My "Shed"

[Dr Jo]

I was requested to post a few photo's of my shed where I make swarf,:

This is my "new" Prazimat lathe:

It was purchased in 2009 along with my BCA to mark the completion of my University studies and being allowed to return to the love of my life: making things in my workshop! Moving round this is my hobbymat lathe and assembly bench, where all the fiddly stuff is done.

On the end is my Prazimat Mill, which to be honest has been primarily used as a very expensive drilling machine until this September when my Company generously funded the DROs for both this machine and the Harrison you will see in a second. (I still have yet to make anything using the DROs but they have already demonstrated how poor the dials were for measurement!)

This is my biggest lathe, rarely used but wonderfull to have if it is needed, this is my only lathe with a taper turning attachment:

Next set of tools is my Harrison mill, surrounded on either side by a pair of cutter grinders and then my BCA.

Lastly in the corner my old Myford, she is two year older than me and following extensive restoration I hope she will out last me, most of my model making up to 2009 was done on her.

Hopefully something of interest to you guys.

Jo

 

[Blogwitch]

I see your 'shed ' is like a lot of UK modellers ones, everything shoehorned into where it will fit, but at least you don't have to walk very far between machines. Very nice setup indeed.
I can now see how you make such nice models.

I do like your BCA. A very versatile and super accurate machine for doing smallish jobs, with the only limitation being the maximum cutter size they can use.
I was given a brand new Mk III one by a company I used to work for. I say brand new, it was bought by mistake by a stupid engineer who didn't know his a**e from his head about ten years before. It had about an hours work done on it, then stood in a corner with a cover over it, then they went out and bought the correct machine they needed, a Bridgeport.

I swapped it for my small Herbert surface grinder and a big handful of notes, as I had no use or room for it in my shop.

John

 

[steamer]

I would say the UK modelers have a lot in common with the US counter parts....Mine is also crammed in. Thanks for showing that Jo! NICE TOOLS!

Dave

 

[barney_leadhead]

Lovely workspace with some very useful machinery in a good range of sizes

 

[///]

....
Hopefully something of interest to you guys.

Jo

Understatement.
I have serious tool envy! ;D

 

[Dr Jo]

Sadly much of this equipment came my way when my ex-husband closed down the local college machine shop. At the time they were accepting scrap metal prices for any of the tools anyone wanted.

Jo

 

[steamer]

Sadly much of this equipment came my way when my ex-husband closed down the local college machine shop. At the time they were accepting scrap metal prices for any of the tools anyone wanted.

Jo

Well....at least they made it to your shop...and are not now part of a Hyundai fender.

Dave

 

[1Kenny]

Nice shed Dr Jo. One can't have too many tools. I like the magnifier one the lathe.

Kenny

 

[barney_leadhead]

Is your Colchester lathe running on 1phase or 3phase supply Dr Jo?

 

[lazylathe]

Thanks for the pics Jo!!

Looks like an awesome shop with great tools! ;D
I am sure you spend a lot of time in there!!

Andrew

 

[Boxfordian]

Don't suppose you have a room to let ?

Just kidding, very nice shop indeed

 

[Dr Jo]

Barney: My Colchester, BCA, Harrison, drill and cutter grinders are all three phase, operating off of standard converters. In the depth of winter the Harrison has been known to struggle to start up but I have now learnt to fire up the cutter grinder first and that normally cures the slow start up problem.

Jo

 

[barney_leadhead]

Thanks Jo; I'm always interested in other peoples experiences with convertors just in case I ever find myself in a position where my 3ph Colchester could be accessed and used - but for now it remains stored elsewhere.

 

[G_N_R]

Hi Dr Jo
What a wonderful workshop you have. Thm: :bow:

How’s the steam wagon progressing? I would like to see more shots of your build.

Usually modellers start very young in a workshop of a relative or a friend and develop from there.

So Jo where did your interest in model engineering originate?

 

[steamer]

So Jo where did your interest in model engineering originate?

Yes I think curiousity is rampant in this regard.... ;D

Dave

 

[Dr Jo]

Where did my interest start?

Well as a toddler I showed more interest in "diggers" than dolls. I Finally convinced my parents to buy me mechanio at 14 (just what a teenage girl should want for Xmas!). At 16 I started an electrical engineering apprenticeship which for the first year included two weeks machine shop studies, which was the first time I had ever used a lathe: It did not inspire me.....

At 23 I was invited to a friend's house where his father had a workshop which included a lathe and he was making a 7 1/4" locomotive. It had never dawned on me that one could own a lathe at home. (My friend was clearly not impressed that I was showing more interest in his father's workshop than I was in him, so I was never invited back).

Within a week I have spotted an advert for my Myford lathe which I immediately purchased and subsequently found that one of the other engineers at work had the cylinder off of a 2" traction engine on his desk and enquired further, that led to finding my first model engineering club. I picked up a Stuart 10V at the White Elephant sale and that was the first thing I built.

Over the years I have slowly began to learn how to use the lathe and various machine tools and make more and more swarf. And sometimes even bits of the odd engine!

Jo
----
(I had not mentioned the Clayton or any of my part built Locomotives as they are not actually model "Engines".)

 

[dalem9]

Hay Jo are you married, OOOO I forgot there for a minute I am .Nice shop. Dale

 

[Dr Jo]

Married (?): Only to my workshop ....

Jo

 

[steamer]

Married (?): Only to my workshop ....

Jo

Excellent Answer! ;D :big:

Dave

 

[pete]

Dr Jo,
A very nice and well thought out selection of machine tools. For a bit of general interest, I just bought over 60 years worth of old Model Engineer magazines and this morning I ran across an add in one of them from 1965. At that time one of those new BCA machines were selling for 385 British Pounds, While a Brand new Myford Super 7 with the gearbox and a 3 jaw chuck was selling for just over 112 B.P.s. Those BCA's were from my understanding a very well made and accurate machine. I've wanted one for well over 20 years since I first looked at one on the front cover of a older M.E. magazine. To put things into perspective about just how cheap some of our tools have gotten, Electric hand drills were selling for about 1/12th the cost of a brand new Myford.

Pete