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[Stan62]

Hello everyone, I'm Stan.
I worked as a machinist for many years. Both CNC and conventional machinery. I've recently retired and have become curious about a desktop size milling machine. I've seen some Sherline machines on the net and wondering about their construction.
I can't seem to find any info as to what materials they are made of. Steel or aluminum or? The manufacturer's website mentions an aluminum "Base". I'd like to know what materials the slideways, dovetails and the table are made of. Thank you very much if you can enlighten me about these machines. I have the Model 5100 in mind.
Cheers
Stan

 

[GreenTwin]

Welcome Stan, glad to have you.

I am ignorant about the Sherline product line, but hopefully someone here can help you.

Pat J

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[minh-thanh]

Hi Stan
Welcome to the forum !
Nice to have you ,

 

[rklopp]

Sherline ways and structural parts are made of anodized aluminum.

 

[Stan62]

Hi Stan
Welcome to the forum !
Nice to have you ,

Thank you for the warm welcome.
Cheers

 

[Stan62]

Sherline ways and structural parts are made of anodized aluminum.

Thank you. I couldn't find information on their website regarding the ways.
Aluminum slideways seems odd but I'm used to big, industrial machinery.

 

[Bentwings]

Thank you for the warm welcome.
Cheers

Welcome to the group lots of great people here

 

[kuhncw]

Welcome, Stan. Congratulations on your retirement.

My tabletop machines include a Sherline lathe and a Taig mill. A Taig mill is a bit larger than a Sherline mill. I've had good luck with both my machines. The bed on my Sherline lathe is steel.

A phone call to Sherline should clear up all your questions.

Regards,

Chuck

 

[Franklin]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[SmithDoor]

Hello everyone, I'm Stan.
I worked as a machinist for many years. Both CNC and conventional machinery. I've recently retired and have become curious about a desktop size milling machine. I've seen some Sherline machines on the net and wondering about their construction.
I can't seem to find any info as to what materials they are made of. Steel or aluminum or? The manufacturer's website mentions an aluminum "Base". I'd like to know what materials the slideways, dovetails and the table are made of. Thank you very much if you can enlighten me about these machines. I have the Model 5100 in mind.
Cheers
Stan

Welcome to the group

Dave

 

[Richard Hed]

I have to advise that if you get one of those kiddie toys after being a real machinist for years and years, you will go crazy fighting their inadequacies. I bought a 9X20 Enco about 15 years ago but was horrified when I found out it would not do LH threads which is a large reason I needed a lathe. Also, the lowest speed was WAY too high for cutoff or threading. THe belts on the machine are extremely cheesy being about 1/8th inch wide and cost at that time 18$( (I did find cheaper ones after a couple years of looking)

As for the Sherlines and Taigs and some others, I really don't know about them, howeverr, my feeling is that the people who buy them have never used the bigger machines and so they can have the patience one needs to use one. Me? I get impatient if I have to cut .020" when I should be able to take off .050 or larger.
A general rule is the larger the machine, the more capable it is.
So that makes something tiny have tiny capabilities. Other people on this forum generally advise buy the largest machine your shop can fit in it and which also fits in your budget.

Four years ago I bought a Grizzly G4003g which is 12X30". It does everything I need plus maybe a bit more. I do have a couple minor complaints and I am going make a new cross-slide because the modern method of making cross slides is to leave out the slots for adding extra tools on it. A grave error, most likely done because of cost. Even so, The Enco sits in it's home and is never used anymore.

As for myself, I would never buy anything not made of CI

 

[Apprentice707]

Hello Stan,
Welcome to this amazing forum.

B

 

[almega]

Welcome to the forum. A lot of good info here and experienced hands in the "retired" and hobby home shop arena. I was originally trained as a master cabinetmaker and cutting metal has been an interesting learning experience (much quieter and no dust). On the equipment front, for my part I just bided my time (I had a limited budget) and found used older machines that came up in estate sales or because folks were down-sizing. Sometimes I had to drive a good distance to see the machines and came away without because they were not up to what I was willing to accept. If you are patient you can find good acceptable equipment that will fit your "now" needs, although you will have to adjust your expectations as compared to what you did in your career, depending on your budget. I eventually ended up with a 1950s Logan model 400 9" lathe and a Grizzly G0759 mill. The lathe was a downsize situation and had some wear but very usable, the mill was virtually new but had been dropped and the guy did not want it because he felt it to be damaged goods. The only damage I could find was a broken X-axis hand wheel, but nothing bent or out of alignment. I bought both, at different times, with a fare amount of of tooling and I invested about $3000 US to purchase over the course of a year or so about 7-8 years ago. I recently picked up a little 7X10 lathe (not sure what I'll use it for) for free. It was new and still in the crate, had been in a fire and the guy just wanted it gone. Inside the crate there was no damage or charring, so it now has a stand and is in my shop waiting for me to decide how to tool it up and use it. I hope you are able to enjoy the journey as much as I have so far.

 

[Steamchick]

Welcome Stan. Watch out for Bears on this site, Many of us old experienced guys are "Grislies", but we are truly harmless, unless you believe everything we say. There is a fair measure of rhetoric and fun here, and you'll recognise quickly the "old and steady people who have done it, and those who think they are good, but not with everything! (Like me?).
One thing I have learned about retirement. Forget the idea that you must rush to do something. 5 x 0.010" cuts become a pleasure that lasts, but 1 x 0.050" cut is just a cut, and doesn't last long enough. In retirement there is time to do and appreciate the simple act of doing, without any pressure, except maybe a dear lover wanting the plates washing, or a wall painting, or some such distraction. I find more pleasure in buying something and making it "as good as new" rather buying "as good as new". Otherwise the days can become too long and the shine of retirement becomes tarnished.
Enjoy family and friends FIRST, the models etc. may "speak to you", but the best company is people. In the UK, in my Grandfather's day, many didn't reach retirement, or those that did had only 5~10 years of "fun" retirement before bodies made the fun hard to find. Nowadays, we enjoy more like 20 years of active retirement, so there is time to "take those smaller cuts" - because that's all the machine is capable of taking, accurately.
Relax while working, instead of going at it "hammer and tongs". It makes Retirement more satisfying having time to do "a proper job", rather than rushing to "get it done and on to another job". Took me a couple of years to get into the mind-set, but I enjoy it more now...
K2

 

[Richard Hed]

Welcome Stan. Watch out for Bears on this site, Many of us old experienced guys are "Grislies", but we are truly harmless, unless you believe everything we say. There is a fair measure of rhetoric and fun here, and you'll recognise quickly the "old and steady people who have done it, and those who think they are good, but not with everything! (Like me?).
One thing I have learned about retirement. Forget the idea that you must rush to do something. 5 x 0.010" cuts become a pleasure that lasts, but 1 x 0.050" cut is just a cut, and doesn't last long enough. In retirement there is time to do and appreciate the simple act of doing, without any pressure, except maybe a dear lover wanting the plates washing, or a wall painting, or some such distraction. I find more pleasure in buying something and making it "as good as new" rather buying "as good as new". Otherwise the days can become too long and the shine of retirement becomes tarnished.
Enjoy family and friends FIRST, the models etc. may "speak to you", but the best company is people. In the UK, in my Grandfather's day, many didn't reach retirement, or those that did had only 5~10 years of "fun" retirement before bodies made the fun hard to find. Nowadays, we enjoy more like 20 years of active retirement, so there is time to "take those smaller cuts" - because that's all the machine is capable of taking, accurately.
Relax while working, instead of going at it "hammer and tongs". It makes Retirement more satisfying having time to do "a proper job", rather than rushing to "get it done and on to another job". Took me a couple of years to get into the mind-set, but I enjoy it more now...
K2

Oh ha ha, very funny jab! However, yhou know where the retirement age of 65 came from? It was Bismark's idea to forestall socialism. He knew that he had to do something so he set retirement age at 65. At that time most peeps died off in their 50s so very few would ever get a retiremtrnt check. Now peeps are living a lot longer. lNotice that in the US, retirement age has been raised to 75! YHou can still retire earlier, but it is the law that employers cannot discriminate against old coots! Evenbtually, this will become the norm at 75, it's to stop peeps from living to 100 and getting a check every month for 35 years! Well, there's something to be said for that.

However, look at how employers exploit peeps in the US (and they don't seem to even notice it). In France, I believe, there are 6 week vacations, great sick leave and child care leave--puts Americans to SHAME! (There is a really good reason that unions were formed.)

So for those of us who can still get out to use our machines with our walkers and wheel chairs, more power to us. Not only are we enjoying those checks (and we EARNED th;em too) but sometimes we can make things our "masters" would wish we could not make. I predict a comeback of steam but there will be a big fight as the oil companies certainly don't want their 3trillion $ profits to diminish. That steam may be 50 or 100 years from now, but definitely it will come back. In the mean time (as we wait for our sun to burn up all IT'S fuel,) we can all have some fun we richly deserve.

PS. The history of Labor is quietly suppressed in the USA--they don't want us peeps to know how much power we have when we band together. IN fact, any history of how peeps band together and succeed is supressed.

PPS. did you notice in some zombie series ( I thimpfks it's the walking dead) where 'electricity' has some hjow been destroyed? Notice how the tekkies are controlled by the 'masters'. Notice how steam engines would run their world but there is not a single one anywhere. I can't stand to watch crap like that.

 

[Toymaker]

Sherline ways and structural parts are made of anodized aluminum.

For Stan62's benefit, is the anodized surface black hard coat anodized, or some other color? Hard coat anodize (aka: Type III aluminum anodizing) is always black, and is the result of a process that builds up a layer of aluminum oxide, which is a very hard ceramic, onto the aluminum. Applying type III anodize to both surfaces of the ways would significantly reduce friction and make them very wear resistant.