As I've been bemoaning my lack of access to a proper metal shop I've come
to realize that about 80% of the milling and lathing could be done on
table top machines.

I've never done any metal machining but to my untrained eye the Serline
products look pretty good (and their CNC software is GPLed).

Opinions?



--
Mark Healey
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com

Opinions? Yeah, everybody has one.

Bob Swinney

"Mark Healey" wrote in message
news
As I've been bemoaning my lack of access to a proper metal shop I've come
to realize that about 80% of the milling and lathing could be done on
table top machines.

I've never done any metal machining but to my untrained eye the Serline
products look pretty good (and their CNC software is GPLed).




--
Mark Healey
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com

In article , Mark Healey says...

As I've been bemoaning my lack of access to a proper metal shop I've come
to realize that about 80% of the milling and lathing could be done on
table top machines.

Not if involves rebuilding engine heads.

What kind of work do you plan on doing?

Jim


--
==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

stumbled upon this link recently, could be of service to someone in your
position.

www.sparqs.com



"Mark Healey" wrote in message
news
As I've been bemoaning my lack of access to a proper metal shop I've come
to realize that about 80% of the milling and lathing could be done on
table top machines.

I've never done any metal machining but to my untrained eye the Serline
products look pretty good (and their CNC software is GPLed).

Opinions?



--
Mark Healey
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com

On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 08:00:32 -0600, Steve Koschmann wrote:


"Mark Healey" wrote in message
news
As I've been bemoaning my lack of access to a proper metal shop I've come
to realize that about 80% of the milling and lathing could be done on
table top machines.

I've never done any metal machining but to my untrained eye the Serline
products look pretty good (and their CNC software is GPLed).

Opinions?



--
Mark Healey
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com


HI Mark:

This is a very generic question with not really enough info to answer
properly.

Bob's "kind of short" retort is not really meant to turn you off
metalworking (he is a good guy, usually with very good comments and posts)
but you need to do some work too.

Like:
What are you making -- big stuff, small stuff?

Mostly small. Things I could fit in my pocket.


How much space do you have?

Very little, A 1 bedroom apartment.

How much money do youo have?

It depends on what I want to forgo. I'm planning to sell a 71 vw Type 3
which should yield me about U$1,500, and I can add to that if I have to.

Have you done a google search on Sherline?
Have you checked out the mini mills and mini lathes from all the
suppliers?

Hence the question. Serline is the only one I can find any detailed
information on.


--
Mark Healey
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com

On Tue, 6 Sep 2005 12:13:08 -0600, the opaque "Mark Healey"
spake:

As I've been bemoaning my lack of access to a proper metal shop I've
come
to realize that about 80% of the milling and lathing could be done on
table top machines.

I've never done any metal machining but to my untrained eye the Serline
products look pretty good (and their CNC software is GPLed).

Opinions?

For the record, that's "Sherline", but take a peek at
www.mini-lathe.com for lathe info. For mini-mills, see
http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_mill/Main/mini-mill.htm

http://www.littlemachineshop.com is another great site for
the minis.


-----
= Dain Bramaged...but having lots of fun! =
http://www.diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development

A little bit bigger, little lathe.

http://www.lathemaster.com/

Wayne D

On Tue, 6 Sep 2005 12:13:08 -0600, the opaque "Mark Healey"
spake:

As I've been bemoaning my lack of access to a proper metal shop I've
come
to realize that about 80% of the milling and lathing could be done on
table top machines.

I've never done any metal machining but to my untrained eye the
Serline
products look pretty good (and their CNC software is GPLed).

Opinions?

For the record, that's "Sherline", but take a peek at
www.mini-lathe.com for lathe info. For mini-mills, see
http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_mill/Main/mini-mill.htm

http://www.littlemachineshop.com is another great site for
the minis.http://www.lathemaster.com/


-----
= Dain Bramaged...but having lots of fun! =
http://www.diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development

On Sat, 25 Jun 2005 18:27:24 -0500, the opaque Wayne
spake:

A little bit bigger, little lathe.

http://www.lathemaster.com/

Wow, that looks almost identical to the Harbor Fright lathe.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=44859
Threading is different, and it's 8x12 vs. 8x14, but very close.

-
DANCING: The vertical frustration of a horizontal desire.
---------------------------------------------------------
http://diversify.com Full Service Web Programming

[The Sherlines are excellent tools, for small work. Another brand you might
look at is Taig. They also make tools in the US (Arizona), and their mills
are a bit larger and more rigid than the Sherlines, for about the same
price. Their lathe is comparable to the Sherline, but costs a little less.
The finish on them isn't quite as nice as on a Sherline, and they don't have
as many accessories available, but they work about the same. See
www.taigtools.com for details.]

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com


----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Healey"
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Sent: Saturday, June 25, 2005 9:49 AM
Subject: Recommendations requested


On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 08:00:32 -0600, Steve Koschmann wrote:


"Mark Healey" wrote in message
news
As I've been bemoaning my lack of access to a proper metal shop I've
come
to realize that about 80% of the milling and lathing could be done on
table top machines.

I've never done any metal machining but to my untrained eye the Serline
products look pretty good (and their CNC software is GPLed).

Opinions?



--
Mark Healey
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com


HI Mark:

This is a very generic question with not really enough info to answer
properly.

Bob's "kind of short" retort is not really meant to turn you off
metalworking (he is a good guy, usually with very good comments and
posts)
but you need to do some work too.

Like:
What are you making -- big stuff, small stuff?

Mostly small. Things I could fit in my pocket.


How much space do you have?

Very little, A 1 bedroom apartment.

How much money do youo have?

It depends on what I want to forgo. I'm planning to sell a 71 vw Type 3
which should yield me about U$1,500, and I can add to that if I have to.

Have you done a google search on Sherline?
Have you checked out the mini mills and mini lathes from all the
suppliers?

Hence the question. Serline is the only one I can find any detailed
information on.


--
Mark Healey
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com

Mark Healey wrote:
Like:
What are you making -- big stuff, small stuff?


Mostly small. Things I could fit in my pocket.



How much space do you have?


Very little, A 1 bedroom apartment.


How much money do youo have?


It depends on what I want to forgo. I'm planning to sell a 71 vw Type 3
which should yield me about U$1,500, and I can add to that if I have to.



Given this information, Sherline is a good starting place for you. As
others have said: well-made tools, high resale value (bargains on used
equipment are so rare you might as well dive in and buy new), very
active support and discussion groups on Yahoo, and many accessory suppliers.

I use both lathe and mill - now CNC'd and with DeskCNC software. They
handle aluminum (6061 T6, NOT big-box store extrusions) and Delrin with
aplomb, steel with care (12L14 is good).

Be prepared for sticker shock on everything you need *after* you have
the basic tools! $3000 would be a reasonable starting budget, including
a healthy amount for *good* measuring instruments.

--
Fred R
________________
Drop TROU to email.

"Mark Healey" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 08:00:32 -0600, Steve Koschmann wrote:
How much space do you have?

Very little, A 1 bedroom apartment.

I hope you're not planning on setting up your shop inside your living
spaces. Metalworking involves taking large chunks of metal and cutting off
tiny chips to make smaller pieces of metal. Those sharp little chips are
nasty: I wouldn't want them in my home.

- Michael

DeepDiver wrote:
"Mark Healey" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 08:00:32 -0600, Steve Koschmann wrote:

How much space do you have?

Very little, A 1 bedroom apartment.


I hope you're not planning on setting up your shop inside your living
spaces. Metalworking involves taking large chunks of metal and cutting off
tiny chips to make smaller pieces of metal. Those sharp little chips are
nasty: I wouldn't want them in my home.

Yeah, been there and tried to do that.

In my youth I bought a used Unimat lathe
and thought I could do little pocket-sized
projects in my apartment. Basic issues
like rough-cutting stock, chips, general
lack of guts with the machine and space
made it almost impossible.

Besides, if you *really* want to make
precise, pocket-sized machines, you need
to think about a Hardinge or Monarch tool
room lathe. That's the real ticket.

In article , DeepDiver says...

I hope you're not planning on setting up your shop inside your living
spaces.

I would, respectfully, beg to differ. There was a recent
thread on the PracticalMachinist board about just this subject,
and the photos that folks posted about how they had adapted
small living quarters to machine tools was pretty amazing.

I myself put my first (9" atlas) lathe in the kitchen of our
apartment. Later on I installed a tiny shop in a large closet
of an apartment in NY. It was equipped with a 7" pratt & whitney
bench lathe among other items.

It can and has been done, and no doubt will be done many
times by others in the future.

Jim


--
==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

HI Mark:

This is a very generic question with not really enough info to answer
properly.

Bob's "kind of short" retort is not really meant to turn you off
metalworking (he is a good guy, usually with very good comments and posts)
but you need to do some work too.

Like:
What are you making -- big stuff, small stuff?
We all started small , and most have upgraded to bigger, better stuff.
Remember, you can do small stuff on big machines, but not vice versa.
How much space do you have?
How much money do youo have?
Have you done a google search on Sherline?
Have you checked out the mini mills and mini lathes from all the suppliers?
(My opinion only but MUCH better deal for what you get -- again, do a google
search and read/see what othe poeple are doing). There are literally
hundreds if not thousands of sites on the web.

Bottom line, thte Sherline stuff is good. It is precise, well made and
SMALL! Like really small. You cannot go wrong buying it -- or reselling it
if you find you need to upgrade.

Let us know if you need more specific recco's,, and this group is pretty
good about responding.

Steve Koschamnn

"Mark Healey" wrote in message
news
As I've been bemoaning my lack of access to a proper metal shop I've come
to realize that about 80% of the milling and lathing could be done on
table top machines.

I've never done any metal machining but to my untrained eye the Serline
products look pretty good (and their CNC software is GPLed).

Opinions?



--
Mark Healey
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com

Come on Mark... just google mini lathe mini lathe 196,000 hits via google..
realistically, there are about 25-30 sites that are very good.

TONS AND TONS of info out there. Google Minilathe and Sherline via the
"search groups" command.. even more "pro and con" commments from the peanut
gallery. And, these are REAL people with REAL life/use comments... not just
some marketing hack.

If you want to go a "better" than Sherline that will still fit in yo ur
one bedroom apt, , look at the Prazi lathe from Germany. Cost wise about
1.5x and maybe a 1.5x betterlathe. But in reality, it is the person behind
the controls that makes a part fit.

And now, with your add'l info, we can start to make some recco's:

And I think you are right... the Sherline may be the best bet for you.
Right out of the box, it will work. The minimill and mini lahte need some
tweaking and I don't think you are up to that yet. (give yourself about 3-6
months, though and you easily could be)

Since you are doing "shirt pocket projectz" you can will do very excellent
work with the Sherline lathe and mill.

Looke at the book Table Top Machiniing by Joe Martin... excellent reference
for the beginner.

Good luck... keep posting with specific detailed questions and you will get
a ton of info back...

Steve


"Mark Healey" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 08:00:32 -0600, Steve Koschmann wrote:


"Mark Healey" wrote in message
news
As I've been bemoaning my lack of access to a proper metal shop I've
come
to realize that about 80% of the milling and lathing could be done on
table top machines.

I've never done any metal machining but to my untrained eye the Serline
products look pretty good (and their CNC software is GPLed).

Opinions?



--
Mark Healey
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com


HI Mark:

This is a very generic question with not really enough info to answer
properly.

Bob's "kind of short" retort is not really meant to turn you off
metalworking (he is a good guy, usually with very good comments and
posts)
but you need to do some work too.

Like:
What are you making -- big stuff, small stuff?

Mostly small. Things I could fit in my pocket.


How much space do you have?

Very little, A 1 bedroom apartment.

How much money do youo have?

It depends on what I want to forgo. I'm planning to sell a 71 vw Type 3
which should yield me about U$1,500, and I can add to that if I have to.

Have you done a google search on Sherline?
Have you checked out the mini mills and mini lathes from all the
suppliers?

Hence the question. Serline is the only one I can find any detailed
information on.


--
Mark Healey
marknews(at)healeyonline(dot)com