New section idea - equipment *opinions*

[paul]

Just wondered if it would be a good idea to have a section where members could post messages if they've found a particular piece of equipment (tools, machines etc) to be good or bad?

Admin could add the usual disclaimer ('user opinion, not that of admin' etc). I know I've bought a few things that have been rubbish so why not let others know? If the powers that be here don't fancy it I'd be happy to host a page for the purpose on my website (without any disclaimers!)

[Laurie_B]

I think that would be a very good idea.
Maybe we could widen the idea a little and have a new section relating to our workshops and the equipment therein?

[paul]

Hehe Laurie, you must have some nice kit - I'd rather keep my 'workshop' in the private domain!

[dscott]

Very usefull, I usually look at what is being sold in the second hand market first. For example Hobbimat lathes for a friend years ago, there were lots about which made me suspicious.
He got one and on my first five mins work fell out with it. Left hand thread on the leadscrew please.
David.

[modeng2000]

I have used a Hobbymat for a number of years and having recently disposed of it am regretting doing so. The modern small lathes are of very poor quality when compared to the Hobbymat. I am now in the unenvious position of not having a lathe and seemingly unable to find an acceptable replacement.

John

[Jo]

Hi guys,

I have a hobbymat and am very fond of it. Ok so it has a European lead screw but it is German so it is allowed to have it's oddities. Replace the handwheels, put on a lever feed tail stock, do the reverser modification and you have a fantastic little lathe.

Other problems with the hobbymat: The early lathes had the same switch for reversing the lathe as turning it on/off net result was when you panicked you could put the lathe into reverse. Easily overcome by putting a 35mm film canister over the offending reversing switch.

Now the biggest problem is getting hold of the accessories. Thankfully I am only missing the slow speed attachment which I have never needed.

Jo

[modeng2000]

Jo,

I fitted no-volt-release push button controls to my Hobbymat replacing the on/off switch. The only real problem I found is that the saddle can not be moved quickly as it is permanently attached to the lead screw.

John

[abby]

Sounds like a good idea ! so I will start you off . I have an EMCOMAT 7 minus the milling attachment , I bought it second hand in about 1980 and in the passing years have replaced the drive belt once ( got 4 in stock) and one pair of nylon gear train gears .
I have a couple of bench drills - one is a piece of "catalogue crap" that I rescued from a neighbours rubbish and I use it for small stuff (after rebuilding it) and a larger industrial quality drill for bigger stuff.
The heart of my workshop is the foundry section where I produce lost wax castings up to 5.5"X9" max dimension.
I also have a no.4 hand press which is very..... handy! A 6"belt linisher, and facilities for photo engraving , polishing and silver/gold plating.
Along with the above I have propane torch with various burners up to 2" ( great for killing weeds) oxy/acetylene for welding and silver soldering etc and the usual array of hand tools.
Over the years I have had several lathes ,and various milling machines and shapers along with rotary tables and dividing heads but my "bare bones "kit does everything I need although I sometimes feel a twinge of regret at selling my Henry Milne vertical mill !
Oh I almost forgot ,two comfy chairs arranged in front of a wood burning stove ,handy for the fridge where the supplies of beer are kept - essential for when friends drop by!
Abby.

[paul]

Hey chaps, I wasn't suggesting posting here in General Chat, I thought it would be a good idea for a new Forum section

Admin?

[Laurie_B]

paul said:

Hehe Laurie, you must have some nice kit - I'd rather keep my 'workshop' in the private domain!

Hi Paul,
Well I guess my workshop aint too bad considering,though I could always do with some more room!
If we do manage to have a new Forum section on workshops and related topics (which I still think would be a great idea),I might tell you more and post a photo or two of the choas....er....I mean workshop!

[havoc]

Not only opinions, but also techniques (like the turning of thin rod). Now everything gets more or less dumped in the general chat forum.

[alanstepney]

I am not keen on it being in a separate section.
Having it on the main board means that I might respond to a post that I otherwise wouldnt see, as, unless I was considering a specific piece of equipment, I may not look in the "equipment" section.

The only potential problem could be if anyones negative post was TOO negative.

[Shawki Shlemon]

If it starts I will participate.

[paul]

Alan, my original idea was that it could be used as a buying aid. For example, if I wanted to buy a new air compressor I could scan the equipment section first to see what other people thought of particular makes/models before spending money. I didn't envisage it as a general 'chat' section, more a 'reference' section.

[Boadicea]

I am not keen on it being in a separate section.
Having it on the main board means that I might respond to a post that I otherwise wouldnt see

A difficult one this. On the one-hand, I agree with the above. There was a really good thread recently under the "Simplex" section on silver soldering which I stumbled upon by accident - I would not normally read it and ideally it should have been under "general". Increasing the number of sections increases the probability of this. Maybe the "Gods" could keep an eye out and move it if this happens?

On the other hand, maybe the stuff will not get posted unless there is a separate section.

So I come out on the side of guarded yes.

Regards, Bo.

[havoc]

Well, I would never read the Simplex forum since it doesn't interest me. But I would read a "tools and techniques" forum. Since such a forum is general and independent of what scale or type of model you are making it would be interesting for more people than those very specific forums.

On the same reasoning, I don't see the need for 7 "modelworks" forums that each have a handful of threads.

[John Lee]

havoc said:

On the same reasoning, I don't see the need for 7 "modelworks" forums that each have a handful of threads.

I don't see the need for 7 Modelworks forums... full stop. Kit Engineering is fine, it expands the hobby, but have they much to talk about?

Fixing the problems maybe.. I don't know

[baggo]

Surely that's the whole point of dividing the forum into separate sections. It keeps all the posts relevant to one subject together and saves having to trawl through one huge list of posts to find what you are interested in. If a builder of, say Simplex, has a post that may be of interest to everybody then I agree that it probably should appear under 'general' so all can see it. I must admit I read all the posts regardless of the subject as I'm interested in all aspects of the hobby and there is always something new to learn.

John

[havoc]

Surely that's the whole point of dividing the forum into separate sections. It keeps all the posts relevant to one subject together and saves having to trawl through one huge list of posts to find what you are interested in.

If that is the purpose, then I suggest we add the following divisions:
- humour (striongly needed)
- tools: lathes
- tools: mills
- tools: saws
- tools: brazing
- engines: model before 1850
- engines: 1850-1900
- etc etc

Divisions are good, but if you take a look at the main page you'll see that there are eight hundered and a bit in the "general" section and a handful (if that) in each of the other sections. To me this says that the divisions are not well balanced.

What I mean is that "general" is too general and 7 divisions for "modelworks" is too specific. Same for giving each section it's own "images" sub-division. Just one image bank would be fine, everybody like to see pictures.

[John Lee]

havoc said:

Surely that's the whole point of dividing the forum into separate sections. It keeps all the posts relevant to one subject together and saves having to trawl through one huge list of posts to find what you are interested in.

If that is the purpose, then I suggest we add the following divisions:
- humour (striongly needed)
- tools: lathes
- tools: mills
- tools: saws
- tools: brazing
- engines: model before 1850
- engines: 1850-1900
- etc etc

Divisions are good, but if you take a look at the main page you'll see that there are eight hundered and a bit in the "general" section and a handful (if that) in each of the other sections. To me this says that the divisions are not well balanced.

What I mean is that "general" is too general and 7 divisions for "modelworks" is too specific. Same for giving each section it's own "images" sub-division. Just one image bank would be fine, everybody like to see pictures.

Quite Havoc, got to agree..

The problem is that ME is such a sub divided hobby that you will never please all.

Ok so most are steam..and locos in particular. But Traction Engines are closely related, interesting and very popular (although not on here it seems)

Then we have clocks, tools, workshop equipment etc etc

Just an observation though, and absolutely no criticism of the site or it's founder intended. We seem to be a bit misbalanced. Kit builders, and I don't decry their efforts, they take hundreds of hours if complex, are not really model engineers, altough they soon will be.. ;D

A bold statement perhaps and I can forsee much criticism. I fully accept the arguments that they will build..learn more and be inspired into the real hobby.. new blood is much welcome.