Well, first off, good on you for just going for it. Most people sit around asking the "Should I? Shouldn't I? questions until time has passed them by.

A picture paints a thousand words as they say so go look at a load of youtube videos and this will give you some idea as to what to expect when you switch the machine on. As for a stand and backsplash and so on – It doesn't matter what you do, you won't cover all your bases, especially with little experience, so be prepared to modify whatever it is you cobble up as a stand. May I suggest, in lack of anything else, a sturdy bench constructed of "2×4" 's and the top a chunk of kitchen worktop. All these bits can be bought cheaply and it will be no great loss if it doesn't work out and you need to radically modify it.

There is nothing to stop you getting it out of the box, plugging it in and getting on with it. However, I would try to get the surface it is going to sit on as flat and as level as possible as this will give the machine a fighting chance of producing it's best. With your lack of experience I wouldn't obsess with too many of the niceties, this will all come with experience and you cannot get that without first using the machine. I would of course clean all the protective gunk that is present and oil lightly. Again, at this point and with this machine I wouldn't be buying any specialist oils, just clean oil.

Then make something. Something simple and useful would be best. Do not jump in with both feet, take your time with a small project, this will give you experience and this you will need for some of the more ambitious projects. If you get stuck, just ask. There are plenty of people here willing to help.

graham.

Hi Brian,

First stop for anyone buying a mini-lathe is the website http://www.mini-lathe.com

Here you will find a large a mount of good information about setting the lathe up and using it.

It also has a good set of links to other sites that you might find helpful.

Mike

Brian,

If you go to the ArcEuroTrade website you can see 2 pdf files of Dave Fenner's article on setting up a C3 mini-lathe, published in MEW no 133 ( was the start of a series on using the mini-lathe, now published as a book in the Workshop Practice series).

Try this link **LINK**

The Workshop Practice book would probably be a good buy for you

That wobbly plastic abomination isn't even a decent base for handsawing. You could do just as well as that with a couple of plastic buckets and a plank – which you wouldn't do obviously.

You might find a temporary expedient at a local second hand furniture shop – plywood desk, plywood chest of drawers, metal finling cabinets, etc. Note no mention of chipboard which can give way suddenly. ok the lathe weighs less than a modern fat kid but it is still too much for susstained support by yukboard.
Reinforce the top of whatever you get with 1 in quality plywood, or two layers of 3/4 in would be better. If you find space to make the top 2ft x 4ft it will be big enough to last usefully for ever whereas if you only make it big enough for today's requirement you will end up thowing it away in a few years.

Rather than maiking a bench out of traditional 2×4 legs etc which then need loads of bracing I suggest now using sheet material front and back like a kitchen cabinet but using strong 3/4in ply not chipboard and 2×2 screwed along the joints.

LIfting the lathe. – NOT the chuck despite its convenient position. Remove it if possible to geve better access down to the bed for a rope or sling but beware as you lift from the bed it becomes top heavy. 50kg is a two man lift if you can find a neighbour without back trouble. Otherwise it is one end at a time lifted onto ples of wood blocks or even books. (now I come to think of it I have enough back issues of ME to make a bench sized pile!)

ps nice to hear I'm not the only one storing a lathe in the living room.

Edited By Bazyle on 18/04/2014 10:23:07

Hi Brian,

If the lathe is surrounded by a wooden packing case I would dismantle the case rather than trying to lift it out of the foam. Once you've got the case and foam out of the way it is an easy 2-man lift. As Neil says you might be able to lift on your own but safer with two. Most of the weight is at the headstock end. I lifted mine with the wife. Remove tailstock to lose a bit of weight.

I built a bench to put mine on, but as others have said it really needs to be higher than your average desk and even some workbenches are too low. Unless you are happy with backache.

Once you are ready to have a go at using it you might find some useful info on these sites

**LINK**

**LINK**

Gary

Brian,

Before unpacking the lathe, check that it is not bolted to the bottom of its crate – they sometimes are secured that way.

It seems a great pity that the seller[s] can't spare the trivial cost of including some "unpacking" instructions.

MichaelG.