Story of my life ... err lathe :)

[Dinsen]

So here's another story of one of these machines, a Hobbymat MD65. Shown below in the back of my van, ready to go home with me. Serial number and baujahr should be clearly visible. I bought it from the grandson of the first owner. Drive belts were gone, but motor ran, and reportedly it had'nt been used much. Bearings sounded fine. It was stored in a garage, had been used for wood working until one of the drive belts broke, and was quite stained. I coulnd't see what was rust and what was just dirt.

My interest in lathes started 30+ years ago when I learned to operate a one during a three week university metalworking course. Turning things is a kind magic! I still have the alumininum+steel+cast iron candle holder I made then.

Since then I started dreaming about owning my own lathe and I made a promise to myself that one day I'd do it. But I was looking for big machines, and I knew I couldn't fit one in my workshop.

But when a friend sent me a picture of his Hobbymat, I realized that a lathe didn't have to be a huge floor standing machine. A smaller one could be useful too! This particular one was the cheapest one on the market at the time, located a few hours drive away price at the equivalent of 350$. I love repairing and restoring old stuff and I thought this would be a fun project. It has not let me down!

 

[Dinsen]

First job was to find a bottle of petroleum and another of oil. I had a big bottle of automotive gearbox oil, which I decided to use. I then started stripping everything down and made a shelf for the machine. The bed, which was the thing I was most worried about, cleaned up nicely, except for the part nearest to the chuck.

The oil and grease was old and sticky, and I emptied the petroleum-bottle during the work, but after a few hours things started to look good.

Only the upper faces of the slides were too rusty to clean up completely, otherwise everyting slowly turned out nicely with 400 grit paper used where the rust needed to be removed.

Electrics also looked good, even the rotary switches, which only needed to be correctly fitted on the front plate. Quite a few brass and aluminium chips had found their way into the compartment and I spent some time cleaning out that - no need to risk a shock

 

[SouthernChap]

You didn't use sandpaper on any of the bed ways or cross or top slide ways did you? Hopefully not.

 

[Dinsen]

You didn't use sandpaper on any of the bed ways or cross or top slide ways did you? Hopefully not.

Oh no! I hope you didn't get spill your coffee! Just petroleum and plain paper on the ways.

I sanded the outside face of the chuck until it looked decent, and also the upper side of the tool holder. I also worked a bit on the rusty part of the upper faces of the slides until I decided the rust is patina.

 

[Dinsen]

The original Rohm drill centre was probably the most rusty part of all, but most of the rust came off easily and once it had been oiled it was working perfectly. More patina

Also a picture of the chuck after cleaning. It was very stained and sticky. I spent time trying the get the inserts correctly ordered as I had read carefully in the manual that they would be numbered. They probably would, but were'nt. It took a few times of trying before I got the logic right. The chuck key was, by the way, missing so getting a new one is on the list. For now, I filed down the side of a 6mm hex wrench to fit.

 

[stupoty]

Answered as I was typing

Stu

 

[SouthernChap]

Oh no! I hope you didn't get spill your coffee! Just petroleum and plain paper on the ways.

I sanded the outside face of the chuck until it looked decent, and also the upper side of the tool holder. I also worked a bit on the rusty part of the upper faces of the slides until I decided the rust is patina.

Sorry if I misread your OP! I just had this vision of flat smooth ways being ravaged by abrasives!