Hobby metalworking machine,great buy!

(Ronin)

(Ronin)

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It's starting to feel like Christmas
I don't even have it off the skid yet,i'm too busy playing with it!
I gotta say,this is a very solid machine,and the power feeds are great,they run off the leadscrew with a quick change gearbox(3 speeds quick change,12 with gear changes),threading will require changing of the gears,but they are set up wayyy better than any other machine with change gears that I've seen.
The backlash is minimal,better than some big $ machines that i've used.
The tool post slides off when you loosen the handle,and the base doubles as a milling vice.
The only downs i can see are that the spindles are belt driven,so they gotta be tight,and theres no spindle brakes,but that can't be expected on a small machine anyways.
other than that it's awesome for the money,I'd suggest you pick up the elevating block for the table as well
It only cost me $40 shipped to my door,busy bee picked up the other $100 of shipping which was good of them.
Anyone looking for a personal machine should have a look at one of these,they're on sale till the 12th of jan '08 from busy bee tools

http://busybeetools.ca/cgi-bin/picture10?&NETID=1956051212071665209&NTITEM=B2229


Newtoy.jpg
 
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Are you planning to do some chambering on it? The speed seems a bit high to me but let us know how it works out for you? Definately got a big enough spindle opening to put the barrel through if the cupboard door opens for that purpose?

Details man, details!!!!
 
Well...barrel work,crowning,feed ramp milling,cutting dovetails for new sights and hopefully making new obsolete parts for old guns(one a one-off basis) is going to be one of it's main uses.I build EV's as well,so a whack of stuff pertaining to that will be done on it as well..
It has a 1 1/8 bore,so there shouldn't come across too many barrels that won't fit.The cupboard door gives you access to the change gears,there's a hole in the door so you don't even have to open it to slip something through.I'm just playing with it for now doing little things until i get a DRO on it,i can't stand working on a machine with dial indicators all over it

I need to pick up some stock,then i'll post a vid or two of it doing it's thing so ppl can see how smooth it runs,how the feeds/quick change box runs and what kind of cuts you can take with it.
 
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There is a rather well written softcover book available describing the use of a combination machine like this to do some rather high quality barrel work. I will dig it out, so anyone who is interested could get a copy.
 
Anyone know how it compares to the sherline mills and lathes?

I am thinking about getting either the busy bee or a sherline mill and lathe and don't know which is the best buy in terms of quality and accuracy.

How do you like working with it so far, Ronin?
 
As much as i like to bash Chineese-made goods,this thing is very solid.And the price is good considering it's capacities and power feeds.
I'm getting about 5-6 thou backlash on the crossslide and saddle hand wheel,and 1 thou on the compound which is pretty damn good.
It cost me $2378 with an endmill set,carbide tool holders,carbide tips,tax and shipping
I still need to make some risers for the tool post so i don't have to shim the tool,and i think you can get a quick change tool post for this machine too

Safe to say i'm enjoying it,here's a pic of it with my B1979c that i was using before and a couple other pics

PHOT0009-2.jpg

PHOT0010.jpg

PHOT0011-1.jpg

PHOT0012-1.jpg

PHOT0013.jpg
 
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tiriaq said:
There is a rather well written softcover book available describing the use of a combination machine like this to do some rather high quality barrel work. I will dig it out, so anyone who is interested could get a copy.
Click to expand...
I'd be interested in a copy of that :)
 
John Stranahan - "Precision Rifle Rebarrelling and Case Preparation on a Home Shop Lathe Plus Load Development and Long Range Shooting".
No contact information in the book, I'm sure it was self published. Well written, good photos, accompanied by a disc.
He advertised it over at w ww.long-range.com. I'll see if I can find the contact information.
He used a Shoptask 17x20 XM-TC Lathe Mill.

Aha - Google is your friend. Just do a search for "John Stranahan" and it is the first hit.
 
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the only thing that strikes me as odd is your comment that the tool post is removable when you loosen the handle, this defeats the purpose of a multi tool holder-- the ability to move from one tool to another and retain individual cross slide dial locations to supply repeatable diameters and if you have positive or dial indicator stops for carriage location, which determines repeatability length of cut. This is the advantage of a four way indexible tool holder. Check to see if it isn't drilled and reamed for a dowel pin to create a fixed location or that the notched indexing plate between the tool post and compound is working properly. not a criticism just a suggestion, looks like good value--good luck
 
art.h said:
the only thing that strikes me as odd is your comment that the tool post is removable when you loosen the handle, this defeats the purpose of a multi tool holder-- the ability to move from one tool to another and retain individual cross slide dial locations to supply repeatable diameters and if you have positive or dial indicator stops for carriage location, which determines repeatability length of cut. This is the advantage of a four way indexible tool holder. Check to see if it isn't drilled and reamed for a dowel pin to create a fixed location or that the notched indexing plate between the tool post and compound is working properly. not a criticism just a suggestion, looks like good value--good luck
Click to expand...
It's made like that so it can double as a milling vise..have to make sacrifices for the dual-purpose thing.You could always pick up another bolt on compound.No dowel pin,but you could mod it with a couple bolts down through it i guess
 
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