Hello Gentleman and thank you for accepting my membership. I do hope I will be able to offer up some advice to someone here. I worked as a machinist for 37 years for a company called Dorr-Oliver in Hazleton,PA. I started as a labor and worked my way up the ladder to "A" class machinist. I have run every machine in a shop that could make anything. I ran a 13 1/2foot swing VBM made by the Simmons company out of Albany , NY and manufactured by Skoda of Chechalvlakia. I ran a CNC Giddings and Lewis 60" VTL with 12 station tool changer carousel. Lastly running a Mazak CNC milling machine with 110 tool stations with 4 table changer. In between I ran radial drills, milling machines , engine lathes ,bed planers and jig borers. Now retired I have a small hobby shop in a 1 car shed 12' x 24'. It includes a 9" Southbend I recently converted to a quick change gear box. A HF mini-mill, drill press and cut off bandsaw. A long with all the tools a machinist could buy or inherit over 30 years. I have made a Super Stirling engine fan from Jerry Howells plans, a thread dial for my lathe , a roller bearing steady rest for my lathe. When I have time this winter I expect to work on Howells Farm Boy hit and miss engine. I'll try to attach a link to my Super Stirling.
