SETTING UP THE EW LATHE
I RECENTLY BOUGHT AN EW LATHE ON FLEABAY AND OFFERED IT TO MY SON ON LONG TERM LOAN. HE SEEMED VERY KEEN TO HAVE THIS LITTLE GEM THAT CAN BE SO USEFUL AND WILL HAPPILY FUNCTION ON A SMALL TABLE TOP. THE PROBLEM OF COURSE IS THAT HE HAS NO KNOWLEGE AT ALL ON HOW TO MOUNT THE MACHINE WHICH WILL COME DISMANTLED IN A CARDBOARD BOX VIA A COURIER.
IT OCCURS TO ME THAT QUITE A LOT OF AMATEURS THAT BUY A SMALL LATHE LIKE THE EW ALSO DON`T HAVE A CLUE AS TO HOW TO MOUNT IT OR START WORKING WITH IT.
HOPEFULLY I CAN EXPLAIN SIMPLY HOW THIS CAN BE DONE WITH SOME WISE WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS. THERE ARE BOOKS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR BEGINNERS, THEY ARE GOOD BUT SOMETIMES DO NOT GIVE THE THE IMPORTANT FUNDAMENTAL INFORMATION LIKE MOUNTING THE LATHE ON A BENCH OR TABLE TOP, WHICH, IF NOT PROPERLY CARRIED OUT, WILL AFFECT THE ACCURACY OF THE MACHINE!
IT OCCURS TO ME THAT QUITE A LOT OF AMATEURS THAT BUY A SMALL LATHE LIKE THE EW ALSO DON`T HAVE A CLUE AS TO HOW TO MOUNT IT OR START WORKING WITH IT.
HOPEFULLY I CAN EXPLAIN SIMPLY HOW THIS CAN BE DONE WITH SOME WISE WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS. THERE ARE BOOKS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR BEGINNERS, THEY ARE GOOD BUT SOMETIMES DO NOT GIVE THE THE IMPORTANT FUNDAMENTAL INFORMATION LIKE MOUNTING THE LATHE ON A BENCH OR TABLE TOP, WHICH, IF NOT PROPERLY CARRIED OUT, WILL AFFECT THE ACCURACY OF THE MACHINE!
MOUNTING THE LATHE
THE THEORETICAL WAY TO MOUNT A MACHINE LIKE A LATHE IS TO SUPPORT IT ON THREE POINTS AS A FOUR POINT SUPPORT CAN DISTORT THE LATHE BED IF THE MOUNTING BOLTS ARE OVERTIGHTENED OR UNEVENLY TIGHTENED. THE EARLY EW LATHES HAD THREE POINT SUPPORT BUT THE BED CAN BE DISTORTED IF NOT CAREFUL. HAPPILY, THE EW USUALLY HAS MINIMAL WEAR AS IT WAS NOT A PRODUCTION MACHINE.
IF YOU CLICK ON THE CENTRE ABOVE PHOTO IT WILL ENLARGE. IT DEPICTS TWO DIFFERENT EW LATHE UNDERSIDES, THE BLACK ONE IS AN EARLY MACHINE THE GREEN ONE A LATE MACHINE. THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LATHE BED CASTINGS, THE LATER GREEN CASTING WITH THE FOUR MOUNTING HOLES IS MUCH STIFFER IN TORSION BUT CAN BE TWISTED BY IMPROPER TIGHTENING DOWN.
THE BLACK CASTING HAS THE THEORETICALLY CORRECT THREE MOUNTING HOLES AND IS QUITE WEAK IN TORSION.
THE BLACK CASTING HAS THE THEORETICALLY CORRECT THREE MOUNTING HOLES AND IS QUITE WEAK IN TORSION.
THE CENTRE AND RIGHT ABOVE ARE PHOTOS OF THE EW PRODUCED LATHE HIGHTENING BLOCKS WHICH ARE DIE CAST ALUMINIUM. THE BLOCKS ON THE LEFT HAND PHOTO ARE JUST CUT FROM SQUARE ALUMINIUM BAR.
I RECOMMEND THAT YOU FIT BLOCKS UNDER THE BED FEET WHICH MAKES CLEANING UNDER THE BED MUCH EASIER AS WELL AS PROVIDING MOUNTING PLACES FOR ADDITIONS SUCH AS THE LEADSCREW CLUTCH.
I RECOMMEND THAT YOU FIT BLOCKS UNDER THE BED FEET WHICH MAKES CLEANING UNDER THE BED MUCH EASIER AS WELL AS PROVIDING MOUNTING PLACES FOR ADDITIONS SUCH AS THE LEADSCREW CLUTCH.
INSTALLING THE EW LATHE IN THE LARGE GAS BOTTLE STORAGE CUPBOARD
WHEN I WAS INSTALLING ALL THE MACHINES, STORAGE RACKS AND THE OTHER CONTENTS IN MY NEW WORKSHOP IN HOBØL I HAD DIFFICULTY IN PLACING THE LARGE GALVANISED STEEL GAS CYLINDER CUPBOARD THAT I HAD PURCHASED FROM LEKNES MASKIN FOR 500NOK (£45). AFTER SOME HEAD SCRATCHING I DECIDED TO REMOVE THE DOOR AND PLACE THE CUPBOARD AS A BARRIER BETWEEN THE SPLIT LEVELS AS A SAFETY MEASURE AND USE IT TO HOUSE THE EW LATHE.
THE EW LATHE IS PRESENTLY MOUNTED ON A WOODEN BASE SUPPORTED BY A DEXION ANGLE TYPE OF SUPPORT FRAME. I ALSO HAD A DISMANTLED DEXION CUPBOARD BENCH BUT HAD LEFT THE REAR LEGS IN FRANCE. THE FRONT LEGS, TOP AND SHELVES WERE THERE, SO THAT I DECIDED TO ASSEMBLE ALL THESE PARTS TOGETHER TO CREATE A NICE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE LATHE.
THERE WOULD BE SHELVES UNDERNEATH THE LATHE AND SMALLER ONES ABOVE IT, ALSO THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOUNT A MOTOR UNDER THE TOP OF THE CUPBOARD TO DRIVE A MILLING / GRINDING / DRILLING SPINDLE IF REQUIRED. A LIGHT COULD ALSO BE MOUNTED UNDER THE TOP TO GIVE GOOD ILLUMINATION WHEN MACHINING.
THERE WOULD BE SHELVES UNDERNEATH THE LATHE AND SMALLER ONES ABOVE IT, ALSO THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOUNT A MOTOR UNDER THE TOP OF THE CUPBOARD TO DRIVE A MILLING / GRINDING / DRILLING SPINDLE IF REQUIRED. A LIGHT COULD ALSO BE MOUNTED UNDER THE TOP TO GIVE GOOD ILLUMINATION WHEN MACHINING.
I DISMANTLED THE DEXION FRAME AND THE EW LATHE FROM THE ORIGINAL BOARD THAT IT WAS MOUNTED ON, USED THE LEGS FROM THE FRAME MOUNTED ON WOODEN PACKING PIECES AND PLACED THE TOP OF THE DEXION CUPBOARD THAT WAS LYING AROUND ON THE TOP OF THE LEGS TEMPORARILY IN ORDER TO CONFIRM THE BEST CONFIGURATION OF THE LATHE AND MOTOR WITHIN THE SPACE NOW CREATED.
AS USUAL THINGS DIDN`T QUITE WORK OUT AS I HAD IMAGINED THEY WOULD, BECAUSE OF THE ELBOW ROOM NEEDED AT THE TAILSTOCK END OF THE LATHE, WHICH HAD TO BE POSITIONED FURTHER LEFT. THIS POSITION DID NOT PERMIT THE MOUNTING OF THE MOTOR TO THE LEFT OF THE COUNTERSHAFT AS I HAD PLANNED,. PLACING THE MOTOR TO THE RIGHT OF THE COUNTERSHAFT, DID NOT ALLOW ENOUGH SPACE BEHIND THE LATHE THAT I CONSIDERED TO BE SATISFACTORY. i`M LOOKING INTO MOUNTING THE MOTOR ABOVE THE COUNTERSHAFT AND WILL TRY THIS OUT THE NEXT TIME I`M IN THE WORKSHOP.
AS USUAL THINGS DIDN`T QUITE WORK OUT AS I HAD IMAGINED THEY WOULD, BECAUSE OF THE ELBOW ROOM NEEDED AT THE TAILSTOCK END OF THE LATHE, WHICH HAD TO BE POSITIONED FURTHER LEFT. THIS POSITION DID NOT PERMIT THE MOUNTING OF THE MOTOR TO THE LEFT OF THE COUNTERSHAFT AS I HAD PLANNED,. PLACING THE MOTOR TO THE RIGHT OF THE COUNTERSHAFT, DID NOT ALLOW ENOUGH SPACE BEHIND THE LATHE THAT I CONSIDERED TO BE SATISFACTORY. i`M LOOKING INTO MOUNTING THE MOTOR ABOVE THE COUNTERSHAFT AND WILL TRY THIS OUT THE NEXT TIME I`M IN THE WORKSHOP.
IT TOOK ME LONGER THAN EXPECTED TODAY BUT I`VE MOUNTED THE MOTOR ABOVE THE COUNTERSHAFT IN A TENABLE POSITION AND USING A VEE BELT THAT WAS LYING AROUND SO THAT`S SAVED ME TWENTY QUID.
THE WHOLE THING WOBBLES LIKE JELLY AND I`LL HAVE TO BRACE THE STRUCTURE TO A STRONG POINT ON THE CABINET TOGETHER WITH THE RUSTY SHELF THAT I`VE ALSO MOUNTED. NOT FORGETTING THE THE BELT TENSIONING DEVICE THAT WILL HAVE TO BE MADE TO PULL UP THE SWIVELING PLATE BY A LINK FROM THE SHELF ONCE IT`S STIFFENED.
THE WHOLE THING WOBBLES LIKE JELLY AND I`LL HAVE TO BRACE THE STRUCTURE TO A STRONG POINT ON THE CABINET TOGETHER WITH THE RUSTY SHELF THAT I`VE ALSO MOUNTED. NOT FORGETTING THE THE BELT TENSIONING DEVICE THAT WILL HAVE TO BE MADE TO PULL UP THE SWIVELING PLATE BY A LINK FROM THE SHELF ONCE IT`S STIFFENED.
I BOUGHT SOME SPECIAL BOSTIC ADHESIVE AND USED IT TO STICK THE 15mm BOARD TO THE DEXION CABINET TOP AND STUCK SELF ADHESIVE INSULATION TO THE PANELS TO PREVENT DRUMMING.
USING THE ADHESIVE I STUCK THE NEW GALVANISED SHEETING THAT I HAD JOHANSEN CUT OUT FOR ME AND ON THE ABOVE RIGHT PHOTO YOU CAN SEE THE EW LATHE JUST RESTING ON THE BENCH PRIOR TO MARKING OUT THE HOLES FOR THE MOUNTING BOLTS.
I MANAGED TO SPEND A FEW HOURS AT MY WORKSHOP YESTERDAY AND NEARLY FINISHED OFF THE INSTALLATION OF THE EW LATHE. THE COUNTER SHAFT AND LATHE ARE BOLTED IN POSITION AND THE MOTOR BELT TENSIONER AS WELL. THANKS TO THE ACOUSTIC INSULATION THE MOTOR RUNS QUIETLY. THE FINAL MOTOR WIRING TO THE SWICH HAS TO BE COMPLETED AND THE FINISHING ANGLE PIECES TO COVER THE GAPS BETWEEN THE TABLETOP AND SIDES NEED TO BE CUT OUT AND STUCK ON USING THE BOSTIC HIGH PERFORMANCE ADHESIVE THAT IS OIL AND WATERPROOF. i WILL ADD THE MOUNTING PROCEDURE TO THE "MOUNTING THE LATHE" SECTION ABOVE
THIS TIME I CUT UP SOME STAINLESS STEEL THIN GAUGE ANGLE THAT I FOUND IN A SKIP AND USED THE ADHESIVE TO STICK THE ANGLE ONTO THE TABLE TOP AND SIDES OF THE INTERIOR TO HIDE THE SMALL GAPS BETWEEN THEM. THEN USED SOME HEAVY WEIGHTS TO KEEP THE ANGLE IN POSITION UNTIL THE ADHESIVE SET.
HERE`S THE ALMOST FINISHED SET UP, THE EW WORKS FINE IN IT`S ENCLOSURE AND THERE`S A LOT OF USEFUL STORAGE AS WELL. YOU CAN SEE THE CLUTTER THAT HAS GATHERED THERE, I PROMISE THAT I`LL TIDY IT UP SOON.
IN PROGRESS