Sherline was - Re: Magnifier primary

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>

Hi Terry,

The DRO is wonderful!!  Worth many times the price!  A simple thing but a 
ton of thought went into it.  I used to tape on cheap machine scales, but 
the "real" DRO is excellent!  I could not make it for less money...

I hate to say it here since we don't want everyone on the list bidding 
against each other, but Sherline is selling cosmetic defect but otherwise 
brand new and garanteed machines on E-bay for about 1/2 price.  They take 
all the cosmetic defect parts and make perfectly working but "cosmetic off" 
machines out of them and sell them to the highest bidder.

http://cgi.ebay-dot-com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2524668685

Kim is the sales agent at Sherline.  Unfortunately, they can get bided up 
to like $0.03 under the cost of normal new machines :-p  Good used Sherline 
stuff does not go cheap either...  Ebay has many parts, but I have seen 
some really torn up stuff there too, so beware...

Also, note that there are places that buy Sherline tools in quantity and 
sell them on the net for like 10-20% discount.  Good to shop around for 
prices there especially if you need something expensive.  Little odds and 
ends I just get direct, but if your talking hundreds of dollars, you can 
save worthwhile cash big time.  Yahoo groups has a big group on Sherline 
stuff too.  There is also a big CNC following too, but my stuff is all one 
of a kind so I have no need to make quantities of anything or mess with 
fancy computer controlled stuff...

Sherline is made for "small stuff" but that is all I really do that has to 
be milled to precision.  But it can do pretty big stuff to if you are 
cleaver ;-))  It's light frame may require three passes where a Bridgeport 
requires one.  But a big machine won't fit on my desk and store on the 
shelf ;-)  Sherline also makes metal lathes out of all the same parts so 
you can get real creative in using the lathes parts on the mill.  I got the 
lathe chuck and I just stick it on the mill head and hold the cutting tools 
in the vice.  It works really well for a "quick" lathe!!

I can highly recommend Sherline stuff as high quality and really does work 
very well.  Joe Martin owns the place and he is a big time hobbyist type 
that "knows what we need" kind of guy.   The sales literature will tell you 
that about 10,000 times, but it really is true ;-))  The only complaint is 
that the stuff is pricey...  But just look at Parrazi machines ($2500) to 
cure you of that!  I have now realized that I am the type that spends 
thousands of bucks on hobbies anyway...

Last year with Tesla coils and my little battle robot stuff, I decided I 
needed to be able to precision mill things.  I looked all around and got 
the Sherline stuff and I am totally happy with it.  I don't work for them 
and I don't get a kick back either ;-))  It is very very fun too!!

Before you ask...  I have asked many people about the "Harbor Freight 
class" Chinese made milling machines that go for $500 that do about the 
same thing.  They are bigger and heavier but no one that has used them 
seems very happy with them.  Screws falling out, impossible to adjust 
gibes, 65.2 mil per turn wheels (extra credit if you figure out how they do 
that ;-)) things never really flat and straight...  I keep thinking I will 
get one to use just as a fancy drill press, but I keep getting scarred 
off...  I know that many people love Harbor Freight stuff, but twist drill 
bits that "un-twist"*.......  too goofy for me ;-))

Cheers,

         Terry

*I assume they are some kind of "joke" thing...



At 03:13 PM 4/21/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>Very nice equipment.  I'll check my VISA card for unallocated space.
>
>Do you find the digital readout worth the extra cash?
>
>Terry Blake
>Chicago.
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>Sent: Monday, April 21, 2003 2:27 PM
>Subject: Re: Magnifier primary
>
>
>
> > Yes I used the little Sherline for this:
> >
> > http://hot-streamer-dot-com/sherline/MeanLooking.jpg
> > http://hot-streamer-dot-com/sherline/
> > www.sherline-dot-com
> >
> > >Can you tell us more about it?  Model #.  Options.  Bits.
> >
> > Model# 5400
> > Options -  All of them :o))  But I do have a big 4 inch "real" mill vice,
> > turntable, and DRO (Digital Read Out) now.
> > http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/NewMag/0413-11.jpg
> >