From: muratlanne@gmail.com   
      
   "Richard Smith"  wrote in message news:m17c84kath.fsf@void.com...   
      
   Thanks for the hints about the 3-in-1 sheet metalworking machine.   
   Something of that size might be doable in my outbuilding if projects   
   were to go that way.   
      
   ---------------------------------   
      
   I use sheet metal tools to fabricate electronic enclosures, they aren't much   
   use for building machinery except for cover and control panels, which can be   
   flat, and if aluminium cut on a table saw.   
      
   The valuable equipment is a lathe for power transmission components and a   
   vertical mill for the static structure, plus a horizontal bandsaw to cut   
   stock. The lathe and mill need to be stationary, the bandsaw can be wheeled   
   to move to where you have room for long stock.   
      
   They don't actually divide that neatly, I use assorted 5C collet tooling to   
   move work between the lathe and mill, and British model engineers have a   
   tradition of making steam locomotives etc entirely on a lathe.   
      
   A knee mill is generally considered preferable to a mill-drill if you have   
   the space and funds. In the USA a Bridgeport or clone is the small shop   
   standard though I've built a sawmill, firewood splitter and tractor bucket   
   loader on a knee mill half their size. The small scale mining equipment   
   you've mentioned might be possible if difficult to make or recondition on   
   machine tools the sizes of mine.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)