Hello – my name is Pero ( alias used for the protection of the guilty ) … .and I’m a lathe-aholic ( this looks like it should be the right forum for one with my affliction ). However I have not purchased a new lathe for a few years and while I admit to looking at the pictures of the Super Adept I have yet to be seriously tempted.

I am a three year trained engineer ( half a day a week for half the school year between ages 12 and 14 – the other half was woodwork ). This extensive training has disadvantages and advantages – I’m not always ( ever ) sure what I am doing but not having drummed into me what I cannot do (apart from basic safety, sometimes ignored at my peril ) I will probably have a go anyway. My first lathe was a Myford ML7 purchased some decades ago with the intention of eventually building a traction engine but initially used for making fittings for RC racing yachts and the usual range of repairs that come the lathe owners way. I have since owned a number of lathes, both larger and smaller, but not sold any and in my cluttered workshop the ML7 remains the mainstay of current operations.

I have been looking in on the forum on a regular basis for some time and hope I can contribute a little from time to time, although probably not on machining techniques where I tend to apply the same rule as I do with motor vehicles – if it sounds right and it feels right it is probably more or less OK.

As I am now at last officially semi-retired I plan to get the workshop organised and start on a few of the stationary engines casting sets I bought to learn a little about the operation of steam engines before tackling a traction engine. Queries of a technical nature are bound to follow…

Thanks to all for the words of welcome.

Russell – unfortunately lathes started escaping from the workshop some time ago. Fortunately half of them are small enough to sit quietly on shelves ( in the adjoining garage ) and do not take up too much room. The real space guzzlers are the big lathe (410 x 1000 mm) and 'matching' vertical mill. Once you allow for the machine footprints, operating and maintenance space around them plus room for the accessories a sizable chunk of floor space has disappeared.

However, I'm sure there would be a lot more available space if I could just get myself a little more organised. Perhaps one job at a time?

Pero