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Re: What is the Best Unimat ? and WHY !

 

The DB/SL is a very handy and adaptable machine, giving you more than just a lathe. The versatility is built in, not added as an afterthought. Then you can re-configure it to do many other jobs. But, it lacks rigidity and capacity when turning.

The U3 is better for turning, but only as versatile as a conventional lathe. The U4 is just a variant on the U3 - not significantly different in machining capacity or performance.

The PC is not much use today, as the electronics and computer requirements are very obsolete, but the Basic looks to be a solid machine, and has places provided to attach stepper motors and other components for NC use. I'm hoping that, with modern stepper motors it can become a useful NC machine.

In all cases a weak point is the motor - better replaced by modern permanent magnet types which pack more power into a smaller space with less heat and noise. There are plenty around for the DB/SL and U3, but for the PC/Basic it is more difficult due to the small size of the original motor. It would also be necessary to replace the speed control electronics, but that would be no bad thing.

So it's back to horses for courses. If you only have space for one machine get a DB/SL. If you only want turning, get a U3. If you want a more complicated life get a Basic, or a PC, strip off the stepper motors and find a better motor for it.

I have been in, or am in the middle of, all three situations.


Re: Unimat 3 Gear Cutting Gearbox Plans #unimat3 #U3accesory

 

I was playing with the numbers a while ago and came to the conclusion that driving with a 24t gear on the spindle would open up lots of possibilities to extend the range of metric threads. Can't remember the details now. Also with minor mods to the change wheel plate shown it could handle compound gears, which would also open up the possibilities. Having said that, I bought a gear plate for my U3 and I've never use it.


Re: Rustoleum Green Hammered

 

I would be happy to join for a case (6 cans?) group-buy.


On Wed, Mar 8, 2023 at 10:34?AM <quinngolden@...> wrote:

Never mind the stock No. I found it. Out of stock everywhere except possibly one place and they will only sell a case.? I don't need 6 cans. Must use the Sam pigment base as Verde Green.


? Thanks though. The stock No. is?

264664?



Re: Rustoleum Green Hammered

 

Thank you!

This looks like a winner and the price is fair.? I will see if they will ship to the states. ?



On Wed, Mar 8, 2023 at 11:01 AM andreadee via <andreadee=[email protected]> wrote:
Good afternoon,

I repainted my SL with Emco Green paint from Paragon Paints in the UK. It is a pleasant colour and a very serviceable paint, easy to apply

Since I did this they have introduced several hammered paint finishes which may be of interest.






David?
--
Quinn Golden
603-491-1451


Re: Rustoleum Green Hammered

 

Good afternoon,

I repainted my SL with Emco Green paint from Paragon Paints in the UK. It is a pleasant colour and a very serviceable paint, easy to apply

Since I did this they have introduced several hammered paint finishes which may be of interest.






David?


Re: Rustoleum Green Hammered

 

Never mind the stock No. I found it. Out of stock everywhere except possibly one place and they will only sell a case. ?I don't need 6 cans. Must use the Sam pigment base as Verde Green.


? Thanks though. The stock No. is?

264664?



Re: Rustoleum Green Hammered

 

That would be fine! ?Do you have the stock number off if the label? ? I do t know of that is available here in the states, it¡¯s not coming up in my searches. ?


Re: Unimat 3 Gear Cutting Gearbox Plans #unimat3 #U3accesory

 

It looks similar to what Sherline sells for thread cutting:
https://www.sherline.com/product/3100-thread-cutting-attachment/#description


Re: Unimat 3 Gear Cutting Gearbox Plans #unimat3 #U3accesory

 

Hi Mike,
?
Even thought mine is in an prototype stage, worked very well as it is right now, with most of the parts 3d printed in ABS with 100% infill.
It is indeed necessary to sort out some misleading dimensions of the plans.


Re: What is the Best Unimat ? and WHY !

 

Can't disagree with that John. Although outside the USA they are a little pricey. For the 8" in Australia packages start from $918 to $1381 plus $230 postage.?


Re: Unimat 3 Gear Cutting Gearbox Plans #unimat3 #U3accesory

 

Oops thats to the centre of the threaded hole.


Re: Unimat 3 Gear Cutting Gearbox Plans #unimat3 #U3accesory

 

Keith also the M16 threaded hole on the top left of the mounting plate is 15 mm from the top and 15mm from the left of the plate on the plan.


Re: Unimat 3 Gear Cutting Gearbox Plans #unimat3 #U3accesory

 

Works for me


Re: Rustoleum Green Hammered

 

Attached is a photo of a Hammered Rosemary can taken in sunlight.


Re: Rustoleum Green Hammered

 

Nice touch saving sale stickers on these cans.


On Tue, Mar 7, 2023 at 2:59?PM Jkle379184 via <jkle379184=[email protected]> wrote:

This is what the original Rosemary looks like.
?Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Andrey Malakov (gmail) <andy.malakov@...>
To: [email protected]; quinngolden@...
Sent: Tue, Mar 7, 2023 2:48 pm
Subject: Re: [Unimat] Rustoleum Green Hammered

There is still Verde Green Rustoleum available in some stores that is close to the color of early DB200.?

On Tue, Mar 7, 2023 at 9:25?AM <quinngolden@...> wrote:
Thank you for that, I can get that green locally as well as the stone finish locally. But that green is just not the right shade of green. But that may be what I¡¯m stuck with. So thank you.?


Re: Rustoleum Green Hammered

 


This is what the original Rosemary looks like.
?Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Andrey Malakov (gmail) <andy.malakov@...>
To: [email protected]; quinngolden@...
Sent: Tue, Mar 7, 2023 2:48 pm
Subject: Re: [Unimat] Rustoleum Green Hammered

There is still Verde Green Rustoleum available in some stores that is close to the color of early DB200.?

On Tue, Mar 7, 2023 at 9:25?AM <quinngolden@...> wrote:
Thank you for that, I can get that green locally as well as the stone finish locally. But that green is just not the right shade of green. But that may be what I¡¯m stuck with. So thank you.?


Re: Rustoleum Green Hammered

 

There is still Verde Green Rustoleum available in some stores that is close to the color of early DB200.?


On Tue, Mar 7, 2023 at 9:25?AM <quinngolden@...> wrote:
Thank you for that, I can get that green locally as well as the stone finish locally. But that green is just not the right shade of green. But that may be what I¡¯m stuck with. So thank you.?


Re: What is the Best Unimat ? and WHY !

 

Very nice work Phil. Perhaps when someone sells me a unimat at a reasonable price I may be able to emulate your fine example.


On Tuesday, 7 March 2023 at 18:50:37 GMT, clankennedy2004 via groups.io <clankennedy2004@...> wrote:


Charles / chuck, any idea what happened to Unimat ? bought out by Emco I guess and then ?

On Tuesday, 7 March 2023 at 18:46:58 GMT, Charles Kinzer <ckinzer@...> wrote:


I think it has already been mentioned that there may not really be a "best" as it depends on what you want to do.? Also, what if you only want to "collect" one more than using it?? Then which might be "best."? Oldest?? Newest?

One good place to start is to learn what you can about the various models.? The "lathes.uk" site has enough information to make your eyes bleed on a great many lathes (and I'm not sure if there is a better source in one place).



For the original Unimats (earliest and the more common SL1000/DB200 and even copies), they have a "Unimat" section.:



To cast a wider net including the Unimat 3 and 4 and many more you go to the "Emco Unimat" section.



There is a lot to learn if you want to take a really deep dive.? For example, just how many configurations does it have?? Their own marketing changed this number quite a bit over the years.? The following info is from perusing Model Railroader magazine advertisements.starting with the very first.

Oct 1954 "8 Precision tools in 1"? Lathe, Table Saw, Drill Press, Surface Grinder, Mill, Sander, Screw Cutter, Portable Hand Drill

Aug 1956? "10 in 1"? Lathe, Drill Press, Hand Drill, Polishing or Grinding, Tool Grinding, Milling, Jig Saw, Threading, Circular Saw, Indexing and Dividing

March 1957 They separated what the "basic" machine could do and what required attachments.? Still 10, but 6 + 4.

? ?Basic machine:? Lathe, Drill Press, Hand Drill, Polishing and Grinding, Tool Grinding, Milling
? ?With attachments:? Jig Saw, Threading, Circular Saw, Indexing and Dividing

Nov 1965? The ad focused only on the basic machine as "6 machines", Lathe, Surface Grinder, Portable Drill, Tilting Head Drill Press, Polisher/Grinder, Vertical Miller

Nov 1967? "5 in 1 Precision Machine"? (they dropped the "portable hand drill" configuration)? "5 in 1" continued to the end of the original Unimat advertising.

Oct 1978 has the first Emco-Lux Corporation ad for the Unimat 3.? It also says, "Special note to owners of the Unimat SL series who have been looking for accessories.? Emco-Lux has and will continue to have a complete line of all Unimat parts and accessories, manufactured by Maier and Company, builders of the Unimat line since the early 1950's."? There is also an ad by Caboose Hobbies that calls the Unimat 3 the "improved version of the most versatile modeling tool ever produced."? I suppose that would suggest that the SL1000/DB200 could logically no longer be "the best" at that point?

Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer












On Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 08:31:58 AM PST, phill005 via groups.io <phill05@...> wrote:


It all depends what you want to do with it, for me it is the SL, a small footprint capable of doing most work on small clocks.
But I needed to change a few things to make it better for me, I did not want a cnc but I wanted to get power movement to both axis which I have now done I replaced the bed ways fitted a small stepper motor to each and can now get movement at the press of a button.
I later want to add indexing to the head and gear cutter on the cross slide.
I have retained all old parts to revert it back to a SL lathe again if needs be.

Here it is so far:

Phill

Before cast iron lathe in need of a little care.



Work in progress.
?

Index controller I built for a dividing head.??


Re: What is the Best Unimat ? and WHY !

 

Charles / chuck, any idea what happened to Unimat ? bought out by Emco I guess and then ?

On Tuesday, 7 March 2023 at 18:46:58 GMT, Charles Kinzer <ckinzer@...> wrote:


I think it has already been mentioned that there may not really be a "best" as it depends on what you want to do.? Also, what if you only want to "collect" one more than using it?? Then which might be "best."? Oldest?? Newest?

One good place to start is to learn what you can about the various models.? The "lathes.uk" site has enough information to make your eyes bleed on a great many lathes (and I'm not sure if there is a better source in one place).



For the original Unimats (earliest and the more common SL1000/DB200 and even copies), they have a "Unimat" section.:



To cast a wider net including the Unimat 3 and 4 and many more you go to the "Emco Unimat" section.



There is a lot to learn if you want to take a really deep dive.? For example, just how many configurations does it have?? Their own marketing changed this number quite a bit over the years.? The following info is from perusing Model Railroader magazine advertisements.starting with the very first.

Oct 1954 "8 Precision tools in 1"? Lathe, Table Saw, Drill Press, Surface Grinder, Mill, Sander, Screw Cutter, Portable Hand Drill

Aug 1956? "10 in 1"? Lathe, Drill Press, Hand Drill, Polishing or Grinding, Tool Grinding, Milling, Jig Saw, Threading, Circular Saw, Indexing and Dividing

March 1957 They separated what the "basic" machine could do and what required attachments.? Still 10, but 6 + 4.

? ?Basic machine:? Lathe, Drill Press, Hand Drill, Polishing and Grinding, Tool Grinding, Milling
? ?With attachments:? Jig Saw, Threading, Circular Saw, Indexing and Dividing

Nov 1965? The ad focused only on the basic machine as "6 machines", Lathe, Surface Grinder, Portable Drill, Tilting Head Drill Press, Polisher/Grinder, Vertical Miller

Nov 1967? "5 in 1 Precision Machine"? (they dropped the "portable hand drill" configuration)? "5 in 1" continued to the end of the original Unimat advertising.

Oct 1978 has the first Emco-Lux Corporation ad for the Unimat 3.? It also says, "Special note to owners of the Unimat SL series who have been looking for accessories.? Emco-Lux has and will continue to have a complete line of all Unimat parts and accessories, manufactured by Maier and Company, builders of the Unimat line since the early 1950's."? There is also an ad by Caboose Hobbies that calls the Unimat 3 the "improved version of the most versatile modeling tool ever produced."? I suppose that would suggest that the SL1000/DB200 could logically no longer be "the best" at that point?

Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer












On Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 08:31:58 AM PST, phill005 via groups.io <phill05@...> wrote:


It all depends what you want to do with it, for me it is the SL, a small footprint capable of doing most work on small clocks.
But I needed to change a few things to make it better for me, I did not want a cnc but I wanted to get power movement to both axis which I have now done I replaced the bed ways fitted a small stepper motor to each and can now get movement at the press of a button.
I later want to add indexing to the head and gear cutter on the cross slide.
I have retained all old parts to revert it back to a SL lathe again if needs be.

Here it is so far:

Phill

Before cast iron lathe in need of a little care.



Work in progress.
?

Index controller I built for a dividing head.??


Re: What is the Best Unimat ? and WHY !

 

I think it has already been mentioned that there may not really be a "best" as it depends on what you want to do.? Also, what if you only want to "collect" one more than using it?? Then which might be "best."? Oldest?? Newest?

One good place to start is to learn what you can about the various models.? The "lathes.uk" site has enough information to make your eyes bleed on a great many lathes (and I'm not sure if there is a better source in one place).



For the original Unimats (earliest and the more common SL1000/DB200 and even copies), they have a "Unimat" section.:



To cast a wider net including the Unimat 3 and 4 and many more you go to the "Emco Unimat" section.



There is a lot to learn if you want to take a really deep dive.? For example, just how many configurations does it have?? Their own marketing changed this number quite a bit over the years.? The following info is from perusing Model Railroader magazine advertisements.starting with the very first.

Oct 1954 "8 Precision tools in 1"? Lathe, Table Saw, Drill Press, Surface Grinder, Mill, Sander, Screw Cutter, Portable Hand Drill

Aug 1956? "10 in 1"? Lathe, Drill Press, Hand Drill, Polishing or Grinding, Tool Grinding, Milling, Jig Saw, Threading, Circular Saw, Indexing and Dividing

March 1957 They separated what the "basic" machine could do and what required attachments.? Still 10, but 6 + 4.

? ?Basic machine:? Lathe, Drill Press, Hand Drill, Polishing and Grinding, Tool Grinding, Milling
? ?With attachments:? Jig Saw, Threading, Circular Saw, Indexing and Dividing

Nov 1965? The ad focused only on the basic machine as "6 machines", Lathe, Surface Grinder, Portable Drill, Tilting Head Drill Press, Polisher/Grinder, Vertical Miller

Nov 1967? "5 in 1 Precision Machine"? (they dropped the "portable hand drill" configuration)? "5 in 1" continued to the end of the original Unimat advertising.

Oct 1978 has the first Emco-Lux Corporation ad for the Unimat 3.? It also says, "Special note to owners of the Unimat SL series who have been looking for accessories.? Emco-Lux has and will continue to have a complete line of all Unimat parts and accessories, manufactured by Maier and Company, builders of the Unimat line since the early 1950's."? There is also an ad by Caboose Hobbies that calls the Unimat 3 the "improved version of the most versatile modeling tool ever produced."? I suppose that would suggest that the SL1000/DB200 could logically no longer be "the best" at that point?

Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer












On Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 08:31:58 AM PST, phill005 via groups.io <phill05@...> wrote:


It all depends what you want to do with it, for me it is the SL, a small footprint capable of doing most work on small clocks.
But I needed to change a few things to make it better for me, I did not want a cnc but I wanted to get power movement to both axis which I have now done I replaced the bed ways fitted a small stepper motor to each and can now get movement at the press of a button.
I later want to add indexing to the head and gear cutter on the cross slide.
I have retained all old parts to revert it back to a SL lathe again if needs be.

Here it is so far:

Phill

Before cast iron lathe in need of a little care.



Work in progress.
?

Index controller I built for a dividing head.??