Do I need a Lathe?

[AlanBeckett]

The above question gets asked from time to time. I would guess that the vast majority of Vintage Radio fixers, for want of a better description, don't have one, and don't feel the need. I would suggest that they are wrong. After the usual small tools, bench, vice and a drill I would say that it's the next piece of equipment that should be aquired. Bear in mind that I'm not talking about Electronic Test and Measurement Equipment here, I thinking Mechanical. Also, bear in mind that I spent all of my working life with Electronic Engineering, not Mechanical Engineering.
The reason that I think it's a good idea is that opens up all sorts of opportunities to make things that are either unobtainable or expensive, such as knobs, shafts and extensions for example.
By the way, I'm not talking here about anything large, expensive and sophisticated, although that can make things easier. Just for fun a couple of years ago I mounted a tiny Super Adept Lathe on an ex-Sewing Machine Treadle table - see attached. It works fine, and I have an equally small drill which I intend to mount alongside it with a small vice to complete the kit.
Finally, if you want to know anything about Lathes, at least as far as Vintage is concerned, see Tony Griffiths site http://lathes.co.uk/
Alan

           

[Retired]

Hi,

C'mon Alan pinching the wife's sewing machine just for the treadle; has she noticed yet?

I totally agree with your comments Alan and as you know I'm from a mechanical engineering background so have been used to all kinds of heavy industrial machines from the age of 15 as an apprentice with the coal board.

I've owned many lathes from small ones to the full size 5HP Colchester Triumph; I would never be without a lathe and I know you collect lathes and other kit Alan like others collect stamps.

A lathe is the daddy of all machine tools and it is an amazing machine; as Alan says even a small lathe will do just about everything required whilst restoring radios/TV's. A lathe is a delight to own and I play on mine just for the sheer joy of it; I know I'm sad but it keeps me happy. I also own a woodturning lathe and hopefully my friend David (Yorkie) will show some of his excellent woodturning projects as this alone is a huge subject in its own right.

To a novice a lathe is for only turning round objects but with experience it will also create flat surfaces and even cubes if required to a very high degree of accuracy. Even a worn out lathe costing very little in experienced hands is capable of producing top class work.

Thank's for adding this thread Alan and I hope others join in to open it up especially those who are interested in buying a lathe for the first time; I don't know anyone who has owned a lathe to then be without a lathe other than for health reasons because they are so useful.

Kind regards, Col.

[tiv48]

if i only had the room
rob t

[Aerodyne]

There's no doubt that finding the space is always going to be a problem - at least it is for me. Plus the cost. I know there are some pretty low-cost small - or model - engineering lathes on the market, but 'low cost' is a relative thing and much as I'd love to lay out the money on one, I have so far found it hard to reconcile the possibly quite small amount of practical use with the £250-plus kind of cost. I'll keep looking and do my periodic re-consider!
-Tony

[Jamie-Skinner]

Luckily i'm still at school.. so should I need to do something ont he Lathe I can use one of the 5 they have..

[OldTickTock]

I have a lovely little 6mm Lorch Schmidt pretty much packed up in its box these days though

Chris

[AlanBeckett]

The biggest problem I suspect is what to buy, which hinges on what do you want to do and what is your level of experience. In days of old people would have gone to their local Tech and joined a Model Engineering class in order to gain some experience and get an idea of what they needed. Jamie is in a privileged position these days because as far as I know most schools have given them up, probably on the basis if H&S.
£250 plus! I had to sit down quietly and have a small brandy when I read that. Of course you could do that, and simply as a means to an end it probably is the way to go. But as 'fixers' it's much more interesting to get an older model and play with it. Believe me it's much cheaper. For those within striking distance the Harrogate Model Engineering Exhibition is in May - http://www.theharrogateshow.com/index.html. For the rest? Well I suspect that there's enough of us to do a bit of training, advice and turning, provided you don't want a new crankshaft for your V8
Alan

[Yorkie]

I was given a little Lorch lathe, about which I knew nothing until I took it to Colin, (Retired) when I visiterd hm some months ago. It came with a box of bits, of which I'd no idea what they were for, and Colin told me they were collets. He advised me that it was a wathcmakers' lathe, and told me a little of the history of Lorch - apparently a highly regarded German company in its day.

My main interest is in woodturning, for which I have a modern lathe with a 1.5HP motor. Occasionally I press it into service to turn plastic and light metals such as alloy and brass, but hopefully, this summer, I'll fettle up the little Lorch and find space for it somewhere. Most of the metalwork tasks that I need to do are lightweight things within the scope of the Lorch. If not, I have a few model engineering friends I can call upon.

I've attached a couple of pics, which I hope are of interest.

David

[Bushbaby]

Hi All,
I've always fancied the idea of buying a small metalworking lathe at some point but I must admit I don't think that I've enough money to even consider this at the moment.

Rob

[standunmj]

hi alan,like your article on lathes, attended the rds exhibition on arts and crafts some time ago there was a mexican guy there sitti ng on the ground with a crude lathe heed made himself from the half shaft of a back axle, powered by a small electric motor, it was amazing the things he could make from wood , chair legs and spindles for seat backs etc, its a fasinating procedure . regards maitiu