More importantly, they allow machining in a bed-sit...

Nice! Sounds like a big improvement. Are you still able to get usable torque at low rpm without the belt changing?

@@AdventureswithaVerySmallLathe Yes, not a problem. Up to its rated speed, a VFD motor is essentially constant torque. It also does not slow down under load- it is a synchronous motor. Some VFD drivers will let you set parameters for acceleration and braking too. With this motor the torque limit, in practice, is set by belt slippage- as I an using the largest pully on the lathe shaft, belt changing would give no more. I debated toothed belt drive, but decided that the added complexity was not worthwhile- the strain would show elsewhere in such a small lathe.

Thanks, this is really important to me! A machine should look its age, while performing as close as possible to when it was brand new.

@@AdventureswithaVerySmallLathe EXACTLY! At least those of us with membership cards from the over 60 club think so! Have always greatly enjoyed your videos! And as far as the hammer, don’t feel bad! That’s the way the pioneers did it! Ha! Thanks for posting!

Thanks Paul, and thanks for all your videos that gave me a background for this project.

The shout out was well deserved. I wish I'd seen your spindle rebuild before I tried it myself. I'd have had a much better clue what I was doing.

Thanks! All good now, see the new workshop announcement from a few months back.

The drive noise is because the motor pulley is very worn, and rattling around the shaft. It doesn't seem to transmit a lot to the lathe, but it can't be helping.

Wow, that's a really big change! It'll take a while to adjust to the low torque small lathes have, especially at low rpm. Good luck with your new learnings.

It made me cringe every time I saw that hammer while I was editing. Probably made me take a couple of weeks longer to edit because of that.

I got it! Trouble is, I didn't have anything that could remove that clip, and it took a few weeks for one to arrive.

The Unimat 3 does look much better, and it has the added advantage that it's way easier to get chucks and other tools which fit the M14 spindle thread.

That's not going to reduce screw thread backlash whatsoever.

Nice idea! Way easier to deal with the small clearance if the tool height is at the centre of the diameter. I have thought about making a QCTP for this lathe, and looked through as many designs as I could find. What design did you use for yours?

@@AdventureswithaVerySmallLathe I made a Dovetail style QCTP, Since i could mill that with a 3 mm endmill, the "block" has one Dovetail, tightened with an allen bolt, and you can easily flip it when changing to Boringbars. Nowadays, i'd use my Wire EDM machine to cut these out..but it can be done with endmills.. I've also made a design that uses pieces of roundstock mounted to the block, so to make the holders, you only need to drill some holes through the holder, and mill the sides away, that is easier to make..

The spacing is definitely a pain. Sometimes I run it without the aluminum box, but I'm worried that chips can easily go through the motor vents. Ideally I need a housing which shields the vents from lathe swarf, but doesn't cause the motor to risk overheating due to blocked vents.

@@AdventureswithaVerySmallLathe good point on the chips issue. What about a 3d printed or sheet metal housing that is solid on one side, near the chuck (and fits the motor snugly for more chuck space) and has a rooftop and screen beneath it for motor cooling? There are some very fine stainless mesh screens on ebay. I have a 350mesh screen and it's super fine...

The main idea is that we get to chat and people can ask me questions as the video plays for the first time. I get that it can be a bit disappointing not to be able to watch it right away, which is why I post the premier only a few hours before going live. If you want to make sure it pops up at the right time, you can click the "Notify Me" button just below the video thumbnail. The folks that do show up seem to really enjoy it, so I keep using this feature if only for their sake.

First, don't allow KZfaq to dictate your viewing. I keep all of my subscriptions in bookmark folders. Serves at least 2 purposes. It's easy to find a channel and also every once in a while, for no known reason, YT will unsubscribe folks. I've had it happen a couple of times in the past couple of years.

Great to see you back with another video, always love your content.

@@AdventureswithaVerySmallLathe I'll try to give you an idea, which can solve these problems: Create a Telegram channel and put your releases in it. I say this because KZfaq does nothing to help content creators. He only helps those he wants and the notifications will practically not reach anyone. Through Telegram, those who like your content will not depend on KZfaq to watch you.

@@AdventureswithaVerySmallLathe I hadn't consider the use case of having a conversation while the video is playing. For that it makes perfect sense and actually I regret not being able to turn up for it! I will try to remember for next time (though if I can make a request you could put a note in the description or something?). Enjoyed the video though, thank you.

I think the bearings are ok for a lathe of this size, capacity, and precision. I don't think putting more expensive bearings in would help much, as they're not the weakest part of the machine. This machine is a nice bit of design, but if you have room then a bigger mini lathe would be a lot more capable. Most Unimat SLs available are old and quite worn. I think saving up for something better makes more sense.

Yeah, there were a bunch of adjustments needed. I can make a video about it if there's interest.

No, I use almost entirely 8x8 tools which fit easily into the holders. Most of them are unbranded tools from eBay, Banggood or AliExpress.

Grease isn't a good idea for exposed parts, as it's sticky and will attract dirt. I only used grease on the bearings after reading up to confirm what is standard practice for these lathes. For regular lubrication I use the same slideway oil on the bed rails, cross-slide rails, and tailstock. Slideway oil is formulated for exactly this kind of application. Slow moving sliding surfaces.

Depends on what you're cutting and what your tolerances are. The SL is ingenious, fantastic, enormously versatile, (and fun! -- I learned lathes on my dad's SL which I still have, which is why I'm watching these great SL restoration videos) but the big heavy D-shaped bar of a Waltham pattern or Boley etc is enormously stiffer than the two 12mm rails of the SL. Put an indicator on the carriage of the SL, move it to the middle of the rails and press with your fingers and you'll see some flex -- and that flex may be *totally* within your tolerances -- or it might not be. I love both kinds (got a Boley - Leinen too) but they are a bit apples to oranges (and both hard to find *good* parts for on the used market). Depending on what you're cutting, maybe step up to a Taig (small, very stiff, high precision, sworn-by by its user base but with limited accessories -- you'll wind up making a lot of your tools, which is fine if you're into that) or even Sherline, very precise, and darned stiff within the limits of its aluminum bed, but with an *enormous* line of very good accessories and additions. Go up in size and you start getting into Sieg 7x14" "mini-lathes" and "mini-mills" from People's Republic of China on the low end of precision, fit, and finish, but still a great deal depending on your budget and precision requirements -- they have an enormous worldwide base for a good reason -- although a large part of that enormous base who thought they were buying s Hardinge for 1/50th the price howl and cry when reality sets in. But if you're already using a watchmaker's lathe I would think Sieg machines, even a great one from LMS, just are not going to make you happy. That said, a few companies like LittleMachineShop.com sell *MUCH* better versions by getting first pick of Sieg's castings, and first pick of best toleranced assembly, larger modern brushless motors, etc: I have theirs and simply would not buy anything else -- check their specs and a bunch of YT sources for comparisons with bottom feeders' like Harbor Freight's cheaper but horrible version. I *love* my LMS mini-lathe and mini-mill and have made my living doing prototyping and robotics components on them. For high precision end, maybe look at a used benchtop Schaublin -- a gorgeous machine built with the precision of a Boley watchmaker's lathe but scaled up in size, but also hard to find parts for -- file under "Expensive but worth it!" -- check nielsmachines.com. So pick your materials and precision -- making great precision model airplane engines in aluminum is prime Unimat / Sherline / Taig turf but not so much if you're going for cruise missile parts. Hope you find your perfect machine -- but just start with what you're doing now and want to be able to do and be disciplined (and realistic) about being guided by that. Good Hunting!

BTW, what watchmaker's lathe are you running? What do you make? I still can't shake off this fantasy of doing up a Boley as a CNC machine. Some day...

@@edwilliams9914 Thanks!

@@edwilliams9914 I'm addicted to the original AWTCo. 8mm Webster-Whitcomb lathes, actually! I started with a beautiful copy-cat made by Boley-Leinen, and that inspired me to track down an original WW in good condition. I have one now, and that's what I'm using! I've been using it for making detail parts and fittings for my HO scale model trains, mostly out of brass and steel, but I've cut some aluminum and even plastic on it! Still trying to get the hang of tool geometry for each material, and threading is still very tricky for me, especially larger than 1/4" diameter. I'd eventually like to make an HO scale live steam loco, but without a threading attachment or a mill, it's sort of a pipe dream. I can't even seem to gind a proper parting-off tool, and everything current seems to be made or written for a much bigger lathe. Could be tool geometry, could be lack of torque, could be material... So many variables!

I can't blame you. It took loads of takes to record that bit without misspeaking or giggling :)

Top take for steel, zero or negative top take for brass.👍

@@garyshakles7764 Agreed. The brass was fine, but the steel - not so much, which is why I commented.

Well, they have never been a high end machine. Maybe a high end hobby machine.

I'll give you another idea... Brushless motor for sewing machine. This motor has a speed control that tries to keep the speed constant, regardless of its work and has a good power.

What's the conversion rate between 2 c hairs and gnat's c***?

@@AdventureswithaVerySmallLathe that depends, if it's a blond one or a black one. Probably around 10 gnats c to one c hair i would think.

@@ColCurtis I'm just glad it's not 3/64s.

@@AdventureswithaVerySmallLathe me too lol

@@AdventureswithaVerySmallLathe I think 💬🤔 it's 6/128. I'm to glad not 3/64 that would be awful. Lol