Advice sought on a Unimat Metal Line lathe I have

[didcot]

I can recommend EKP Supplies https://www.ekpsupplies.com/ for almost everything you need. I would also recommend you get some shim material of various thicknesses as well. You can cut it into strips to shim the tool to centre height.

I was taught how to centre a tool with a steel rule as an apprentice, its covered here https://timbobtastic.com/hints-and-tips/easy-turning-tool-set-up/

Brass will snatch, especially when drilling so its worth reading up on drill point angles and the like.

[RedgateModels]

4 hours ago, didcot said:

Brass will snatch, especially when drilling so its worth reading up on drill point angles and the like.

 

Cutting back the drill (where you grind the cutting face flat to the flute) will prevent snatching. Back in the day we always had a set of brass only drill bits for this very reason.

 

https://handycrowd.com/drilling-brass-the-easy-and-safe-way/

Edited October 20, 2020 by RedgateModels

[Giles]

More than thirty years ago I bought a second hand Peatol for my Dad when he retired to a teeny cottage with no room for a workshop, and had to give up his South Bend. It did him quite well for small stuff, and worked quite accurately handled with care. A Unimat 3 is a better lathe, I think - but the Peatol was a good substitute, and well capable of 0 gauge stuff.

[hayfield]

Been slowly getting my act together

 

 

Went to a local live steam workshop and bought some offcuts to try my hand on

 

 

Plus a few tools to try ou, just need to make some time to have a go