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| Adventures with my Unimat(s) |
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| madjackghengis:
Hi Marshon, I started out with almost no machinery at all as well, and did it while serving on active duty in the Marine Corps, and found that the best way to get forward, is to find books from the turn of the last century, when an apprentice was expected to make all his own tools as part of his education, and with the lathe as "the mother of all machine tools", make everything either in a vise, or in the lathe. There is very little to be done as a machinist that you don't have the tooling to do right now, it's just a matter of knowing how to apply it, and those old books, look for "Lindsey publishing company", will teach you ways around corners you didn't know existed. I was going to suggest the laser idea, but someone gave it to you first, I will say, it is easier to hand a plumb line where the laser shines, than to move the whole ball of wax to match a drawn line, and the wife will appreciate no new lines on the wall, just make sure your lathe is level and the column perpendicular. I used that method for years to bore engine cases on a mill/drill. I am particularly envious of you, because I would have given up eye teeth to have that unimat, back when I got started in this game which is now my life. It has the potential to make everything you are missing and need for it, and it is a "real" machine tool, unlike lots of what is available today. Yard sales are good sources of tooling, brand names are invaluable, like you note about the allen keys, and tool steel is tool steel, no matter what shape or size it currently resides in, just because the manufacturer wanted you to use it as a screwdriver doesn't mean it isn't good steel for a turning tool. If you really want to know the capacity of your unimat, get a set of Dave Gingery's books on casting and building a machine shop, you may not do all the casting and such, but in reading it, you will see how to use that lathe to make everything else. Machinists were working to the thousandth long before anyone put a dial on a lathe, or even a cross slide, it is all about technique, and artful thinking. You are entering the field where anything can be done, at a time when there is more parts and tooling on the market than ever before, enjoy it like a bazarre and make one of everything you want, at least. :thumbup: :thumbup: mad jack |
| cidrontmg:
Hi Marshon, my first lathe/drill/mill was also a Unimat SL, bought new some 40 years ago, and IŽm still sometimes mad at myself for selling it in a temporary shortage of funds, and practically for a song :( If youŽve seen what Unimat SLŽs fetch even now in ebay (ebay.de in particular), youŽll cherish it even more. And if you get a chance to see "The Shop Wisdom of Rudy Kouhoupt", parts 1 and 2, youŽll be amazed at what the little machine is capable of, in skillful hands. And to mad jack - for someone who describes himself as "mad", you sure make a lot of sense to me :wave: |
| mklotz:
I have the same Unimat and encountered the same problem - having to raise the head to get clearance to change a drill and thereby losing my reference position. I partially solved the problem by loading and unloading drills through the back of the Unimat headstock spindle. By fully opening the drill chuck it's possible to drop a drill into the (vertical) spindle and have it pop out in drilling position. Just tighten the chuck and away you go. To extract the drill (in order to mount a larger drill or tap), I made an "extractor". It's a long brass rod with a diameter slightly smaller than the Unimat spindle bore. A hole in the end of the rod contains a small neodymium magnet held in place with glue. Slide the rod into the spindle until it attaches itself to the back end of the drill, loosen chuck and withdraw drill through back of spindle. |
| marshon:
Wow! What a nice set of responses! It would seem that, like me, a few of you have grown to like these little machines. I do have an ever growing respect for their capabilities, which are currently beyond mine. Thanks for the laser pointer idea, that sounds like a workable solution to the head movement problem, and another little project for the future. I would obviously like to assemble all the original attachments and accessories for both machines, and maybe over time I will, but for now I'd just like to get the SL/DB back to 'as supplied' from the factory and go from there. One thing I would like to get is a four jaw independent chuck for one of them so I can chuck square or odd shaped parts, but again it's a case of needs must financially at the moment. My priority is to finish the drill project. ...... and to Jack, yep I fully agree. When I did my apprenticeship, many moons ago and as a Lithographer not an engineer, I often marvelled at the skill of the engineering apprentices who made all kinds of stuff with just a saw a vice some files and a scraper. Plus a lot of elbow grease. Somewhere my father has a set of 'Newnes Complete Engineer' - he was a skilled marine steam engineer and last of his trade, I may try to borrow them off him. Once I get the drill finished I'll post some pictures. |
| madjackghengis:
--- Quote from: cidrontmg on May 24, 2010, 06:30:21 PM ---Hi Marshon, my first lathe/drill/mill was also a Unimat SL, bought new some 40 years ago, and IŽm still sometimes mad at myself for selling it in a temporary shortage of funds, and practically for a song :( If youŽve seen what Unimat SLŽs fetch even now in ebay (ebay.de in particular), youŽll cherish it even more. And if you get a chance to see "The Shop Wisdom of Rudy Kouhoupt", parts 1 and 2, youŽll be amazed at what the little machine is capable of, in skillful hands. And to mad jack - for someone who describes himself as "mad", you sure make a lot of sense to me :wave: --- End quote --- For Cidron, when I was in the Marines, I was "Mad Jack, the Irishman, out in the noonday sun", because I tended to run ten to twelve miles at a time and the noon day sun in North Carolina can be a bit hot, especially in the swamp. I didn't mind, it helped with keeping discipline among my Marines. I have to agree with all those who have posted regarding their desire for an SL unimat, I'd trade one of my Logan ten inchers for the setup shown. Looks like you're making it along, and slowly getting your tooling together, there will always be another piece you need though. mad jack |
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