Tiny Teutonic Tool
January 20th, 2009Wabeco?
I am sitting here listening to CLE and resisting the urge to suck on a pistol with my head in the oven and chewing cyanide. Hopefully I will have the strength to get this done today.
While I listen, I can’t keep myself from Googling machine tools.
People keep telling me small machines are stupid, and I suppose that is true, for a person who has space. Space will eventually be a problem for me. A real milling machine takes up something like 4′ by 6′ of floor space, and you have to pay someone to bring it to you, because it will weigh a ton or so. And a mill isn’t a lathe. So even after you stuff your garage with a mill, you have to look for a lathe which takes up nearly as much room.
Cost is another issue. I keep reading about “cheap” used full-size machines, but it appears that “cheap” means two grand for a mill and fifteen hundred for a lathe. Before tooling. Ouch.
I have also read that combination machines are bad news, because they don’t do anything well.
Nonetheless, my interest has been captured by a small combination machine. Some guy is selling a Wabeco 7.5″ by 16″ lathe with a milling attachment. Wabeco is supposed to be just about the best small machine tool manufacturer in the universe. They’re Germans, so they’re insane about quality. Supposedly their machines are more precise than the ones made by Sherline and Taig, and they’re somewhat bigger and more versatile. And you can put one on a card table.
Okay, a really sturdy card table. Made by Germans. Or, of course, a Workmate. The universal machining platform for all purposes.
This thing retails for…wow…about seven grand. Dude wants fifteen hundred. Hard to see myself losing money on that buy, unless he has replaced the inner workings with oatmeal.
Might be fun. I don’t see myself living in Miami forever; sooner or later I’ll have a workshop where I can park a mill, a lathe, and an Abrams tank if I want. But while I’m here, maybe I could learn a little machining on an item like this, without ruining the garage.
More
The more I think about it, the more I think this is a good idea. I’ve read that many people like to have small machine tools in addition to their big ones, for little jobs. So presumably, if I outgrow this, it will still be a good thing to have around.
January 20th, 2009 at 1:52 PM
Steve? – It ain’t ordinarily the cost of the machine that does the ol’ budget in. The real expensive follows, and is all in the tooling.
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UNLESS: you keep your eyes peeled for a deal that includes a ton of tooling (then maybe you’re down to a 50-50 deal …at first, at least: you’ll always spend more later).
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January 20th, 2009 at 2:05 PM
A ‘smaller’ machine would be a good start. Your first project isn’t going to be huge.
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And a smaller machine for smaller jobs is just the ticket. My shop class on a lathe just under 4’x6′ was more than adequate for turning out useful-in-the-real-world items such as solid-metal tools (screwdrivers, and so on).
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Leave the ‘big’ machines until you decide to actually make your own tank.
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If nothing else, you can get skilled enough on the small machine – which will let you make things, which in turn can pay for your larger machine.
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January 20th, 2009 at 2:15 PM
I don’t mean to be a jerk or anything, but… Have you built anything yet? I mean, other than the extension on the table saw. It just seems like a lot of tools for the purpose of, well, owning tools.
January 20th, 2009 at 2:25 PM
Do you know how thick your garage slab is? I am asking this because a lot of older homes only have 4″ or less of concrete and very little rebar. If you are buying something really heavy, you will need to pull out a section of slab, dig down and put down pea gravel and then re-pour 18″ or more of properly reinforced concrete. This is not exotic or even that tough, but it’s a pain, and you can do a lot of damage to your slab otherwise.
January 20th, 2009 at 3:32 PM
I think the garage floor can handle 200 pounds. Now that I think about it, my car puts nearly a thousand pounds on each tire, and the footprint is maybe a fourth of a square foot.
January 20th, 2009 at 4:32 PM
At first I thought this post was going to be about Tom Cruise in his new movie…
January 20th, 2009 at 6:52 PM
What Chalkie said, Steve.
Two thoughts:
1) No matter what project you finally pick to build (you haven’t – yet), you WILL need something you don’t yet have. So save some of your disposable cash for that certainty.
2) If you pack your garage with too much more toolstuff, you won’t be able to build anything comfortably.
January 20th, 2009 at 6:53 PM
“Some guy is selling a Wabeco 7.5? by 16? lathe with a milling attachment.”
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Are we talking about the DF1680E?
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It looks like a nice setup; the only limitation I see would be if you want to “T-Slot mill” those rails you talked about yesterday. The Lathe centers will get in the way of sectioning longer work (unless they’re removable?)
January 20th, 2009 at 7:28 PM
RE: your floor: I have a BridgePort and a 19″ LeBlond lathe in my shop, and I’m sure the floor is no more than 4″, and I’d bet there’s no rebar in it. No problems.
RE: your combination machine: “Everybody knows” that you can’t do major projects on those things. “Everybody also knows” that Harbor Freight machines are junk.
I invite anyone here who fits that “everyone” label to follow this link:
http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/showthread.php?t=27489&highlight=Jerry+Howell
Personally, I think the combo machine would be ideal for you, Steve.
January 20th, 2009 at 8:24 PM
Chalkie,
For many, and I include myself in this category, much of the point of having a workshop, is to have a workshop. It’s not that I don’t ever make anything-I do, and Steve will also, but puttering in the shop is a valid hobby in and of itself. Look at any selection of woodworking books and notice how many are devoted to shop jigs and fixtures, and the shop itself.
January 20th, 2009 at 9:59 PM
Thanks, J. You are an enabler, but I am a power tool codependent, so it doesn’t matter.
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Roland: exactly. I can’t believe there are people who would question spending money on tools to make things to help you use other tools. Surely they don’t expect me to DO things with my tools. I’ll know when I’m ready, and I think it will be right after I buy a surface grinder.
January 20th, 2009 at 10:30 PM
A lot of that small stuff is nice, and once you use the real thing it seems hokey, but you can do a lot on small machines.
One of the things that small machines are REALLY good for is making wax for jewelry castings, and small machine castings. Lost wax casting is easy to learn, and way cool, and another whole obsession to be involved in. And making jewelry is cool.
January 20th, 2009 at 10:41 PM
Two “heh’s” in one week
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“…right after I buy” LOL.
January 21st, 2009 at 1:52 AM
I think Boeing and Douglas aircraft companies started in garages with less tools. And Henry Ford went bankrupt twice and was way past 40 before he started what we know as Ford motor company today.
Y’all leave Steve and his tool adiction alone ’cause we may be looking at the builder of the next space shuttle or Concord SST tooling up.
Hey Steve…that’s another a nice name for a new blog…”Tooling up.”
January 21st, 2009 at 8:40 AM
I am just sort of disappointed that the Bobcat has taken a back seat to other more useful tools but I am happy that you continue to buy lots of neat stuff.
Just so you know.