Andrew VK3BFA wrote:

No, it wasnt a troll

We know that, you don't do that.

a
few weird features, ie the "twist the handle to engage the X feed" was
a good one. And putting a lock pin on the shaft brake seems a bit
potentially disastrous. Oh, and the High/Low switch which is really
the on/off switch and runs it in reverse in the low position....had a
tutorial on it before operating which is SOP in the class room - the
last irritation is due to the shape of the head, its a tad difficult
to securely clamp on a magnetic base for a dial indicator when setting
up the machine vise....but thats all part of metalworking

Indicol if I didn't spell it right. Clamps around the spindle OD.

http://www.penntoolco.com/catalog/pr...categoryID=583

Take a picture of the BP if you can and post it. Drop box if you don't have
web hosting. Don't understand the twist the handle X feed thing.

A light bulb moment for me was when I realised that
90% of machining is setting up...oh, and the high/low gear change
lever is a finger biter, but got used to it real quick.

Heck those in motion pictures probably spend 99% setting up so count
yourself lucky.

Only mistake I made so far was not realizing the R8 collet holder had
a locating groove in it - I backed off the top nut, wacked it with a
soft face hammer to spring it, could not feel any rotary movement in
the holder (my X2 Chinese mill is a plain MT3) so, thinking it was
still locked in, I undid it two more turns and wacked it again. A
passing instructor used somewhat colourful language in the process of
informing me of my error....

The pin is missing from my bp. I've never had reason ro replace it. I
wonder how many of use don't have pins in our BP's and 5C collet adaptors?

I would love to own one, but I dont have the money, or the room, to
set it up if I did.

Time changes many things.

Learnt face milling on a large horizontal mill, learning vertical
milling on this one - at present, doing "pocket milling" for a G-clamp
to go with the V block I made on the horizontal mill. When their both
finished, get to learn to drive the surface grinder to get a nice
finish and to bring it in to some mind bogglingly tight tolerance...

Glad you are having fun. I bought a bunch of woodworking stuff and found
I'm so much happier whittling metal into what I want. One of these days
I'll have a surface grinder.

And as for offshore manufacturing - its a feature of the "world
economy, free trade" etc etc - all the lovely Newspeak jargon. I don't
remember being asked if I wanted it, but I must have been - our
politicians keep on saying they have a "mandate" to do it...(Left,
Right, both dance to the same tune. No difference - )

There isn't anything wrong with free trade as long as it is fair. Not
wanting to start an OT subthread but if the trading partners do not have
compatable worker safety and enviromental schemes then it isn't fair trade.


Andrew VK3BFA.

Wes KC8SPR