- Joined
- Apr 7, 2018
- Messages
- 131
Since being home bound lately, thought I would provide my experience over that last 18 months as a newbie getting into
the hobby of making things from metal. I am a retired software engineer that needed a hobby
that would keep me off the couch. In the beginning, I signed up for use of the machines
at the local makerspace. They were all older machines that were abused by us newbie nitwits. And you had to take down
your setup each time. It was frustrating. I had allocated a budget for a hobby/pastime (less than a bass boat) and
decided to jump in and get my own machine. This is a summary of what I have learned (short form). I am not
advocating anything. Just my experiences. Please note that I am having a marvelous time learning, doing, failing and
succeeding in making chips fly that results in something I can touch.
What I did right.
Bought a new bench top lathe (10x30) and mill (7x27), both with 3/4 HP motors with variable speed controls and DRO
from a reputable dealer with a good warranty.
My reasoning, which has been validated so far, is that I knew almost nothing about either machine and had no skills in
machining metal. Buying new machines, I had a reasonable chance that everything would work out of the box and if not
I could get help figuring it out. Getting bench top machines kept things within the budget (less than a bass boat).
The DRO was added as I knew enough that I would flub things using just the hand wheel graduations. The variable drive
controls were just to make things easier. The surprise was the 3/4 HP motor. These machines are dangerous. And as a
newbie, mistakes would get committed. With greater HP motors, things could easily go catastrophic. With the 3/4 HP,
things will still break and did, but at least metal was not flying all over the place. The 3/4 HP has enough umph
to do what I wanted to get done.
A side note: I have a small workshop and fitting things in has been a work in progress. At first I rented a engine lift,
but after two rental sessions, I bought a cheap Harbor Freight lift. It has paid for itself many times over since then.
Got a small bench grinder and focused on grinding HHS tool bits. I have carbide inserts, but my lathe can't spin fast
enough to due them justice. Have gotten good enough to get reasonable finishes on steel, cast iron, brass and aluminum.
Got a used copy of the 27th edition of the Machine Handbook and the compact version. It is overwhelming, but well worth
the time to read.
Bought new, good quality micrometer and digital calipers. Not cheap ones. Not used.
Something I wish I had done.
Gotten a machinist to set the machines up. Both machines needed to be cleaned and aligned. While the procedures are
easily explained, but they are tedious at best and require machining skill. It has taken me easily a year to get the two
machines aligned to my satisfaction. If I had paid someone the few hundred dollars to get them set up, my learning curve
on general machine would have been greatly improved.
Things I did wrong.
Bought cheap cutting tools. Especially drill bits. Got a 115 set for $60. Bad idea. Many were bent or poorly sharped.
I had all kinds of problems trying to get holes the right size. Finally, I gave up, bought a set for $250 and have had no
issues.
Bought used cutting tools. Got junk. Dumb.
Projects I have done (and results)
Turner's Cube - Made form a 1" cube of aluminum. Fun and helped focus on grinding various types of HSS toobits
Small parts clamping device - From steel using a design from Clickspring. Very handy.
Clock - Using Steven Conover's book. Started over a year a go. Parts were just too small with greater precision than
I could do. Fun project, but frustrating. Have been periodically going back to it. Still does not run worth a damn.
Small Internal Combustion Engine - Same as the clock.
Die Filer using a casting kit - Finally something of a size that I could do. And did. Works great.
Tool rest for the bench grinder - Crude, but effective.
Lots of fixtures and jigs -Now, more than willing to build whatever is needed.
the hobby of making things from metal. I am a retired software engineer that needed a hobby
that would keep me off the couch. In the beginning, I signed up for use of the machines
at the local makerspace. They were all older machines that were abused by us newbie nitwits. And you had to take down
your setup each time. It was frustrating. I had allocated a budget for a hobby/pastime (less than a bass boat) and
decided to jump in and get my own machine. This is a summary of what I have learned (short form). I am not
advocating anything. Just my experiences. Please note that I am having a marvelous time learning, doing, failing and
succeeding in making chips fly that results in something I can touch.
What I did right.
Bought a new bench top lathe (10x30) and mill (7x27), both with 3/4 HP motors with variable speed controls and DRO
from a reputable dealer with a good warranty.
My reasoning, which has been validated so far, is that I knew almost nothing about either machine and had no skills in
machining metal. Buying new machines, I had a reasonable chance that everything would work out of the box and if not
I could get help figuring it out. Getting bench top machines kept things within the budget (less than a bass boat).
The DRO was added as I knew enough that I would flub things using just the hand wheel graduations. The variable drive
controls were just to make things easier. The surprise was the 3/4 HP motor. These machines are dangerous. And as a
newbie, mistakes would get committed. With greater HP motors, things could easily go catastrophic. With the 3/4 HP,
things will still break and did, but at least metal was not flying all over the place. The 3/4 HP has enough umph
to do what I wanted to get done.
A side note: I have a small workshop and fitting things in has been a work in progress. At first I rented a engine lift,
but after two rental sessions, I bought a cheap Harbor Freight lift. It has paid for itself many times over since then.
Got a small bench grinder and focused on grinding HHS tool bits. I have carbide inserts, but my lathe can't spin fast
enough to due them justice. Have gotten good enough to get reasonable finishes on steel, cast iron, brass and aluminum.
Got a used copy of the 27th edition of the Machine Handbook and the compact version. It is overwhelming, but well worth
the time to read.
Bought new, good quality micrometer and digital calipers. Not cheap ones. Not used.
Something I wish I had done.
Gotten a machinist to set the machines up. Both machines needed to be cleaned and aligned. While the procedures are
easily explained, but they are tedious at best and require machining skill. It has taken me easily a year to get the two
machines aligned to my satisfaction. If I had paid someone the few hundred dollars to get them set up, my learning curve
on general machine would have been greatly improved.
Things I did wrong.
Bought cheap cutting tools. Especially drill bits. Got a 115 set for $60. Bad idea. Many were bent or poorly sharped.
I had all kinds of problems trying to get holes the right size. Finally, I gave up, bought a set for $250 and have had no
issues.
Bought used cutting tools. Got junk. Dumb.
Projects I have done (and results)
Turner's Cube - Made form a 1" cube of aluminum. Fun and helped focus on grinding various types of HSS toobits
Small parts clamping device - From steel using a design from Clickspring. Very handy.
Clock - Using Steven Conover's book. Started over a year a go. Parts were just too small with greater precision than
I could do. Fun project, but frustrating. Have been periodically going back to it. Still does not run worth a damn.
Small Internal Combustion Engine - Same as the clock.
Die Filer using a casting kit - Finally something of a size that I could do. And did. Works great.
Tool rest for the bench grinder - Crude, but effective.
Lots of fixtures and jigs -Now, more than willing to build whatever is needed.
