In article 1109362258.874295fac1ff374a7e82fc03a3e9de7b@teran ews,
Absinthe wrote:
Yes, I do have a propane torch.
Looks like a no-go on the wood bandsaw 
Hmm, think it may be a time to
step back and slow down a little. Space will be at a premium, and I don't
really want to give up my woodworking capabilities.
Hmm ... there *are* good bandsaws with switchable gearing which
can do both metal cutting and wood cutting. (It is a good idea to
vacuum out wood chips before working on steel, as the chips from steel
can be quite hot.
Or -- if the metal you are cutting is mostly long rods (such as
round stock for work in the lathe or angle iron and channel for welding
projects) then a 4x6 horizontal bandsaw (once called "the $200.00
bandsaw", but now typically cheaper) may be all you need for
metalworking, and it can be wheeled under a workbench between uses. (If
you have a garage door on the shop, locating it so it can be set up with
the back side facing the door, so *long* stock can be extended outside
while you cut off the length which you need to work with will make life
easier. These are lightweight, with wheels on the back end, so when it
is lifted at the front end, it can be wheeled out of the way. The 4x6
bandsaw claims to have a vertical mode, but it is rather a kludge, and
you can't cut very far from the edge of flat stock anyway, so keeping
the woodworking bandsaw for that work, and for cutting aluminum plate
makes sense.
I believe I will have to add these abilities slower, perhaps focusing on
hand tools and *small* machines at first.
Small machines will help you to learn things with less danger to
you and to the machines. For lathes (without built-in thread cutting
capabilities), something like the Taig or the Sherline will give you
some experience which will help you later in bigger machines. Even the
little cheap (Asian) import machines can be good for this, but they will
also teach you how to take them apart and fix problems in the finishing
of the working parts.
The same applies for a small benchtop milling machine.
One of the problems with small lathes (such as the 5x12" ones)
is that while they may be set up to cut some threads, the spindle speeds
are too high to make it easy. They demand already practiced skills at
starting and stopping each cut at the right moment.
The "5x12" designation refers to:
1) The maximum diameter workpiece which may be turned over
the bed of the lathe. (Over the carriage imposes a greater
restriction, so the 5" might become a 3.5").
2) The maximum length "between centers" (one way of mounting a
workpiece which allows removal for test fitting and then
re-mounting without loss of accuracy). Mounting in a chuck
risks the inability to return it to precisely the same position
in the chuck, so it requires more careful planning.
Your measuring tools will still be good for use with the larger
machines which you get later, though you will want to augment them with
larger measuring tools.
Personally, I find a drill press to be good to have -- though
not for milling, as this puts stresses on it for which it was not
designed, and is likely to pop loose the chuck from its taper, sending a
rapidly spinning mass with a sharp tool held in it bouncing and
skittering around the room -- perhaps resulting in damage to you (or
someone else in the shop, if present).
For smaller internal threads, taps are a very good tool to have,
and cheap taps are likely to make you swear off threading. Dies for
external threads serve a need, but are not good for making a long thread
on a shaft, as they tend to walk off center unless controlled by a
machine tool designed to do this. They are good for short threads, if
started carefully. Given a choice, I will make external thread on the
lathe. (Though a die can sometimes be used to follow up lathe-turned
threads to improve the finish and the precision of the size. There,
the pre-cut threads will guide the die, so you do better than using a
die on plain rod.)
If you get into making things from sheet metal, then three tools
will be quite useful -- though good ones are *very* heavy. These are a
"stomp" shear (driven by foot pressure on a pedal). Ideally, you will
want one somewhat over 48" (perhaps 52" at a minimum) to allow cutting
down large sheets which come 4' x 8' as a standard size. After that, a
finger (or box) brake, to allow bending the workpieces, and corner
notcher. I've got a 24" finger brake, but not an appropriate size of
shear, yet.
For welding -- I can't really tell you what you will need,
because I have not yet acquired those tools or skills.
If your interests lead you that way, there are tons of
specialized tools, but the basic starting point is measuring tools, and
simple lathe and mill.
If you get into larger used tools, you will find better prices
on those with three-phase motors, because three-phase power is quite
difficult and expensive to get in a home. However, in combination with
an objet known as a VFD (Variable Frequency Drive), you can synthesize
three phase, and a the same time vary the frequency, so you vary the
speed of the motor.
Just some of my opinions.
Good luck,
DoN.
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