# 2014 Day 1, Metal Lathe essential mods !!



## skiprat (Jan 1, 2014)

Well 2014 is well underway and they say you should start as you mean to finish....so here are two mods that I did today that I've wanted to do for yonks, and it's only 4.30pm !!. :biggrin:

The pics show my solution to a common problem with a metal lathe tailstock. The clamping spanner often clashes with the carriage or topslide.
Many people make a complex cam lever arrangement, but I like this simpler solution. I do have a mill, but only used my drill press and lathe to do the mods. 

Almost as essential was insulating my garage door with polystyrene. Wow !! What a difference!! Goodbye eyeball drying electric heater!!:biggrin:

Hopefully someone can get some use from this. 
Pics are self explanitory, but shout if you want more info.

Cheers :wink:


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## jimofsanston (Jan 1, 2014)

looking nice


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## plano_harry (Jan 1, 2014)

Nice work Steven.  Looks like you have put a lot of shop in the available space!  Is "yonks" really a word? :biggrin:

Happy New Year!
Harry


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## skiprat (Jan 1, 2014)

LOL Harry, yes 'yonks' is a real word. But of course it depends on your definition of 'reality':biggrin:


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## Dalecamino (Jan 1, 2014)

Just one of the reasons I went back to the 7x16. On the 9x20 I had to use an open end wrench to tighten the hold down. Knuckle buster! I saw a tutorial on modifying it with a lever but, decided to sell it instead. This is a very cool fix Steve. Without a current need for it, I'm more interested in insulating my garage door. Did you need to leave slack in the tape on the seams? Got some close up views of the door panels? I'm freezing my arse off here :biggrin: Thanks for the photos.


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## SteveG (Jan 1, 2014)

Hey Steven, that is a nice tip...kind of like needing a back scratcher for years, and finally getting one! :biggrin:

Could we get a shot with the car IN the garage?


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## 08K.80 (Jan 1, 2014)

SteveG said:


> Hey Steven, that is a nice tip...kind of like needing a back scratcher for years, and finally getting one! :biggrin:
> 
> Could we get a shot with the car IN the garage?


 

His ride is in front of the door. :biggrin:


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## skiprat (Jan 1, 2014)

dalecamino said:


> .... I'm more interested in insulating my garage door. Did you need to leave slack in the tape on the seams? Got some close up views of the door panels? I'm freezing my arse off here :biggrin: ....


 
Chuck, the stuff I used is 25mm thick and came in sheets of 1200mm x 450mm. This grey stuff just seemed a little sturdier than the typical white version. I actually went to get the white, but they only had grey. Never seen it before. The tape I bought doesn't seem to stick great to it. I have several brands of tape and most didn't stick for long. I since wiped the tape areas with degreaser and the tape sticks better.  Best £30 I have spent in my little garage.:wink:



SteveG said:


> Hey Steven, that is a nice tip...kind of like needing a back scratcher for years, and finally getting one! :biggrin:
> 
> Could we get a shot with the car IN the garage?


 
Steve, although I don't have the car anymore, I did actually have one in there at the same time !!   :biggrin: The big 8 x 4 table actually folds flat against the wall.  
I'm going to do a complete make over in the spring. :biggrin:

Cheers


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## SteveG (Jan 1, 2014)

Thanks fro the pic, Steven. You never cease to ammaze. One problem though...now I want the car!


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## jimjam66 (Jan 1, 2014)

Neat fix, Steven.  I got the Warco Super Mini lathe that has the cam lock fitted ex-factory, but if truth be told it doesn't work that well so this could be useful.  Does cutting the slot in the tailstock webbing not weaken it?


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## skiprat (Jan 1, 2014)

Dave, technically I suppose it does weaken it a bit, but it's a hefty chunk of cast iron and I don't use the tailstock as a 2 ton arbor press. Well, not often anyway..:biggrin:  I have the Warco WM 14 VS mill. Love it, even though it, like my lathe are probably all from the same Chinese factory.:biggrin:


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## walshjp17 (Jan 1, 2014)

skiprat said:


> Steve, although I don't have the car anymore, I did actually have one in there at the same time !!   :biggrin:



TC or TD?


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## Harley2001 (Jan 1, 2014)

Hay Steven thanks for sharing I have been wanting to do that it I a pain in the you know want so thanks I start on that next.


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## skiprat (Jan 1, 2014)

walshjp17 said:


> skiprat said:
> 
> 
> > Steve, although I don't have the car anymore, I did actually have one in there at the same time !!   :biggrin:
> ...


 
John, I wish !!  If it was either an MG TC or TD then I would have kept it.
It was a Marlin Roadster kit car. It was my solution to man-o-pause !!:biggrin:
Loads of fun around the winding Welsh mountain roads but not so good in the Welsh mountain weather!!


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## workinforwood (Jan 3, 2014)

Sweet ride mate! Still working on mine, only needs to go back to the paintshop one more time, hopefully this spring.  Love the mod on the tailstock,I often find myself fussing with my nuts too :wink:.  I bought my overhead doors insulated but even then the insulation is a joke. I bought aluminum foil coated styrofoam sheets 1" (2.5 cm for you brits ) and cut the sheets an inch longer than the panels measure on the up down direction. I found that you can push the styrofoam down into the door then can push it up under the top lip and it will fit tight, the top and bottom lips holding it in place with no tape because the top lip is tighter than the bottom lip. I also screwed some blocks above the doors so i can clamp the doors tight against the walls. Every little thing is a big deal in a winter like this one. It was -15 when i got home this morning from work. I recommend the rubber strip that goes on the cement under your door too. It seals the bottom better, and keeps rain and mice from getting under the door or chewing up that junky lower door seal.


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