Great video , I have been a machinist all my life and built pool cues for 30 years. I have been using the mini lathe since it first came out for putting pool cue tips on. I think I pretty much did all them mods at one point. For me my fav was my rear chuck to hold the pool cue shaft. Through the years I’ve made tens of thousands of dollars on the mini lathe . I used to have a portable one that I would set up at pool tournaments and do tips. the whole thing was mounted to a small butcher block cart that I had on caster wheels . the front was framed in with a Plexiglass window and fluorescent light overhead . I also made an extension so I can put the whole cue or shaft in between centers , it was a simple Bolt on with no flex , the carriage never needed go back there just the tail stock. I had some of the best pool players in the world walk up and have me put their tip on .. I wish I could post pics on here. Anyways awesome vid , keep up the good work.
@johncoops6897
2 жыл бұрын
You can simply post LINKS to pictures that are stored elsewhere online.
@andersgrassman6583
Жыл бұрын
Really IMPORTANT is that when bolting down the lathe, an indicator clock should be used as to check that you don't actually bend the lathebed when tightening the bolts. Because this is actually very easy to do! The forces you apply with the fastening bolts to lathe bed are considerable. And it is done at the far end corners of the lathe, so giving the bed a twist is really, really easy. (Do some readin up on the procedure.) The other side of the matter is of course that bolting down the lathe adds a lot of rigidity, as pointed out in the video. Also adding a big HEAVY steel base as suggested in the video, is a really good idea. Any added mass reduces vibrations. And then bolt that stell base to the bench "lightly" for safety and things like sawing etc, just not to have the whole thing "skating" around on the workbench. These mini lathes are really way to lightweight and flimsily designed, but it comes with the economy side of things, so doing the above alleviates a lot of the compromise inherrent in the "mini/micro" aspect of these lathes. Always buy the heaviest and biggest lathe you can possibly accomodate! It makes a huge difference! Even distance between centres is a lot more important than one might realize at first, because once chucks and tooling like drills are mounted, there is so little space left on a mini lathe, that just changing for another drill size is often a really annoying hassle. I'd say length of bed is more important than a quick change toolpost, when it comes to make work easyier
@twistedhairball
3 жыл бұрын
I hope you're proud of your channel, It's really good. If there's anywhere near you that cuts stone for worktops and things like that. Ask them if you can buy a cut off slab of granite or marble, they'll probably be happy to drill a few holes in it, and bolt your lathe to that. From the mass and rigidity you'll see a massive difference in several ways, stability, surface finish, vibration, chatter. Keep up the great work!
@danielabbey7726
3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, that's a great idea for a mod! Increasing the rigidity on a small lathe like this can be a game changer.
@ronaldbylina5316
2 жыл бұрын
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@bobbob8229
2 жыл бұрын
You can also cast a cement slab. Cement is Very useful for vibration reduction 😎
@crpth1
Жыл бұрын
One other detail to attend ASAP. Is to flatten the lathe feet. Out of the box they are badly finished. Half an hour and a wet stone. Make a world of difference! Mine would wobble out of the box. Sure footed by now! ;-)
@kencurtis508
2 жыл бұрын
Great video, I’ve been a maintenance machinist for forty years and you learn how to make due with some pretty junky machinery. I own a couple of mini lathes and a mill and have been running then for five or six years as bought. After watching your video on up grades I think I’ll try a few and make my retirement a little mor ergonomic. Thanks for sharing.
@wk7060
6 ай бұрын
A cheap lathe can do accurate work with a few adjustments and modifications.
@velcroman11
3 жыл бұрын
You might consider putting felt into the oil holes. Doing this controls the flow of the oil to the surfaces requiring lubrication. An advantage is that the oil does not “run out” reducing oil collecting crap from your work and helping to generally keep the tool a little cleaner.
@davidaitken4157
3 жыл бұрын
use pipe cleaners
@CaptK-py8rq
Жыл бұрын
Thanks! Just ordered the 8.7" x 29.5" w/1.5 hp brushless motor and a 1.5" spindle bore. I was eyeballing the full-size lathes, but being a newbie, I thought I'd drop $1300 first before I drop $13,000...we'll see how things go. Thanks again, some very good ideas!
@BirkinIdk
Жыл бұрын
This is one of those videos I keep coming back to whenever I'm looking to upgrade my machine a bit. On the topic of the gib strips, I made a couple out of brass but instead of a mill, I used a surface grinder. If anyone is looking to do this, all you need is a tilting vise and a surface grinder. I started by tilting the vise to 60 degrees, which I verified with a comparator (there are plenty other ways to verify this without a $10,000 piece of inspection equipment haha, just what I had available at our shop). With the vise at 60 degrees, I mounted the square stock in it, and brought it to the surface grinder. I simply ground one side down until I had taken the flat off and I was left with a sharp edge. You'll then need to take the part out of the vise, as you can't grip it anymore, and use the maglock to directly fix it to the surface grinder, sitting on the edge you just grinded. Now when you grind the other side, since the part is already laying at a 60 degree angle, you're already going to get a correct angle on the other side. I took material off until I had a general shape of the gib strip, then switched to a higher grit white wheel. I cleaned up all surfaces and simply went back and forth, taking off small amount of material, test fitting it, and repeat until I got a nice fit. Overall it took a while, quite a bit of surfacing but the end result was worth it and I didn't need a dovetail cutter, and didn't have to use our mill. (I mostly did this because I'm an idiot when it comes to milling and I wasn't confident that I could get a good part with the small amount of stock I had available)
@homemadetools
3 жыл бұрын
You've been doing some great lathe mod videos lately. We shared this video in our homemade tools forum this week :)
@antonmursid3505
2 жыл бұрын
Antonmursid 🇮🇩🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
@Bimmer_MD
2 жыл бұрын
I cut a dovetail into a right angle plate to mount to the cross slide, then mounted a t-slot plate to the vertical face of the right angle plate in order to use it as a horizontal mill. It worked out perfect to cut the new gib strips and carriage retainers. The next thing that I'm looking for is a good way to be able to adjust the angle of the top slide faster
@mavamQ
8 ай бұрын
Great mods, makes me wish I didn't sell my mini lathe in expectation of buying a better lathe. I have still not bought a new lathe and I miss having the old one.
@johnkunze5362
10 ай бұрын
I'm new to lathe work and just bought a mini mill. I'm an automation engineer and will CNC it soon. Your videos are awesome and I'm learning well. As for your motor upgrade, a $30 20k rpm 500w or greater with static gearing, being a DC version can easily be turned into a variable speed 50-2500rpm full load using a micro controller, an igbt or MOSFET, a hall effect rpm meter and 10mins of novice programming for
@canadianavenger
2 жыл бұрын
I did mention this in your mill upgrades video, but I'll mention it here too, as it's more on-topic. Adding an Electronic Lead Screw [ELS] is a great upgrade, especially of you do a lot of thread cutting, but also handy for controlling feedrate for better surface finish. As a bonus you get away from having to constantly swap the change gears in and out. Speaking of change gears, the quality of the factory ones is pretty terrible, and the plastic ones tend to crack and break pretty quickly, I recommend getting an after-market metal set.
@mikkelkirketerp4884
2 жыл бұрын
Wait, how does the ELS know what speed the motor is going at?
@canadianavenger
2 жыл бұрын
@@mikkelkirketerp4884 using a rotary encoder on the shaft. With the encoder you can determine speed, and rotational position.
@thedownwardmachine
Жыл бұрын
I don't have a lathe or a mill, and I've never done any machining. For some reason I just find this video very soothing.
@spudnickuk
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for spending the time doing this video, i will be doing a few of your mods to make it more rigid for my Milling attachment .
@rangerjones5531
Жыл бұрын
Well done video , info’s easily understood and your voice over is pretty relaxing. Great job!🍺👍🏻🇺🇸
@Rusty-Metal
Жыл бұрын
I just saw this in person at harbor freight. Omg. I never understood how tiny she is. How cool. Young made some amazing things on this size lathe!
@melgross
Жыл бұрын
I’ve been following your mods. Very good work. I’ve got a Southbend FOURTEEN. A much bigger lathe. But even so, I’ve made upgrades that help. Amongst the most major were also a cam lever for the tailstock. Like with yours, it was a pain to constantly need to get the wrench and have to reposition it twice to lock or unlock. Drilling or boring deep holes, for example, means moving it in and out to clear chips and lube a number of times. The cam makes that fast, and (almost) fun.
@klausnielsen1537
3 жыл бұрын
Subbed 😁 A no bs mini lathe video showing an upgrade path? Wonderful 👍
@artisanmakes
3 жыл бұрын
Thankyou
@greggv8
Жыл бұрын
An easier fix for the top slide leadscrew is a washer. Find a flat washer with a hole that fits closely over the screw and has an outside diameter at least as big as the bushing. If it's larger, put it on a bolt with a nut to hold it against the head, then chuck the bolt and turn the OD down. Drill two holes through the washer where the bushing mounting holes are. Counterbore the slide face of the bushing so the collar on the screw sits barely below the surface. Replace the two screws with slightly longer ones when putting that back together. This mod loses zero travel forward and only as much rearward as the thickness of the washer. The best mods cost nothing at all. The easiest is to take the cross slide bushing off and remove the paint off the end that fits against the carriage. Instant backlash reduction. I further improved it by facing that end of the bushing until there was next to nil clearance for the collar on the screw. Another no cost mod is removing everything from the bed, mounting it upside down on a mill, then cutting the feet bottoms so they're flat and at the same height. That greatly simplifies shimming when mounting to a bench so there's no twist or bow. There are two factories that make these 7" lathes, SIEG and the better one. The better one's saddle is rectangular instead of "H" shaped so it's very easy to add a carriage lock, just drill a hole where you added that piece of steel bar. The better one has a slightly thicker apron and dual ball bearings on the carriage crank VS a plain hole on SIEG's. SIEG uses (or used to) three bolts to mount the headstock to the bed. The better one uses four. SIEG doesn't have oiling holes in the leadscrew bushings. The better one has oil holes with countersunk openings. One more thing the better one has over SIEG's is on the right end of the lead screw there's a special nut with a threaded insert to take up any endways slop. Put a thin brass washer on each side of the bushing and that can be tightened to zero slop. This company also offers hardened and ground way surfaces if the importer wants that. Lathes with that get a label put on the right end of the bed. The company that's not SIEG uses a nice Pulse Width Modulation motor controller. SIEG tends to not do a good job finishing the bottoms of the bed feet where the other company at least does a cutting pass, likely with a big fly cutter. This video is an unboxing of one of those better lathes. kzitem.info/news/bejne/o5ue02WlhqeTrag One thing to watch out for is many companies selling 7x lathes *start out* buying from the better factory then later switch to getting lathes from SIEG. Harbor Freight and Grizzly have always bought their from SIEG. My first metal lathe happened to be one of these better versions, bought from a company called Homier Mobile Merchants. They ran a fleet of semi trucks around the USA, setting up shop here and there to sell all kinds of imported stuff from China. Where places like Harbor Freight sell a SIEG 7x10 but that 10" is between plain centers, the one I got was advertised as a 7x12 and that 12" was between a center in the tailstock and the face of the stock 3 jaw chuck. SIEG has somewhat improved the quality of their 7" mini lathes. My second lathe was a 7x10 from Grizzly with their serial number 346. It was likely from the very first batch they imported. Previous owners had abused the poor thing in many ways, most likely due to its many 'built in' faults. The underside of the ways weren't parallel to the top side, not even in the center. I was able to correct the outer part on my mill but I didn't have the tools to fix the inner part, but since nothing but the tailstock clamp used that it wasn't critical. The motor controller was a very primitive SCR chopper style and one of the main power resistors had gotten so hot it unsoldered itself at one end. A quick hit with a soldering iron had it going. By the time I was done correcting all its problems I almost liked it more than the longer one from the other factory. I thought about getting a PWM controller for it but never got around to it.
@harryniedecken5321
9 ай бұрын
Thanks for the video and insights. From what I can tell from using these mini lathes and watching people do upgrades, the best path would be to buy something else
@danielabbey7726
3 жыл бұрын
Lots of great mods that you've done! Two other mods to consider: an ER30 headstock collet chuck, and a lever-action tailstock (you would need a spare tailstock to convert to lever-action). Drilling and reaming is so much easier with a lever-action tailstock!
@juanruiz6218
Жыл бұрын
Como comprar
@dwightcarlson7136
3 жыл бұрын
Wow! No grass growing under your feet! Well done 👍👍👍👍
@totallynotabot151
2 жыл бұрын
I recognize some of the same issues in my Sieg machine, but a few seem to have been fixed in newer models: lever-locking tailstock, carriage gear protector, and okay-ish gibs. Favorite (purchased) upgrade: a rotary encoder for the tail stock so I can exactly drill to depth.
@piezobarrel4750
5 ай бұрын
Thanks for your great ideas, I have two of these lathes, but I think the bearings on my oldest will need replacing one day. My first one has a brushless motor and it has been very good except for the circuit board blowing up one day, but I fixed that by buying another board (these are not cheap or plentiful) so I am hoping it will not happen again as I like the variable speed and the board are hard to replace. I use those aluminium tool holders, but steel would be better. I have had a lot of problems with the cross slide lifting while cutting and currently I just keep the tool close to the holder and push down on the cross slide while cutting.
@navajo179
Жыл бұрын
That was simply super. Just loved those upgrades, and that's a lesson for me, and things that I should try. Would really love to be able to make a half nut, but my space is too tight.
@EricTViking
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks, I have a Crenex mini lathe arriving soon and will no doubt incorporate many of your ideas into it.
@G58
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing your tips. As a retired former Rolls Royce aero engine apprentice, I’m impressed. You may have been asked this before, but where is your accent from? You appear to add micro sounds to the ends of some words, which I haven’t heard before. Is this peculiar to one part of Australia? When I lived in the Romsdal region of Norway, some people said Jeg (pronounced Yah, meaning Yes) by just quickly breathing in! They don’t do that in Oslo or Bergen etc. But in the north east of England, some people there do the same. As a mongrel with English parents who grew up in North Wales, I have unique ways of pronouncing some words too. And the way I play words in my head is different! This makes me fascinated by accents. Now I need to find a decent lathe to start modifying.
@PanamaSticks
2 жыл бұрын
I've been machining over 32 years. You need to slow down your spindle speed and start using some coolant or cutting oil. The blue chip is a giveaway to using too fast a spindle speed. It will destroy your insert tooling much faster than it would normally last. The steel you're cutting will work harden as you cut it, and that will contribute to poor finishes. And the carbide inserts you're using have the wrong geometry for turning or facing. Get to know the cutting speed of the materials you cut in FPM (feet per minute). A quick and dirty calculation for a practical spindle speed when turning is RPM = (4 x FPM)/D, where D is the diameter of the work in inches. When drilling or milling a hole, D is the diameter of the cutter. But I cut the calculated spindle speed in half . Saves drill bits and mills, especially when drilling or milling deep holes.
@artisanmakes
2 жыл бұрын
I agree with you but this lathe has a fixed speed motor, so there is not much I can do about the rpm. The inserts still last a long time so its not a huge concern for me.
@PanamaSticks
2 жыл бұрын
@@artisanmakes I hope I didn't offend you. You've done some good mods to that machine. I'm just surprised you can't change the spindle speed. Don't you have a belt and stepped pulleys? Or is it a direct drive without a speed control? What is the RPM? I'd be looking for an electronic speed control or a set of stepped pulleys as my first mods. Suggest if you insist on using insert tooling, you use a holder that takes a square insert, and use an insert with a .03 to .05" radius corner for most of my turning and facing. (It will give you a better finish than that sharp diamond shaped insert, and last much longer.) But I think brazed tooling would be an even better bet, because the shank of the tool conducts away more heat from the carbide than an insert holder. . Just for reference, I use the Hardinge speed lathe in my employer's shop on average 5 hours a week. I haven't replaced any inserts or rotated them in at least six years. But I used a couple pieces of brazed tooling for the majority of my work, and it requires only an occasional touch up with a diamond sharpening stone or a green wheel on a grinder.
@tg5509
8 ай бұрын
You got one of the old heads going... lol
@franciscojavier4270
3 ай бұрын
Absolutely great job! The original lathe was really poor quality and now it is a decent machine. Congratulations!
@stephenkinsley2483
2 жыл бұрын
thank you for your video, i got my lathe, same model as you have a good few years ago on the advice of a friend who was a very good engineer, ( retired rolls royce ) unfortunatly he passed away earlier this year so now i'm having to rely on people like yourself to provide me with info to make the lathe as good as it can be, as i'm a retired mechanic i have some basic skills with lathes but i keep finding small problems with it as you have found though it's knowing what is wrong and how to fix it is where the problems are for me and this video has gone a long way to show me where to look, i have fitted a quick change tool post and made a carrige lock and done my best with the ways and gibbs, i still have the tailstock to sort but with your help i'm getting there bit by bit, as i only use the lathe now and again to make spacers and other small bits i don't suppose it needs to be that accurate but i'm a bit anal i suppose you call it when it comes to doing things right, i would like to use it for threading and other stuff but my confidence is not there yet, one of my main gripes is parting off even with alloy bar it's so slow and jams up now and then, i would like to have a miller but with my use and lack of experience and of course the extra cost i don't think that would be an option, for now at least, i'll use the link and see what happens, thank you.
@opinionated6034
2 жыл бұрын
Parting can be very tricky. Be absolutely sure your parting tool is not above center even a tiny bit because the work rotation will pull the tool down deeper into the work piece causing the tool to snap or jam. If anything a .001 below center is much betrer.
@derfnoname8570
2 жыл бұрын
Hi I too was an apprentice at Rolls Royce (East Kilbride and Hillington,Scotland). Your problem with parting off may be reduced if you part in revise. Turn tool upside down and come in from the back (remember to reverse the head stock this way the tool will have less force on it and it will clear the chips automatically) I like this lathe and have modified a lot. Please contact me if you want any more information Fred @@opinionated6034
@dreamsteam8272
2 жыл бұрын
Thats my favorite "Lathenight" Show....
@afancyredneck
Жыл бұрын
Definitely make me wanna buy a mini lathe as a base unit and mod it to my style, Great Video!
@kujtimselmani9865
Жыл бұрын
❤❤❤❤ 🎉🎉😮8l8l8l😮😮
@mackk123
3 жыл бұрын
The casting in my seigX2 mini mill came pre bent as well as had a musical feature from the column's casting core shifting, leaving a blade thin section to support the dovetails, oh the joyous clanging tones of vibrating zed axis.
@TobeWilsonNetwork
2 жыл бұрын
Now a Mini Lathe… that could be interesting and in my investment range
@browning50cal
3 жыл бұрын
Ton of good ideas. Mini lathe is high on my list as a near term purchase, so this is great information.
@catherineharris4746
Жыл бұрын
Simply outstanding!👏👏👍👍👍👍👍
@LatheSkills
Жыл бұрын
As a machinist I thank you!
@danmerwin6805
2 жыл бұрын
Machining parts for your lathe using that lathe is like a chicken building a deep fryer with chicken parts. I love it lol.
@richardquebec5850
2 жыл бұрын
Superbe mon ami, j'attend mon Tour neuf la semaine prochaine et tellement hate de travailler avec. Je vait faire les améliorations que tu dit de faire surtout fermé l'engrenage avec une tole. En tout cas merci beaucoup pour ces infos, je te suis maintenant! 👌👍
@oppanheimer
3 жыл бұрын
Very impressive work mate, well done.
@artisanmakes
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Cheers!
@ronbianca1975
2 жыл бұрын
Great ideas my friend! Stay healthy.
@chrisrichardson8542
Жыл бұрын
fantastic video cheers mate will be doing some of these to my mini dave lol
@crpth1
Жыл бұрын
Independently of the quality or need for most upgrades on the mini lathe. Some of which I implemented myself. My best advise would be. To get familiar with the tunning procedures of the OEM lathe. Simple as that! Many of the original solutions are not the best, the most comfortable to use, etc. BUT they do WORK! That should be the principal conclusion of all this. Are there better ways to do it. Are there improvements to be made. Sure there are. But the OEM can work amazingly well if one knows what to do... This comes from someone who got a "lemon"! Out of the box it would chatter turning plastic!! So trust me when I say it can be done with plain OEM stuff. ;-)
@jeniferdiamond7723
8 ай бұрын
I plan on doing a couple of upgrades to my Vevor 7x14. But at some point it would be better to just buy a better lathe.😅😅😂 Im happy I only need mine to do 2 simple small operations, but out of the crate to have the tool holder so far off and not provide shims to help line up center to stock does suck and yea im looking at buyin an adjustable quck tool head. I just feel like that was done on purpose to get you to buy an upgrade out of the box.
@nunolourenco1532
3 жыл бұрын
Maybe its time to add grease lines to those tapered bearings and change the low/high plastic gears! Great content BTW.
@artisanmakes
3 жыл бұрын
I'll probably do that when I next pull it apart to decrease the bearings. And no need to change the plastic spindle hears since I power the spindle directly from a pulley mounted to the end of it. Cheers
@haydenc2742
3 жыл бұрын
Very nice! I like watching your upgrade vids! Keep em coming!!!!
@jacobyunderhill3999
3 жыл бұрын
@@davidwillard7334 What is your favorite liver tine fourscore? Does it hurt when you slivy the chubble? Engrossed because fluffy noodle. Sap on yarn, also. Hammer skip the plume vest. Crest west, lest we best the pest. Garry Kasparov is. Mushroom talent. Eh?
@CindyandCharlie
Жыл бұрын
thanks for sharing you up grades
@Varnaj42
11 ай бұрын
Most interesting video covering things that a competent review should but usually doesn't. My opinion is that those little lathes are cute but I will shop for one that is of a higher quality. Initial cost, after all, is not a good way to judge value. Too bad I live in the US or I'd buy one of those Austrian or German made minis. I can't help but to think they are superior to low end Chinese. Maybe I'm wrong. Who knows? But.... they are all 220v and metric. A little inconvenient for the US.
@Stiffsce
Жыл бұрын
You should sell all if these upgrades
@warcorer
14 күн бұрын
Just an FYI your link for the cross slide rebuild is the wrong one.
@whynottable
3 жыл бұрын
The link to "Cross Slide Rebuild" actually links to "Lever Locking Tailstock"
@josearnaldopinheirodossant7712
3 жыл бұрын
There are many mini lathes that are nothing but expensive toys !
@wmcrash
2 жыл бұрын
Nice stuff! I'd suggest some way wipers.
@BaldAdventures
3 жыл бұрын
Awesome videos, friend Im getting my first metal lathe soon. I hope to use some of your vids as references!
@jimmyhuffman6802
Жыл бұрын
Good job on how to not upgrade your lathes or I'll do it latter.
@chotuusian4127
Жыл бұрын
Nice lathe
@YooProjects
3 жыл бұрын
very useful upgrade :) waiting for your next projects. BR, YOO PROJECTS
@mfbfreak
2 жыл бұрын
And then you have almost built your own lathe hehe
@Pushyhog
3 жыл бұрын
incredible! if u would move to my neighborhood life would be better.
@damirdze
Жыл бұрын
Mini lathe is not extremely hard to build, unlike a big one that normally use the cast iron in order to better absorb the vibrations.
@alejandrotaudil3689
3 ай бұрын
Kudos!
@donmittlestaedt1117
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the video.
@artisanmakes
3 жыл бұрын
Thankyou, glad you enjoyed it
@pheenix42
2 жыл бұрын
I've considered buying one of these mini tools...soo much to do. :(
@steveb936
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for that
@manxman8008
2 жыл бұрын
try 3 fluted drill bits in the stock, stubby not long - ps great video!
@EyeOfTack
2 жыл бұрын
hey, great video the "cross slide rebuild" link in the the description is wrong :) it links to "lever locking tailstock" video
@RoyDLea
11 ай бұрын
Hi from France, and thanks for this video! I'm considering starting out my own workshop, after years of lurking, using bad maintained machines at work at some time, etc etc... I'd have two questions though: 1- Do you recommend starting out with the lathe or the mill? I'd go for the lathe spontaneously because it's the machine I know the best, BUT the mill looks kinda required to do the mods to get some accuracy from the lathe... Thus my question. And then there is the question of money, and how to cleverly kinda stagger the expenses... Any advice would be appreciated at this stage. 2- Regarding benches/ stands for, say C3 lathe and X2 or X2.7 mill, is there a good affordable option? Some recommendations? I've taken a look on secondhand industrial benches around home, rather rusted and expensive... So, maybe it's time to try some welding a box frame and putting a thick slab on it? Or maybe I'm overthinking it, which I'm also familiar of? On this subject I've found this video: kzitem.info/news/bejne/qpicu5WbjqJohY4 Well build I'd say, maybe a bit too much though? Looks like those benches are a bit of a can of worms unfortunately, it's not that clear for (cheap) novices. Many thanks for your help anyway!
@artisanmakes
10 ай бұрын
Depends on your use case but I'd go with a lathe, its what I did. Unless you specifically need a mill. There are many talented channels that are able to make stuff with only a lathe. Plus you can use the lathe as a mill with a vertical slide. IMHO those lathe or mill benches unless you get expensive ones are never that great.
@trashes_to_treasures
2 жыл бұрын
Man, I love your account! Not sure if it’s because of the darn great quality of your videos or because of your accent 😅😍 I don’t know if you know him already, but check out Phil Vandelay‘s channel. He‘s a nice and pretty impressive hobby machinist from Hamburg and he‘s got great ideas for his lathe and mill. Maybe you‘ll find something useful on his channel... Cheers mate!
@bobebietaem4420
Жыл бұрын
want one like this, how do I get one? Thanks for the great content...
@artisanmakes
Жыл бұрын
EBay is my go to
@JeansWithPockets541
2 жыл бұрын
Are you considering putting your considerable expertise into redoing the compound so you don't have to drag it all the way back to just adjust the angle with those two little screws you showed? You said you don't do much tapering, but that and a thread dial are the only two that it looks like you're really missing. Other than a DRO, but that's a preference from what I've seen.
@aaronweiser4661
2 жыл бұрын
Quick question. Do you know, or does anyone have a rough estimate as to the thickness of shim used to level the tailstock?
@artisanmakes
2 жыл бұрын
its .2mm. That suits me but could be different for you
@G58
2 жыл бұрын
@@artisanmakes It’s details like that which put me off buying a Chinese lathe. There’s no excuse for such an obvious error. And adding shims reduces the stability of the tailstock. Trouble is that old Myfords cost far too much.
@gangleweed
3 жыл бұрын
At 3:35 the whole compound slide was bobbing up and down....at all times when turning the gibs on the compound slide should be TIGHT to prevent any movement, they should only be slackened off slightly when doing a taper.......that is the first thing to correct......the next thing is to get rid of the piston type tool post........some like it but it's not al that great.
@artisanmakes
3 жыл бұрын
I probably should have mentioned that that footage was taken before I made the leadscrew constraints. Without that mod I had to back off the gib pressure or the cross slide would jam. That's all fixed now and the gibs have been replaced. The compound is probably the poorest bit of design on these lathes. As for the piston tool post, I am sure you would notice a difference on a bigger lathe, but here I can't see it making a difference. Cheers
@Mister_G
2 жыл бұрын
"at all times when turning the gibs on the compound slide should be TIGHT to prevent any movement" - the real problem is that the the gib strips rock because they are so narrow and the clamp screws work on an angled face. No matter how tight you do the clamp screws, the assembly still rocks (they will push the slide up if you really tighten them). The contact face of the gib needs to be ground flat and the rear face needs to have pockets cut into it at the correct angle to take the ends of the clamp screws (which need to be changed for dog point screws) - that improves it a lot.
@jafinch78
3 жыл бұрын
Any thoughts of a right angle plate instead of the solid steel tool post for the solid steel cross slide? Then add a vertical slide with a vise or plate to the right angle plate, possiblely just using the compound with a vice or plate. I've invested in, though haven't had the time to work on the mini-lathe. Thanks for sharing all the details with links. That's super helpful.
@alanswanson1952
2 жыл бұрын
Great video and work to improve that lathe but it go to show you why you should probably pass on them and look for an older Logan or Atlas
@artisanmakes
2 жыл бұрын
Possibly, the value of these machines does vary depending on where you live though. Older machinery is not super common in my part of the world so these lathes make.much more sense
@alanswanson1952
2 жыл бұрын
@@artisanmakes that makes sense I was lucky enough to pick up an old Logan for $200. It came with three chucks, a steady rest and a bunch of tooling.
@56Moto
Ай бұрын
What kind of oil do you use in the oil ports?
@artisanmakes
Ай бұрын
ISO 64 hydraulic oil. Proper stuff if way oil but it can be a bit tricky to get in small quantities
@shortbuslife3440
2 жыл бұрын
I'm adding a verticle slide and a tilting rotary table to mine as I don't have a mill, not sure how well it will work but hoping it will be a good option to swap out when needed, what do you think?
@untrust2033
2 жыл бұрын
Please let me know how it goes!
@artisanmakes
2 жыл бұрын
All ill say is that you will be very limited by the swing of the lathe, usually not too much room before you hit the bed with the compound. It can work, just be mindful of it. A compound with T- slots will be very useful in this situation.
@velcroman11
3 жыл бұрын
Be careful when increasing the “power” of your motor. If the machine does not have metal gears, the likelihood of stripping the gears is increased. Up grade to metal gears when you upgrade the motor.
@velcroman11
2 жыл бұрын
@@davidwillard7334 wooden pistons work too but I would’t chose them over metal pistons. Wooden gears really?
@danieleder4863
3 жыл бұрын
With all the mods you made you could have made your own new one
@ferdblu1946
3 жыл бұрын
Could you do the same with your mini mill?
@ThePoolman2007
Жыл бұрын
is there anywhere online that i can buy most of these upgrades for the harbor freight lathe
@matthewfreeland5957
7 ай бұрын
So how much did you invest on improvements on this lathe ?
@wanna2836
2 жыл бұрын
Great videos for aussies! My Sieg SC2 is getting too sloppy so I'm doing the bearings soon, would you make gib strips and sell them?
@artisanmakes
2 жыл бұрын
Interesting thought, I have never used a SC2 though so I'm not sure what the carriage retainer strips look like.
@sagheerahmedmogal6551
Ай бұрын
What is the coast of this lathe
@darkshadowsx5949
3 жыл бұрын
the bed ways of my lathe isn't flat and actually wobbles on a known flat surface. my lathe is in shambles until i can flatten the bed way. its too long for my surface grinder and im waiting on a brideport mill. i have never scraped and dont have a surface plate.
@JC-ms2rz
3 жыл бұрын
Replacing the slide with a block of metal is the Single best improvement for so little complication on these small lathes. Why the hell do they not sell the slide replacement block with the lathe? Or at least sell them as a side component the way they sell the quick change tool holders?
@Pushyhog
3 жыл бұрын
what about sticking stock thru head thru 3 jaw?? mine will take 3/4" thru head but then it bumps 3 jaw. Could bore it out?
@marcoam2610
Жыл бұрын
Please tell: Who offers the highest spec versions of those Sieg Cx, money aside? Optimum, Paulimot? I wanna get a precise pretuned deluxe version (almost all mods shown in this video done) with measurement protocol/report
@jimmyhuffman6802
Жыл бұрын
To dame many brakes during this video!
@joze8722
Жыл бұрын
I would wonder if spending more money on a better lathe would have been worthwhile.
@Pushyhog
3 жыл бұрын
i notice many take main screw cover off.
@adriandumitrascu4292
2 жыл бұрын
mod for gib: since gib is way too big is tend to roll so i milled 2mm of it then bolt it then insert a 2mm strip in the space created to act like a gib, now wont roll no matter how lose screw are. (milled gib is always bolted) it take a lot of play off.
@artisanmakes
2 жыл бұрын
That sounds like a very interesting idea that I might look into
@HM-Projects
3 жыл бұрын
The big question now is when you're buying your next lathe 😜 Good modifications, way and leadscrew covers should nearly complete this.
@artisanmakes
3 жыл бұрын
Cheers, if I used the leadscrew more often a cover would be top priority, but I haven't used it in months so it isn't too high on the list.
@angelom.carlos668
2 жыл бұрын
How much this mini LATHE MACHINE.
@letsgoBrandon204
3 жыл бұрын
"Bent from the factory" - Oh China
@mackk123
3 жыл бұрын
They didn't do it on purpose, they just purposely didn't prevent it.
@letsgoBrandon204
3 жыл бұрын
@@mackk123 It's a strategy that seems to work for them. "Quarity contro? Bah! That round eye talk!" (Mutters something about Mongorians)
@raffysilvestre456
11 ай бұрын
how much these mini dathe machine..
@antoniollamelo2383
Жыл бұрын
how much?
@Lukeveltman
Жыл бұрын
How does the sieg go turning and machining 316?
@artisanmakes
Жыл бұрын
You can do it if you have sharp inserts, but it won't do it quickly
@Lukeveltman
Жыл бұрын
@@artisanmakes so if I were looking to get a mini lathe with the intention of working with a bit of small stainless part making, it probably wouldnt be the best pick?
@nguyenvanquynguyenvanquy5039
2 жыл бұрын
Sang vietnam mà sản xuất máy này và bán tại thị trường của vietnam ok you
@jackdawg4579
3 жыл бұрын
What do you think of the tray under the lathe. I've never bothered to put mine in, I havent bothered until this point and I like to get a brush under there and just sweep out all the chips easily, and I am thinking ti might be a pain to get the chips out from under the lathe with the tray in place. But I am getting ready to bolt the lathe down, and wondering if I should put the tray in.
@artisanmakes
3 жыл бұрын
I've tried before and on these extra small lathes my hand hits the tray when I turn the carriage hand wheel. Maybe on larger lathes but not on these 7x ones.
@Self_Evident
2 жыл бұрын
I like having the tray, but I haven't bolted my lathe to the bench. Instead, to increase the stability of the lathe, I just create larger "feet". The stability problem with these lathes is that the width of the base is only about 3". So, I added a length of lumber under each end to widen(lengthen?) the feet. That is, with the tray in place, bolt the lathe to a couple of pieces of lumber, about 8" long, for feet. Then screw the rubber feet under the ends of the the lumber. Now the lathe's "feet" are 8" apart, instead of only 3. This makes a HUGE difference is stability. Plus, you can still relatively easily move the lathe if needed. Front View \___________________________/ tray |___| |___| wood feet/base |_| |_| rubber feet End view \_________/ tray |________| wood feet/base |_| |_| rubber feet (Hopefully the "drawings" above come out spaced the same on your end...) Another utility to this setup is that the space under the tray can be used for temporary placement of items you want to have at hand, but not in your hand at a given moment. I've kept a container of tools there for easy access. The container is easily removed to allow cleaning/brushing out the area. I've also just used it to keep a pencil & the drawing of the current object being machined.
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