daifly
Western Thunderer
In one of my periodic rushes of blood to the head, last summer I purchased an unused Proxxon PD250/E lathe (bought and returned to the supplier by someone else). When it arrived and I opened the box I was more than a little intimidated by all of the handles, switches, selectors and other controls as well as a large range of included accessories. My solution was, as usual to buy a couple of the bibles on the use use of the small lathe.
Now in the same way that a cupboard full of unbuilt kits and a couple of books by Iain Rice and Gordon Gravett don't make you a modeller, owning a lathe and a couple of books don't make you any sort of 'engineer' either. Experienced lathe users may be able to remember what it was like before they had their first introduction to the device but I suspect that many WTers, like me, have never used one before but would like to have some expert tuition in the safe operation of a small lathe. I was more than a little afeared of damaging the lathe or me without some proper guidance.
Axminster Tools, at their Axminster HQ have a Skill Centre where they offer a variety of short courses and I have just completed a two-day 'Introduction to the Small Lathe' course.
This is what I made:
It fits together like this:
or in the other end like this:
There is a very satisfying 'pop' as the insert is withdrawn from its socket. To give an idea of scale, the larger part started as a piece 25 x 85mm and the smaller was 20 x 40mm. The creation of these two parts was the work of the two days on the course and required turning, chamfering, drilling, boring, reaming, tapping, screw cutting, knurling. Tutoring on cutting speeds, lubrication, cooling, use of a steady, end drill, live centre, parting off, plus tool selection, use and care was also given.
All of the above skills were introduced and although a two-day course has not made me into a master craftsman it has given me the basic knowledge and confidence to begin to use my lathe safely and effectively.
You may ask, "what does the thing do and what is it for?"
The answer is that is was simply a workshop exercise but every time I look at it and handle it I have a huge grin on my face because I made every single bit of it myself and I'm chuffed to bits!
Dave
Now in the same way that a cupboard full of unbuilt kits and a couple of books by Iain Rice and Gordon Gravett don't make you a modeller, owning a lathe and a couple of books don't make you any sort of 'engineer' either. Experienced lathe users may be able to remember what it was like before they had their first introduction to the device but I suspect that many WTers, like me, have never used one before but would like to have some expert tuition in the safe operation of a small lathe. I was more than a little afeared of damaging the lathe or me without some proper guidance.
Axminster Tools, at their Axminster HQ have a Skill Centre where they offer a variety of short courses and I have just completed a two-day 'Introduction to the Small Lathe' course.
This is what I made:
It fits together like this:
or in the other end like this:
There is a very satisfying 'pop' as the insert is withdrawn from its socket. To give an idea of scale, the larger part started as a piece 25 x 85mm and the smaller was 20 x 40mm. The creation of these two parts was the work of the two days on the course and required turning, chamfering, drilling, boring, reaming, tapping, screw cutting, knurling. Tutoring on cutting speeds, lubrication, cooling, use of a steady, end drill, live centre, parting off, plus tool selection, use and care was also given.
All of the above skills were introduced and although a two-day course has not made me into a master craftsman it has given me the basic knowledge and confidence to begin to use my lathe safely and effectively.
You may ask, "what does the thing do and what is it for?"
The answer is that is was simply a workshop exercise but every time I look at it and handle it I have a huge grin on my face because I made every single bit of it myself and I'm chuffed to bits!
Dave
![100_0671[1].JPG](/data/attachments/67/67509-50a0cd83099990d55902abce6109c54c.jpg)
![100_0676[1].JPG](https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/data/attachments/68/68391-093a924dd5a6ac8d99f2658c7c7b1f92.jpg "100_0676[1].JPG")
