I am so excited I am like a 5-year-old kid at Christmas

[thehomeengineer]

Hi All
I have to share this with some like mined people, who I hope will understand. (Yes you). I am so excited I am like a 5-year-old kid at Christmas.
(yes that excited). Tomorrow I am getting my new toy for my lathe. An Ainjest rapid threading unit, for my Colchester student 1800. These are the bee’s knees. It is my 50th birthday in February and my lovely partner has put a very large sum towards it for me. I do love the old girl (and of course my partner too x). Well thank you for taking the time to read and hope you can understand my excitement. (I know what some of you are thinking he’s a lucky boy or what a sad case LOL)
The Home Engineer

[Jon]

[thehomeengineer]

Hi Jon
Love the video but I am sorry to say the young lad is tame compared to my reaction today, when we picked up the Ainjest lol. It looks new so pleased with it. Unfortunately I have come down with bit of a bump. The problem I now have the lovely lady in my life said "I can't have it until my birthday" which is another 8 days away. Plus there is photo embargo until then!!! So it’s not the ten days of Christmas it the 8 Days too my birthday.

She has also said that until my birthday it is hers and apparently until then she will be using it. When I asked her what she is using it for she said "secret stuff"
and some lathing. I said "what is lathing" apparantly "that is top secret stuff!", Next thing we will have "The Mrs Home Engineer" posting top secret posts no one will understand. Will keep you posted on the eventual arrival and instalation of the Ainjest.

The Home Engineer

[Frank S]

Back when I used to have a little 16 by 40 Victor tool room lathe I didn't worry when the wife ran it occasionally. The controls had a good fit for her. an adjustable carriage kick out and a foot brake. But my much larger LeBlonds don't have such a nice control fit even in a smaller way for me as well Ask Toolmaker 51 about controls fit

[thehomeengineer]

Ask Toolmaker 51 about controls fit

OK got my interest lol

[Toolmaker51]

Quote Originally Posted by Frank S View Post Ask Toolmaker 51 about controls fit

OK got my interest lol

Where I work is a good example of that irksome condition; poor ergonomics found on machine tools. I'll add some pix. The text will have an elitist tone; many HMTer's are completely happy with like machine tools. The IM[Not So]HO's are based on experience; in-on-and around a tremendous variety of machine tool brands, especially lathes. I feel capable running machines in general, with 45 years in shops. Until imports arrived, was little or no need 'tuning' machines, or re-learning comfortable 'posture' to run them. Lathes are peculiar, a lot of interaction with controls occurs generating parts, compared to other machines.
When little ol' 5'7'' @ 160 lb me's at ease in front of a 48'' Monarch horizontal lathe, 12 foot vertical Niles, #6 Cincinnati's, and 40 foot planers; yet busts knuckles on a 12 inch Jet, something's amiss. I will say, time spent on a Victor 16'' wasn't too bad, just didn't like it's odd RPM ranges. It had the kick-out cams, foot brake, etc Frank S mentions. It was sort of a mixed format of Toolroom and Production style engine lathe.

That description will post here, later. C'mon its almost 1AM, or 0100 Central Time.

[Frank S]

I'll give you a brief but TM51 can explain it much more eloquently to me controls fit of a machine is the ease and comfort as well as placement of the controls are relative to the user's size, reach, strength, and experience. Some machines have duel or even multiple functions in the form of handles, buttons, and hand wheels located on a single axis or 1 will have to be turned this way or that allowing it to become an un-related function this makes for a bad fit for users. Some controls are located in obscure locations relative to their intended use Small hand wheels located too close to larger ones levers hidden behind a large handwheel these make for a bad fit even for seasoned users.
This is why I mentioned the Victor had a better fit for my wife than any of my Le Blond lathes have. Plus the old Le Blonds do not have carriage kick outs or foot brakes for these reasons I would not feel comfortable allowing her to even monitor the lathes while I did something else

[Frank S]

My Victor didn't have the Ainjest but the half nut would open at a preset stop located on the 3rd shaft below the carriage the 4th shaft was the power lever & reversing switch. 2 levers were mounted on the shaft 1 at the power head the other traveled on the carriage

[thehomeengineer]

On the seventh day, before my 50th my true love said to me “ That Ainjest still belongs to me”

[thehomeengineer]

Do you still have the lathe, if so I would be interested in seeing some photos please? Not sure if I have ever seen that sort of set up before. (I don't mean your wife working the lathe either lol).
Thank you for taking the time to post your replys
The Home Engineer