Why I bought a lathe

[Mayhem]

A number of people have asked why I bought a lathe and my answer seems to baffle some. I do not make model engines, nor do I use it to make money (although a few small jobs may be coming my way). The reason I bought one and the reason I have wanted one for some time is for all those moments when I have been building or repairing something and though "if only I had a lathe..."

Sometimes I struggle to think of a specific example or the one I come up with leaves them with a confused look on their face! So, here are some pics and one example of why I wanted/bought one.

Here is my old Meddings drill press, that my Dad purchased before I was born (or at least before I can remember seeing it). It came from a production factory where several were lined up, each doing a set task.

   

This one never had a table and when he found one that fitted, the arm was too short, so that the drill would hit the table and not go through the centre hole. Not the end of the world but something that I couldn't easily fix without a lathe (although it could be done).

So, I set about turning up a spacer, which is fixed to the body to allow the zero mark to be set up, as the table can tilt Left and Right.

   
   

Now, the drill is in my workshop at home and the lathe is in my other workshop. As such, I didn't notice that the hole at the bottom is not directly below the centre hole (this is threaded to lock the table level). As I used this hole for reference when marking out the two holes to fix the spacer to the body, they are now off kilter too. Good thing is you cant see them once the arm is back on!

   
   

All finished and the table is now centred relative to the spindle.

   

So why do/did you want/buy a lathe???

[Highpower]

(04-17-2012, 08:08 AM)Mayhem Wrote: .... I do not make model engines, nor do I use it to make money (although a few small jobs may be coming my way). The reason I bought one and the reason I have wanted one for some time is for all those moments when I have been building or repairing something and though "if only I had a lathe..."

Great story Mayhem!

I got hooked early on in high-school metal shop after being introduced to metalworking machines. Even back then I thought about how cool it would be to own one of my own.

It only took me 20 - 25 years to get there, but better late than never.

[DaveH]

Nice job on the drill Mayhem

I bought my lathe in 1998 I had absolutely no rhyme or reason to buy it and I certainly did not need one.

I just wanted one

DaveH

[EdK]

Mayhem,

My reason was similar to yours. I was fixing or making some things that caused me to think "if only I had a lathe". When I got my latest lathe my sister happen to stop over and see it sitting in the garage still in the crate. She asked what I was going to do with it. I told her that she should know better than to ask a man why he has tools.

Ed

[dallen]

(04-17-2012, 10:53 AM)EdAK Wrote: Mayhem,

My reason was similar to yours. I was fixing or making some things that caused me to think "if only I had a lathe". When I got my latest lathe my sister happen to stop over and see it sitting in the garage still in the crate. She asked what I was going to do with it. I told her that she should know better than to ask a man why he has tools.

Ed

roflmao,,,,if I could of only thought of that remark to of told my EX

[ETC57]

Mayhem,

Your story is much like mine only I had no thought of a lathe or mill until
my 40s when I found my self in a job where I moved machinery every day for a living, it was then I started to take notice and ponder as to what I could do with such a machine!!

I don't know if I will ever take the time to make a small motor or any thing that complex but so far the things I have made are enjoyable to make and provide me with a since of accomplishment!

For now that is more than enough and that doesn't even begin to touch the enjoyment and friendships my little machine has brought to me through the forums!!

Jerry.

[Nitsuj]

I just like working with my hands, plain and simple. I spend a good part of my adult life working as a motorcycle mechniac at a dealership. My hero at that shop was a grouchy old bike type, he could fix anything. Picture an old biker, and you'll have a good picture. Long gray beard, pony tail, a Harley that isn't shiny or pretty, just covered with dust and bug guts.
If he wasn't such a grumpy old recluse, I'd love to take pictures of his home shop. The stuff he builds is amazing.

Anyhow, this guy was who I learned a lot from. If there was something no one else could fix, or parts weren't made, this cat would wander over to the worn out South Bend 9" lathe and 10 minutes later, everything was good to go. I had run a lathe a bit in high school shop class, but after seeing what a skilled operator could do, I knew I wanted a lathe in my garage.

Right after high school, I spent some time at a large tool and die company as an apprentice, but I never got to use the lathe or mill. I was a surface grinder on a Parker Majestis, and ran a huge wet grinder. I'd some day like to own a grinder, I enjoyed that job.

I'm getting off track. One day, when I was no longer a mechanic, I was a motorcycle salesman, a guy walked into my office and told me he had a metal lathe in his shop he never used, knew nothing about and wanted rid of. So I went to look at it. It was a decent old Atlas 12x36. It was complete, all parts were there, and some tooling. I of course was interested. I asked how much. He thought for a second and said, I dunno, is $100 a fair price... Um yeah, here's your money.

So I had my lathe and I was off and running. I tore it down, replaced all the brearings, cleaned it up and painted it. Fast forward 10 or so years and I have a deposit on a mill to be picked up this weekend (work permitting).

So back to the original question. Why do I have a lathe? Several reasons, actually. I love my tools. Next to my house, my tools are about my biggest investment. I get huge satisfaction from having a problem, and walking into my garage and knowing I have just the tool to fix it. I love that. If I'm building a chopper, bobber or cafe racer and I'm fitting a wheel toa bike that was never designed to accept that wheel, I love that I can just turn out a wheel spacer.

Here's the other thing: I love taking these old tools and tearing them down, cleaning, inspecting, replacing and rebuilding. The money I spent for my 40's era lathe was worth every penny, even if I never turned it on. It's sort of my version of model building. I don't care if it's a car, motorcycle or machine, I like fixing and building. Whe I finally get my mill home, half the fun will be setting it up. Getting it tweaked and adjusted. Getting it clean, then getting it making precise cuts. Then, after I've had some fun with it, I'll probably tear it apart, clean it good, replace anything needing replaced, then paint and assemble. And if I never use it, I'll sell it and use the money to buy some other old heap. And start all over again. That heap may be another mill. Or another old bike, I've even done a few old boats. The nice thing about restoring the old machine tools is this, having them help me with restoring the other stuff. Having a 1967 Johnson boat didn't help me restore my lathe. But having the lather helped when I restored the boat!

But now I'm just rambling. Sorry. ;-)

[mikecwik]

thats an inside joke where i work. every time a problem out tools us say "if only we had a....." we are on optical analyzer for a few months now.

its even funnier when someone asks why do you have this for, what are you going to do with that? only to ask to borrow it next day or in short order.

whats even funnier is i have to urine test to get a job or if you get hurt at work but welfare doesnt.

[Hopefuldave]

Mike, don't tell me there are two of us here who know what and EDFA and a Bragg grating are????

Dave H. (the other one, former driver of OTDRs and such... Now driving a lathe and mill :) )

[mikecwik]

no dave, you are the only one here that knows about that stuff, me? im way too cool, supermodel gettin .....all that stuff...

the membership is small but im sure there will be some other nerds coming along that are knowledgeable on those topics.

im just funnin ya!