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From: (DoN. Nichols)

d) Certain other parts of the machine look suspect. As an example,
the compound which they call "Small Cross Slide", which has far
too little length engaged in the dovetails for the feed, and the
tool holder is part of the upper dovetail, so you can't turn the
tool holder to a different angle for better cutting while having
the compound set at an angle for whatever purpose. Where I see
this to be a real pin would be in threading, where it is
traditional to have the compound set at 29-1/2 degrees to feed
in almost along one flank of the thread you are cutting.

I took a closer look at page 28. The tool holder does hold a tool across or in
line with the feed. But no, you can't set the tool square to the work using a
traditional symmetric threading tool, and feed along a flank. I'm thinking of
using a T6 Diamond Toolholder.

In an email to Don, I mentioned that with a lower speed limit of 500 rpm, the
biggest piece of steel you can cut on this lathe is less than an inch.

e) Even the headstock spindle only has a MT-1 taper, same as
the mill spindle and the tailstock. Normally, the headstock
spindle is at least one Morse Taper size larger than the
tailstock.

Modularity? Two dead centers are supplied. And no dog or drive plate.

a) Threading will be a real pain, as this machine does not have
half-nuts and a threading dial to allow you to disengage the
leadscrew, return the carriage, and re-start another pass on the
threading. Instead, you have to stop the spindle, crank the
tool out of engagement with the workpiece, reverse the spindle
to get back to the starting place, stop the spindle, crank the
tool back in enough to make the next (deeper) pass), and
re-start the spindle in forward.

This doesn't sound like a problem. I'm very patient. But 500 rpm threading?
Might as well put a crank handle in the mill spindle and turn it by hand.

I will ask HF by email if they know what the leadscrew pitch is.

It's only 35 pounds. My dream is the red lathe that cuts metric and inch, and
takes the same steady and follow rest at the famous 7x10. 235 pounds. Not ready
for a permanent install in our 9x10 foot craft room.

Can I use combinatorics to output all possible pitches or will that output some
banjo-impossible combinations?

I tolerance everything and tolerate everyone.
I love: Dona, Jeff, Kim, Kimmie, Mom, Neelix, Tasha, and Teri, alphabetically.
I drive: A double-step Thunderbolt with 657% range.
I fight terrorism by: Using less gasoline.