Before I start...I will NOT discuss my sanity here!
Other than that I probably should talk to a professional, but oh well...)
After quite an extensive search on ebay and craigslist and forums I decided to email Matt from Quality Machine tools to see if he had any used lathes hanging around. Promptly emailed back with the announcement 'nope, nothing decent except a fairly new PM 1640E-LB'. Well, what I was looking for was to 'upgrade' from a 7X12....and somehow this didn't qualify as an 'upgrade', initially, in my mind...more like "are you nuts??"
Going from 85 lbs toy to a roughly 1900 lbs toy kinda feels like "you can, but I wouldn't make it public". Yet here I am...uhhh...confessing that I did just that and so I bought it from Matt. Good deal, hopefully for both of us, but it made me feel good. ) Would I go as far as stating it as a sane decision..probably not, but no hobby expense is...right? RIGHT? Hehheh.
On top of this one might argue that it's probably better if they lock me up is the fact that none of you have seen where I aim to place it in my garage, which completely defines the insanity of such project.
On that note I'd like to point out that, although the members here seem like a seriously friendly, helpful and knowledgeable bunch, it also became somewhat disappointing to read/watch here.
I'm talking pictures posted here...is it really necessary to post pictures of those clean, organized and nicely arranged shops on here? HA! Rub it in, go ahead. Needless to say that IF I post pics on here they may be edited without background or floor, so you know.
About the machine, that Matt plans to ship out next monday already, I think, and thinking about the garage, this would qualify as one of the better times to break out in a full blown panic.
When I told my wife's dad that he was going to help me when it arrives...he, casually, asked what I was going to do with such a large machine.......well....no idea.
I am a heavy lift crane operator and they generally don't do lathes and such professionally. Do I love to tinker with machines and metal and the like? Absolutely! Do I have big plans for such a monster lathe? Absolutely not! None, nada, niks.:nuts:
I'm not into guns or even knowledgeable enough for that, but who knows? I brought a bunch of real big bolts from work (wind turbines) so I have plenty steel to destroy.
Which brings me to the fair conclusion that I spend quite a sum of money on senseless behaviour, but I totally justified (in my head) that it's a hobby...period!
So now it all makes sense, right? I think so...:rofl:
Fair warning though...I 'may' have a ....few...questions here and there in the very near future...although!!! I watched enough Youtube vids and read on forums that I consider myself quite the professional.
Sorry, but I really need to think like that to justify this ...hobby... to convince my wife that there is no other way.
On the same note she seems, disturbingly, pleased that I'll spend countless hours 'out of the house'...but that's a whole other subject.)
Please don't judge me too harsh if I ask questions that may reveal that I am not so professional as I may seem in my mind. In my defence though...I'm 55 and a (genuine) Dutch import guy and therefor it can not be excluded that short term memory loss and other delusional patterns may occur in my questions and/or posts. I thank you for your patience with me upfront!
Wish me luck with this endeavour...I need it....Hehheh
John
Other than that I probably should talk to a professional, but oh well...)
After quite an extensive search on ebay and craigslist and forums I decided to email Matt from Quality Machine tools to see if he had any used lathes hanging around. Promptly emailed back with the announcement 'nope, nothing decent except a fairly new PM 1640E-LB'. Well, what I was looking for was to 'upgrade' from a 7X12....and somehow this didn't qualify as an 'upgrade', initially, in my mind...more like "are you nuts??"
Going from 85 lbs toy to a roughly 1900 lbs toy kinda feels like "you can, but I wouldn't make it public". Yet here I am...uhhh...confessing that I did just that and so I bought it from Matt. Good deal, hopefully for both of us, but it made me feel good. ) Would I go as far as stating it as a sane decision..probably not, but no hobby expense is...right? RIGHT? Hehheh.
On top of this one might argue that it's probably better if they lock me up is the fact that none of you have seen where I aim to place it in my garage, which completely defines the insanity of such project.
On that note I'd like to point out that, although the members here seem like a seriously friendly, helpful and knowledgeable bunch, it also became somewhat disappointing to read/watch here.
I'm talking pictures posted here...is it really necessary to post pictures of those clean, organized and nicely arranged shops on here? HA! Rub it in, go ahead. Needless to say that IF I post pics on here they may be edited without background or floor, so you know.
About the machine, that Matt plans to ship out next monday already, I think, and thinking about the garage, this would qualify as one of the better times to break out in a full blown panic.
When I told my wife's dad that he was going to help me when it arrives...he, casually, asked what I was going to do with such a large machine.......well....no idea.
I am a heavy lift crane operator and they generally don't do lathes and such professionally. Do I love to tinker with machines and metal and the like? Absolutely! Do I have big plans for such a monster lathe? Absolutely not! None, nada, niks.:nuts:
I'm not into guns or even knowledgeable enough for that, but who knows? I brought a bunch of real big bolts from work (wind turbines) so I have plenty steel to destroy.
Which brings me to the fair conclusion that I spend quite a sum of money on senseless behaviour, but I totally justified (in my head) that it's a hobby...period!
So now it all makes sense, right? I think so...:rofl:
Fair warning though...I 'may' have a ....few...questions here and there in the very near future...although!!! I watched enough Youtube vids and read on forums that I consider myself quite the professional.
Sorry, but I really need to think like that to justify this ...hobby... to convince my wife that there is no other way.
On the same note she seems, disturbingly, pleased that I'll spend countless hours 'out of the house'...but that's a whole other subject.)
Please don't judge me too harsh if I ask questions that may reveal that I am not so professional as I may seem in my mind. In my defence though...I'm 55 and a (genuine) Dutch import guy and therefor it can not be excluded that short term memory loss and other delusional patterns may occur in my questions and/or posts. I thank you for your patience with me upfront!
Wish me luck with this endeavour...I need it....Hehheh
John