Kermit the Lathe's Wild Ride. (and some friends, too)

[jmoore]

I love to watch a skilled machinest at work it is like magic! Thanks to all those folks who crafted the mechanical works of art we call Milsurps.

I've only been doing it for about 30 years, and still I think it's more like watching the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" at times. Of course, considering what I work on for a living, it's no wonder. I mean, "machining aluminum oxide plasma spray covering an inconel substrate with polycarbonate diamond tipped inserts"? How's that not some sort of incantation?

[smellie]

Sounds powerful enough to me, but I'm the guy who wears my tinfoil hat in an attempt to protect my diseased brain from all the dangerous radiation that the microwave kicks out. If you think that's bad, just wait until our (Twosteam and myself) book on Magick for the Millions comes out. It explains EVERYTHING...... although you may not quite follow some of the explanations!

Looks as if it was a monumental process, just moving and then getting things set up. My lathe is only 85 pounds, so I guess that's one advantage of it.

BTW, that is a cute little Bridgeport lathe. What size is it?

If you are up this way some time be sure to call. I know where there's a BIG lathe that we can stare at; I think the original operator was named "Kong".
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[jmoore]

Sounds powerful enough to me, but I'm the guy who wears my tinfoil hat in an attempt to protect my diseased brain from all the dangerous radiation that the microwave kicks out. If you think that's bad, just wait until our (Twosteam and myself) book on Magick for the Millions comes out. It explains EVERYTHING...... although you may not quite follow some of the explanations!

Looks as if it was a monumental process, just moving and then getting things set up. My lathe is only 85 pounds, so I guess that's one advantage of it.

BTW, that is a cute little Bridgeport lathe. What size is it?

If you are up this way some time be sure to call. I know where there's a BIG lathe that we can stare at; I think the original operator was named "Kong".
.

That incantation was the just the bare bones summary. I could flesh it out, but not just now- not enough time!

The Bridgeport (that one's not mine- mine are still in storage awaiting their turn once I manage to move some other stuff out of the way..) has a 42" table IIRC. J head, not 2J.

I don't mind big. But i do try to avoid CNC. Too boring! Or too exasperating, depending on the run.

[smellie]

Oh, this one's not CNC by any means. I don't think they had that back about 1890.

It's big enough that you could build most of a steam locomotive on it. Or make a pretty good stab at a 12-inch gun.

Absolute monster.

The shop that has it keeps it because you would have to pull down one whole wall if you wanted to move it out.

It's beautiful!
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[jmoore]

Oh, this one's not CNC by any means. I don't think they had that back about 1890.

It's big enough that you could build most of a steam locomotive on it. Or make a pretty good stab at a 12-inch gun.

Absolute monster.

The shop that has it keeps it because you would have to pull down one whole wall if you wanted to move it out.

It's beautiful!
.

Sounds very interesting! A bunch of railroad enthusiasts near Chattanooga, TN rescued a steam engine driver wheel lathe that had ended up in Poland somehow. (It was US built, oddly) They were trying to get me to run it, but the commute time would be enormous! Supposedly the last one of it's type in existance.