Martin Shaw
Western Thunderer
Steve
The backplate comes pre machined and drilled and in theory should be a bolt together exercise. There are really two problems, the recess in the backplate for the spindle register is v slightly oversize, maybe 0.1mm cos it's difficult for me to measure it more accurately which has a bearing, and the unsymmetric drilling for chuck mounting. I've to a large extent solved the second problem, the first remains. Ideally you are wholly correct that backplates should be machined in situ, howver the state of the machine would have precluded this until recently. I purchased the machine to make model things with, thus far I have been far too intimately involved with fixing the poor assembly of all the bits, which individually are actually made quite well. I do now know a lot about the innards of Sieg lathes.
I had a long conversation with Arc this afternoon about the state of play, they readily admit that assembly of the components of a lathe/mill is too variable but that changing that and keeping the machines affordable is probably a non starter. I said I would check the runout of the 4" chuck assembly and depending on that outcome they would happily supply an unmachined and undrilled backplate gratis, so good customer service. The other problem is that a lot of their sales are to persons who have limited or no knowledge and experience and as such are unable to undertake the sort of work I found necessary, not that I claim to be anything other than a beginner with a modicum of common sense. Hopefully I can get back to modelling in the not to distant future. BTW the little Decauville is sweet.
Regards
Martin
The backplate comes pre machined and drilled and in theory should be a bolt together exercise. There are really two problems, the recess in the backplate for the spindle register is v slightly oversize, maybe 0.1mm cos it's difficult for me to measure it more accurately which has a bearing, and the unsymmetric drilling for chuck mounting. I've to a large extent solved the second problem, the first remains. Ideally you are wholly correct that backplates should be machined in situ, howver the state of the machine would have precluded this until recently. I purchased the machine to make model things with, thus far I have been far too intimately involved with fixing the poor assembly of all the bits, which individually are actually made quite well. I do now know a lot about the innards of Sieg lathes.
I had a long conversation with Arc this afternoon about the state of play, they readily admit that assembly of the components of a lathe/mill is too variable but that changing that and keeping the machines affordable is probably a non starter. I said I would check the runout of the 4" chuck assembly and depending on that outcome they would happily supply an unmachined and undrilled backplate gratis, so good customer service. The other problem is that a lot of their sales are to persons who have limited or no knowledge and experience and as such are unable to undertake the sort of work I found necessary, not that I claim to be anything other than a beginner with a modicum of common sense. Hopefully I can get back to modelling in the not to distant future. BTW the little Decauville is sweet.
Regards
Martin