Author Topic: Living with a house lathe  (Read 24268 times)

Online Jo

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Re: The best house lathe
« Reply #30 on: February 28, 2015, 06:47:40 PM »

What about the other micro lathes such as Sherline, Taig, etc? Are they better than the Cowells?


 :lolb:
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Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Living with a house lathe
« Reply #31 on: February 28, 2015, 06:55:29 PM »
Mosey, not really comparing apples to apples, though the Sherline and Taig are  both capable machines especially given the huge difference in price. I expect you will find the difference in accessory prices as well as quantity and availability far more paletable for Sherline and Taig as well, there are simply more of them out there and now there are third party suppliers as well such as A2Z, etc.

If had the spare cash laying around would I like to own a Cowells? Yes probably, but since I don't I am quite pleased with the Sherline products with which I am more familiar.

Bill

Offline BillTodd

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Re: Living with a house lathe
« Reply #32 on: February 28, 2015, 07:03:32 PM »
How about a proper house lathe : :naughty:

http://wktodd.webspace.virginmedia.com/cadet/page12.html

Try cutting an M16 thread in stainless on a Cowells  :lolb:

Offline Dan Rowe

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Re: Living with a house lathe
« Reply #33 on: February 28, 2015, 07:12:08 PM »
Jo,
He did say that he has a Derbyshire and that is a fine lathe.
http://www.lathes.co.uk/derbyshire/

What size collets does the headstock use 8mm WW or 10mm D collets? I would go for buying or making the feed gears if you need screw cutting.

The Cowells has a metric lead screw so it can only do approximate inch threads. Jo and I worked out a compound gear system for the Cowells that will approximate inch threads but I think the Derbyshire is a better lathe from what I have read.

Dan
ShaylocoDan

Online Jo

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Re: Living with a house lathe
« Reply #34 on: February 28, 2015, 07:22:52 PM »
He did say that he has a Derbyshire and that is a fine lathe.

He did and it should be on par for quality with the Cowells  8) but I suspect that by buying substandard cost effective accessories Mosey is not getting the true experience one would expect from it  :ShakeHead:

Jo
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Online Jo

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Re: Living with a house lathe
« Reply #35 on: February 28, 2015, 07:35:26 PM »
Try cutting an M16 thread in stainless on a Cowells  :lolb:

I have a choice of lathes, so I use the appropriate lathe for the job  ;)

If I really want to do big stuff I do it on the Colchester which is happy to cut from 0.25mm pitch to 6mm pitch by sliding the levers on the gearbox 8) (6mm pitch is M68  :naughty:)

Jo
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Offline BillTodd

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Re: Living with a house lathe
« Reply #36 on: February 28, 2015, 07:52:25 PM »


If I really want to do big stuff I do it on the Colchester which is happy to cut from 0.25mm pitch to 6mm pitch by sliding the levers on the gearbox 8) (6mm pitch is M68  :naughty:)

Jo

Now, if you can lift your Colchester onto the kitchen table, I'd be impressed  :cartwheel:

[edit] mind you lifting the little Cadet does my back in  :old:

Online Jo

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Re: Living with a house lathe
« Reply #37 on: February 28, 2015, 07:54:09 PM »
Now, if you can lift your Colchester onto the kitchen table, I'd be impressed  :cartwheel:

If the floor boards in my house could take its weight I would be impressed  ;)

Jo
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Offline Mosey

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Re: Living with a house lathe
« Reply #38 on: February 28, 2015, 08:55:38 PM »
Jo,
He did say that he has a Derbyshire and that is a fine lathe.
http://www.lathes.co.uk/derbyshire/

What size collets does the headstock use 8mm WW or 10mm D collets? I would go for buying or making the feed gears if you need screw cutting.

The Cowells has a metric lead screw so it can only do approximate inch threads. Jo and I worked out a compound gear system for the Cowells that will approximate inch threads but I think the Derbyshire is a better lathe from what I have read.

Dan
Dan,
The headstock is a Model 750, taking 3C collets up to 1/2", and I have an adaptor to take WW10 collets down to 1/32", and all of the full set of collets are new. It is nice to know that I can call Derbyshire and order parts which they promptly ship out at reasonable prices. Clearly this is a lathe to keep, with it's ball bearing high speed spindle.
Mosey
« Last Edit: February 28, 2015, 11:45:38 PM by Mosey »

Offline Dan Rowe

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Re: Living with a house lathe
« Reply #39 on: February 28, 2015, 09:52:18 PM »
The headstock is a Model 750, taking 3C collets up to 1/2",

Now we are talking nice lathe.

Dan
« Last Edit: March 01, 2015, 03:36:00 PM by Dan Rowe »
ShaylocoDan

Offline Dan Rowe

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Re: Living with a house lathe
« Reply #40 on: March 01, 2015, 03:44:16 PM »
Does your slide rest have the small stub on the end of the lead screw to connect a universal and shaft? I know the triple slide rest has one see: http://www.lathes.co.uk/derbyshire/page12.html

That is what you will need for cutting threads along with the gears and lead shaft. Are these parts still made?

This link is photos of cutting threads on a smaller watchmakers lathe:
http://mb.nawcc.org/showthread.php?74617-Thread-Cutting-on-WW-Lathe

Dan

« Last Edit: March 01, 2015, 04:38:30 PM by Dan Rowe »
ShaylocoDan

Offline Mosey

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Re: Living with a house lathe
« Reply #41 on: March 01, 2015, 10:09:56 PM »
It does not have the stub.
I don't know if those parts are available anymore, as I have just ordered only new nuts for the slide/compound.
I'll check with the wizards of Massachusetts for the additional parts.
I am almost finished setting this up with new VFD and building a table for it.
Mounted QC tool holder, that makes work much nicer.
Should be making little parts shortly.
Mosey

 

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