Big lathe training and keys

[Igor Lobanov]

Dear All,

I'm really interested in using big mill/lathe for metalworking, and I'd appreciate if someone could give an introduction and the key. I also remember overhearing a couple of conversations of other members who'd be interested as well. I wonder if somebody can do a session somewhere in the next couple of weeks?

Regards,
Igor

[Ian Henderson]

+1 for me as well

Slightly concerned that there's been no reply to the original message sent 6 weeks ago LOL

Maybe this isn't the way to communicate requests re training & access to the metal working equipment

Can anyone advise?

Ian Henderson (New member)

[Billy]

With the big lathe, it was originally Abby and Luke that were teaching
members how to use it.

Luke's been on crunch time for the last 14 months, so he's been doing
16 hour days and he's had the time to visit the hackspace, only twice
in the last year.

Abby's started a new job around maybe three months ago, and he hasn't
been around that much either.

I was showing people the basics on the small lathe.

The motor on that machine died the other month, commutator brushes
wore out. I think that there's another one on order, but it's being
shipped from China...

I don't know the details, but there was an issue with getting new keys
made for the security lock on the 3in1.

I'll chase up on the motor for the mini-lathe.

If someone else wants to chase up on getting keys made for the 3in1,
then we can start lathe working again...

[Adrian Godwin]

On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 3:07 PM, Billy <bi...@billycomputersmith.com> wrote:
>
> I don't know the details, but there was an issue with getting new keys
> made for the security lock on the 3in1.
>
> I'll chase up on the motor for the mini-lathe.
>
> If someone else wants to chase up on getting keys made for the 3in1,
> then we can start lathe working again...
>
>

Now emfcamp's done perhaps we can get the ACNode software finished and
do away with keys.

I wouldn't recommend a mass training session on the lathe. Think in
terms of a few one-on-one sessions unless you have previous
experience.

-adrian

[Ian Henderson]

I'd be happy to have a go at getting some keys cut - if I could borrow one for a few days

Any offers?

I'm happy to collect / visit LHS to meet someone with a key

Ian Henderson

[Igor Lobanov]

Hi Ian,

I've tried to cut a copy of key I've got from Abby -- most keycutters can't do that. Only Timpson guys agreed to do that, but they charge 5 pounds a copy. It'd be easier to get us trained and then order keys from the manufacturer in bulk.

Regards,
Igor

[Billy]

I've been digging for a replacement motor for the mini-lathe.

I can't find one on Arc Euro's website. And all of the other googling
i've done just gets chinese knock-off's of varying quality.

Looking for the different failure modes, and i found the problems with
the motor brushes. They're sacrificial and easily replacable.

Opening our motor up and the brushes are donald. There's an
interesting wear pattern, where one of the brushes is a third of the
size of the other one. Implications include off-centering of the
armature, that might require replacement of the motor in the long run.

Replacing the brushes is the quick, simple and cheap option. It may
not be the full solution to the problem, but it's worth a try.

Arc Euro don't list our exact motor, so the replacement brushes that i
found here, http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machine-Spares/C3-Mini-Lathe-Spares/C3-Lathe-Spares/C3X2-Motor-Brushes-Pair
may work, but they may not be exactly the ones we need.

Could someone order them, and i'll fit them...

[JDublock]

I'd be keen to help as well. Count me in on any training, I've used lathes before so hopefully wouldn't take long. Are there people capable and importantly free in absence of  Abby and Luke.

James

[SamLR]

Does anyone know what the status of the other mini-lathe is? 

[Adrian Godwin]

Waiting for a motor to be fitted also, I think. Phil has found a
fantastic motor from a treadmill, but it needs a fair bit of work to
couple it up.

From the wiki's quote page :

<@glen2> Experience what pre-industrial revolution life must have been
like with our collection of motorless lathes.

[Ian Henderson]

Igor

I don't mind paying £5 for a key

Perhaps new users should be told that's the price to get access to the 3 in 1?

When are you next planning to visit? Any chance we could meet so I could copy the key?

Ian Henderson

[Ian Henderson]

Luke

Thanks for the update. I'm glad things are going well!

For those of us that are stuck in London :-) it's very frustrating to see the 3 in 1 and other specialist equipment not being used

Is there a master list of people who have keys and can provide training?

I've visited the workshop 5 times now - and will probably visit later today - and on every occassion including 2 x Tuesday evenings - no one was using or had access to the 3 in 1 machine or the other heavy machinery

Ian Henderson

On Friday, 7 September 2012 14:37:21 UTC+1, Luke Graham wrote:

Sort of :)

I was on crunch for a long time, but that stopped a few months ago actually.

Now I've moved out of London and have my own workshop, hence why I'm not coming into the space any more.

-- Luke

On Wednesday, 5 September 2012 15:07:52 UTC+1, Billy wrote:

[Russ Garrett]

The elephant in the room here is that nobody is particularly
comfortable training people on this machine. It is dangerous, it can
seriously injure you, and most of us are self-taught. I think everyone
who currently has a key already had experience on lathes.

It will probably take an hour or so of training with a group of no
more than two people to get a decent overview of how to use this
machine safely. Not many of us have that kind of time.

Russ

--
Russ Garrett
ru...@garrett.co.uk

[Ian Henderson]

Russ

I appreciate your reply and I understand and agree with your comments

I've visited LHS 9 times now and often lurk on the WebCam, but I've never seen anyone using any of the heavy metal working equipment - which is a shame and also represents a fantastic resource that is not getting much use...

I have used lathes before - but not this model - so it would be useful to have someone show me the basics and any tips that are model specific. I studied O Level metal work a long time ago and also was an engineer in the Army for 10 years and often used to fabricate spare parts that we needed. I have a small workshop at home and recently completed rebuilding a 20 year old motorbike that had to have lots of parts fabricated by hand - so I regard my self as reasonably competent.

What I don't have is access to any large metalworking machinery such as the 3 in 1, welders etc. which I would find very useful for a few projects I'm working on.

I take your point about people being busy etc. and I'm just as guilty of that. In my day job I'm an IT engineer often working crazy hours - but It would be very helpful if LHS could provide training on a regular basis for the specialist equipment that is available

I'm not sure what is the best way is to move this forward - but I'll keep coming over on Tuesday nights and watch the webcam occassionally and hopefully I will bump in to someone who has a key or can spend 20 minutes to show me the equipment

Once again thank you for your reply and for being part of the team that has created this fantastic - if somewhat under used - resource :-)

Ian Henderson

On Saturday, 21 July 2012 17:41:33 UTC+1, Igor Lobanov wrote:

[Dean Forbes]

Hi

I think there are two things here 

1) Familiarisation

2) Tutorial

I understand the issues around a tutorial but we should be able to get this set up even if we need to canvass outside to get some one to come in and do this, believe that a certain level of competence should be a prerequisite to using this to tool

Regarding a familiarisation I feel we should run these on a regular basis for people who have the level of competence required 

The laser cutter is also a dangerous machine and I think that a similar approach should be taken for this ........ I could go on but wont 

Cheers

Dean

--------

[Russ Garrett]

On 9 September 2012 14:27, Dean Forbes <m...@deanforbes.com> wrote:
> Regarding a familiarisation I feel we should run these on a regular basis
> for people who have the level of competence required

I'm happy to do this and I'll do one on Tuesday. I can't give out keys, though.

> The laser cutter is also a dangerous machine and I think that a similar
> approach should be taken for this ........ I could go on but wont

We already do! http://wiki.london.hackspace.org.uk/view/Lasercutter_Training

(It's really not dangerous, though, unless you hack the interlocks.
The main risk is damage to the machine.)

--
Russ Garrett
ru...@garrett.co.uk

[Ian Henderson]

Russ that's great and I look forward to meeting you on Tuesday

Ian Henderson