Changed mini lathe to metric

[dfox1787]

That has been added to my xmas list to my wife so fingers crossed.

Appreciate all the advice guys

I just made this which is the first thing I've ever made on my lathe.



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Took a while to make its made out of en24t steel.

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[magicniner]

I can see from your fingers that you're a worker mate!
'Nuf Respect to Ya!

[dfox1787]

I can see from your fingers that you're a worker mate!
'Nuf Respect to Ya!

Haha thank you. I'll not tell you my day job.

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[magicniner]

Haha thank you. I'll not tell you my day job.

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I'd strongly suggest adding a DRO to your machine, seriously, you will never look back, it's a bigger change compared to fitting a 3-phase motor with VFD!
Regards,
Nick

[dfox1787]

I'd strongly suggest adding a DRO to your machine, seriously, you will never look back, it's a bigger change compared to fitting a 3-phase motor with VFD!
Regards,
Nick

Ive seen videos or people using digital calipers to achieve this.

[magicniner]

Ive seen videos or people using digital calipers to achieve this.

I started with digital scales on my Super 7 but you don't get multiple zeros, tool offsets, diameter/radius display option or a big illuminated display, all of which are significant components of the advantage offered by a DRO,
Regards,
Nick

[Neale]

Super 7, Nick? Makes you sound like a Model Engineer!

I jest - mine is around 35 years old now and would still be in the workshop if it hadn't been "borrowed" by my son when I acquired an old Smart and Brown lathe. The S&B came with a DRO which is somewhat ancient but isn't quite as old as the lathe, I think. Still very useful. Hadn't realised until then just how useful a DRO could be on a lathe, not having used one before. However, for the OP, I suspect that most DRO scales are going to be a bit big to fit on a mini-lathe, or if they do might restrict capacity or be somewhat vulnerable.

If I were looking to make one upgrade to a new or newly-acquired lathe, I think I would go for a quick-change toolpost before DRO. But again, I'm not sure what is available that would fit the mini-lathe category.

The DRO argument, though, is a bit like the metric/imperial conversion discussion going on. It doesn't do anything you can't do with "manual" dials, it just saves a bit of work and reduces the chance of errors. In the same way, you can do a metric/imperial conversion in your head, and if you do it often enough you will get faster. I mentioned the error in my earlier post re just changing the graduations - it's the same approximation, and generally not going to be significant in practice. I've done it often enough as all my lathes have been "single system" and I've had to convert (often mentally) to use "foreign" units, and in both directions. Made the odd mistake doing it, as well...