It felt about time to do another update on my progress. I feel like I'm getting the hang of the spindle gouge and the skew chisel. I've also used a parting tool a couple of times and that was very straightforward. The bowl gouge, however, is proving to be a lot more challenging!
Anyway, a...
Most of today has been spent making a simple "Lazy Susan" tool holder. It's made out of some plywood pieces (which were made circular with an electric router) and various bits of steel, aluminium and copper. The frame is made out of more of the 3030 extrusion that I got out of the skip (I've...
Interesting thought. Yes, maybe. I'll still need to clear some space on the joists for it to attach to (every joist is already full of stuff!) and I'll have to think what I'd want it to be over (I don't want something hanging over the area I walk just for safety's sake). I'll have a ponder...
I thought it was probably about time I posted an update on how things have been going with the lathe. Since finishing the lathe I've done a bit of shopping (and a lot of sharpening!): I had a weekend in Lyme Regis and while I was in the area I visited Axminster Tools and bought a chuck and a set...
I was taught both at school and used imperial pretty much exclusively for many years. Then about 10 years ago I saw the light and realised how much better metric is and now I wouldn't go back to the dark ages of imperial measurements.
I've gradually replaced all my tape measures, rulers etc...
This afternoon I had a bit of a play and have made my first chisel handle, so I'm happy that I've proven that it's possible with the stuff I've made. I can now buy some proper lathe tools!
In all honesty, this one is destined for the fire: it ended up a lot shorter and narrower than I...
Yesterday's attempt at gluing (the fourth one I think) hadn't cured overnight, so I started today by welding the knob in place:
It then got a bit of attention with a wire brush before fitting it:
The next job was to work on a shorter tool rest. Being shorter (and aiming for shorter than...
Another outstanding job is to make the knob for what I've been calling the tool rest slide but is apparently known as the banjo. The knob will turn the hex bar that runs through the banjo. I started by modifying the end of the hex bar to have a smooth shank section on the end:
I then...
The bulk of this morning has been spent working on a shield to keep the sawdust out of the motor and inverter. I started with a big sheet of 0.8 mm thick steel, left-over from when I made some drawers (which you can see in lots of photos in this WIP). I marked out where I wanted the cuts to...
The next job I decided to work on yesterday is one that is arguably a bit pointless, but I thought I'd do it anyway.
I started with a bit of 25 mm silver steel in the chuck. I faced it off and then drilled and tapped an M10 left-hand thread:
I then transferred it to a collet block in the...
I've had quite a productive afternoon, so I think I'll spread the work over a couple of forum posts, one now and one tomorrow morning probably.
The first thing I wanted to get on with was mounting the inverter (aka variable speed drive, aka variable frequency drive).
A couple of days ago, I 3D...
Some more simple-ish jobs done this evening. I started with a bit of brass bar and shaped the end before using a tailstock die holder to put an M6 thread on the end.
After parting off, I fitted it into its destination hole and marked the angle I wanted the cross-bar to come out at. I then...
I had a couple of hours free this evening, so I thought I'd get on with another aluminium turning job. I think this is the last one and there isn't much material to remove, so it's not as unpleasant as making the pulleys.
I started with another bit of skip-dive aluminium. I mounted it in the...
I didn't have much free time this evening (and most of what I did have was spent clearing up aluminium swarf), but I did manage to rummage out my old speed gauge and used it (along with the centre pip in an MT2 drill chuck arbor) to find out what the spindle speed was with the variable speed...