discussion Modellers vice build

[Jim R]

That's superb and it's been really interesting to follow how you built it. I'll bet you find a lot of uses. I have a similar commercial vice, not cheap , but very useful. Yours looks better and cheaper I'm sure.

 

[Mr Bowcat]

Cheers gents.

 

[Bugatti Fan]

I like to see a good engineering project allied to model making like this one. Very interesting !

A number of years back I made a 4 way tool post for my little Unimat 4 lathe. Saves lots of time by doing away with a lot of setting up of tools individually using the tool post supplied. It was made from a design in a book 'Unimat Lathe Projects' by the late Gerald A Wingrove.

Unfortunately the little Unimat lathes were discontinued a number of years ago, which is a pity as they were nice machines with lots of attachments to convert the basic machine to do other things like milling, drilling and sawing etc. The only miniature lathes I can think of that are currently available are by Sherline in America and Proxxon in Austria.

 

[Mr Bowcat]

Cheers.

I have a Warco WM180 lathe, which is a typical 7x14 hobby lathe. I got rid of the 4 way in favour of a QCTP.

 

[John Race]

Brilliant work and such skill.

 

[Bugatti Fan]

Is the Warco WM180 a similar sized lathe to my little Unimat 4, or a bit bigger ?
Does it come with any attachments to convert it to anything else like the Unimats?

 

[Mr Bowcat]

No, it's a bit bigger. Warco WM180.

And no, it's a dedicated lathe. I have a seperate milling machine (also a Warco) so no real need to convert the lathe for other work.