# Let's See Your Mini Lathe/mill Setups!



## heliyardsale

So I recently purchased both a Sherline 2000 8-way mill and a 4400C DRO package lathe. I'm in the process figuring out how I want to set these machines up. I've been thinking about buying something like this and pulling the casters off to make it stationary. This way I would have plenty of tool storage right under the machines. What are you folks using for your bases? Feel free to post up photos please.


----------



## kvt

That looks better than what I have,  when I got mine from my father in laws estate.   They were each mounted to a metal stand from Sears, with 1" ply over 1" planks  it kept things nice and flat, but each machine had it's own stand.


----------



## Bamban

Here is what I have, very much the same butcher block table top like you have in the picture. Right now I have the mini lathe tucked in right behind the mill.


----------



## jere m

I dont have any photos of my little 8x12 hft lathe, but i mounted it on a 3 drawer craftsman lower tool box. (Should have found one with more drawers but it was only $10). I reinforced the corners with bedframe angle iron and self tapping sheet metal screws.  The bottom was very flimsy too so i made a "movers dolly" with 2x4s and heavy casters. For the top i used ½ inch plywood and covered that with a dog kennel plastic floor pan. The plywood and lathe is bolted down in a few spots with some large fender washers.


----------



## higgite

Gunrunner you need to order a set of these for the Z axis hand crank. Bill did you just spit coffee on your monitor? :rofl:

View attachment 253356


----------



## heliyardsale

Thanks everyone, great looking setups.


----------



## wrmiller

When I had my smaller machines this was a pretty good setup for me.


----------



## heliyardsale

Very nice setup wrmiller


----------



## epanzella

Bamban said:


> Here is what I have, very much the same butcher block table top like you have in the picture. Right now I have the mini lathe tucked in right behind the mill.
> 
> View attachment 116053


Could you explain what's going on in the picture. Lots of interesting things 
I've never seen before.


----------



## Bamban

The cross slide has 2 AXA QCTP, the back one for parting. There is a DC motor drive for cross slide as these do not have power drive for facing or parting. The large handwheel is to drive the the TS.

The control boxes you see on the top left, one is for the DC motor driving the spindle, the other is the DRO box. The latter is not being used right now.

Here is how I use the steering wheel on the TS, turning cartridge case necks.






In case you are wondering what large gear sticking out on the left side of the HS in the original picture, it is normally the middle gear, I swapped it with gear box drive gear to slow down the carriage drive when turning. On manual operation I just kick out to disengage it, so I don't have to run the gear box.

I do not use this lathe for threading, I will eventually remove the cross slide and just bolt on a metal block for the QCTP.


----------



## epanzella

Thanks for the tour.


----------



## DAT510

Bamban, I like your sliding tail stock mod.  Can you show us more of how you converted it?


----------



## Cavediver

I'll fill in the low-rent end of the spectrum...





This is a temporary setup.  The top is 2 layers of 3/4 MDF with white laminate on all faces to help resist movement from changes in humidity (a serious problem in Georgia).  The laminate is also impervious to most solvents, fluids,etc., resists dings and dents, is easy to clean, and it provides a nice surface for jotting down notes, measurements,  etc.  

IMO, that wood top would look nice, but you should use it elsewhere and drop in a laminated version instead.

Eventually I will have a decent cabinet under it, but the sawhorse setup works well enough for now


----------



## DHarris

Cavediver, can I join you in the low-rent end of the spectrum?


----------



## Zathros

In  What category would this be? Mini, micro or nano workshop?
Just 2m x 3m metric


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk Pro


----------



## wrmiller

heliyardsale said:


> Very nice setup wrmiller



Thank you. The stupidest thing I ever did was sell that little SB1001 lathe in the background. I've been trying to buy it back ever since, but my friend won't even consider it.

I may have to steal it...


----------



## Fabrickator

I got everyone beat on low end Mill stands.  I have my LMS High-Torque on a cut-off piece of Formica counter top, sitting on the bed of my 60", cast iron, Oliver wood lathe.  The Grizzly G0602 lathe is happily nested on a heavy duty base built between 2 oak, built-in storage closets.


----------



## DHarris

Zathros - your "shop" looks like it's in a very small / tight space - and you've made full use of every square inch!


----------



## brino

Zathros said:


> In What category would this be? Mini, micro or nano workshop?



I would say "closet size", but still a few steps above the "pocket size" workshop.

By the way, due to the way you posted your pictures, they appear as simple red X's inline when using a web browser on a Win7 PC. I had to use a little trick to see them.

When using tap-a-talk there is a special way to post them so everyone can see them. Here's a link:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/how-to-post-photos-from-tap-a-talk.55947/

-brino


----------



## Zathros

Stand corrected, 
Its Tiny but got almost all, large tools like ciculair saw table etc is in another storage.
Well all I can say it's dutch way of saving valueble space. 
















Hope they're visable now.
Grts.
T.
Btw, i've got à IT space like this on the 1st Floor also. Now the kids are gone have more fragmented. Backroom is the bicycle studio. And My terestial telescope travels from room to room. 


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk Pro


----------



## Tozguy

Looks good to me Zathros. Hope it stays above water level.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/15/world/europe/climate-change-rotterdam.html
Fascinating place you live in.


----------



## Zathros

Actually it's about 7 m below sea level. 


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk Pro


----------



## DHarris

Hoi Zathros, I have a friend who lives & works in Middleburg (we worked for the same company) and have traveled there a number of times.  On one trip he took me to the "highest point" in Zeeland - it was on a bridge - don't remember the name or what it was over - - and was never really sure that he wasn't just pulling my leg.  Truly beautiful country and people - some of the best of both I've had the good fortune to be associated with.

dave


----------



## ferlum

Here's my work space. I have entirely too much crap stuffed along one wall of a two-car garage. Believe it or not, I still get two cars in here too.


----------



## george wilson

Bambam-That is the most complicated mini lathe I have ever seen !!! Do you also  have a larger lathe to fit in with that B*ridgeport mill?*


----------



## Rockytime

Here is mine. First photo is a Grizzly G0781 mini-mill on a watchmaker's bench, next is my Sherline bench which started out years ago as a railroad modeling bench. Last is my MaxiMat7 lathe.


----------



## Bamban

george wilson said:


> Bambam-That is the most complicated mini lathe I have ever seen !!! Do you also  have a larger lathe to fit in with that B*ridgeport mill?*



It is a complicated 9x20 lathe, I do have larger ones, lol....


----------



## crossthread

I picked up a Husky roll around work bench like the ones pictured in the first few posts.  It's a good stand for my 7 x 14 Grizzly lathe.    It's not as heavy as a Snap On toolbox, but it works well enough and doesn't cost a fortune.


----------



## Moper361

Hi I'm new here and just finding my way around the sight .Here are a few snaps of my hobby room here in Thailand. Not perfect by any means but keeps my days occupied .

Regards Moper   I


----------



## DAT510

Welcome to HM Moper. Nice shop.


----------



## Moper361

DAT510 said:


> Welcome to HM Moper. Nice shop.


Thanks Dat510 it keeps me amused


----------



## brino

Moper361 said:


> Here are a few snaps of my hobby room here in Thailand. Not perfect by any means but keeps my days occupied .



Welcome aboard!
That looks like a great space to work/play in. 
-brino


----------



## waynecuefix

My setup was primarily arranged for repairing pool cues, modifying shafts etc. Since I am walking limited I enjoy sitting down at the lathe. I am able to place my legs under the 7 x 10 Harbor Freight (Central Machinery) lathe in this setup with the lathe mounted on a 2x12 which is c-clamped to the top of a homemade cabinet/stand. I have made 2x4 outriggers topped with 6" window sill to hold the roller rests. The room is small with a usable space of @ 7 x 8 feet leaving @ 2 1/2 feet between the lathe and the bench for me to place my swivel chair so it is just a matter of rotating in the chair to leave the lathe and go to the grinder bench. To place a house cue in the lathe I have placed a piece of rug under the stand so it will slide and I pivot the end of the lathe over a few inches so the axis of the roller rest to spindle points out the door into the kitchen. My grinder bench is an antique cast iron stove base with 3/4 plywood backed with 2x lumber set onto the top where the stove would go. My chair is an antique heavy duty castor swivel secretary chair. The drill press has a cross slide on the drill press platen which is rotated to the side so it doesn't interfere with my chair when I am turned toward the lathe. Antique tools and implements cover the walls. The old Kennedy chest and riser box hold my collection of vintage and antique machinist tools. My website tells more about my work and has a slideshow of my antique tool wall. Also the site discusses the upgrades to this lathe. BTW the Stanley 1 Gallon Shop Vac was small and powerful and a great addition to this small shop. You might notice two aluminum pie plates to deflect sparks from the grinder. Website:  http://waynescuefix.weebly.com/


----------



## Punisher 67

Just click the link and enjoy


----------



## GreatOldOne

I’ve already posted these pics in the workshop thread... but what the hey... 















This vid was taken prior to the tool cabinets being put in:


----------



## Yester5

40 year sheet metal worker ( retired) who makes and customizes knives primarily. Teaching myself machining, all as a hobby. My shop is in my one car garage under my ranch house. It’s divided into two rooms. The “dirty” room contains my grinders, buffer and saws. The 8.5 x 20 mini lathe will be one year old in June
























Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Chip Hacket

Punisher 67 said:


> Just click the link and enjoy



Beautiful! He doesn’t change lathe chucks. He changes lathe spindles with said chucks attached!


----------



## chillywilly

Mini mill and lathe.  Lathe started as a 10", but got the 16" optional bed. It's mounted on heavy piece of truck frame rail, ER32 collet holder with 24 dividing holes drilled. I also use the original 3" chuck and a 5", three jaw / four jaw chucks.  On the mill, I added the air spring and LED lighting, otherwise standard.


----------



## bquiggle

One half of a 2 car garage. 2x4 frame with 3/4” plywood top.


----------

