MadModder
Home Base => Introductions => Topic started by: helder1977 on May 13, 2014, 01:53:40 PM
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just a quick hello
I'm helder live in London UK fascinated with making thing on a large but with no experience and do not own one either lol
Thinking about buying one and just self learn , was looking at some college courses but time is scarce with a 2 year old at home not aloof time is available
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Hi there, Helder,
Welcome to Mad Modders.
I suggest that you buy (or borrow) a book called 'The Amateur's Lathe' by Laurence Sparey (it might be Lawrence Sparey). It's an old established book describing lathework, mainly using the Myford ML7 as an example. However, most of the operations described in the book can be 'read across' to other makes of lathe.
Also, investigate the range of books published in the 'Workshop Practice' series. (Google is your friend!)
Then you'll find lots of instructive videos on YouTube, especially many by Doubleboost who is also a fellow Mad Modder.
You say that you're short of time - there's no instant expertise-transfusion, one way or another you'll have to invest some time and effort. Still, don't let that put you off, everyone starts from substantially the same place and you can take it gently.
Once you've read Sparey's book (and maybe a few others) and watched some videos, you'll have lots of questions. That'll be where this Mad Modders site will be able to help you. I've found folks here to be very helpful and positive.
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Hi Helder,
A two year old is going to keep you busy for a while. But that is no reason not to start reading up on the subject then you will be able to get stuck into it when your child gets a bit older.
As Pete suggests, study the videos.
What sort of equipment are you aiming at ? Do you have room for much or will you have to go the micro lathe route ?
Good to see you here.
Dave.
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Thanks guys for the advice I'll get the books you mentioned and start reading, I'm not sure what to get but I'll only be aiming at making small pieces at the beginning so maybe a mini lathe and obviously price I don't want to spend loads on something that I'm learning on at the beginning
But Luke everything I know an upgrade will be in order once I'm ready
Do you guys have any suggestions on a starter equipment
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hi and welcume
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Hi helder
There is a Yahoo Mini Lathe Group you can join on the net. New members have asked your questions many times, eg. which lathe should I buy? The answers are all there.
Good luck David
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Hi Helder, and welcome!! :wave:
I'm going to put in a plug for some different books -- I built my own lathe from scratch, and I had no experience of machine work to start with. Here's my account of this process and where it eventually carried me.
http://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,8191.0.html.
And the books I recommend are written by David Gingery. They are small paperbacks and not expensive. I recommend for starters, the build a charcoal furnace book, and the book on building a metal lathe, both by Gingery.
I think there's no better introduction to metal work than actually building a lathe from scratch, using all hand tools, learning scraping, pattern making, casting, etc. Other than a real apprenticeship -- and most of those start with hand tools, too. Or did.
I very much like Sparey's book as a reference work afterwards, and there are some fine projects in it, but the Gingery books are very down to earth with a single goal in mind, explained for the layman, and will directly result in a workable version of the most useful of all machine tools.
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Hi Helder,
Welcome to the collective :borg:
Plenty of videos and books out there to help you learn. That's what I did. You can do it!
Eric