Adam Smith wrote:
It is interesting to observe how actual discussion of real machine tools,
actual metal working consistently brings out the better side in the group,
almost as reliably as politics brings out the worst.

Let me add my congrats, Greg. Getting ones first real lathe is a happy
thing, to be savoured. I have (somewhere) a 1954 Sears tool catalog that
shows that lathe, along with a small miller, some other pieces. That was a
dream machine for me, in my early teens (in the 70s BTW, not 50s, the
catalog was my dad's) .


You are soooooo right Adam.
I would dearly love to visit with some of the regulars here, like
Harold, to see if a cranky old fart and a cranky old fart in training
would get along G or Gunner to see a world class scrounger/horse
trader in action. I'd like to meet Ed Haas to see his world class
collection of wheel weights or DoN and hear his squeeze boxes play. Or
Tom Gardner to watch him make the machines that make "the best wire
wheels in the world" (according to Gunner).

I'd like to meet Ed Huntress, a gear head that writes in complete
sentences and uses proper syntax. Or sit with Ernie for a while and
learn why my vertical welds look like that were made by a sick pigeon
flying past.....

There are so many interesting people here that share their thoughts and
wisdom so unselfishly, answer the same questions time and again and
contribute to the education about and the furtherance of metalworking in
it's many forms. I want to thank you all, in advance for answering my
newbie questions.

Greg