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Wow, as someone that loves vintage machine tools and owns a Monarch 10EE (http://www.lathes.co.uk/monarch/index.html http://www.lathes.co.uk/monarch/index.html)

Wow, as someone that loves vintage machine tools and owns a Monarch 10EE (http://www.lathes.co.uk/monarch/index.html http://www.lathes.co.uk/monarch/index.html) it's funny to see this little corner of the internet find its way here. This is one of those sites that has information likely not found anywhere else online and few places offline.

varjag 2y ago
Nice one! I liked the carriage rollers 10EE has so much that I made similar ones on my Chinese lathe instead of finicky gibs it came with.
- class3shock 2y ago
  Sounds like a fun project. How do you find the lathe? I always preferred old American iron to something new from China/Taiwan but having to haul around two tons of lathe when you move is not a trivial task.
  - jdietrich 2y ago
    Taiwanese lathes are generally good, with some being truly excellent. The common Chinese benchtop lathes are best regarded as a kit of parts - they're crude, but can be made into a satisfactory machine with some fitting and fettling.
  - varjag 2y ago
    Heh right nobody buys the mini lathe over a Monarch as a matter of preference! I got it when I wanted to learn some machining and didn't have a ton of space. Over the years had a few mods including the usual (tapered bearings on the spindle, 4" 4 jaw chuck…) and some funny ones. It's an okay machine but the design isn't rigid enough, it really needs the double amount cast iron for the bed given its swing. Still I did a lot of precision work on this that came really handy professionally later, when interacting with MEs and toolmakers. It looks really banged up now, and I had to change the leadscrew that became visibly worn. Funny enough the much derided Derlin change gears look pristine!
hi-v-rocknroll 2y ago
a. Unmarried, b. lots of room, or c. very understanding wife unit permits a man cave?
- class3shock 2y ago
  Haha, I am unattached but have no space to speak of sadly (a large home shop is a future goal, just need the home first along with the very understanding wife). It lived first in a friends garage, then a machine shop of another friend, and now in yet another friends garage (in another state). If you are trying to imagine all of that moving about I encourage you to do it with the Benny Hill theme tune playing, that should properly set the tone.
  - hi-v-rocknroll 2y ago
    :D Nice. I'm also working towards that goal of a man cave with neon and gold Schlitz sign and a pool table next to the milling machine, table saw, drill press, and central vac. 70's-90's rock playlist sets just about the right mood for making stuff.
    - class3shock 2y ago
      That's the dream. I have access to a nice makerspace to tide me over for now. I don't know if you follow the youtube machinist community at all but you may find some enjoyment in This Old Tony, Ave, Tom Lipton, or many of the others in it if the home shop bug has you.
  - flir 2y ago
    looks at 230kg wood lathe mutters darkly My wife practically forced me to get the damn thing. She's not the one that has to get it into the back of the van.
jcgrillo 2y ago
This website is a treasure. I am currently working at restoring a South Bend model 420 toolmaker lathe, but looking forward to owning a 10EE and a Bridgeport at some point. Need to build a decent heated shop first, though. The 420 is small enough that it can go in my living room but a 10EE needs a concrete floor, and without climate control it'll just rust.

varjag 2y ago

Nice one! I liked the carriage rollers 10EE has so much that I made similar ones on my Chinese lathe instead of finicky gibs it came with.

class3shock 2y ago
Sounds like a fun project. How do you find the lathe? I always preferred old American iron to something new from China/Taiwan but having to haul around two tons of lathe when you move is not a trivial task.
- jdietrich 2y ago
  Taiwanese lathes are generally good, with some being truly excellent. The common Chinese benchtop lathes are best regarded as a kit of parts - they're crude, but can be made into a satisfactory machine with some fitting and fettling.
- varjag 2y ago
  Heh right nobody buys the mini lathe over a Monarch as a matter of preference! I got it when I wanted to learn some machining and didn't have a ton of space. Over the years had a few mods including the usual (tapered bearings on the spindle, 4" 4 jaw chuck…) and some funny ones. It's an okay machine but the design isn't rigid enough, it really needs the double amount cast iron for the bed given its swing. Still I did a lot of precision work on this that came really handy professionally later, when interacting with MEs and toolmakers. It looks really banged up now, and I had to change the leadscrew that became visibly worn. Funny enough the much derided Derlin change gears look pristine!

hi-v-rocknroll 2y ago

a. Unmarried, b. lots of room, or c. very understanding wife unit permits a man cave?

class3shock 2y ago
Haha, I am unattached but have no space to speak of sadly (a large home shop is a future goal, just need the home first along with the very understanding wife). It lived first in a friends garage, then a machine shop of another friend, and now in yet another friends garage (in another state). If you are trying to imagine all of that moving about I encourage you to do it with the Benny Hill theme tune playing, that should properly set the tone.
- hi-v-rocknroll 2y ago
  :D Nice. I'm also working towards that goal of a man cave with neon and gold Schlitz sign and a pool table next to the milling machine, table saw, drill press, and central vac. 70's-90's rock playlist sets just about the right mood for making stuff.
  - class3shock 2y ago
    That's the dream. I have access to a nice makerspace to tide me over for now. I don't know if you follow the youtube machinist community at all but you may find some enjoyment in This Old Tony, Ave, Tom Lipton, or many of the others in it if the home shop bug has you.
- flir 2y ago
  looks at 230kg wood lathe mutters darkly My wife practically forced me to get the damn thing. She's not the one that has to get it into the back of the van.

jcgrillo 2y ago

This website is a treasure. I am currently working at restoring a South Bend model 420 toolmaker lathe, but looking forward to owning a 10EE and a Bridgeport at some point. Need to build a decent heated shop first, though. The 420 is small enough that it can go in my living room but a 10EE needs a concrete floor, and without climate control it'll just rust.