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Author Topic: Hello from a new member  (Read 11329 times)

Offline MikeA

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Hello from a new member
« on: January 10, 2010, 04:10:35 AM »
Hello all,

New member - heard about it from HMEM and after going through some of the posts figured I should join.

Started in metalworking a couple of years ago with a Unimat SL1000 that I quickly realized wasn't going to be capable of doing all I wanted, so graduated to an Atlas/Craftsman 101 6X18 I found locally. It had been sitting in a garage for over a decade (not sure exactly how long) after the first owner, a professional machinist passed away. It was in sad shape and I spent about a year getting it cleaned, tuned, repaired, polished and accessorized.

More recently I bought a Benchmaster in need of loads of TLC (see attached pdf for before and after.)

My most recent acquisition is an Emco Maximat V10P with milling head and it is another 'project' - I expect it will take about six months to complete. I also have one of the ubiquitous 4X6 Chinese bandsaws, griinders, and a couple of drill presses.

Most of my machining work have been addressed to restoring the machines (!) as well as making parts for my other hobbies - microscopy, astronomy, pistols (especially 1911A1s'), reloading, and general parts and pieces one inevitably needs.

Looking forward to learning a lot on this forum.

All the best,
Mike

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« Last Edit: January 10, 2010, 04:54:05 AM by MikeA »
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Offline MikeA

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2010, 04:55:37 AM »
Hello again,

Trying to add some shots of the restoration of lathe

Mike
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Offline sbwhart

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2010, 06:38:09 AM »
Hi Mike

Welcome aboard the cube  :borg:

Real nice bit of restoration work you've done.
 :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Thanks for showing

Stew
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Offline John Rudd

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2010, 08:03:10 AM »
Hi Mike,

Welcome from me too.. :wave:

A nice job you did there on the lathe.. :bow:
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Offline spuddevans

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2010, 08:50:06 AM »
Hi Mike :wave: welcome to madmodder, pull up a chair and join in the fun :thumbup:


Tim
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Offline Powder Keg

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2010, 02:30:32 PM »
Nice job on the restorations!!!
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Offline usn ret

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2010, 02:39:57 PM »
Nice restoration Mike, Mr. Atlas would be proud!!!! The lathe probably looks better than it did when new. :thumbup:  Welcome aboard.
Cliff :coffee:
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Offline MikeA

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2010, 05:38:16 AM »
Hello to all,

Thanks for the warm welcome! And thanks for the kind comments on my little clean-up jobs. It seems (and SWMBO regularly comments on) I spend most of my time working on the machines and don't make anything else. Have to admit, I really enjoy taking a tired, abused, clapped-out machine and getting it back to it's original state (or better!) Very satisfying and these old machines deserve better than ending up as scrap being sold to the Chinese. One other thing, often they are better machines than many that are available today!

My current project is an Emco Maximat V 10 P and it qualifies as being tired, abused and clapped-out. It served as a 'job-lathe' for many years and as one might imagine, the workers on-site weren't 'overly careful' with this unit. It's my newest machine, (March 1974) and in some ways presents more problems than the others due to unavailability of parts - either new or used. Many things will need to be fabricated but that shouldn't be much of a problem. The first major effort will be to get the grunge of 35 years cleaned off. One of the fellows on the Maximat forum stated, very appropriately, 'oily dirt is better than dry rust'.

I'll keep you posted as the restoration goes forward.

Once again, thanks for the warm welcome.

Best,
Mike
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Offline Bernd

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2010, 09:16:17 AM »
Welcome to the collective Mike.  :borg:

Nice work on those machines. I see you like to "bling" things a bit. There are a few "bling artists" on the forum.  :thumbup:

Regards,
Bernd
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Offline MikeA

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2010, 12:54:27 PM »
Hello Bernd,

Guilty as charged! A long, long time ago when I was a young 'motor-head' we had a saying, "if it doesn't move, chrome it!" and to some extent I still subscribe to that philosophy.

Actually, it's just my preference to have my tools look good as well as operate well. I'm big on keeping everything clean and orderly.

Best,
Mike
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Offline dsquire

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2010, 11:29:36 PM »
Mike

Welcome to MadModders. you obviously know that we like pictures on this forum. What you have done to those machines during restoration is almost unbelievable. I am quite sure that the original builders of those machines would be well pleased with the top quality of your work. I will be watching for any further posts that you make on the forum as you continue your restoration on your newest lathe.  :ddb: :ddb:

Be carefull of catching  :proj: as it may interfere with your restoration work.  :lol: :lol:

Cheers  :beer:

Don
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Offline MikeA

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2010, 08:17:41 AM »
Hello Don,

Thanks for the comments and the welcome. Picked up very early the preference of lot so photos - I enjoy seeing the images of what others are doing as well.

One comment - when I tried (several times) to post photos, they were rejected even though I made sure they were under the size limits  (I believe it is 4048 KB per post, 4 photos per post) yet even when resized to <1,000 KB they would not post. any idea what I'm doing wrong>

Bests,
Mike
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Offline Bernd

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2010, 08:48:04 AM »
Quote from: MikeA on January 12, 2010, 08:17:41 AM
One comment - when I tried (several times) to post photos, they were rejected even though I made sure they were under the size limits  (I believe it is 4048 KB per post, 4 photos per post) yet even when resized to <1,000 KB they would not post. any idea what I'm doing wrong>

Bests,
Mike

I'm not a geek on software, but it might be the format you posted in. The limit for "attaching" pictures to your post is limited. If you get a photo web site to place your photo's on and then link to them you can add more. I have a web site of my own and link to pictures that I store there.

Bernd
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Offline MikeA

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #13 on: January 12, 2010, 11:07:30 AM »
Hello Bernd,

I know my way around computers fairly well (started with mainframes in the late 60s') and also am a member (and owner) of other forums - never had a problem posting photos. I tried one of those websites for photos (photobucket) but it was inconvenient and I'm not going that way.

The format is as standard as they come - jpg - so I doubt that's the problem. I think it may be the size is actually limited to something smaller than stated.

No problem - I'll just continue to build pdf and post them!

Best,
Mike
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Offline ieezitin

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #14 on: January 12, 2010, 11:28:55 AM »
Hello and welcome MikeA

Nice job on the lathe, I too have a passion for restoring old machinery, I did a 1941 Southbend lathe last year and had countless hours invested as you can see from the link below.

http://s721.photobucket.com/albums/ww212/ieezitin/Machine%20shop/South%20Bend%20restoration%20project/

Alas that baby went for a song on Ebay to a guy down in North Carolina.

I know you don’t like the Photobucket thing neither do I but after a while I find it just as easy to post that way. The best benefit is that you can post a lot more pics on your subject with great clarity, I prefer to look at pictures posted by people on here I see more details.

Bernd. I too had trouble about a month ago posting pictures the way Mike described, I wonder if the site has a glitch?.

All the best.   Anthony.
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Offline MikeA

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #15 on: January 12, 2010, 12:40:28 PM »
Hello Anthony,

That SB looks like a sweet piece of equipment - is that a 9A? Sorry to hear you got bit by FleaBay - sometimes you get the bear and sometimes....................!

As I say, I tried it and didn't like it - just adds another level of aggro. My problem with posting is probably something simple I'm overlooking. I'm sure I will get it worked out.

Best,
Mike
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Offline rleete

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #16 on: January 12, 2010, 12:48:10 PM »
Just noticed this thread.  Mike, you have done a fantastic job on those machines.  I have a lot of respect for someone who can take something and renew it, as opposed to all the guys who just replace things.  Seems that most people that "repair" things, from plumbing to furnaces to cars only know how to swap out parts, and toss the old.  Taking something like those machines and bringing them back to new is real talent.
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Offline ieezitin

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #17 on: January 12, 2010, 01:00:46 PM »
Mike

Your correct, that was a 9A. That machine was purchased by a chemical company in Baltimore Md. that’s where it stayed all its life until I snatched it up last February. It was beaten and battered and in a sorry state when I got it, but when she left the shop all she needed was her bed scraped and a new tail stock which her new owner I believe has done.

Another little bit of useless information is the serial number on that machine was one of the last machines made that actually stayed here in the US, the very next machine off the line was a one of a large batch sent over to Europe for the war effort back then, the next number up went to Sweden and the rest to England.

I liked the Southbend and have owned several in that sires until I got a Logan 10 inch made in the forties of the same era, which I now prefer, I never knew much about Logans until this one I have, and I am very impressed with the machine.
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Offline MikeA

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #18 on: January 12, 2010, 01:08:29 PM »
Hello Rleete,

Thanks, I appreciate your kind comments.

Sure am aware of the 'swap out parts' till it works - seems most of the things we buy today are designed for that.

One of the nicest things about working on older equipment is they were designed to be repaired, not replaced. I have a good bit of the old Yankee philosophy, "use it up, wear it out, make do or do without."

Another thing was the pride the people who made the older stuff took in doing a good job - they wouldn't let shoddy work go out the door. There's more to possessions than their function - a fine hand made firearm has an intrinsic beauty, a reflection care taken by the man who made it; so it is with many of the things made decades back.

I have a number of Leitz research microscopes made 30, 40, 50 years or more ago, and they were built with evident pride in craftsmanship. Not only are they still high quality research instruments, they are also beautiful engineering that will outlast me and generations to come.

I'll bring this rant to a close by saying our 'throw-away' society needs to rethink where they are headed.

Best,
Mike
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Offline MikeA

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #19 on: January 12, 2010, 01:41:18 PM »
Hello Anthony,

No doubt, they were classics and I loved the lines!

I was considering getting a SB as there are tons of parts and so many of them around, repairs are reasonably easy to do. The one thing that held me up was the plain bearings - silly for me to hold that against them, especially when one considers the huge amount of top quality work turned out on South Bend lathes around the world and for what, 80 years?

If I was a machinist and knew what I was doing, instead of someone who plays with machines, I'm sure I would feel differently. As it is, I need all the help I can get!

The Logans are excellent machines and I can't remember hearing anyone who owned one having anything bad to say about them.

Best,
Mike
« Last Edit: January 12, 2010, 02:03:31 PM by MikeA »
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Offline Bernd

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #20 on: January 12, 2010, 03:52:44 PM »
Quote from: ieezitin on January 12, 2010, 11:28:55 AM
Bernd. I too had trouble about a month ago posting pictures the way Mike described, I wonder if the site has a glitch?.

All the best.   Anthony.

That could be a posibility. I don't have that level of power to look into that and really don't want to.

Bernd
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Offline ieezitin

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #21 on: January 12, 2010, 04:57:07 PM »
Mike
You raise a good point the parts are littered everywhere and can be got for a steal on the Flea-Bays and scrap yards alike.

Back in that era Southbend came up with system to Harden and super ground finish the headstock spindle allowing the bearings extraordinary long life, when I stripped the unit I had down it looked like the bearings had just been installed. Remarkable to say the least. This also applied to the back gear assembly. So the bearing issue is not a problem but I believe before 1940 not all models A,B,C had the refined spindle hardening so be careful.

If you purchase one make sure you get a quick change gear box with it or make sure you can get one, that’s one luxury where your monies need to be invested and it keep the resale value slightly higher.

All the best   Anthony.

Bernd.. i dont blame ya!. let sleeping dogs lie.
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Offline MikeA

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #22 on: January 12, 2010, 07:44:41 PM »
Hello Anthony and Bernd,

Yep, sleeping dogs don't bite and it sure isn't worth kicking one to find out how to post bigger photos!

I was aware of the hardening and heard the same thing from a number of guys - like the Energizer Bunny, they just keeping going and going.

Doubt very much I'll be getting another lathe as the Emco Maximat is a premium unit in 10 X 25 with geared drive, quick change box and power feeds on both X and Y axes. Accuracy is supposed to be right up there with the other toolroom machines (more than I can use!)

This restoration will be much more involved than the previous ones, and I can't imagine any job I want to do it won't be able to handle.

Best,
Mike
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Offline GeorgeGreek

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #23 on: February 13, 2010, 05:05:49 PM »
Welcome Mike,

I also have 3 older Unimats and a Compact 5, but never had enough money (or space?) for a Maximat).
I am also in love with the 1911A1 but our laws forbid anything firing except a 12 G.

Welcome from Greece,

George
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Offline MikeA

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Re: Hello from a new member
« Reply #24 on: February 13, 2010, 05:49:00 PM »
Hello George,

Not sure if I have the room or not for the Maximat, but I'll figure out something. I'm still working on the restoration and expect it will be another few months, but well worth the effort. Replacing most of the bearings (other than the spindle bearings - Class 7, $$$$$  :doh:)

I'll have to decide what to do with my Atlas/Craftsman 618 that's in perfect shape and has been a great resource while doing the Emco restoration - don't want to sell it but don't have enough room for two lathes plus the Benchmaster.

Sorry about your laws re the 1911A1 - it's a great pistol and I currently have more than a few as well as doing my own reloading (when you shoot 400 - 500 rounds each trip to the range, reloading isn't an option!)

Best,
Mike
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