Hello, I've been watching you're videos for some time now & thank you for very informative videos. I've learnt a lot here about mini lathe & tooling, helped me decide on a few purchases as well. Never used a lathe and just received a 7 x 14 last week. I got round to using it today for the first time and have ran into a problem with parting off titanium (it's not cutting at all) I'm wondering if you could tell me what spindle speed I should be parting off at and what insert is best for titanium? I have the mgehr1010-2 with supplied insert so not sure what type. I've ordered mgmn200-G but wondering what insert you use? This might be the wrong insert for titanium? But all this inserts are abit confusing! I would greatly appreciate you're input

I should have also mentioned, I tried the same tool and insert on stainless & it also didn't cut. The insert is the golden coated type

@@goldrifle1069 Sound like your tool is not set at the correct height, ( too high ) so that it is rubbing instead of cutting.

@@iwb316 it's dead on centre, checked & rechecked. Think I've found what inserts I need, some with pvd coating instead of the more common tin coated that's supplied with the tool. Hopefully they'll do the job. I've went in at the deep end you'd think I'd start with something softer to start with..... You have start somewhere!

I don't part off hard materials like stainless or titanium on the Chinese Mini Lathe. The gold coloured inserts should be fine for cutting stainless. If you have just received a Chinese lathe you will find they need a bit of adjustment to cut hard materials, especially on the gibs. Also it pays to lock the compound slide without any overhang of the top slide. You can lock the slide by tightening the gib screws. The Chinese Mini Lathe will always need adjustment from new. I haven't yet seen one that doesn't. I have done quite a few upgrades videos on the things that need doing to make it better and you will find loads of other videos as well. It can be quite daunting at first especially if you attempt to machine very hard materials. Parting off can be difficult on this lathe even when it's fully adjusted. Plus this lathe cannot use machining coolant. It is better to saw things off slightly longer than needed in a bench vice, then face off to length on the lathe. Regards Steve

Sometimes our ability to afford tools and necessity of the tool overrides buying only American made tools. I love America and I am helping to get our economy running good again by voting for Trump and if things get better I would love to buy only American made. I make my own torches and tools whenever possible though

It doesn't have a cutting attachment but it would be awesome to make one. A tiny cutting would be awesome. I think people make rosebuds for these too

HI yes, I have bought those now as well.

Hi David. If it is the fitting thread size someone told me that it is a USA fitting and is correct for their regulators.

@@SteveJordan I have American 9/16x18 fittings on my regulators. If you check UTube videos the same problem is found on both sides of the Atlantic.

search for the same name (Mini Jewelry Gas Mirco Torch Welding Brazing) on aliexpress and you will find it for less than half the price of banggood (including shipping).

Yes I have seen several negative comments, mainly due to the tight or wrong threads. I know that people have told the Chinese about this, but they don't seem to rectify it. Regards Steve.

I think that is exactly what those fittings are , B size with 5/8 x 18 UNF threads (.625" diameter and 60 degree thread angle ). U.K fitting is 3/8 x 19 BSP ( .640" diameter and 55 degree thread angle) . You might get about 1 turn of thread engagement trying to fit the UNF onto BSP

@@iwb316 Thanks, that must be what it is then. It didn't cross my mind that the USA wouldn't use British Standard Pipe threads. Regards Steve

Hi it's just a full radius from external diameter to the through hole. They never leak if they have a good finish. Regards Steve

Hi if you are in the USA the torch will fit your regulators. I have found out it has USA fittings on it, but had to change them for the standard UK fittings instead. Regards Steve

Hi others say turn oxygen off first? I found on the larger torch, if I turn the fuel valve off first it produces a loud bang? I have flash arrestors fitted on both regulators hose connections anyway.

@@SteveJordan The pop or bang is normal because of the plentiful oxygen. As long as you have flash arrestors protecting the regulators, you should be ok. The worse that could happen is a slow burning, limited fuel fire traveling up the fuel. I've been a welder since 1963. I've only seen it happen on the job a couple of times, but it can be a frightening experience.

The industry are trying to get it regulated that the oxygen is turned off firs

​@@johnhall8455yep, that is the correct way. When you turn the gas off first it always results in a backfire but I've rarely seen a true flashback. Many people think a backfire is a flashback but a real flashback is crazy and loudly hisses as it burns back through the hose and with acetylene black smoke comes out while it's happening. It's crazy sounding and scary AF

That's what makes it so great! Old school knowledge delivered without hype. Delivers the goods in a matter of fact manner. No complaints here.

Yup love it!

I haven't got time to find it at the moment. You will find them on eBay, though. The last time I saw them the prices had come down greatly. Regards Steve

I'm not sure what it is. I think it is a thread used in the USA market.

@@SteveJordan Appreciated! I have what's probably the same, as they tend to share, but it's a white-label of a local cheap tools supplier here in Canada. I've wanted to make a custom neck/head, but don't have a lathe, and finding the matching thread... has been a bit challenging. Someone mentioned in another board, possibly m6-32 fine. I'm going to try that next. Cheers!

I bought it on eBay in an oxy propane set. I think I have seen them being sold on eBay separately though.

@@SteveJordan Thanks Steve. I have Oxy Actyene right now but need to get rid due to the insurance (or lack off!)

I got mine from Wellington Welding Supplies In Barnstaple. I think they have shops in other UK towns as well. Regards Steve

@@SteveJordan thanx Steve

If you had the original Smith little torch, why on earth would you then buy a copy? Many people have the Chinese one and have given it a excellent feedback. At the price it's being sold for I would rather test it out first rather than forking out, the over inflated price, of 200 odd pounds. So far I can say it's excellent.

I just tried to buy an original smiths little torch on flea bay. It was advertised as an original but it was a cheap Chinese copy. Sent it back. Another case of too good to be true. The threads on the fittings we’re wrong and I couldn’t remove the black handle to attach the connection for the magnetic stand. Very poorly made. It did look like the real thing though. I try not to buy Chinese counterfeit items if I can help it.

They were the wrong fittings altogether. A smaller diameter thread as used in the USA. I had to put standard UK fittings on.

Hi, No. I don't think it will do that. This torch is for very fine jewellery work. It won't melt thick, heavy pieces of gold or silver. Regards Steve

Not that I know of. Regards Steve

@@SteveJordan What is the smallest size to buy?

Hi. None at all. Regards Steve

Thank You :) @@SteveJordan​

The Chinese torch is sold under the Chinese maker's name as can be seen on the box. They do not name it as the Smith little torch and it isn't identical, so there is no copyright infringement. With things like this patenting laws do not come into it. It would have to be identical with the actual original maker's name for there to be a case. Like with anything else. I think the Chinese ones are excellent. I'm really pleased with the way they have made it and the price is great. I have just bought another one for a spare.

Steve Jordan Thanks for the explanation Steve.

It is actually made to the proper standards, but for the USA, so I have found out. They use the threads that are already fitted to the torch. I have basically just converted it for use in the UK by fitting British Standard Pipe threads, BSP. If you do change them like I have you don't want to play around with botch up jobs when using gas and oxygen. You need proper fittings like I have shown. Regards Steve

@@SteveJordan Fair enough. I know that leaking oxy and acetylene in a workshop can lead to a rather spectacular (And very memorable..... For your neighbours !) kind of death, But as it's on the low pressure side of the regulator I still think the chances of the average person getting a perfect seal would be greater by using a threaded barb screwed into a modified "Original" replacement fitting, Rather than the risk of someone (who's maybe less experienced with working to tolerances on a lathe) making the whole replacement centre section and barb badly. I could see the possibly that some of the people I've met who have a bit of an "It'll do" attitude wouldn't be careful enough to get a particularly good surface finish on the unions mating faces, and introduce a leak. But I'd like to think that even the most inept DIYer could twist a thread onto a length of brass tube, then drill out and tap the correct fittings body (Using a starter tap only, so the threads can bottom out, deform slightly and seal, Sort of like a poor mans BSP thread) to a sufficient quality that it would seal. .......... Now I'm thinking about it, I'm not 100% sure you can use normal threadlock in an oxygen fitting like I said in my original reply. It might be as bad as using grease?..... I'll have to check.

Hi no I don't sell them. Regards Steve

If you already have a oxy rig, why bother taking up room and investing in another system? In the States, a 80 cu ft of Oxy is going to run your ~$25 and who doesn't have propane for the grill? That only uses 8 PSI for the largest tip and would take 10 hrs to run a 80 cu ft dry. A 20lb tank of propane can be had for $20 and would take around 21hrs to run dry with the largest tip. If $3/hr is going to make you broke, you should be worrying about other things than a torch rig.

@@longshot726 You would have to already have an oxy rig as you call it, that is oxygen and acetylene.....why would you want to have this one as well unless you only do oxy/acetylene cutting etc then you could benefit by having a brazing and gas welding capability too..........but if you want to be free from bottle rental and gas purchase etc the oxy hydrogen generator.....which I have........is the way to go as it will not cost you a bean or make you wait for a bottle refill when it runs out......forever. I don't do oxy/acetylene work at all, like many people I know, so don't need bottles etc........I also have a plasma welder and that is a different strategy altogether.

@@gangleweed An Oxy rig is any torch system that uses oxygen and a fuel. Its full name generally is an Oxy-Fuel system. You can have Oxy-Acetylene, Oxy-Propane, Oxy-Propylene, Oxy-Petrol, Oxy-MAPP, etc. A lot of people in the States are switching over to Oxy-Propane since it is cheaper than running Oxy-Acetylene and no one gas welds anymore unless they have to since Tig welding is a thing. If you don't already have an Oxy torch system there are easier options than hydrogen. A hydrogen generator isn't something you are going to find unless you get some sketchy Chinese units. People do run these off of propane and old medical oxygen condensers all the time. It's not entirely self sufficient, but every 24/7 gas station has a propane cage.

@@longshot726 What you are telling me is common knowledge.....I sold all my conventional welding gear and went to a plasma welder as it's totally gas free and has a very high capacity for welding as in no gas whatsoever to buy, store or bottles to rent or buy. I would only recommend an oxy hydrogen type gas generator for small DIY work but a big one can be handy too if you like gas welding, brazing, heating etc etc.

There is something wrong with the Chinese produced threads, they are slightly smaller than the American and UK threads which are the same…3/8” BSP

They are compatible fittings for the USA market.

Thanks for watching Madam. Regards Steve