Author Topic: Northumbrian Armouries Shop  (Read 11258 times)

Offline northumbrian

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Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« on: November 16, 2013, 01:58:52 PM »
As I have started to post some pics of my shop in the making, in my intro, I kind of thought, it not really the place for them.
So I thought I'd start a more detailed post showing the shop, and some of the works I'll be doing in it.

So here goes  :ddb:

The shop is split into three areas, two lower ground floor spaces and one upper mezzanine.

The main lower level is for all the heavy machines, anything over 300Kg. The space measures 6.5mx 4.5m.

Filling up the shop from the rear with machines, that way I can get any future machinery in with out too much difficulty.

So far, the machinery in the lower level is as follows:

1966 Harrison L6, with 12" swing & 24" between the centres, it's been modified to do gun barrel work, so has an outboard 4 screw spider to hold an end of a barrel.
I like the Harrison, mainly due to it's slow spindle speeds, which lends itself nicely to turning a profile on a rifle barrel.
I'll post more details about the lathe as I progress.



Next is a 1950's Hardinge HC, not wired in yet, but invaluable for anything short or repetitive. I've not had it very long, bought just before moving over to France, looking forward to using it.



On the other side of the lower level, is a 1960's Aciera F3, with vertical head, horizontal arbor support, and tilt/swivel table, only weighs half a tonne, but it the heaviest half a tonne you'll ever lift. Seriously solid, and an absolute joy to use. But two days after I got it wired up, we had a lighting strike which fried the switch board. So I'm in the middle of rewiring it.  :zap:



Next to the tailstock end of the Harrison is a Clarke pillar drill, it's not bad, but it's not great. I will replace it with something better at some point, but I'm not in too much of a hurry.

The old wood burning Aga in the dinning room of the house is now my Welding/brazing bench, not really setup yet, but you can just make it out behind the stairs in the follwoing pic.



The other smaller room off the lower level, the door next to the stair in the last pic, nothing more than a store room at the moment, but it will be the "dirty" room, with blasting cabinet, blueing tanks, and heat treatment furnaces. No pics yet, as there's nothing really to see yet.

The upper level or mezzanine floor, is the main work area, with the main work bench.



The drawers to the left of the bench is made to hold all of my metrology kit, micrometers, vernier calipers, dti's etc

You can just see behind the drawers two bench grinders, one has a mop & wire on it, and the other has 8" grinding wheels. Next them will be the Clarkson Mk2 Tool & Cutter grinder, which was bought this week, just has not arrived yet.

To the back of the mezzanine, on the same side as the main work bench, is my reloading bench, again not quite finished, but it is getting there.
Next to it is an old fridge freezer, which I will be using as a store for my reloading supplies. It's not plugged in I cut off the power cord, so it's nothing more than a very well insulated cupboard.

Well I think that all I can think off for the moment, as I said it's is work in progress, I have a load of other work to get done around the place first. We have not been here in the new place for very long.

But this probably the biggest long term project I have on at the moment.

Offline NeoTech

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2013, 04:52:08 AM »
That is some serious space for projects you got there.. *check my shop thread, and you will know my envy*
Machinery: Optimum D320x920, Optimum BF20L, Aciera F3. -- I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. http://www.roughedge.se/blogg/

Offline northumbrian

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2013, 07:19:14 AM »
That's a nice little shop, I see we have the same taste in milling machines ;)

I've had a little look at your website too, some nice stuff on there.

How are you getting on finding W20 tooling? More to the point how on earth did you find a slotting head for the Aciera F3?

Offline NeoTech

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2013, 04:17:56 AM »
Yeah, the Tooling for W20 is obtainable.. the collets has changed name and is called DIN 349E - you can obtain these from india if wanted, Schaublin still sells them as well for a hysterical price. rc-machines do have some as well, and so does some other dutch websites. But i bought som indian one and they well isnt as nice as the german but works sufficiently well.

Making a ER collet hold is the way to go though.. They are more versatile in the long run and what i use like 90% of the times i use the machine.

Finding a slotting head.. lets just say its a buyers market.. If you find one, dont hesitate. I paid through the ass for the slotting head. Its not a easily obtainable item. But the dutch still has a large stock of used Aciera tooling and machines so looking for dutch tooling companies and restorers is the way to go. Swiss tooling companies is useless, they have it in most cases but demand silly amounts of money for it. Their currency makes it hard to deal with them as well cause its really strong.

Personally im looking for the raiser block atm. I want to get that extra 80mm height in the machine for when milling large castings and motor parts. in worst case i will just make one..  No there yet though.
Machinery: Optimum D320x920, Optimum BF20L, Aciera F3. -- I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. http://www.roughedge.se/blogg/

Offline northumbrian

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2013, 04:32:47 AM »
I found Rc-machines, they have some good stuff, was looking at getting the ER25 collet holder they sell, but just not got around to it yet.
The main reason I'm looking for W20 tooling is, at some point in the near future, when I find one I can afford, is to get a Schaublin 102 plain bench lathe.
I'd like a Schaublin 102VM, but they're a bit more expensive, and I cannot justify spending the money on one just yet. RC-Machines have a few but the from €5300 upto €7000.
So I need to get some money in first.

Offline NeoTech

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2013, 08:59:19 AM »
I know your thinking their, im looking into gettinga  Schaublin 120VM or 125VM myself, its a expensive piece of kit, but its worth it in my opionion, i can find a 102VM in Sweden for around 4700-5000 euros.. But then you would need to get over here and collect it and all that hassle.. =)
Machinery: Optimum D320x920, Optimum BF20L, Aciera F3. -- I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. http://www.roughedge.se/blogg/

Offline northumbrian

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2013, 01:21:58 PM »
I'd love a 125C, but way out of my price range right now, but I agree it would be very much worth it.
If I can get my hands on decent cylindrical grinder, for the right price, I'd start making W20 tooling, doing my best to get it to Swiss standards, but without the Swiss price.
Ahhh, per chance to dream  :med:

I will keep in mind getting a Schaublin 102VM from Sweden, if I can't find one nearer for the right price, if so I'll let you know.
If I end up getting one from Sweden, I'll have to buy you a beer  :beer:

Offline NeoTech

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2013, 01:25:03 PM »
Here is the listing im thinking about, you will prob. need to pay tax in some country either sweden or france..

http://www.gnosjomaskin.se/detail.asp?Id=4862
Machinery: Optimum D320x920, Optimum BF20L, Aciera F3. -- I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. http://www.roughedge.se/blogg/

Offline northumbrian

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #8 on: November 18, 2013, 03:52:36 PM »
Cool thanks for the link NeoTech.

Tax is inevitable what ever the country  :bang:

Offline mattinker

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #9 on: November 18, 2013, 04:01:35 PM »
Hi,

 "leboncoin.fr a search for tour a metaux it is not specifically machine tools, but worth looking at as you never know what's going to turn up!

Another thought, a forum that's worth belonging to is "Usinage" there's a for sale section.

http://www.usinages.com/forum.html

Regards, Matthew

Offline northumbrian

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2013, 06:15:29 AM »
Thanks again Matthew, I found usinages.com, a while ago, but thought before I join the group, improve my french some more rather than having to rely on google translate all the time.

I must say the locals here are very helpful, when I try to speak French and get it wrong.

Offline mattinker

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2013, 07:12:01 AM »
I would say join the group, lurk and try to read what's going on without using Google translate straight away.

When I arrived, I got a job as a diesel mechanic, eight hours a day immersion, try and get out of the English speaking zone. I used to listen to the radio in French a lot (still do) France Culture then, now, France Inter, the more you listen the more you take in!

All the best, Matthew.

Offline northumbrian

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #12 on: November 20, 2013, 02:06:04 AM »
Joining and lurking for a while sounds like a good idea.

I do try and drop myself in at the deep end, with the locals in order to make myself speak French.

Plus the members of my gun club are are nice & helpful.

I will get there, but I am under now elusions as to how long it will take, and it's going to take along time.

Offline Meldonmech

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #13 on: November 20, 2013, 07:31:51 AM »

              That looks like a spacious well equiped shop.

                                                                                    Cheers David

Offline northumbrian

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #14 on: November 20, 2013, 12:27:30 PM »

              That looks like a spacious well equiped shop.

                                                                                    Cheers David

Thank you

Offline DMIOM

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Re: Northumbrian Armouries Shop
« Reply #15 on: November 20, 2013, 04:19:21 PM »
......The upper level or mezzanine floor, is the main work area, with the main work bench.



The drawers to the left of the bench is made to hold all of my metrology kit, micrometers, vernier calipers, dti's etc
.......

Looks a grand space. One thing that would worry me is that there doesn't appear to be any upstand at the back of the bench at the edge of the mezzanine - I'd be afraid of something rolling-off and plummeting down a storey.  Wouldn't need much - could even just be a six inch high strip of of ply or perspex?

Dave