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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Nerang Queensland
    Age
    66
    Posts
    1,304

    Default My New Steelmaster SM-0920A

    My father was a fitter and turner before becoming an engineer and I have often used his lathe down in Melb . A beautiful lathe with a mill set-up as well and every accessory you could think of .

    Unfortunately he left it to my nephew as he was doing a fitting and turning apprentership back then. But since dad passed that nephew changed to a plumbing apprentership . It is still at the family home in Melbourne, so I asked my mother if she would mind me making an offer to buy it off him, but she said no and to leave it there so others could use it . I would need a new shed if I did bring it up here anyway

    Anyway to cut a long story short, I often need a metal lathe, and either wait until I am in Melbourne or call in on John (Gawdelpus) and use his (or get him to make it for me ). I was sick of that so I bit the bullet last week and ordered a new Steelmaster SM-0920A. A relatively small lathe for my already extremely crowded workshop, but should do everything I intend making (for now anyway ).

    I got it from Asset Plant & Machinery P/L in Melbourne with a quick change tool post (not installed yet). Both these items were advertised on the Machines4U web site in error, now fixed, but saving me even with delivery ~$400 to the QLD supplier

    I also bought a mobile set of ballbearing drawers from Supercheap Auto as they were having a 20% off sale to put it on. A bit high for the lathe, but the chuck is still below my shoulders, so will be Ok for me.

    Photos show the new lathe, the lathe on the stand, and a quick peak at what is now an island of machinery in the middle of my shed. All on rollers that can be moved as necessary, but gone are the days of making furniture inside the shed, the 3 lathes I now have take up too much room. I've already ordered a BBQ cover for the metal lathe, to protect it from the flying wood chips when I use the other lathes .

    Cheers
    Neil
    ____________________________________________
    Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Bendigo Victoria
    Age
    80
    Posts
    7,471

    Default

    Nice score Neil, how high is that cupboard it sits on?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    South East Queensland, Australia
    Posts
    355

    Default

    Looking good, good idea with the BBQ cover to keep that nasty nasty wood dust and shavings off of the new girl on the block

    I have a Hare and Forbes 9 x 20 but the one without the quick change gearbox. Mine was quite good straight out of the box but with a little tweaking it's quite a capable lathe. I have done some extra mods but they are only icing on the cake. Have had it for several years now and it's going strong and I use it quite a lot. I have bigger lathes but you can't beat a small lathe for the smaller work; it has though seen some items at the top end of it's size capabilities.

    Good luck with it all and enjoy.

    For me chuck at shoulder height would be a bit too much, easily remedied by having a 3 or 4 inch "duck" board to stand on. When not using the lathe the board could be stood up out the way.

    Cheers.

    If I'm not right, then I'm wrong, I'll just go bend some more bananas.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    gold coast
    Posts
    46

    Default

    A nice machine at the right price ,having had some involvement in this with Neil, my only concern apart from not being able to fit the "U_Beaut" quick change tool holder ,is there seems no way to reverse the lead screw direction so left hand thread cutting is out ,probably for most folk this is not a problem but even my little toy C3 has the directional leadscrew change . All in all a handy addition to any workshop where ideas need developing and being able to knock up bits and pieces as required is a bonus . Cheers ~ John
    G'day all !Enjoy your stay !!!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Ipswich QLD
    Age
    68
    Posts
    1,996

    Default

    Neil nice set up maybe you and artme should have gone together got better reduced price.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Bendigo Victoria
    Age
    80
    Posts
    7,471

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gawdelpus View Post
    ...there seems no way to reverse the lead screw direction so left hand thread cutting is out ... ~ John
    There is a mod for that

    Steve Bedair's 9x20 Lathe Site

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Nerang Queensland
    Age
    66
    Posts
    1,304

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Big Shed View Post
    Nice score Neil, how high is that cupboard it sits on?
    The unit is 859mm plus wheels, but I have also put some ply under the lathe, so centre of chuck is ~1250 I think (chest height for me). Definitely too high for normal set-up, but fine for what I'll be doing.
    Neil
    ____________________________________________
    Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Nerang Queensland
    Age
    66
    Posts
    1,304

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wheelinround View Post
    Neil nice set up maybe you and artme should have gone together got better reduced price.
    Artme maybe, but not me, the seller's mistake cost him dearly and saved me a bundle . The QLD supplier couldn't even come close.
    Neil
    ____________________________________________
    Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    gold coast
    Posts
    46

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Big Shed View Post
    There is a mod for that

    Steve Bedair's 9x20 Lathe Site
    Definately a project for Neil to sink his teeth into lol. Good stuff !
    G'day all !Enjoy your stay !!!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Ho Chi Minh City
    Posts
    5

    Default

    I've got the H&F version. so far been ok. Mine sits in on a bench thrown together with cheap construction timber and ply - integrated with some shelving, got the grinder on the same bench to encourage tool sharpening rather than pushing on when it's getting worn.

    Don't use the lathe a lot but great to have it there when needed.

    The lathe did/does need a lot of fiddling to get it just right. I've still got a few things to do (sorting out some of the pulley alignments, tightening up the overload clutch on the low (thread cutting) speed so it doesn't grind to a halt whenever a slightly heavier cut is made etc............) Have recently run into an issue with tightness in the gearbox - not investigated yet.

    The 4 bolt compound clamp mod is good and can be done fairly simply on the lathe.

    You can find a good manual on the web

    Bought carbide tooling initially but have not even worn out the original inserts - with the low power and speed much better off with HSS ground with plenty of rake. You'll never be doing production work on this lathe so regrinding and resetting tools is not a problem. have a set of tool holders for 1/8 and 5/16 tool steel however mostly use 10mm tool steel now - 1st grind to set up takes a while but resharpening is easy. Also real cheap here - $5 for a 200mm length so I can have all sorts ground up. A quick change tool post would be nice........ but again only a few minutes to set up each tool in the std tool post.

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