# Where are our little Unimat Machinists ?



## rickard (Jul 13, 2012)

I know of atleast 2-3 other guys here that have the beloved little Unimats, I am sure there are more out there, so lets get some talking going about these wonderful little Machines! Me due to my current Hyades from Slotcar Racing , I've been short on projects. I'm working on building Steam Engines, but I'm still in the early stages. so Lets share Ideas of what we are doing


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## Dreamcaster (Jul 18, 2012)

Hi I just joined here is my Unimat on risers, got some cool tooling pics of that later hope we can share information. I am not looking forward to the day that I need to replace the motor. I heard rumor that the harbor freight 1/3 HP compressor has a DC motor in it that people have successfully transplanted with modifications to run Unimats. Its on sale for 59 bucks with 20 percent off that gets you into the 40s I would love to confirm it works before spending the money and ripping the motor out though.


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## rickard (Jul 18, 2012)

Welcome to our little space, I can't help you with the H/F Compressor Motor, but I've used in the past Dayton Motors from Granger with good luck, and the motor of of Mom's old sewing machine for lite work  I'd love to have one of those ZMak  Machines, so I can use the head stock risers. Plus easier to move around than the cast Iron ones


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## Alan Douglas (Jul 19, 2012)

I had one in the 1960s, bought from Lafayette Radio for $139 (as I recall) with some freebie accessories.  It worked well but eventually found a home with a friend, and I have a 955 Logan now.


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## laddy (Jul 25, 2012)

Hey,
  I have two Unimats.  The first one I bought used 1980 for $45 it was all still in the cardbord boxes and original wooden box brand spanking new it is the DB with a tonn of accessories.  About 15 years ago happened across an SL which had a permanent Drill press attachment with its own power and power feed screw.  I have used both alot and also have a 6 inch lathe and a 9 inch lathe but for small stuuf you cannot beat the Unimat just for visibility and finish.  I have alarge vertical mill and an Atlas Horizontal but also the small Emco milling machine made in Austria for again the small stuff.  I love my Unimats and always enjoy using them.   Fred


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## rickard (Jul 25, 2012)

Good deal Fred 
Welcome, I'm looking forward to seeing what you're doing with your Unimat


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## Beethovin (Nov 26, 2013)

rickard said:


> I know of atleast 2-3 other guys here that have the beloved little Unimats, I am sure there are more out there, so lets get some talking going about these wonderful little Machines! Me due to my current Hyades from Slotcar Racing , I've been short on projects. I'm working on building Steam Engines, but I'm still in the early stages. so Lets share Ideas of what we are doing


<br>
<br>
A bit of EMCO history. Ernst Maier started EMCO hence the name. A long time ago I did a favor for this man and in return he gave me a full UNIMAT complete with almost every conceivable attachment. I used the UNIMAT to make the parts for a STWEART #7 model steam engine. Had to make a riser for the head stock and cross slide to machine some parts. The engine now sits in a dedicated rack in my living room in Duluth MN while I enjoy the sun in the Rio Grand Valley. I sold the UNIMAT a few years ago and used the money toward the purchase of a Grizzly combo. It too is sitting in the cold of northern Minnesota, snivel, sniff &amp; boo-hoo. <br><br>The original UNIMAT had some accuracy problems relating to the machining of&nbsp;its die cast parts. Even so, with care and patience one could make many small parts. The power feed attachment was a joy to use, but trying to cut a shaft .25" dia X 2" could make a saint scream with frustration LOL<br>


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## maxmartnnl (Dec 6, 2013)

I had this one, the UNIMAT 3. Had a lot of fun using it, even while turning and milling titanium heli shafts and wheelhubs and other small parts. Having patience was necessary and that quality of mind was developped automatically) when using the UNIMAT 3 since you couldn't expect from it to take 1/2" cuts in stainless steel...  
It did the job though and despite it's tinyness it delivered fine finishing with accurate repeatability, even often better than way bigger machines...


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## markba633csi (Aug 12, 2015)

Hiya,  I was given an early cast iron DB200 years ago by a good friend. I have used it a lot and still do. 
Just bought an Atlas 6" Mk2 for doing big stuff but the quality of the Unimat is superior.  I just added the mill/drill column and feed lever I've wanted for years, now I can use it as a precision drill press. I'll never sell it. 
Mark S.


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## markba633csi (Aug 15, 2015)

I just talked to the good friend who gave me my Unimat those many years ago, haven't seen or talked to him in years- much water under the bridge while we were both doing our careers. I made sure to tell him how much I appreciated that gift, we will be seeing each other again soon for the first time in more than 30 years. 
I also just remembered one of the jobs I did with the Uni was to make a replacement carburator needle out of 1/8" brass rod for my '67 Kawasaki A1SS two stroke twin street bike I had while going to Foothill College in Los Altos, California in the mid 70's.  Talk about a job requiring a lot of patience! Tiny kiss-cuts so as not to ruin the part, but it worked perfectly.  My friends used to call that Kawi the "ticket-bike" cuz everyone who borrowed it came back with a ticket! LOL
Mark S.


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## Uglydog (Aug 15, 2015)

I will likely never participate in a future Unimat thread, as all my lathes are vintage larger.
Regardless, I'd like to encourage all of you.
Please don't believe that you don't belong here, or that you are somehow inferior because your lathe isn't 5,000+ pounds!

There is all kinds of work that those little guys can do, work with which I struggle.
Likewise you will never swing a flywheel from a manure spreader which in needs a new bushing.

Please post!

Daryl
MN


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## The Liberal Arts Garage (Apr 3, 2017)

Yes, I had one too----Radio Shack tent sale. Hung around for years, but used
it at  last to thread Bugatti Hubcaps ....... Nothing else would do.:::::::BLJHB.


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## markba633csi (Apr 3, 2017)

Gee did Radio Shack sell those too? Must have been many years ago-
My friend is finally escaping the shack before it collapses entirely from mis-management. 
She found a better job. 
MS


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## The Liberal Arts Garage (Apr 8, 2017)

Pleased to hear of her escape.  ........BLJHB


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## Dell (Jan 11, 2020)

Hi all just purchased this 





haven’t used it yet but want to make small brassantique clock parts
Dell


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## David S (Jan 11, 2020)

Very neat.  What model is it?  Is the milling set up original or shop made?

David


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## Dhal22 (Mar 4, 2020)

My first piece on my unimat sl1000, a rough draft dead center (in aluminum). Measurements were off from my hand drawing but no matter,  a practice piece.

The little lathe cut aluminum as fast as I can move the dials.  Made a great little mess as well.


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## Lo-Fi (Mar 5, 2020)

My first lathe was a tiny little Unimat1. It was my dad's before me, and I got far more use out of it, I think. Boy did that thing get some abuse! I believe the motor burned out in the the end and I've got no idea what eventually happened to it, but it led to other machines. My second lathe was a Zyto, then some nameless Myford clone - both were saved from the scrap man and have been donated to others who've wanted to get into machining. I'm still running a small lathe - a little Myford ML10. Fond memories of that Unimat1, though.


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 5, 2020)

here are a couple tool design tests on a Unimat SL1000, the last test was a poorly ground carbide test


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## Bi11Hudson (Mar 5, 2020)

I used to have a couple of them. DB-200s. Got the first one in Long Beach in '69. In a pawn shop. It has followed me around the world several times. Found and built a number of accessories over the years, where and when needed. I did instrument work for industry in the days before solid state wonders. The machine has built and repaired a number of archaic devices. Also did a lot of work with my models when I was still experimenting scales, before I settled on 1:87.(H-O)

In the '90s, I got into a series of projects that involved a number of threaded parts. I finally bought a 9" machine(Grizzly) to do the threads. Drifted away from the UniMat from that. But I hung onto the chucks and other fittings to use with my larger machine(s). The 9" and 12" don't do as good a finish, but almost.

I can't be a contributing member but just had to leave a *good word* on a fine, albeit small, machine. If it just would have threaded, I likely wouldn't have moved up.

.


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## maxmartnnl (Mar 15, 2020)

Hi,
I no longer have the Unimat3, however I must say I had a great pleasure in working with it on small parts. A few years ago I had the opportunity to acquire a TOYO ML1 with a lot of accessoires and tooling, so I bought it. For those who seek a little machine that might be able to forget your positive experiences with the original Austrian made Unimat3, this ML1 could be an alternative. They are pretty rare nowadays, so when you "encounter" one in good order with accessoires and tooling, don't hesitate to grab it.
You all stay healthy ( w.r.t. the worldspreading Corona virus)!
Regards, Max


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## Grendel (Mar 18, 2021)

I have a unimat 3, I spent a wonderful hour machining a 20mm steel sleeve to take 1/4" shank end mills for my newly purchased end mill grinder, taking 0.1mm face cuts on a 20mm steel blank to remove about 4mm from the end, taking it careful due to a 45mm standoff, i was producing some glorious chips. i then drilled out 6mm, and reamed out to 1/4", unfortunately my 1/4" end mills were obviously oversize, so I ended up drilling through with a 6.5mm drill for a 59 thou clearance, after which everything fit perfectly.


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## Dhal22 (Mar 18, 2021)

I like playing with my unimat sl.   I don't do anything very serious with it though.


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## Grendel (Mar 19, 2021)

I find mine most useful for small precision work


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## Grendel (Mar 19, 2021)

made some more chips today  on my unimat machining the dowel pins for my 3d printed half nuts 0.1mm cuts hand feed


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## SLAWBER (Sep 1, 2021)

I'm an engineer and machinist. In my previous employment, I was allowed to use the machines for personal projects. When that ended I started dreaming about owning a machine shop of my own. I found my Unimat SL on Craigslist not knowing they existed. My first mission is to clean in up and attach it to a solid ash base that I made from a log. I'm really looking forward to making some chips!


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## Lo-Fi (Sep 1, 2021)

That's a lovely looking little machine!


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## chippermat (Sep 1, 2021)

YouTube poster "Adventures with a Very Small Lathe" is a very interesting and capable hobby machinist who has just acquired a Unimat lathe and is posting videos about it, highly recommend. Nice machine you have there.


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## Dhal22 (Sep 1, 2021)

I have an SL model.


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