On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 10:30:50 -0700, "Harold & Susan Vordos"
wrote:

Judging from your updated description, I would suggest that it would be a
mistake for you to buy small machines. I strongly encourage you to buy a
knee type mill and an engine lathe, quick change equipped if possible, no
smaller than a 9", with at least 20" between centers, more if possible.
Otherwise, once you have the machines, you'll kick yourself almost daily
because they won't do the size work you want to do.

I wouldn't go overboard on size, especially on the lathe, for large machines
don't do a good job on small parts, but small machines have a difficult time
with average sized work, even if you can get the part in the machine. For
example, you wouldn't want to buy a 17" lathe to make ½" diameter parts, for
which you would need much higher spindle speeds. My personal choice were I
in your position would be a lathe around 12", but with "modern" speeds.
Old machines tend towards slow spindle speeds.

Good luck, sounds like you have some great projects in mind.

Harold

Well, I do have access to a machine shop with everything I could think
of. However, I work mostly at night, when the place is closed, and
they're not giving me the keys. Also, they usually have the machines
set up to do a specific part for days at a time, and me waltzing in
there and tearing apart the setups every half hour would be quite
annoying. And, most importantly, I have no idea how to use the
machines at the moment, and no one there has the time to screw around
with me all day, teaching me how a lathe and mill works.

Since I worked at the place for a year, you'd think I'd know how to
use the stuff. But since it was all set up for me, I was little more
than a monkey pulling levers at the right time.

Anyway, the point is, I figured if I ever needed to make a big, weird
part (which I thought would be not too often), I DO have access to any
machine I'd ever need. I just won't have access to them for very
long...