I've just joined this forum after lurking in the background for a little while so now it's time to introduce myself.

Firstly, I have no formal mechanical engineering background, training or experience bar the little I learned at school, over 40 years ago. I do have a largish workshop in my back garden in which I did a little carpentry but to be honest, I was never much good at it, the dust got everywhere and I got more pleasure renovating old machines than using them which leads neatly on to my first engineering lathe, little generic 9 x 20 Chinese thing, used for making spares for the woodwork machines. That lathe got me interested and I have since upgraded to a Boxford 280 that came up a little too cheap to be turn down. I bought this machine from Warco of all places (I assume they had taken it in as a PX). It had no faults (other than the feet had been ground off and had to be replaced) but was not very well equipped.

I initially ran the lathe via a phase converter but have recently fitted a VFD controlled via a new switch panel, making my set up far more quiet, efficient and flexible than before.

My latest aquisition is a Burnerd LC-15 collet chuck, which will be the subject of my first question here!

I now use my machine for making or modifying parts for my own use and for friends and have even been offered professional prototype work, though this holds no interest for me. I'm not sure I'll ever have the ability or patience that some of you have but the satisfaction of scratch building a part, even when buying the same part might make more sense, cannot be underestimated.

Happy Christmas to you all!!