I think I might be a tool junkie. Are there meetings?

[EricB]

Several years ago took an interest in fixing old clocks and eventually acquired a used Sherline lathe. That quickly turned it into and interest in making small bits out of metal. Actually I think I always had that interest, just never the time to act on it. Anyway, European made clocks use a lot of non-standard little screws (made of pure unobtainium), and having the screw cutting attachment for the lathe has been a real blessing. I like being able to cut the odd threads with it, but I hate taking the motor loose every time. My solution was just get another headstock and leave the gear and hand wheel attached. That works ok. I found a used headstock along with a vertical milling table on ebay for much less than the cost of either part. Still, I thought it would be much better to have a second lathe for that. Not very cost effective since this is only a hobby.

Well persistence has paid off. The other day someone listed most of a 4100 lathe, less the head and tail stocks and crosslide but with a motor and speed control, for a starting bid of $4.99 or make offer. I made a tiny offer, very much less than the parts are worth, and they accepted it. Wow! To make it useful I just need a crosslide and the pin for the headstock, which will be here next week.

The lathe itself is like new and super clean, the parts I have anyway. It had a company label on the speed control so I figure they had this one as a spare or just to take parts from and never actually used it. I'll take care of that!

Once it's up and running I'll have two lathes and two mills, and no free bench space on which to work.

Eric

 

[Dabbler]

We have meetings to encourage to buy more tools

 

[Aukai]

They are all enablers I tell ya....

 

[silence dogood]

"More, more, I'm still not satisfied!" With apologies to Tom Lehrer and in this case referring to tools.

 

[Nutfarmer]

They are all enablers I tell ya....

We are all enablers!

 

[Nutfarmer]

To bad your not around Sacramento California . We have monthly meetings. A really good group of fellow tool junkies

 

[AGCB97]

This forum is your best meeting place. Especially the "what did you buy today" thread!
Aaron

 

[stupoty]

Once it's up and running I'll have two lathes and two mills, and no free bench space on which to work.

Space it's the final errr something or other

I had a bench grinder on a stand but now it lives on a base that hangs up on a hook when not in use and clamps into my bench vice for use.

I also have an emergency small work top area that clamps into the vice for when space has actually run out

Someone on the forum ages ago was thinking of building a work top with a flip top, to mount machinery so thy could be rotated into use. This might work well with the sherline sized tools.

Stu

 

[graham-xrf]

@EricB :
We all knew you were a tool junkie, though admittedly, we all know some of the symptoms from in ourselves.
You simply managed to survive your wallet long enough to have some previous junk binge finally match up to a new junk acquisition score!

 

[rabler]

You’re not a true tool junkie until you buy it without knowing what you’ll use it for. You had an actual use for this when you went looking.