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Machinist Level

C

CecilTheTurtle

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2011
Messages
107
Location
Boston, MA
One other option for you. Not sure where in MA you are located, but check out a place called the Artisans Asylum in Somerville. I took a great class there called Manual Machining and Layout. Teaches you the mill and lathe and also how to layout a project for a machinist. $300, but I'm now trained and I'm certified to use the mill and lathe there and I can work there all day for $15/day. MUCH cheaper than buying my own lathe. If you just want the lathe, you can do the lathe tool training for $80. Check 'em out!
 
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A_Pmech

Well-known member
Joined
May 8, 2007
Messages
8,002
Location
IL
Ahh! Now I'm beginning to understand. With that in mind, some thoughts:

1) Forget about the lathe for now. If you're not eating right you can't afford it. You need to eat. Focus on bettering your situation by finding and preparing for better work.

2) If you don't already have a library card, get one! The library is warm in the winter, cool in the summer and filled with things to read. There was a time in my life when I lived in a city library from the moment I got off work until it closed and all day on the weekends. There's much to be learned by reading and reading is not waiting - it's learning.

3) Don't sell the bike if you enjoy riding it. I'm a motorcycle fanatic and I can't live without a motorcycle to ride. You need a way to enjoy yourself and they're a good source of back-up transportation.

4) As you improve your situation, grow your machinery fund. Eventually, you'll be able to buy some capable machine tools and do what it is that you want to do.

5) You seem driven to learn and attain and that's a good thing. Learn how to focus that energy. The hardest thing for a driven person to do is be patient. Be patient.

:)

Micscience said:
There is nothing wrong with waiting. That is all I do is wait. Took me over a year to get my drill press and it isn't even that great of a drill press. that is not to say I don't appreciate it. I'm in a situation that saving money is hard. I didn't want to get this personal but food is an issue at times and having money saved for a lathe but no milk in the fridge makes it hard to hold on to that money.

I have a 1989 CBR 600 F1 which I might consider getting rid of to purchase a lathe.
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M

Micscience

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 22, 2012
Messages
140
CecilTheTurtle Somerville MA is 1-1-1/2 hours away.

chrisa7164 i live in New Bedford the Southern coast of MA 30 minutes from Providence RI and about an hour away from Boston.

A_Pmech I agree i could never get rid of my bike. I have tried once but when it was time to sell it I just couldn't do it. When I want something I wait and see if it is feasible and if it is really not I usually end up doing the right thing.

I noticed there are auctions on craigslist with machining tools up for bid has anybody been to one of those?
 
T

Thruxton

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
767
Location
Virginia
You can see from my avatar what I think about motorcycles back in the long ago (I raced that one) so I totally understand the bike thing. A_Pmech has offered some really great advice, and I would like to underline one comment in para 5)- Be patient. It's a lesson I keep learning, and wish I had started earlier learning it! Patience gives you reserves that help you accomplish very difficult things, like acquiring a good lathe.

One other thing, if you go to auctions, take a very experienced machinist with you - there be bars in them woods...
 
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Micscience

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 22, 2012
Messages
140
Ok I'll tell him him his Cushman chuck is no good which devalues his lathe by $100 smacaroonis. Thats awesome, I read when the F1 came out it was considered a break through and it was far superior to the other bikes in its class.
 
Z

zkling

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Messages
16,939
Micscience said:
Ok I'll tell him him his Cushman chuck is no good which devalues his lathe by $100 smacaroonis. Thats awesome, I read when the F1 came out it was considered a break through and it was far superior to the other bikes in its class.
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:lol: I love dealing with people like you on CL. The thing is you don't know that the chuck is bad. Heck lets be honest you don't even know how to run a lathe. You are just copying what someone else speculated MAY be an issue. What if the spindle is bent, real common on those machines, do you know how to test that? Maybe there is a bunch of other tooling included in the bucket, another 3 or 4 jaw chuck perhaps.

Honestly I think you need to take a good hard look at your life, priorities and goals. You don't have food and yet you want to go out and get into hobby machining? Do some reading educate yourself on metal lathes, get a 2nd job, save up some money and then when the right deal on a lathe comes along you will have the knowledge to properly inspect it and the money to purchase a good machine that you can get some real work out of. :thumbup: Happy Holidays :beer:
 
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Micscience

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 22, 2012
Messages
140
zkling When I said that I was half serious. I don't think I ever said the chuck was bad I was poorly trying to say it is a bad designed chuck that isn't user friendly and I don't think there is anything wrong to try to get someone to lower their price. All I have been doing is reading on Lathes, about the scraping process of the bed and cross slide and how the building of a lathe works. I've watched all of Kieth fenner's youtube videos as well. Before I started welding everyone told me not to get a flux core welder because of the fumes and the spatter and that they are junk. All these experienced welders were telling me to save up to get a $500-$700 dollar machine. I bought that welder and I have got to disagree. I've had a lot of fun with the welder and I think it was the realistic thing to do.

As far as my priorities I mean you are 100% right but my little work shop makes me money at times which helps. I honestly think it is the skills that I develop in the next 2-3 years depending on what field I choose, is going to be my career and my main money maker. I'm a late bloomer please don't judge.

I apologize if I cam off as an ***, happy holidays to you as well.
 
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Micscience

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 22, 2012
Messages
140
Thanks man. kd4gij I like how that lathe looks and it's a decent price however Pennsylvania is pretty far. Thanks though.
 
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kd4gij

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 1, 2012
Messages
123
Location
St. Petersburg, Fl
thay are bouth double A -dunlop sold by sears.craftsman 109.xxxx the spindle bends real ease and thay don't have power feed. Thay would be ok for making penns but that is about it. The habotfreight lathe would be much better
 
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Micscience

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 22, 2012
Messages
140
Oh I thought it was bigger than the Harbor Freight one. It says a 30 inch bed and I'm assuming 3-5 inches wide. I thought the length of the bed and width of the chuck to the bed determines the size of how big you can build something on lathe. Would you say that is accurate?
 
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