ones can have some real wear problems than can
put them next to worthless. Especially look for wear on the flat ways. I'd
suggest buying one where you could get your hands on it first unless you had
some reason to be more comfortable. Seems awhile back somebody was selling
a one that looked like it had hardly been used and had many accessories
still in the box. That would make for a pretty decent basic lathe, in my
opinion. (Something I haven't seen since I joined this group is a request
for somebody to inspect something for them. Guys in a car group I'm in do
that from time to time.)

While you're looking, if you have the space, you might want to consider the
10" version. Like the 6", it's not a top of the line design, but pretty
good. I have a friend who was a tool and diemaker, is one of the dwindling
number of true craftsmen out there, and used one to build a very nice live
steam railroad engine.

One good thing about small used lathes like the Craftsman: It seems there
is always a willing market wanting to buy the things. Let's face it - it
looks more like a "real" lathe than a hobby lathe. So if you got one and
changed your mind, you can likely easily sell it locally.

Chuck K.

try going to www.minilathe.com and look it up in the files. it shows how to
slacken and tighten the nuts at the front of the bed in order to move the
motor around. i did mine in about 5 mins,following the instructions




DAVID WILLIAMS
BOLTON
ENGLAND
www.smartgroups.com/groups/fliers

Having completed the replacement of the back? gears in the headstock of
my 7x10 I am having trouble getting the drive toothed belt to run true in
the forward direction. Has anyone else encountered this problem and what
is the secret to motor alignment ?

Bill in Boulder "Engineering as an Art Form!"

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the info on your mod as well as the link to the cross
slide mod pictures. I particularly like the way you clamped the
inner race; if my wild scheme doesn't work out I'll copy yours.

I tend to be a "successive approximation" worker, that is when
possible I try to make things in such a way that the parts can be
tried prior to completion. The cross slide mod I'm attempting is a
good example in that the change to the carriage is now done plus I've
completed the lead screw extension and have it in place (but the dial
is still where it used to be because I don't have the bearing yet),
held with a longer bolt. This extension has the groove for the
dial's friction spring as well as the land for the inner bearing race
to butt against. All I need now is the bearing and spacer. The
extension is easily removed so I can revert to the original setup
quickly, except I can't put the material back into the carriage :-)
Pictures of the present state are near the end of the page on my
lathe site:

There is 5/8" additional thread exposed on the leadscrew so it will
be quite a bit better than the present setup; I can make the next
approximation - a new leadscrew - later if necessary.

My scheme for inner race retention is not as positive as yours. I'm
trying to copy the method used on the minilathe's compound slide
except that a ball bearing will be included. That is, the handle
will take the bearing's thrust via the dial. Very few parts needed
but hard to say if it will have excessive slop - my compound has
about 3 mils.

I'm still agonizing over a simple way to retain the bearing's outer
race which would also allow easy disassembly so I can revert to the
original setup if it doesn't work as I hope. Loctite or a press fit
would make the bearing more difficult to extract so I'm leaning
toward a set screw.

With the material removed from the carriage I find that the cross
slide lead screw is exposed when the toolpost is centered as it is
when using the ball fixture. It's unclear how to protect this in a
way which won't interfere with the spacer - another use for duct
tape, maybe ;-)

John


--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "v45bob" <rosunley@s...> wrote:

I made a new spacer block, a block to hold two bearings, with a
washer between the bearing and the spacer block. This allowed the
bearing outer race to be pinched between the spacer block and the
bearing block.

I made a new leadscrew, easy as I have a metric leadscrew, and

turned

the shaft to be 2mm less in diameter than the original. I also made
the threaded portion approx 2" longer to allow more travel for the
Taig milling attachment I have.

This way I used smaller bearings and a sleeve between the handle
washer and the bearings to clamp the leadscrew to the inner race.
the original numbered dial fits over the sleeve and is held in

place

with a set screw instead of the spring.

I sortof copied someone else's cross slide bearing mod, but not

sure

where it was/is.

Here it is:


Projects/Cross_Slide_Mod/

Bob.

I made a new spacer block, a block to hold two bearings, with a
washer between the bearing and the spacer block. This allowed the
bearing outer race to be pinched between the spacer block and the
bearing block.

I made a new leadscrew, easy as I have a metric leadscrew, and turned
the shaft to be 2mm less in diameter than the original. I also made
the threaded portion approx 2" longer to allow more travel for the
Taig milling attachment I have.

This way I used smaller bearings and a sleeve between the handle
washer and the bearings to clamp the leadscrew to the inner race.
the original numbered dial fits over the sleeve and is held in place
with a set screw instead of the spring.

I sortof copied someone else's cross slide bearing mod, but not sure
where it was/is.

Here it is:


Projects/Cross_Slide_Mod/

Bob.

Hello everyone,

I'm a new member to the group. I would like to buy a mini metal
lathe, can anyone give me websites where i can find them.

Any sugestions on what kind and size to buy (I am an handy cap person
with limited income to spend on this hobby).

thank you for your help

Kelvin

I am a novice and just purchased a 7 X 12 Speedway mini lathe from
Homnier. Will attachemts from Harbour Freight tools such as the drill
chuck work in this lathe? I will also want to do some threading and
need to know what else I should purchase to do this? Any help on this
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

George Kaplan

Realistically, the bearings should last close to forever; any
method of making them easy to remove would be hard to retrofit into
the existing envelope. Ejector holes don't need to be threaded;
clearance for a punch is more than enough. There are nifty blind
hole pullers that work, <
catalog.php3>, look for item 4581.
A setscrew retaining a ball bearing shouldn't bear directly on the
outer race; the point contact will distort the race enough to keep
the bearing from working properly. With an Aluminum housing, heating
the whole assembly will let the bearing drop out (differential
expansion). The outer race should actually be a minimal clearance
fit - it should be able to "creep" in the housing.
I wouldn't worry much about easy bearing replacement, this sort of
bearing mounting is relatively common and has lots of common
techniques to unmount.

Roy
--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "John" <moran03@e...> wrote:

Hi Roy,

Thanks for the reference. I also intend to put a BB in the compound
since the bearings are so cheap ($0.72 for a 6001-2RS) but, as a
newbie, am not sure about that design -- it looks like the press

fit

bearing could get stuck in the holder and make it difficult to

remove

since the bearing covers the bolts which retain the holder. Perhaps

a

set screw could be used instead or possibly threads for ejector
screws?

I also saw a BB design for the 7x cross slide somewhere on the net
but can't recall where - old age is hell! So, I'm adapting Steve
Bedair's 9x20 design to the 7x:


I haven't figured out exactly how I'll retain the bearing shell but
am leaning toward a set screw. I may make the holder from two
pieces, the spacer and the bearing holder, and bolt them together.
This to minimize the amount of material removed while providing
enough meat for a set screw.

I also ordered a couple of bearings with an 8mm hole to fit the
carriage drive ($0.44) so eventually all my controls will use BB's.

Given the low cost of the Asian bearings, it is surprising that

they

don't use them during original manufacture. It costs much more for
shipping than bearings when you add them later.

John



--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "roylowenthal"
<roylowenthal@y...> wrote:

Here's a compound ball bearing mod:
<>
Somewhere, I thought I'd seen a cross-slide ball bearing mod;

of

course, I can't find it now! (Maybe somewhere in the 7x10 links

or

files?)

Roy
--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "John" <moran03@e...> wrote:

I'm getting ready to mod my cross slide along the lines shown

here:

At the same time I'd like to add a ball bearing to the cross

slide

shaft.

After looking at the whole project I noted that Gordon Scott's

mod

moves the cross slide travel about an inch toward the operator

but

doesn't seem to actually increase the travel.

The cross slide lead screw has extra threads which would allow
additional travel once the material is milled away but this

would,

of

course, require a longer lead screw shaft by an inch or so on

the

knob end.

My current plan is to make an extension and bolt it onto the

existing

shaft by using a much longer screw to hold the knob in place.

This

extension will hold the ball bearing to lock the inner race to

the

shaft and a complete new part will be fabricated to hold the

outside

race of the bearing such that the original leadscrew will be

only

a

few mils farther forward than at present (this so the flange on

the

shaft won't bind against the end of the carriage).

Has anyone done a similar mod? I've found a description of a

BB

added to the cross slide on a 9x20 but haven't found this for

the

7x.

This is a more extensive (pun intended) mod to my lathe than

any

attempted previously so any advice gratefully accepted.

John

There is a lot to be said for Lock-Tite in these applications! Minimal
space requirement, easy assembly, and reversible with a propane torch!

Bill in Boulder "Engineering as an Art Form!"

I'm quite sure that I already posted this several hours ago, but here
it goes again:

Ty added ball bearings to his xslide in conjunction with a new 20 tpi
lead screw. You can find the drawings at:



Steve


--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "John" <moran03@e...> wrote:

I'm getting ready to mod my cross slide along the lines shown here:



At the same time I'd like to add a ball bearing to the cross slide
shaft.

After looking at the whole project I noted that Gordon Scott's mod
moves the cross slide travel about an inch toward the operator but
doesn't seem to actually increase the travel.

The cross slide lead screw has extra threads which would allow
additional travel once the material is milled away but this would,

of

course, require a longer lead screw shaft by an inch or so on the
knob end.

My current plan is to make an extension and bolt it onto the

existing

shaft by using a much longer screw to hold the knob in place. This
extension will hold the ball bearing to lock the inner race to the
shaft and a complete new part will be fabricated to hold the

outside

race of the bearing such that the original leadscrew will be only a
few mils farther forward than at present (this so the flange on the
shaft won't bind against the end of the carriage).

Has anyone done a similar mod? I've found a description of a BB
added to the cross slide on a 9x20 but haven't found this for the

7x.

This is a more extensive (pun intended) mod to my lathe than any
attempted previously so any advice gratefully accepted.

John

I'm quite sure that I already posted this several hours ago, but here
it goes again:

Ty added ball bearings to his xslide in conjunction with a new 20 tpi
lead screw. You can find the drawings at:



Steve


--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "John" <moran03@e...> wrote:

I'm getting ready to mod my cross slide along the lines shown here:



At the same time I'd like to add a ball bearing to the cross slide
shaft.

After looking at the whole project I noted that Gordon Scott's mod
moves the cross slide travel about an inch toward the operator but
doesn't seem to actually increase the travel.

The cross slide lead screw has extra threads which would allow
additional travel once the material is milled away but this would,

of

course, require a longer lead screw shaft by an inch or so on the
knob end.

My current plan is to make an extension and bolt it onto the

existing

shaft by using a much longer screw to hold the knob in place. This
extension will hold the ball bearing to lock the inner race to the
shaft and a complete new part will be fabricated to hold the

outside

race of the bearing such that the original leadscrew will be only a
few mils farther forward than at present (this so the flange on the
shaft won't bind against the end of the carriage).

Has anyone done a similar mod? I've found a description of a BB
added to the cross slide on a 9x20 but haven't found this for the

7x.

This is a more extensive (pun intended) mod to my lathe than any
attempted previously so any advice gratefully accepted.

John

Hi Roy,

Thanks for the reference. I also intend to put a BB in the compound
since the bearings are so cheap ($0.72 for a 6001-2RS) but, as a
newbie, am not sure about that design -- it looks like the press fit
bearing could get stuck in the holder and make it difficult to remove
since the bearing covers the bolts which retain the holder. Perhaps a
set screw could be used instead or possibly threads for ejector
screws?

I also saw a BB design for the 7x cross slide somewhere on the net
but can't recall where - old age is hell! So, I'm adapting Steve
Bedair's 9x20 design to the 7x:


I haven't figured out exactly how I'll retain the bearing shell but
am leaning toward a set screw. I may make the holder from two
pieces, the spacer and the bearing holder, and bolt them together.
This to minimize the amount of material removed while providing
enough meat for a set screw.

I also ordered a couple of bearings with an 8mm hole to fit the
carriage drive ($0.44) so eventually all my controls will use BB's.

Given the low cost of the Asian bearings, it is surprising that they
don't use them during original manufacture. It costs much more for
shipping than bearings when you add them later.

John



--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "roylowenthal"
<roylowenthal@y...> wrote:

Here's a compound ball bearing mod:
<>
Somewhere, I thought I'd seen a cross-slide ball bearing mod; of
course, I can't find it now! (Maybe somewhere in the 7x10 links or
files?)

Roy
--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "John" <moran03@e...> wrote:

I'm getting ready to mod my cross slide along the lines shown

here:

At the same time I'd like to add a ball bearing to the cross

slide

shaft.

After looking at the whole project I noted that Gordon Scott's

mod

moves the cross slide travel about an inch toward the operator

but

doesn't seem to actually increase the travel.

The cross slide lead screw has extra threads which would allow
additional travel once the material is milled away but this

would,

of

course, require a longer lead screw shaft by an inch or so on the
knob end.

My current plan is to make an extension and bolt it onto the

existing

shaft by using a much longer screw to hold the knob in place.

This

extension will hold the ball bearing to lock the inner race to

the

shaft and a complete new part will be fabricated to hold the

outside

race of the bearing such that the original leadscrew will be only

a

few mils farther forward than at present (this so the flange on

the

shaft won't bind against the end of the carriage).

Has anyone done a similar mod? I've found a description of a BB
added to the cross slide on a 9x20 but haven't found this for the

7x.

This is a more extensive (pun intended) mod to my lathe than any
attempted previously so any advice gratefully accepted.

John

Ty added BB to his xslide in conjunction with a new leadscrew.

Try this:



Steve


--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "John" <moran03@e...> wrote:

I'm getting ready to mod my cross slide along the lines shown here:



At the same time I'd like to add a ball bearing to the cross slide
shaft.

After looking at the whole project I noted that Gordon Scott's mod
moves the cross slide travel about an inch toward the operator but
doesn't seem to actually increase the travel.

The cross slide lead screw has extra threads which would allow
additional travel once the material is milled away but this would,

of

course, require a longer lead screw shaft by an inch or so on the
knob end.

My current plan is to make an extension and bolt it onto the

existing

shaft by using a much longer screw to hold the knob in place. This
extension will hold the ball bearing to lock the inner race to the
shaft and a complete new part will be fabricated to hold the

outside

race of the bearing such that the original leadscrew will be only a
few mils farther forward than at present (this so the flange on the
shaft won't bind against the end of the carriage).

Has anyone done a similar mod? I've found a description of a BB
added to the cross slide on a 9x20 but haven't found this for the

7x.

This is a more extensive (pun intended) mod to my lathe than any
attempted previously so any advice gratefully accepted.

John

Has anyone ever given thought to designing a small taper turning
attachment for one of the small 7 x 12 mini-lathes? I realize you'd
need to disconnect the cross slide screw but it just don't seem like
it'd be a big deal. I figure a cam follower on a bracket attached to
the disconnected cross slide picking up a slot milled into an angle
adjustable bracket mounted to the back of the bed. Opinions, ideas,
comments?

haplesstechnoweenie wrote:

I have read on a few sites that say that the design of the 9x20 style lathes
have an inherant set back.... Being that you can't run them for extended
periods of time without the spindle bearings over heating and causing some
sort of damage.

Not sure about the damage part but I believe this came from JWE Who may have done somthing of a turn around on these lathes as of late.

other problems with them are:

Most of them are incapable of cutting their own spindle thread.

Lack of tumbler reverse (needed for left hand threads.)

Lack of rigidity in the area of compound mounting.

To damm heavy to move easly (approx 300lbs) but to light for heavy work (lacks low/back gears.)

But I have never had one and am only repeating what I have read various places.
Regards
Bob

Here's a compound ball bearing mod:
<>
Somewhere, I thought I'd seen a cross-slide ball bearing mod; of
course, I can't find it now! (Maybe somewhere in the 7x10 links or
files?)

Roy
--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "John" <moran03@e...> wrote:

I'm getting ready to mod my cross slide along the lines shown here:



At the same time I'd like to add a ball bearing to the cross slide
shaft.

After looking at the whole project I noted that Gordon Scott's mod
moves the cross slide travel about an inch toward the operator but
doesn't seem to actually increase the travel.

The cross slide lead screw has extra threads which would allow
additional travel once the material is milled away but this would,

of

course, require a longer lead screw shaft by an inch or so on the
knob end.

My current plan is to make an extension and bolt it onto the

existing

shaft by using a much longer screw to hold the knob in place. This
extension will hold the ball bearing to lock the inner race to the
shaft and a complete new part will be fabricated to hold the

outside

race of the bearing such that the original leadscrew will be only a
few mils farther forward than at present (this so the flange on the
shaft won't bind against the end of the carriage).

Has anyone done a similar mod? I've found a description of a BB
added to the cross slide on a 9x20 but haven't found this for the

7x.

This is a more extensive (pun intended) mod to my lathe than any
attempted previously so any advice gratefully accepted.

John