Is there a machinist in the house?

[tyggerjai]

So I'm looking at this mill & lathe package from Sherline - the 6000 "Ultimate Machine Shop" package.

Now, Sherline have a great reputation among hobbyists, and their tools are really only "hobby" because of the size - they're pretty solid industrial machines. But I've been looking at Hare & Forbes (formerly Herless) , which is where we bought the lathe and mill for Gertrude St. And I reckon I can get an HM-30 and an AL-50A , and a grand's worth of accessories ( to be fair to Sherline, rotary & tilting angle tables don't come cheap) and still have change from the price of the Sherline. And I don't kow what half the stuff in the Sherline package is anyway :)

So I'm wondering. Will the Sherline, because it's smaller, do anything the bigger ones won't? Cos that lathe from H&F is twice the size. Now, that means twice the workshop space, but is that the only downside? Or will really fine work be harder with the big lathe?

If the heavier stuff were *more* expensive, then it'd be a harder decision. But "Do I need all that size?" is a redundant question when the bigger one is cheaper :)

sol.
.

Comments

It had to be said, so let's get this joke out of the way...

[shorbe.livejournal.com]

Don't let anyone tell you that it's not the size of your tool that matters, but how you use it.

Re: It had to be said, so let's get this joke out of the way...

[tyggerjai.livejournal.com]

Ho ho ho.

Actually, apparently, the bigger & heavier, the better.
sol.
.

[leadgend.livejournal.com]

Without getting all the specs out they should be essentially the same at the small end, the bigger machine would allow bigger jobs to be done though.

[tyggerjai.livejournal.com]

*nod*
Except I've just noticed the Sherline is almost as large, and has a much bigger range of RPM settings.

*sigh*

Both. I must have both! :)

sol.
.

[leadgend.livejournal.com]

Oooh... continuously variable RPM settings... sounds good to me!

[tyggerjai.livejournal.com]

Yup.
And reading through the Sherline site, they have this sense of community - not to mention the fact that they have people using the Sherlines to turn Titanium and stainless steel.

So the tools have grunt.

Still not sure about the mill (mills need to be *solid*, dammit ...), but I think I'll definitely have to get me a Sherline 4410 lathe next year.

sol.
.

[carmatose.livejournal.com]

Gday Jai, merry xmas. Im workin on getting u some rail 4 an anvil. Problem is if I start cutting up new pieces they might go into uncontrollable fits (and I may get fired) so im waitin 4 a derailment and hopefully I can cut some off a mangled bit... Oh yeah I got some gloves 4 u, will bring em on new years... Later, C.

[tyggerjai.livejournal.com]

Oh, it can definitely wait until you can get some legitimately :) If you get fired, you won't be able to get me a job there, after all.

sol.
.

[tyggerjai.livejournal.com]

So if you can't get me a job, is there still a chance of some scrap brass, some gloves, and some rail?

sol.
.