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Modern Taiwanese machines are typically good machines

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Peace, Ron

@tibimakai
@RTz

Thanks for the info, gents. It's been a long day, so I'll reread your posts tomorrow morning.

Grizzly was one of the product lines I've been looking at for both a replacement lathe and mill. They have a huge variety of products including commercial grade machines. My metal cutting band saw is a Grizzly and it's very nice. It was built in Taiwan. Grizzly supports their products well including technical support, good manuals and in-stock spare parts.

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

I think you all have a higher standard (lower tolerance) than me when it comes to selecting machining equipment and exactly the type of folks I would want to pay to have work done (flat rate, not hourly).

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Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

@tibimakai
Man, if I could get my mini-lathe to take 0.100 cuts in steel, I'd use it more often. Right now I try to do designs where it won't be necessary because it's so slow. It would be nice to have a useful tool that isn't a "project" all on it's own. The same is true for the mini-mill.

That's why I keep thinking I need to get new machinery, so it's something I can use, not fix. I still have two machinery sub-projects to finish now: English wheel & bead roller. I'll finish those when I really need them.

@RTz
Yes, I understand about the mass issue. I keep looking. Here is an example of an old South Bend lathe that's in my area. I sent an e-mail to the guy, but haven't heard back from him. Perhaps it's sold? No phone number was given.


Anyway, I need to build the car, so I'm trying to stay focused on that.

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

Lonnie, look into 12L14 steel. If you can get it in sizes that meet your needs it's great stuff. It’s steel alloyed with lead and machines SOOOOOOO much better than common steels. Tensile strength is on par with mild steels (~78,000psi)

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Peace, Ron

Is it leaded steel that is not to be welded ?

https://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/ti ... 20undercut.

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Peace, Ron

@ RTz
That's a very interesting material, Ron. I watched the video too. Interesting! He was doing TIG. I wonder what the set of cautions are for MIG? You don't have as much visibility into the weld puddle with MIG.

I just checked and Industrial Steel Supply in my area does stock 12L14 round bars in a variety of sizes. Hex would be nice too, but they don't appear to carry it. I'll have to get some.

Most of what I do in the lathe is round, but hex is better for some applications like an adapter part I have in mind.

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

I mainly use it for spacers, step bushings, etc, but my front fender stays are MIG welded to a tall 12L14 spacer and I have not one concern about doing so.

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Peace, Ron

I use my mini-lathe for bushes and cutting sleeves and spacers. It's been fine for that except it is an early model so it has the odd speed fluctuation sometimes.

I'm wanting a mill for machining aluminum sand castings. It will be an industrial or very heavy duty drill press (1.5-2hp, variable speed down to 150 rpm) with a drawbar type taper and quick quill lock. I will add a new 23x7 x-y table and fit a worm drive kit for fine spindle adjustment, but it could still be done with the quill lock, travel nut, and three hands. Should have about $1000 in the diy mill and weigh 400-700 depending on the model drill press.

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Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

@MV8
Have you found a "base" drill press yet?

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

Yes. Powermatic (verify taper) and Clausing. No gears, just a cvt (variable sheave controlled by a wheel above the quill). One could also use the typical multi-pulley speed system if it will turn slow enough. It just more effort to change speeds by moving the belt(s). A new HBF drill press checks all the blocks but no on-the-fly variable speed and is about $700, 1.5hp and 110v. The industrial machines are typically 220v and 3 phase, but the motors can be replaced or a phase converter used, but both can be expensive.

In most cases, the draw bar would need to be fabricated for the thread in the bit/collet holder to be used (no drill chuck). Just trying to ensure it can't fall out.

The problem with single phase to three phase output converters is they either include a generator to provide power which makes them much more expensive but you can run multiple appliances without matching the load or they are passive, supplying three phases during starting only and relying on two phases to run with reduced hp output and must be matched to the rated output, with one for each appliance.

The Clausing I was looking at has a special two speed 220vac 3 ph motor that turns 1725/850 rpm with matching hp output based on rpm. Those rpms correspond to 150/300 rpm at minimum speed and 300 is too fast. It is hard to find decent hp in a motor that turns less than 1725rpm and there are no common motors that turn 850 rpm and produce about .75 hp. Other than running three phase power of some kind, I could add a jackshaft in place of the original two-speed motor to reduce a reasonably priced 2 hp, 1725, 1ph, 220vac motor rpm by a third to put the spindle rpm where I want it to be, but that would be a lot more hp (and torque) than the original motor. Still, I'm going to pass on this one and keep looking.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

I recently picked up a 25 year old Craftsman 15 inch, 12 speed, 1HP drill press with a 5/8" chuck w/Morse taper (?). I'm not sure which taper it uses. It is a beast compared to my previous Delta bench drill press. There are lots of them on Facebook Marketplace for $100 (give or take) all day long. It is a bit light on your HP requirements but motors can be changed. I would caution about a drill press as a lathe the quill is very sloppy. It might be possible to modify it to be more stable if you don't need to use the feed mechanism.

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

There should be a quill lock/clamp where the quill protrudes from the head. Some have only a bolt but an arm could be welded to the bolt for a quick release.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

I found the best situation is a machine shop selling off manual lathes and mills (as they transition to CNC). Sure, they've probably lead a long tough life, but I got a 14x30 Takisawa lathe for $1500 from a shop in Vista. Getting the 2,500 lb thing home was another matter. Since then, I learned that you can rent a heavy equipment trailer, where the bed lowers to the ground while remaining level. Between that and pipes, you can move it yourself (assuming you own or rent a truck of course).

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Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/