Another Aussie

[RodW]

Hi guys,

I thought I'd join in. I live in Brisbane, Australia and have had a Smithy lathe/mill combo for about 3-4 years.



I traded it out earlier this year and purchased an Sieg SX3 mill and a Hafco AL320G lathe which is a big step up.





Since then, I have been busy on other projects that seem to be denying me of quality shed time but I have managed to produce an EZRrnner steam engine before I started on an as yet incomplete storage makeover of my tiny shed to fit in my ever increasing collection of tooling.

I still do not know much about what I am doing but seem to be able to fake it to get what I want done. Unfortunately I still have to work so don't have the time many who are in this hobby have. Fortunately, I have a little business on the side that sees me spend a fair bit of time in my shed which has been funding all of the tooling.   
Just don't tell my wife what I have spent! 

As for projects, well I have just finished refurbishing an old air compressor on the weekend which is now sitting behind the shed on the slab I poured in anticipation a couple of years ago so now I have air in my shed but I need to get a power point to it to finish the job.

As for projects, I have started on a power feed for my mill based on an electric drill motor and have an Arduino on order which I hope to drive a stepper on my Rotary Table for dividing duties. Most of the things on my wish list have been ticked off so DRO's are coming up on the horizon but I don't think I will ever go down the CNC route. I spend enough time in front of a computer at work!

Cheers Guys

Rod

[John Rudd]

Rod,

A big British welcome from me.......

Nice machines you got there.....They certainly are a step up from the mill/drill/lathe combo you had...

Be nice to see some of your makings...

[RodW]

Rod,

A big British welcome from me.......

Nice machines you got there.....They certainly are a step up from the mill/drill/lathe combo you had...

Be nice to see some of your makings...

Thanks John, yes, the gear has made a huge difference. My old machine had a 25mm spindle and a 5" chuck so it was hard to consider something smaller so I basically bought the biggest lathe I could fit in. I would have loved the next size up with coolant, foot brake, DI chucks etc but it would not fit in 

[krv3000]

hi and welcume

[Hyper]

Hi Rod,
I'm still new here myself and sounds like we are on the same page.  I have no idea if I'm doing it the right way, but I manage to get it done.  Sometimes not knowing what you can't do just means you don't have as many limitations.  That is a nice bit of kit your working with there now.  I'm in need of something similar.  Now get out in the shed and let's see some results 

[Stilldrillin]

Hi Rod. 

Welcome to the Collective. 

Some nice machinery you've got there. You'll enjoy developing/ growing together/ understanding each other, (or not!). 

Don't forget, we need to see what you do/ make. And how you all get on together....... 

David D

[vtsteam]

Hi Rod, welcome!  Looking forward to seeing your projects. 

[Meldonmech]

Hi Rod,
                Welcome to the forum, you now have the basic machinery to complete as many and as varied projects as time allows, look forward to seeing how your workshop develops, keep the pics coming.

                                 Good Luck  David

[saw]

Hi and welcome to us 

[AussieJimG]

Hi Rod, and welcome. The next most important piece of workshop equipment is a shredder for the receipts.

Jim

[RodW]

Hi Rod, and welcome. The next most important piece of workshop equipment is a shredder for the receipts.

Jim

I love your advice Jim. Fortunately my workshop earns a bit of cash so the receipts can be tucked away out of sight. I quietly snuck a coolant pump system into the shop today. I was going to buy a linisher attachment for my grinder but then I saw the pump on special so I figured I'd never get one for $230 again. I will add it to the list of unfinished projects!

[RodW]

Hmm,

Fitting the new coolant system went well



The inlet shown from the back with a secondary outlet for my mill.


Putting the lathe back did not go so well.



Two of us could not lift it even with a floor jack. We thought of standing it on its headstock end where all the weight is and turning it round until we could stand it up but I decided to stop and reassess and talk to my insurer. Turns out that counting the $250 excess and the loss of premium discounts of about $500, it would cost me $750 to go through them. I don't think the lathe has been damaged other than the chuck guard as I had one of my nice new drawers open and it caught it on the way down. I don't think the costs would get to $750.

I think the roof might need to come off the shed and pick it up with an engine crane but I suspect the wall needs to come off to get the crane legs in position. I might be able to get one leg of the crane in the door.

So guys, help me out here. Where to from here?

[Stilldrillin]

Oh, BUGGA!! 

Hmmm...... Take off/ unscrew all you can, to lighten the load. Can you get a trolley jack underneath, somewhere?

Lift. Then pack.... Lift. Then pack.

Good luck!!

(I dropped an MGB GT down the garage pit, once)...... 

David D

[RodW]

Oh, BUGGA!! 

Hmmm...... Take off/ unscrew all you can, to lighten the load. Can you get a trolley jack underneath, somewhere?

Lift. Then pack.... Lift. Then pack.

Good luck!!

(I dropped an MGB GT down the garage pit, once)...... 

David D

Thanks David, It is amazing how heavy 280 kg is!

I have got a plan now. I've already taken your advice and removed all of the loose stuff, chuck, splash guard, bent chuck guard, tailstock and compound and chocked it up so no handles are on the ground. I found I have a 2.2 metre length of 4"x4" timber here which is wide enough to span the shed frame and hopefully, we will be able to use an endless chain and an engine load leveller to lift it. With it lying on its side, I can't sling it round the chuck as you normally would to level the lift so the engine leveller should do the trick.

It was the right decision to stop and think for a while.

Anyway, wish us luck tomorrow night.

[PekkaNF]

crapety crap! Lucily no-one was hurt. Milling machines are often top-heavy and have small footing - even worse than lathe.

If you don't have a engine hoist and can't resort to put a come along & sling on the rafters, you need to madmodder something else.

It's very importat to device proper lifting poits. On the other hand you don't want to drop it again - nor you want to break bearings or distort anything. I would check if a sling could be routted near lathe bed feets. I have seen one lathe that was lifted from the spindle....she spindle was bent and showed aproximately 0,5 mm of excentricity ont e chuck!

Best luck for your ordeal.

Pekka

[awemawson]

Bad luck - I hope that your plan works out.

I once tipped a Colchester Student on its side against the workshop door. I was moving it on a pallet truck, and turned the steering wheels to 90 degrees and over she went. I built a tripod using scaffold poles and used a block and tackle (having climbed out through the window) Damage to the lathe was minimal - a bent cross feed handle. Damage to the door was significant. Bust lower panel, loosened door frame, and two bricks loose in the wall where the frame fixing were!

Lesson learnt - pallet truck steering wheels should never go 90 deg when carrying lathes   

[RodW]

Bad luck - I hope that your plan works out.

I once tipped a Colchester Student on its side against the workshop door. I was moving it on a pallet truck, and turned the steering wheels to 90 degrees and over she went. I built a tripod using scaffold poles and used a block and tackle (having climbed out through the window) Damage to the lathe was minimal - a bent cross feed handle. Damage to the door was significant. Bust lower panel, loosened door frame, and two bricks loose in the wall where the frame fixing were!

Lesson learnt - pallet truck steering wheels should never go 90 deg when carrying lathes   

My lesson learnt is to always bolt the darn things down! I had it sitting on some big concretes tiles to get it up out of the water that runs through my shed. Once we get it up, we have to get it out so we can pour a level slab which will stop the water. said slab will also include some bolts for lathe.

[vtsteam]

If your shed won't support lifting it and you have a welder, you could weld up a sort of mini swing set ("A" frames and cross beam) out of 2" pipe with gussets, and then lift from that.

[RodW]

If your shed won't support lifting it and you have a welder, you could weld up a sort of mini swing set ("A" frames and cross beam) out of 2" pipe with gussets, and then lift from that.

Yes, I may have to do that yet. I am just waiting for a helper to arrive but on first attempt I ran out of  travel so have put a few more blocks under since this photo so I have another six inches. If this does not work, I may have to fab something up..

[RodW]

Success


Sorry about no photos in progress. I was worried about the way the slings were as they were going to lift the thing straight up on it side and called in another helper. Then at the last minute, I worked out that I could feed the sling through a gap in the bed so the lathe could roll upright and stand itself up. I did not quite have enough lift to let it swing but it was standing at about 80 degrees so it was easy to straighten up without raising a sweat!

As suspected, there is no real damage, just a bit of a dint on the bottom corner of the belt guard and a gouge out of the front panel where the knobs are on the headstock. A bit of paint, and no one will notice!

Anyway, I closed the door on the shed with the lathe in the middle of the room. Enough for one evening!

Hare and Forbes had pity on me, and sold me the slings for $10 each which was about half price.

[Pete W.]

Success

SNIP

As suspected, there is no real damage, just a bit of a dint on the bottom corner of the belt guard and a gouge out of the front panel where the knobs are on the headstock. A bit of paint, and no one will notice!

SNIP

Rod,

I'm very pleased to read the above.

No damage to either man or machine is a good result!             

Still, I guess you'll perform a few checks as you rebuild and before you undertake any serious work?  I hope that such checks will confirm that initial assessment.

[Stilldrillin]

I'm breathing again!

Well sorted/ saved Rod! 

David D

[RodW]

Thanks guys for all the support.

I'm breathing again!

Well sorted/ saved Rod! 

David D

You and me both Dave! I am very relieved. I will check it out and check it is still true once the adrenalin subsides in a day or so! I've also got a bit of wiring to do for the coolant pump and a work light while I can get behind it.

[Joules]

Really pleased for you Rod that the machine doesn't seem to have sustained any serious damage....  Hmmmm wonder if I can market lathe Airbags, not an uncommon occurrence this.   Everyone take extra care moving machines about. 

[Pete49]

Now there's a learning curve you could have done without. Good catch though and all plain sailing now with luck
Pete (in Sth Oz)