Found a peanut (hear that zee?)

[b.lindsey]

Well actually I found a peanut lathe, an old Unimat 3 I had at the old shop. I knew it was there right on one of the workbenches in bad need of some TLC. While in the dry, with the seasonal changes and summer humidity over numerous summers, it had acquired some surface rush (or Jo's special brown coating)...ok for castings, not so good for a machine tool. Anyway I spent most of today stripping it down to bare bones and cleaning each part, oiling things up and putting it back together. Amazingly enough, I didn't end up with any extra hardware at the end so it should be good to go now and I think looks a whole lot better than it did this morning.


The first two photos are as it was when I brought it home yesterday. In addition to the obvious rust on the chuck, live center and toolpost, there was some light rust on the ways as well and a nice coating of gummy oil.

The last 5 photos are after the clean-up, oiling and reassembly. Definitely a new lease on life I think.  Not sure what I will do with it, though it shares the same spindle nose as the little Cowells, so both the chucks and the collet holder for the Cowells will also fit the Unimat which could be handy at times. Back when I got it, I had also ordered the carriage feed which you can see on the head end under the headstock. Now I just need to make new drive  belts for it but I have the urethane cord on hand which will only need to be cut and spliced and the little "U" will be back in business!!


Bill

[zeeprogrammer]

Nice score! Nice cleanup!

As for the peanut...

[Dave Otto]

That cleaned up very nice Bill, having it sitting on the stool puts it into perspective just how small it is.
A guy can never have too many lathes, correct?

Dave

[crueby]

Nice find back in the shed!
I've still got my old Unimat 4, very similar to that one. It replaced the Unimat SL that was my first lathe many decades ago - that one got sold off. I still have the tablesaw attachment on the U-4, comes in handy for cutting plate stock now and then.

[b.lindsey]

Um.....didn't you start the peanut thing a long while back Zee? Seems it used to be in your signature line in fact 

Thanks Dave. Yeah its about the same size as the Sherline and Cowells and calibrated in metric, but since it cleaned up so well I think I will keep it and find something for it to do. Can't have too many as you say. Just wish I had bought a larger Emco back when they were still producing them, they were nicely made machines. My dad had an original Unimat that he used for HO scale model railroad work.

Bill

[b.lindsey]

How does the U4 differ from the U3 Chris? I would think there are still a lot of the various models out there and still doing work.

Bill

[crueby]

How does the U4 differ from the U3 Chris? I would think there are still a lot of the various models out there and still doing work.

Bill

Not sure - they look pretty similar, paint colors are different, shape is about the same.

[Kim]

Nice days work there, Bill!  That is a cute little thing.  Your peanut remark made me think of Princes Bride; "Anybody want a peanut?"
(one of my kids favorite quotes form the move - though its quite quotable all the way through).

Kim

[crueby]

I remember the Found A Peanut line from Pirates Of The Carribean, don't know if it goes back to earlier movies too...

[b.lindsey]

Chris, in Zee's case it goes back to an old child's song, so my reference to it was in that context, and maybe to get it in his head all day

It's one of those like "the bear went over the mountain" or "100 bottles of beer on the wall" songs ...they never seem to end. 

Bill

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Pass one down and hand it around: oh God, you have me doing it    The little lathe looks like a proper studding machine 

Cletus

[b.lindsey]

That though had crossed my mind Cletus, especially since the double angle collets holder for the cowells will fit the unimat too. Found out I didn't have the proper dia. Urethane cord for the belts, so ordered a set (or two) from a guy up in IL just now.

How's the lil  coming along?

Bill

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Hmmm, wonder ifn a man could come up with a tailstock turret?  The lil’ is a weekend thing. Hopefully some time this weekend, but, I’m sure I’m going to have to let me take the kids out for Father’s Day 

Cletus

[Dave Otto]

Hmmm, wonder ifn a man could come up with a tailstock turret?  The lil’ is a weekend thing. Hopefully some time this weekend, but, I’m sure I’m going to have to let me take the kids out for Father’s Day 

Cletus

I bet that it wouldn't be too hard to modify one of these to fit!
https://downrivertools.com/mk-iii-bed-turret-for-sherline-lathe-drawings.html

Dave

[b.lindsey]

The new belts came in so U3 is all ready to go once again.

Bill