Hello from Julz, new member

[Julian Saunders 1Participant @juliansaunders1]

Hello fellow model engineers. I see that others use a Unimat 3, I bought one 40 years ago in Holland, and when returned to the UK discovered the voltage difference caused the motor to overheat, so with the help of Rex Garrod, (robot wars fame, etc) I changed the power to a 0.5kw DC motor, with speed controller, I made new toothed pulleys and swapped to toothed belts. It is now capable of reducing a 1" brass bar to 0.5" in a single pass. As for the oilite bearings on the verticle milling attachement, I had Manganese Bronze of Ipswich do a refit when I had 0.3mm end slop, they sent it back with new bearings and 0.5mm end slop, I'm sad to report, so I made a new larger head, 40.000mm turned slide, stuck in 2 big taper bearings, and put a 0.3hp 3 phase motor on, with speed control, and reverse, you can't stop it with your hand when it goes slow, drills down to 0.3mm lovely, managed to get it to 1/000mm accuracy making alloy adjustable head. I have used the machine an awful lot, have reground the bed a few times…I actually have 3 of the machines !! Used mostly for master patterns for Matchbox and Corgi, Scaledown, Border Fine Arts etc.

[Julian Saunders 1Participant @juliansaunders1]

Ex patternmaker to the toy industry

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Hullo Julz, welcome to the forum, be nice to see pics of the maxi-unimat.

Neil

[Julian Saunders 1Participant @juliansaunders1]

Thank you, Neil, I'll get in the shed as soon as it's a bit warmer, and after I have seen the nurse on Friday !! I'll post a pic of the S/S and phosphor bronze and brass 3" rotary table i have made for it, as well. Julz

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

Hello Julz and welcome.

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Hello Julz, glad you've come to join this happy band of minstels, just play nicely ! Noel.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Welcome Julz. Nice to have another U3 hacker on here. Here's a photo of mine, now has a collet spindle, 3 phase motor and VFD. More photos in one of my albums, including of the Turnado – inspired hand turning tool.

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember19781]

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[Julian Saunders 1Participant @juliansaunders1]

Bill, I was lucky enough to get the stuff for my hacks gratis…actually a swap…BSL bearings had bought out Fenner, and a skip sat outside which they allowed me to fill a Sierra with 0.5 tons of pulleys, belts etc…I then swapped half of it for the kit to upgrade mine…your outfit looks the bizz…how much did the motor and controller cost for yours ? The motor for mine is as long as the lathe..I'll be taking some pics tomorrow, hopefully.

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember19781]

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