Beginner with an Elu DB 180 lathe.
Mycroft
the last two months.
Well, I've taken the plunge and bought myself a first lathe. It's a second
hand Elu DB 180.
I'm now left with several questions (I'm actually left with a vast number of
questions, but I think I ought to limit my initial posting to just several.)
I hope I haven't stretched the bounds of netiquette.
1 Is the lathe any good?
2 The only "thing" (sorry, I haven't learnt any of the technical terms
yet) on the headstock for holding wood is a hexagonal lump of metal crudely
ground to have four teeth. (It looks as if it was in better condition once,
but has been hacked about with a file (or even a cold chisel!)) The teeth
don't penetrate far into the cheap softwood I've been using for practice, and
not at all into any hardwood (or should I be thumping the other end of the
wood with a mallet?). Should I try to improve the "thing", or scrap it and
get something better?
3 Are there any extras/attachments I can use with the lathe?
4 Is it worth getting any extras/attachments or should I trade up when
I've got all I can from it?
5 I paid £100 for it, including a set of six tools. Was that decent
value for money?
6 The lathe came with a short leaflet that might be interesting except
for the fact that it's in German, and my German is virtually non-existent.
Are there any German speakers subscribing to this newsgroup who would be
willing to translate it for me? May I post the text of the leaflet to the
newsgroup? It's just over 7KB.
7 All I have for sharpening is a hand held, double sided, diamond
coated "thing" (there's that word again). Should I get a twin wheel grinder,
or are there any other recommendations? The Tormeks look wonderful, but I'm
not keen on spending that much at this stage of the game.
8 What other items am I likely to need in the short term?
My thanks in advance for any help that may be offered.
Cheers,
Mycroft.
Glenn
I'll answer what I can but I am sure others will be along soon.
#2 - It's a "drive centre". Scrap it and get something better, they aren't
that expensive. Also buy a faceplate if you can as well if you want to give
any bowl turning a shot.
#4 - Although there is heaps of stuff to get for your lathe and a lot of it
looks really cool, I would hold back and get yourself started first. If you
buy a heap of stuff for your lathe and then upgrade you might find that it
is not compatible
#7 - Definitly get a proper grinding system. Nothing will kill a beginners
interest than fighting with dull tools. Get yourself a benchgrinder and a
sharpening jig. Trust me, you will never regret it.
#8 - Buy a couple of books and any woodturning magazines. The introduction
to woodturning books by either Richard Raffan, Mike Darlow or Keith Rowley
are exceptionally good. Also do heaps of surfing on the web, there is a
tonne of info to be had.
My guess is that it is a multi speed lathe with a belt and a series of
pulleys? Until you get used to it always make sure you start the lathe on
the lower speed and work your way up. You can never go to slow, but you can
certainly go to fast!
Lastly, buy a facshield, they are not that expensive and being a beginner
you might have the odd catch which results in the wood coming off the lathe
and a $20 facshield is better than a broken nose any day of the week.
Woodturning isn't overly dangerous, but you must treat it with respect or
it'll bite ya!
Glenn
"Can't talk, turning"
www.woodworkbooks.com
Mycroft
In article <9gtued$qes$1...@merki.connect.com.au>, dated Fri, 22 Jun 2001
09:03:31 +1000, do...@spam.me (Glenn) wrote:
>#2 - It's a "drive centre". Scrap it and get something better, they aren't
that expensive.
Thanks, I will. I assume you mean a chuck. But there's a problem. The drive
centre screws onto a shaft that runs through the headstock. (Interestingly,
the headstock and tailstock appear to be identical, they're certainly shown
as having the same part number.) Is the thread likely to be any sort of
standard, or does every manufacturer (at least those who use threads - I'd
expected it to have a Morse taper) set their own standard (That's the nice
thing about standards, there are so many to choose from.)? If it's the
former, what are the standards; if the latter, does anyone have any
suggestions about where I could get stuff to fit?
Alternatively, might it be possible to change the shaft? It runs in two
bearings in the headstock, with the drive centre screwed on at one end, and
the upper pulley screwed on at the other.
>Also buy a faceplate if you can as well if you want to give any bowl turning
>a shot.
Eventually I think I will, but it will have to wait 'till I can produce a
spindle that doesn't look as if I'd used my teeth to shape it.
>#4 - Although there is heaps of stuff to get for your lathe and a lot of it
>looks really cool, I would hold back and get yourself started first. If you
>buy a heap of stuff for your lathe and then upgrade you might find that it
>is not compatible
Good point - thanks.
>#7 - Definitely get a proper grinding system. Nothing will kill a beginners
>interest than fighting with dull tools. Get yourself a benchgrinder and a
>sharpening jig. Trust me, you will never regret it.
Just a plain one? Or should I go for the smaller Tormek? It's horribly
tempting.
>#8 - Buy a couple of books and any woodturning magazines. The introduction
>to woodturning books by either Richard Raffan, Mike Darlow or Keith Rowley
>are exceptionally good.
OK, I've gone out and bought the Keith Rowley.
>Also do heaps of surfing on the web, there is a tonne of info to be had.
So I'm discovering.
>My guess is that it is a multi speed lathe with a belt and a series of
>pulleys?
Yes. With a single speed motor. (Would there be any sense in getting a
variable speed motor for it?)
>Until you get used to it always make sure you start the lathe on the lower
speed and work your way up.
Will do.
>You can never go too slow, but you can certainly go too fast!
I'm sure.
>Lastly, buy a faceshield, they are not that expensive and being a beginner
>you might have the odd catch which results in the wood coming off the lathe
>and a $20 faceshield is better than a broken nose any day of the week.
I use a router, and I hate the dust that produces, so I already have a Trend
Airshield which gives me some protection from everything from flying lumps to
microscopic particles, but the warning is well taken.
>Woodturning isn't overly dangerous, but you must treat it with respect or
>it'll bite ya!
It's /always/ worth stressing the importance of safety. I've seen more than
enough to convince me of that.
Since my first post I've submitted the Elu lathe leaflet to one of the Web
based automatic translation systems. The results were a little odd, but
applying a little common sense gave me most of what I wanted to know (Well,
as far as the leaflet goes. for example, I've got an exploded parts diagram,
but there are no dimensional drawings. Scream!) Anyway, here's the heart of
the data:
Technical data DB 180
Max rotating diameter 380mm
Max distance between centres 1000mm
Rotary Speed level I 800 rpm
level II 1500 rpm
level III 2350 rpm
Input Power 1500 Watts
Output Power 1100 Watts
Motor Speed 2750 rpm.
Voltage 220 AC
Machine weight 32 kg
It seems to me that if that output power is anything like the truth then it's
got more (far more) than enough oomph (to use the technical term) required
for turning spindles, and enough to turn the outside edge of the largest bowl
that will fit. The power is probably going to be a little greater than its
designers' intended, since the motor is rated at 22OV, the nominal value here
(in the UK) is 230V and the actual value is about 240V. (Riddle: If the UK
standard household electricity supply voltage is 240V and the mainland
European voltage is 220V, how do you harmonise them? Answer: Make the rated
standard 230V, and increase the tolerance bands till both 220v and 240V are
included.)
I think that's enough for now. Thanks again to Glenn, and happy turning to
all.
Cheers,
Mycroft.
Richard Peers
As a fellow Brit, I'd recommend the AWGB Web site
http:\\www.woodturners.co.uk as the place to start. Find a club near
you and join, or at least go along as a guest for a meeting or two. If
you happen to live near me, then come along to an ESW meeting - we
don't bite! Our own site http:\\www.eastsurreywoodturners.org has an
FAQ page which may answer a few of your questions, too. There is no
substitute for meeting other turners in person - you can ask as many
questions as you like, and follow up on the replies! However helpful
the people on the newsgroup are (and they are *very* helpful), very
few people can type as fast as they can talk...
To answer one of your questions, for GBP100 with tools, the lathe
sounds like pretty good value, as long as it runs, that is! If there's
anything else you want to ask, but don't want to use the newsgroup
for, then drop me an email and I'll do my best.
Good luck, and keep the shavings flying...
Richard Peers
Webmaster, ESW
myc...@cix.co.uk (Mycroft) wrote in message news:<memo.20010621...@mycroft.cix.co.uk>...
Mycroft
First, thanks for the reply.
>Hi Mycroft (how's Sherlock doing?)
The little brother's doing quite well at the moment, apart, I think, from a
slight over reliance on stimulants. I wave in his general direction each day
as I go down Baker Street on the bus on the way to work.
>As a fellow Brit, I'd recommend the AWGB Web site
>http:\\www.woodturners.co.uk as the place to start.
Thanks. Recommendation noted.
>Find a club near you
I've done that; there's a North London club. Unfortunately I have only one
free evening a week since I teach evening classes and, although that free
evening is the evening of the club meetings, every time since I discovered it
there's been an emergency on the club night that stopped me attending.
>and join, or at least go along as a guest for a meeting or two.
I will, as soon as I manage to make it to a meeting.
>If you happen to live near me, then come along to an ESW meeting - we don't
>bite!
I'm afraid that's too far away from North London.
>Our own site http:\\www.eastsurreywoodturners.org has an FAQ page which may
>answer a few of your questions, too.
It has, indeed. Thanks again.
>There is no substitute for meeting other turners in person - you can ask as
>many questions as you like, and follow up on the replies! However helpful
>the people on the newsgroup are (and they are *very* helpful), very few
>people can type as fast as they can talk...
Indeed.
>To answer one of your questions, for GBP100 with tools, the lathe sounds
>like pretty good value, as long as it runs, that is!
Oh, it runs. The main problem seems to be its non-standard (at least by
today's standards) methods of attaching accessories. Phil Irons, who has
recently taken over the Vicmarc agency for the UK, says the thread on the
headstock spindle is M18 x 2.5 and he can get an insert to attach a Vicmarc
chuck, so that end seems sorted (although it'll be strange to pay far more
for a chuck than for the lathe I attach it to. At least I'll only need to
buy a new insert if and when I change to another lathe). The tailstock end is
another matter... I think my micrometers and vernier gauges are due for
another outing.
>If there's anything else you want to ask, but don't want to use the
>newsgroup for, then drop me an email and I'll do my best.
I may well do that, thanks, but I'll see what comes from the ng first.
>Good luck, and keep the shavings flying...
They're building up... I've gotta get a vacuum cleaner. Which leads me onto
my next question:
Given that I need a vacuum cleaner, is the Trend T30AF a good choice?
And, repeating (and adding to) a previous question:
For sharpening, should I go for a standard two wheel grinder, or something
like one of the Tormeks? And which jig(s) do people recommend?
Cheers,
Mycroft