# My new mini metal lathe & shop



## aggromere (Aug 31, 2010)

Well, I'm pretty tired of making pens right now, so I took the camera out into the garage and made some pictures of my new metal lathe and everything else I could find.

I think the pics left to right are:

Spot on workbench for new lathe
Lathe sitting in its' box
On the workbench
Two lathes side by side
View of entire work area

I've been trying to keep my workshop clean since I got the new lathe, but it might be a losing battle.


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## holmqer (Aug 31, 2010)

Very much a loosing battle, the swarf from the metal lathe is much more pernicious that wood shavings.


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## Padre (Aug 31, 2010)

Where did you buy the lathe from?

Eric.....swarf?  LOL, I had to look it up!


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## oxx44 (Aug 31, 2010)

Very nice. Love the entire shop. And yes, yes it is a losing battle. Let's see a pic in a week.:biggrin:


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## aggromere (Sep 1, 2010)

I got the lathe from Littlemachineshop.com.   It is a 12 inch between centers.  It works great.  Although now that I have it, the tool rest takes up a lot of room on a metal lathe and a 14 inch or 16 inch would have been better I think just because of how crowded it is when you start adjusting.  But it drills holes and squares ends much better than my wood lathe.  I haven't figured out how to do much else so far.  But it is a very cool toy.


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## PenPal (Sep 1, 2010)

Hi Peter,

Like your toys. I use more than one lathe of each my experience has been the metal lathe needs lubrication at all times to protect the ways etc so a small cover over it whilst wood working the woodlathe will help, wood dust even is hygroscopic and sucks up oil. When I use my metal lathes for wood I always make a catching cover of paper to cover the bed.

Do trust you enjoy your lathes your set up looks promising.

Peter.


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## cnirenberg (Sep 1, 2010)

Peter,
Very nice looking machine, and it looks like it has all the cool add-on stuff all ready.  Definitely sweet. Eric is correct- I have been told, and rightly so, that the shavings act like sandpaper on the ways....clean and clean often.  

I'm with you on the pen turning comment, I am currently working on a brass cannon project rather than a new pen at the moment.  Hopefully I will be getting some wishlist things from LMS this month, and can try some new ideas with a pen I have been thinking about.

Looks like you will have a nice weekend to give that new "toy" a workout.


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## workinforwood (Sep 1, 2010)

Looks nice.  I try and try...it is a losing battle.  If you want to keep some dust off the new machine, throw and old sheet over it, that's about all you can do.


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## moke (Sep 1, 2010)

Peter--
I have been following your posts closely.  I know in the future I am going to want a metal lathe. 
You have a great setup--please continue to post photos and talk about your learning curve.
Mike   aka:moke


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## BigShed (Sep 1, 2010)

Looks great Peter. I agree with your comment re the size of the mini lathe. I originally wanted to buy a mini lathe but instead settled on a 9x20, also with EVS, and I'm glad I did.

My metal lathe and wood lathe are in different parts of the shop, have a mini mill next to the metal lathe.

You will have heaps of fun with the metal lathe, I still find new uses for it almost every day, have made many tools and jigs to help in my other work.


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