Freecycle for turners resources.

[Bodrighy]

I have got a few bits of wood from Freecycle and thought 'why not ask for a lathe' well I have nothing to lose. A lady got back to me sying that she had a lathe that she hasn't used for 4 years that I couyld bortrow if it was any use. I went to have a look and it turns out that sh bought it 4 years ago, a Coronet No1 with a refiurbished mmotor. It also has a brand new Onewa Talon chuck still in the box. The adaptor hasn't been even put in yet that's still in the box. Anyway. She said I can borrow it and if I want it I can have the lot (with a 12"x3x3 lump of lignum vitae thrown in) for £150. Checking prices out the lathe seems to go for about £50 on fleabay and the chuck is either £150 or £190 depending on the model. I ran the lathe and it is sweet and solid. I have used one at tghe club and it's like a Landrover compared to the Skoda of the Perform. Belt changing is actually no problem and the three speeds are slower than the perform and about the same top speed. Question is for anyway who knows these lathes, is thias a bargain worth grabbing or not? Oh yes, it's a 12" swing and the bars are at leas s4' long by the look didn't think to measure them

Pete

 

[Mark Hancock]

Pete

Coronet lathes were taken over by Record so it'll be the same as a Record CL1 (CL = Coronet Lathe). They are good quality solid lathes and IMHO better constructed than the Perform. Likewise Oneway produce good quality products. All in all it seems a reasonable price for the package particularly if it includes the Lignum Vitae which is hard to get hold of and expensive nowadays.

 

[Bodrighy]

Thanks Mark. Just turning it on I can tell the difference. Solid metal instead of tin plate, feels smoother etc. Has this got the bronze bearing as well 'cos one of my problems with the perform has benn overstressing the bearings on it.

Pete

 

[Mark Hancock]

Thanks Mark. Just turning it on I can tell the difference. Solid metal instead of tin plate, feels smoother etc. Has this got the bronze bearing as well 'cos one of my problems with the perform has benn overstressing the bearings on it.

Pete

I don't think it has but if you check the headstock spindle there would be a locking ring on the outside of the headstock and one inside the casting if it has.

Check ou this link for more info on the CL1 - half way down the page and click on photo
http://www.yandles.co.uk/acatalog/Record_Power_Lathes.html

 

[dickm]

With the chuck included, I'd have thought that was not a bad price. It's a solid machine, with all the spares still available, although I <<think>> it has plain CI bearings, not the phosphor bronze one. Not sure if the No 1 had a swivel head, but if it did, with its mass, you can do some serious size bowls.

 

[Bodrighy]

I don't tink that it has the bearing. I'll strip it down tomorrow and give it a good going over and check then. It also doesn't have the swivel head but looking at it I am wonder if it can be modified in some way. Might be worth it. Although it is sypposely a lower level lathe I am surprised at the sheer mass of it. It really does make the Perform look like a tin copy.

I have also got a piece of spanish olive, some London plane and some steamed pir. A good few pounds worth of wood. Looking at the lignum I am almost afraid to do anything with it unless I can do it justice as it isn't something I am likely to get hold of in hurry again.
Pete

 

[MIGNAL]

It looks like an upgraded/bigger version of the Record DML24X that I have. It may well have race type bearings.
I paid £50 (S/H) for mine 3 years ago. I can hardly complain, it's a decent amount of metal for a mere £50.

 

[duncanh]

Congratulations on your find.

I should point out, though, that she broke the primary Freecycle rule - everything has to be free, hence the name!

I've got the occasional log from Freecycle but that's about it when it comes to turning. I did get a car battery charger though, for de-rusting tools.

 

[Bodrighy]

Don't worry Duncan, originally she emailed me offering to lend the lathe and it was only while I was there that she mentioned selling it sometime in the future. I don't think that had been her original reason for responding.

Pete

 

[dickm]

I don't tink that it has the bearing. I'll strip it down tomorrow and give it a good going over and check then. It also doesn't have the swivel head but looking at it I am wonder if it can be modified in some way. Might be worth it.

Doubt it, Pete. Any modification to that casting would involve some VERY serious metalwork! The bearing should be obvious without a complete strip-down. There should be adjusting rings threaded around the main shaft, into each side of the head casting. If you slacken off the outer one, you should be able to see the bronze bearing inside. Don't shift the inner ring, and when you replace the outer ring, you should be back where you started, without disturbing the fit of the bearing.

 

[TEP]

Hi Pete, I believe it was only the Record 2 & 3, now the 4 which have the tapered bronze bearings. All the rest had standard ball races, large at the front and a smaller diameter one at the rear of the spindle.

 

[wizer]

I have FreeCy diverted to a folder in my email which I scan daily for anything interesting. Never thought about posting a wanted add. Tho, I never read the wanteds. Surely if you were getting rid of something you'd either chuck it or list it on FreeCy.

Last year I got 20 of those adjustable shelf beams with a big box of brackets to go with. I'm just on my last pair. Great for timber racking.

 

[duncanh]

Don't worry Duncan, originally she emailed me offering to lend the lathe and it was only while I was there that she mentioned selling it sometime in the future. I don't think that had been her original reason for responding.

Pete

Pete - I've just received a Freecycle reminder email and the first 2 items in the list are...

1. No swaps, bartering, borrowing, sales or trading
2. No offers/requests of payment, postage or delivery charges

I'm not sure whether the rule of no borrowing makes sense or not - if the aim of the group is to ' reduce waste, save precious resources ' then I would have thought that borrowing saves you buying and that leads to less being bought and therefore made.

Duncan

 

[Bodrighy]

I don't know if the rules are general or for each local group Duncan. I agree with the overall principle but have seen a number of requests to have or borrow larger articles down here. without any comments from the mods. Definitely no sales or money involved in any though. Whatever it's a great scheme that, certainly in Cornwall, is weel used with everything form broken old playstaitons to boats and cars being asked for and offered.

Pete

 

[duncanh]

I had a look on the national site and it says that borrowing is not allowed. I don't know if those running regional groups are allowed to choose which rules they follow. I guess in the end it just comes down to how strict the admins are.

We have a Freecycle Cafe group up here where borrowing is allowed (I think) and an unconnected SwapShop group has started which allows sales/swapping/borrowing.

Yes, it's a great system with around 20-30 mails coming in each day. It's surprising what crops up - things you didn't realise you wanted/needed until they appeared!

I've remembered a couple of turning related items - I have a dismantled fibre optic xmas tree that I'm planning to turn into a tool to see inside hollow forms. Also, a motor from a sewing machine that I'll attempt to fit a buffing wheel or perhaps a dremel type flexible drill shaft.

 

[Bodrighy]

I'll watch out for that Duncan. Certainly doesn't seem to be a ruke that is enforced down hwere, then rules often aren't in Cornwall :lol:

Interesting that you also adapt oddball things for diffedrent purposes. Glad it isn't just me. Did you ever see a programme in the 70's called Scrimpers'

Pete

 

[dickm]

Just got an electronic rap over the knuckles for using the word "borrow" in a posting, and posting removed by moderators. As others have said, it seems like a d**n silly prohibition, as folks would often be happy to loan something out, but not give it away. So potential borrowers probably end up buying the item, thereby creating more waste.
(So, if anyone has a satellite LNB they'd be happy to loan out for testing a dish setup, let me know :wink