Thread: G'day from Rydalmere, Sydney, Australia

Hi one and all.

Well lets see, male, 47, married, 3 little kids, time poor, financially even poorer. I married an accountant

I have the garage that houses no cars but 2 tractors and years of other collected treasures (junk to the wife)

I was given one of the tractors, a 1950 TED20 Ferguson as an engagement present, so she's not so bad. it had a dropped big end shell so has not yet got round to working. The other from a friend after his dad passed away a 1967 David brown 850, it needs TLC but does go, and take up a lot of space.

Jack of all trades master of none. I will turn my hand to most things short of brain surgery and like to do things well and to a high standard, but not obsessive about it.

I am happy to work in many materials including cloth, wood, plastics and many metals. I have 3 industrial sewing machines, numerous power tools, handtools including lots of hammers. I have various welders from gas to MIG and TIG. I know and value quality in tools. I have some of my fathers tools and he taught me to use many of them. When I was about 5 he built me a workbench complete with vice. I still have it although too small for me these days.

My interest here is probably more in metalwork with lathes and mills. I purchased a Kondia FV-1 mill about 18 months ago, all 1.6 tonnes of it. It is complete but had no tooling etc. It is 3 phase and very big. slowly I have added tooling and vices etc to it but it still is yet to be positioned and commissioned. kids take up soo much of my time. I am now in the market for a lathe of similar size and capacity. I know about the Chinese and Taiwanese lathes and the older USA and UK ones having read masses on the web. I think a used medium sized
Asian lathe will fill the bill at this time. would love a Colchester but is twice the price or more. I know a guy who used to run Demco and even he says buy Asian one. The wife has finally given approval for me to purchase one so I am gearing up to go shopping.

Why do i want a lathe. well many projects around the garage need fixing or finishing on tractors etc but the main reason will be gear cutting to make clocks. Long term 30 odd years to have the tools to do so and finally now have the space and some funds to get into it. Have made a clock with Meccano and have some antiques requiring repair so making one from scratch is a fair goal.

i have no practical experience in milling or lathe so one thing I hope to find locally is a course or group to join and learn from. I have read loads of books and watched youtube etc and have an engineering background but in electronics. I used to do TAFE courses 10 years ago in anything that took my interest as they cost $100 a semester, now it is $400 a semester and much harder to get into. anyone know of general machining course?

I am also in Rural fire Service as volunteer driver and involved with Scouts, Guides, 2 schools, numerous committees, donate blood and plasma. no wonder I am time poor.

OK you will have to ask about the rest! including what a zwitter is and about my rare collection of dresses by Audra Cornish and other unusual things.

regards to all

James