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[kendalboatsman]

Hi,

I am intriqued as to whether all scratchbuilders have a lathe or access to one via work or a friend etc. I am building a semi kit and find I need to machine parts for the funnel etc. Luckily I can get some of it done by the machinists where I work, although I am saving for a lathe and hope to have one by autumn in time for some serious building next winter.

If you don't have a lathe how do you manage?

Regards
Clive

[John W E]

Hi ya, dont know about all the other modellers, but Ive used a mini-drill to make small items such as capstans, small light fittings, bollard posts, and a few other items.  What I normally do is manufacture these items out of either a hard wood, or a brass up to the diameter of say 12 mm - 1/2 inch & the procedure I use is drill a hole through the centre of the item I am making, thread a 6 BA bolt through with a nut at the other end, clamping the work piece between them and then place the end of the 6 BA bolt into the collet of the drill.

yours
aye
John E
bluebird

[Colin Bishop]

A lathe is not essential. There is always a way round it. You can do quite a bit of basic turning in the chuck of an electric drill. Just needs a bit of imagination sometimes.

[boatmadman]

I think I was on my third scratch build before I got a lathe, but then I had a willing friend, plus access to a lathe and mill at work, (which has now been withdrawn on H&S grounds   >:(

Ian

[chingdevil]

I have not yet needed a lathe, but I have one at work if it was needed. Most of the time I just use a drill like Colin

The Other Brian

[RickF]

I thought about a lathe for a while, but decided the amount I would need it and the time it would take me to learn how to use it properly did not justify the expenditure of time or money.

Anything I cant make myself in the drill, or buy, I sub out to a jobbing engineer friend. I pay the going rate and get a first-class job.

Rick

[kendalboatsman]

Thanks for the answers, I have tried to use my minicraft drills in the router stand before but not been too successful. Will have to sit down and practice a lot. :)

The parts I am turning at the moment are 69mm with a taper on one face so a bit big for my minicraft drills. Will have to stick my power drill in the workmate.

Thanks
Clive

[HS93 (RIP)]

For most model boat fittings you can find ways to make them with out a lathe, but with one you can do so much more .I started with a small very old UNIMAT lathe ,and it could make it so much easier ,in fact I'm sorry I ever got rid of it for a larger one and I'm thinking of buying another small lathe from http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/     (latest) at £110 it is ideal and there are plenty of extras if you need them   .  Peter

[sinjon]

Another way is to get a mini woodturning lathe, which then enables you to take up woodturning as another hobby, last year I moved into a town house so sold off all my serious woodworking machinery, I have now bought myself an Axminster CCSL lathe, thats only 865 x 205 x 365 - cost £109.98. Of course there are extras if you want to expand, a drill chuck will get most small parts done. Yesterday I got some wood blanks for making pens, plus all the metal fittings, inexpensive and a whole new experience.

[boatmadman]

I use a peatol lathe (or taig as its called in USA. It is small, but v good with loads of extras available, and even websites telling you how to make tooling to expand the lathe capabilities. I made a dividing head for mine and have cut several gear wheels.

http://www.peatol.com/

HS93 is right, there is loads you find to do on the lathe, from making your own propshafts, gearboxes, nav lights....the list is endless! And then, you have the pleasure of knowing you have made so much more of the model and fittings yourself.

Ian

[HS93 (RIP)]

Just an add on to my post they also do the rest to turn it in to wood turning lathefor under £10.   Peter

[chromedome]

 
 The prices are quite reasonable as well.

      chromedome

[roycv]

Hi all, this happened  about 25 years ago and I have now got over it!
We had a new Stores location in Abingdon and the manager was a friend and on a visit one day I saw an ML7 complete, almost brand new in the corner.
I asked about it and he said they had no use for it, and I said let me know when you want to get rid of it.
Some 6 or 7 months later I enquired again and he said he had forgotten the interest I had but the lathe had just gone and the bloke only charged him £50.00 to take it away.
I went away to the car park and cried quietly through my tea break.
regards Roy

[malcolmfrary]

This might be of interest

http://silent1.home.netcom.com/HomebuiltLathe.htm

[kendalboatsman]

Hello Malcolm,

That is excellent, I am printing it out as I type. I have the parts to do that readily available and I only want to turn smallish parts.

Thanks
Clive :)