Hello from St Ives Cambs

[Simon StanfordParticipant @simonstanford62837]

Hi all,

Just starting my journey into this amazing world of machining, been using lathes/mills off and on for 2/3 years now with my job, not a lot, but enough to get me hooked, so took the plunge and bought myself a Clarke CL500M as a starter (as it came with every conceivable extra that Clarke do for it, mostly still wrapped from new). Will upgrade as I find the limits of the machine but reading everything online it seems like a versatile little machine to learn on.

So how do I go about learning then? can anyone point me at some beginner level projects that will both challenge, reward and teach?

Any tips and tricks pointers are welcome as like I said this is something I have been wanting to do for a long time and would like to avoid disappointment as much as possible.

Best regards to all

Simon

[Simon StanfordParticipant @simonstanford62837]

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Hi Simon,

Welcome to the forum. Harold Hall has published a book called: Lathework a complete course (Workshop Practice #34), it will introduce you to lathework and you will end up with some useful tools too. Another book that targets the Minilathe is: Mini Lathe by Neil Wyatt (MEW editor). If you want to make some steam engines, have a look at John-Tom.

Thor

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Simon,

Welcome, I to have the CL500M with most of the extra's, I've had mine for fifteen years and have no reason to improve on it it does everything I require of it.

I'm not that far from you, I live near Bedford and Sandy.

The only part of the lathe I dont use much is the Mill attachement only because I have two small milling machines that I use.

I have one mod that I want to do and that is fit an inverter with a three phase motor otherwise I'm happy with the lathe.

As to projects pick something that will be of use to you, I make parts for my Stationary engines and home maintenance, as said the Workshop Practice books are very good.

Martin P

[Anonymous]

Hi Simon,

Welcome to the forum. I'm even closer than Martin, just down the A1198 near Cambourne. Sadly disappointments are all part and parcel of machining, just like life. It's how you respond to them that is important.

PM sent.

Andrew

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Welcome to the forum, Simon.

Neil

[Simon StanfordParticipant @simonstanford62837]

Hi again and thank you for welcomes.

I have been looking through the 'tube vids and do fancy having a go at a stationary engine, so I think that's where I'll start.

something like this – **LINK**

seems to fairly straight forward and hopefully some interesting lessons.

Cheers all

Simon

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Simon,

Just to save confusion my Stationary Engines look like this.

Its a 1942 Hamworthy Compressor set driven by a Lister D petrol engine.

Martin P

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

Hello Simon and welcome. I have fond memories of St. Ives and local villages whilst reserching my Fowell-Box traction engine model.

Any questions, just ask and someone will reply with the answer.

Brian

[Simon StanfordParticipant @simonstanford62837]

Posted by martin perman on 09/08/2018 15:14:55:

Simon,

Just to save confusion my Stationary Engines look like this.

Its a 1942 Hamworthy Compressor set driven by a Lister D petrol engine.

Martin P

As I said i'm here to learn….

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Welcome aboard Simon!

If you are thinking of joining a M E Club, there are ones in Cambridge and in Peterborough. Am sure that you would be made welcome at either if you feel inclined to travel a little way.

You are likely to find yourself making "gadgets" very soon, as you start on one task, you realise that "I need a widget to…." A bit like " Greater fleas have lesser fleas upon their backs to bite 'em, and so on ad infinitum!"

Whether in a Club, or on here, there will be great deal of exchange of information and experience.

Howard

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

Welcome to the forum Simon. I was born in Huntingdon and have many relatives in St Ives but now live a few miles further away.

Look up mrpete222 on You Tube for some very easy steam engine projects. You don't have to follow his ideas but it may give you some ideas and inspiration.

regards

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