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Jim C

Member
Jul 11, 2010
200
6
18
Long Beach Calif
Well I just bought a Central Machinery (Harbor Freight) 7 inch swing lathe. It is still in the hatch back uncrated. I got a **** of a price on it they combined a couple of discounts and to do that I bought the 2 year repair plan.
As of now the little shop has a drill press, a belt sander and a full compliment of machinist tools. So I am moving up from match drilling and hand filing. I don't expect too much from this lathe but I am a retired tool and die maker & machine builder I can do some nice work working to layout lines I should be able to bring this machine up to my standards pretty quickly. I do have quite a bit of tooling that will work. I hope to get it into the shop/office today and start uncrating.
 
Allen_Wrench

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
26
36
Indianapolis
Soooooooooooo jealous. My long-suffering, used Dremel has been slaving for me for years. If my fortunes ever change, I will someday have a shop of my own.
 
J

Jim C

Member
Jul 11, 2010
200
6
18
Long Beach Calif
I have seen a number of You Tube videos that tell me I will have to take this machine down and put it all back together before I can use it, but it looks like it is really good out of the box. I cleaned it up and check the gib adjustments and all look good. The spindle runs true and there is no end play. I chucked up a 1/2 inch drill blank and it is within .0015 in the hard jaws. I will make some soft jaws for it soon.
Today I plan on doing the initial test firing of the last build I have done. It is a 29 in cruiser with a 66 cc two stroke in it. I originally built it with a 49 cc four stroke and rode it for a while but it was low on power. So I bought the 2 stroke from Bike Berry but as of yet have not even fired it up. Today it will pass or fail.
I sure could have used this lathe during that build.
 
WECSOG

WECSOG

Member
Nov 10, 2014
138
13
18
North Alabama, USA
Jim C said:
I have seen a number of You Tube videos that tell me I will have to take this machine down and put it all back together before I can use it
Click to expand...
Don't believe it. The same types will also tell you, if you will listen, that any lathe that wasn't made in America and doesn't weigh a minimum of a thousand pounds is a worthless piece of garbage that will do nothing for you. Then in the same breath they will suggest that you should be able to find such a lathe listed in your local classifieds for a hundred bucks within two weeks, tops.
Clean it as best you can, oil it well (and frequently), and get to work. If your machine has any issues, they will manifest themselves. Then you can deal with those problem on an as-needed basis. Grizzly.com and littlemachineshop.com are your friends.
I will say one thing, though: definitely plan on getting a quick release tool holder (littlemachineshop has them) as soon as possible. Not only is it a very handy addition; it will also pay for itself quickly by allowing you to buy cheap, common tooling instead of the more expensive 1/4" and 5/16" bits that the supplied toolholder limits you to.
 
J

Jim C

Member
Jul 11, 2010
200
6
18
Long Beach Calif
The quick change tool holder is already on order as well as a few throw away insert tools and I do have some. I have a nice wrenchless drill chuck I need to get a #2 morse taper adapter for the tail stock. I think it's #2 I have to check that out.
 
sbest

sbest

Member
Nov 3, 2015
343
2
18
Nova Scotia
Jim, I am green with envy.

I was spoiled by learning on big Cazeneuve, Elliot and Dean,Smith&Grace machines. They take an hour to change a chuck. I jumped at the chance to work on the toolroom Hardinge. Wow, not as rigid, but so much lighter and fun to work on. Eventually I moved on to mechanical and electrical trades (all the machinists felt I'd taken a step backward!).

I loved the big machines. Ran them at max speed, depth and feed as a challenge. Something very satisfying about listening to the machine groan under the load. Knowing you are making it WORK. Loved to see the blue chips spitting out of the coolant like machine gun bullets, and a chrome like finish come off the carbide like a magic line. The goal of doing everything in 4 cuts with no polishing. Not always possible, but a good goal.

The Hardinge didn't have that raw power. It was cute. A sweetheart. Slap a collet in, tighten the stock up, Sharpen up a tool for some delicate work.Sometimes I was making a hundred of something. How can I do it fastest? Always a challenge, always a brain fully engaged. It was a good job. I wanna go back there. Tons of ideas to try that need a lathe. Yup, green with envy...

Steve
 
J

Jim C

Member
Jul 11, 2010
200
6
18
Long Beach Calif
I am a retired Tool and Die maker, machine builder and prototype machinist. Lots of experience on the Hardinge and Monarch EE. Many hours on Bridgeport and Tree mills. I like to design and develop things and do miss that.
The bike that I am getting ready is a 29 inch cruiser with a 66 cc two stroke. I first built it with a 49 cc four stroke. It was down on power so I pulled it and bought a two stroke from Bike Berry. I have the four stroke sitting around for the next build, whatever it turns out to be.
 
J

Jim C

Member
Jul 11, 2010
200
6
18
Long Beach Calif
The lathe is up and running I have it pretty well tooled. I have a couple of quick little things to fabricate for my Miata sporty car. I have to find a metal supplier who sells small quantities or bar ends. I don't know of any close to me.
 
mogollonmonster

mogollonmonster

Member
Aug 26, 2015
472
6
18
Overgaard AZ
Long Beach has ocean shipping... Ask around the docks, you'd be surprised what a ship's mechanic(engineer) has lying around. Should be some machine shops near there. There might even be "scrap" laying about you can have for the asking.
 
J

Jim C

Member
Jul 11, 2010
200
6
18
Long Beach Calif
There are a couple of big metal suppliers over on the west side of Long Beach and Grainger is near the airport.
I fabricated a custom knob for the broken dip stick handle on my Miata. Just a matter of doing some turning, boring and parting off I drilled and tapped a set screw hole in the side of it. Looks cool and the lathe works good except there is no carriage lock. So my new project is to engineer and fabricate one.
 
MEASURE TWICE

MEASURE TWICE

Well-Known Member
Jul 13, 2010
2,744
1,221
113
CA
http://museumca.org/bay-bridge-steel

Its not in your area, and there is one last due date to apply, but maybe some places your way do the same. Used metal recyclers mostly I find in Bay Area and some time trash. The Bridge pieces would need to be sized down and cut to fit the lathe you have.

I looked a the Sherline lathe and mill at one time and even toured the facility in SD. Funny a collet for one of the lathes is made on the same lathe if I remember correctly what they said during the tour.

MT
 
J

Jim C

Member
Jul 11, 2010
200
6
18
Long Beach Calif
I went over to Phillips Metals on the west side and picked up a some stock and bar ends real cheap. This little machine does no have a carriage lock. So I engineered and built one.
 
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