There is an active group of enthusiasts on groups.io Lucien. **LINK** I'm not a very active member as I seldom use my SL any longer.

Original 4-jaw chucks can be expensive but Chronos or RDG tools sometimes have M12x1 chucks. The group files contain drawings for a QCTP, or there is a piston type available from the US. An alternative approach is to use multiple toolposts. I'm afraid the centre height isn't really enough for a compound slide, but you can fit a 20mm raising block which would let you use a C0 or U3 compound on a thin spacer.

Brian G

Edit: I should add that Ady is right, an SL is a real machine but can easily lead you on to a life of moving bigger and bigger machines. I thought getting a 10×30 lathe upstairs was going to be the end of me.

Edited By Brian G on 08/06/2020 17:45:12

Hi Lucien,

Congratulations on your SL. I hope you are very happy together. As has already been suggested, the Unimat groups.io group is well worth joining. There are folks on there who do some pretty amazing things on the SL. The group also has a lot of very useful files including the manual and info about simple projects to make on the SL.

Make sure the metal surfaces and particluraly the threads that move the slides are kept with a film of oil on them and most things should be OK.

The spindle and bearings on the SL are a 'cartridge' which can be disassembled if you are happy with getting bearings off shafts etc. I reckon mine dates from 1961 so I stripped the cartridge down when I first got it and repacked the bearings with new grease. The bearings are a standard size that can be replaced if they are worn but I could not find any detectable wear in mine so I didn't replace them. On the other hand if you are not confident about dismantling then it's probably best left alone until you are happy.

I'd advise HSS tooling, especially when learning the ropes. It's worth getting a bench grinder and learning to grind (and resharpen) your own tools.

My original plan for my own SL was to splash out on a Sherline 4 jaw chuck from Mill Hill supplies (they do one with the M12 x 1mm thread for the SL). In the end I bought another lathe… and then another… but basically the Sherline chucks seem very well regarded.

Having 3 different sizes of lathe myself I disagree with the 'bigger is always better' argument. A smaller lathe will give you a better 'feel' for small work. You can also put it away on a shelf when you are not using it.

There is occasional discussion on the groups.io group about a QCTP for the SL – an eBay seller in the US (occasionally) makes a well regarded one that fits the SL…. but TBH you should not let QCTP question hold you up – just get on and start enjoying your lathe.

Regards, Andy

To my mind, the Unimat PC Basic is without a doubt the best Unimat that Emco ever made.

There is absolutely no comparison between the Unimat PC Basic and the Unimat SL other than a superficial similarity due to both having round bar-beds. However, the 20mm bars of the PC Basic bed are an order of magnitude more solid than the flimsy 12mm bars of the SL bed.

With its M14 x 1 spindle, the PC Basic is compatible with most Unimat 3 and 4 accessories. The exceptions being the few items that mount directly to the bed of which the only one I can think of offhand is the fixed steady, for which Emco provided one specifically for the PC Basic.

The PC Basic does however also offer a significant number of advantages when compared to the 3 or 4. Not only does it have a slightly larger capacity, 54mm centre height in comparison to the 46mm of the 3 and 4, but it also includes a variable speed DC motor, automatic fine feed and screwcutting gears.

I have had my Unimat PC BasIc for a number of years now, if within the budget definitely get yourself the Unimat ESX25 collet chuck along with a set of ER25 collets (they are compatible), the best investment I have made for the lathe and far more useful than ER16.
I use the collet chuck for almost everything, only switching to the 4 jaw chuck for items that don't fit. As for the top slide, mine sees very little use, but you might find different

The other purchase I have never regretted is the diamond tool from Eccentric Engineering who advertise on this site. Other than for some occasional boring it is essentially a permanent fixture on my lathe. It is the smallest size they carried, I think it was the T6, unfortunately they no longer seem to list it on their site.

Of course, nothing is perfect, the round bars and steel frame make for an extremely rigid little machine, but aren't as convenient for placing items such as a mag base for an indicator. The motor is not very powerful and easily stalled, although for the beginner this is actually an advantage and many a time saved me from doing serious damage to the machine the workpiece or myself.

And the most annoying of all is the placement of the power switches on the headstock, it is far too easy to lean on the power switch with the left hand while changing or tightening a chuck. It happened to me on more than one occasion. Partially due to the motor stalling, I was fortunate to not suffer injury or damage to the machine. To prevent this reoccurring I fitted a separate switch between the supply and the speed controller which I always make sure to turn off before changing or tightening the chuck.

And even though I bought a really nice Myford ML7 a year or two back, I still enjoy using the little Unimat for the smaller stuff, and it is very convenient having a second machine setup for secondary operations.

Clive