G'day all,
As this is a new(ish) area, I think it's important that the moderator(s) ensure a few basics are maintained.
In this short space of time I have seen the praises of Sherline sung very highly, which I am sure is justified, as well as some negativity todwards other makes, however, please keep this area 'open' for all owners and prospective owners of all machine types / brands, regardless of budget / costs.
Yes, the Chinese lathes / mills require a bit of work to get good repeatable results, however I think it is very important that anyone using a machine tool is familiar with it, and nothing teaches you better than having to disassemble, clean and reassemble components, as well as making adjustments. You need to remember that no machine tool is 'set and forget', adjustment is constantly required as surfaces 'bed in', and from the inevitable vibrations that you will get from time to time. The knowledge I have gained from doing this with my 'cheap' Chinese lathe has been invaluable. I achieve a difference of less than .01 mm over a run of 80 identical parts!
Being brand specific may also give a false impression to new comers that unless they have the $$$ to get the top end gear, the rest isn't worth buying.
Maybe when putting a section together on which machine to buy, price brackets should be used as a guide (say, best machine under $500 etc). Of course we would all love to run out and start 'cheque book machining', but not all of us, especially younger members, have the financial means to afford the top end gear, or may not even be sure if machining is 'our thing' in which case a big investment could just be a waste - not to mention hard to explain to the better half if it spends more time gathering dust than making chips!! And some of us just don't want to spend big dollars (keeping in mind 'big dollars' is a relative term) on a hobby (yes, I know you can get a high quality lathe for less than $1000, but remember how long it takes an apprentice to get that sort of money!).
So this thread isn't aimed to say this sort of stuff has happened, not pointing fingers, just a prior acknowledgement that if let go, it could become a very closed book very quickly - I'm sure we've all seen this happen on different forums before.
I encourage everyone, no matter what your machine, even the old home-made hand me downs from grandpa's shed, get involved in this very rewarding hobby, and have your say on this forum.
Oh yeah, another thing I've learned, use the lathe / mill to fix the occasional thing around the house for the better half and she'll be happy!
Have fun and machine on brothers!
