Just bought myfirst lathe now what?

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Just bought myfirst lathe now what?

This topic has 13 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 26 December 2009 at 13:17 by Circlip.

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20 December 2009 at 23:51 #46472
Steve 8t4
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@steve8t4
Hi all

I’ve been following the forum for a while now and have finally purchased my first lathe off good old ebay. Its a Boxford CSB of 1960’s vintage. The lathe its self seems in good nick but with a god awful coat of green paint.

Lathe Rebuild

So after a thoroughly good stripdown repaint and reassembley its looking pretty good.

Just a couple of quick questions though:-

*are spares for the CSB readily avalible?

*can you manafacture or adapt the saddle to accept a milling head?

*what is a good first project besides basic turning……

Cheers Steve
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20 December 2009 at 23:51 #4889
Steve 8t4
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@steve8t4
21 December 2009 at 00:12 #46474
Richmond
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@richmond
hi

to my knowledge the csb is similat to most southbend derivative lathes.

Look on lathes.co.uk for more info. Spares for boxford lathes are often available either here, on EBay, or from dealers.

There are several options regarding a milling head…..however, it depends on space.

If you have space then buy a milling machine………. otherwise, you can buy a small milling head, and adapt a column as per the Emco lathes that can have a head fitted……or BF65 milling head ….. which derivatives of which can be found.

Rgds
21 December 2009 at 13:58 #46492
Tony Martyr
Participant
@tonymartyr14488
Steve

My first project after buying a lathe and a break of years in model making was a low delta t Stirling engine.

It has a number of turning jobs which test you and the machine, it doesn’t take years to complete and if you follow a similar design to mine it will run off the heat from a cup of hot water so you don’t have to deal with ancillary equipment. Best of all (according to my wife) it doesn’t make a noise.

good luck

Tony
21 December 2009 at 16:46 #46496
Circlip
Participant
@circlip
The saddle isn’t used as the base for a milling head on any machine Stephen. The cross slide is utilised as a milling table, but the milling heads in the case of all the Chaiwanese hobby lathes (Copies of the Emco range) have the head bolted to the back of the bed on a special tapped and machined pad. This wasn’t a standard on the Boxford, but the other fitting method was the one used on the Dore-Westbury for the Myford and that was bolted to the R/H end of the bedways.

On the other two in one machines, the milling head is part of the headstock.

Regards Ian.

Had to dive in an edit this one, a VERSION of the D/W was used on the Myford, There’s a nice looking BENCH type in the sales ads at the moment and I DON’T know the seller, but thats why the edit.

Edited By Circlip on 21/12/2009 17:13:02
21 December 2009 at 18:11 #46504
mgj
Participant
@mgj
Having a lathe is one thing, having all the bits that make it easy to operate is another!

If you don’t have them, get a copy of The Amateurs Lathe by Sparey, and make a few of the accessories in there. They are Myford sized, but some mods to dimensions and they’ll be fine.

Tailstock die holder, depth stop, mandrel turning handle. None of them are mega projects, but they do get you into a bit of practise, and you make things that possibly you will still be using in 20 years time. (Well I am, and I wouldn’t be without them)

Cheap projects too

Edited By meyrick griffith-jones on 21/12/2009 18:11:55

Edited By meyrick griffith-jones on 21/12/2009 18:12:25
22 December 2009 at 11:35 #46536
Steve 8t4
Participant
@steve8t4
Hi all,

Thanks for the responses, I’ve been on the net and bought a copy of The Amatures Lathe by L H Sparey for a bit of bed time reading.

Its only 10 or so years since I’ve used a lathe in anger, but that was in 6th form when I was teaching the D&T teacher how to use one ( along with the milling machine, Tig and Mig Welders, great fun teaching the Teacher!!) but that was only basic screw cutting, knurling and reducing.

as was

is now, better dont you think?
22 December 2009 at 13:59 #46545
DRG MIMechE
Participant
@drgmimeche
Hi Stephen

You look to have done a very nice job of your lathe, I hope you will tackel the drill.
22 December 2009 at 14:44 #46547
Steve 8t4
Participant
@steve8t4
Posted by DRG MIMechE on 22/12/2009 13:59:02:

Hi Stephen

You look to have done a very nice job of your lathe, I hope you will tackel the drill.

Hi

Thanks for that, the drill is next on the list, but I need to turn a piece to hold the return spring for the drill in place……the old one seems to have been removed.
22 December 2009 at 16:45 #46551
Steve Garnett
Participant
@stevegarnett62550
Yeah, lathe looks 1000% better. Not so sure about publishing pictures of lathes (even ones about to be dismantled) with chuck keys left in the chucks without some sort of dire warning though!

In addition to the items on Meyrick’s list, I’d also suggest trying to locate both a fixed and travelling steady if you are going to turn stuff that’s anywhere near as long as that rod you’ve currently got in it…
22 December 2009 at 22:27 #46570
Steve 8t4
Participant
@steve8t4
Photo 1 wasn’t mine (ebay picture)

Stripped and clean the motor today before firing it up, it was full of fluff, dust etc. Should have a nice busy christmas between the garage and reading the new book ;o)
25 December 2009 at 11:53 #46633
Nigel McBurney 1
Participant
@nigelmcburney1
hi why make a milling spindle when the first class lathe spindle is available,boxfords made a vertical milling slide and a t slotted crosslide these do come up for sale but may prove more expensive than a small milling machine,it all depends on available space,if you go for a mill a small s/h uk built machine will be far better than the far eastern rubbish.
25 December 2009 at 12:52 #46634
Geoff Theasby
Participant
@geofftheasby
I went round Wortley Top Forge near here some time ago, and was interested to see a lathe chuck with the key left in it, this from a supposed group of engineers and experts, with equipment on public display!

Good collection of small steam engines, though.

Regards

Geoff
26 December 2009 at 13:17 #46656
Circlip
Participant
@circlip
Last Boxford vertical slide I saw for sale was on the “Lathes” site at a mere £400. Get some lumps of steel and make one, Plenty of designs.

Regards Ian.
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