Something Different....A Stealthier RM2

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darkzero

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My buddy did not like the RM2 so I set him up with something else & I now own a RM2. To my surprise the chrome finish got pretty beat up in only a few weeks. I wonder what it has been through....


Here's how I got it back.

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I machined the plating & all the dings off, then made the cap concentric with the body. I was going for an antiqued look & totally overshot that! Here's how it looks now.

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I doubt the finish will last that long but we'll see. This is the first time I have ever blackend brass. This will be used on my VVG which doesn't leave the house so hopefully it'll last longer than I expect.

When I built it for him the air hole lined up perfectly in between the posts. Now it's way off & it really bothered me so I added an oring & machined a groove in the cap for the oring. No visible oring & now I can adjust to how I like/need it.

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Statistic

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DZ I went to a local Harbor Freight store recently, for the first time ever. It was quite an experience. I got my 1 - 60 set of wire gauge bits I was after, not bad. While I was there I saw a 7" x 11" lathe for around $500 and thought to myself "If only ..................... ... ..... this place sold tools that were actually worth more than their scrap metal value" lol.

That RM2 looks great, man. I love the idea of making some space to accommodate an o-ring under the bottom edge of the cap, good one :)
 

darkzero

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DZ I went to a local Harbor Freight store recently, for the first time ever. It was quite an experience. I got my 1 - 60 set of wire gauge bits I was after, not bad. While I was there I saw a 7" x 11" lathe for around $500 and thought to myself "If only ..................... ... ..... this place sold tools that were actually worth more than their scrap metal value" lol.

That RM2 looks great, man. I love the idea of making some space to accommodate an o-ring under the bottom edge of the cap, good one :)

The wire guage drills definitely come in handy, so do letter drills too if you like (er, need) to drill a lot of things. I have a couple of sets from HF. To my surprise their cobalt wire, letter, fract set is not too bad considering the price with 20% off. I also have the set you got too. Just be sure to check the bit for excessive run out before actually using it if the hole you're drill requires any level of precision, some of them wobble pretty bad for my needs. Cheap to get individual replacements though.

You'd be surprised, that HF 7x12 can be a pretty decent lathe. They used to be way cheaper though. Pretty much all the 7x10/12 lathes from different vendors are made in the same Sieg factory including the HF one. Some just have better quality & include more. They're great starter lathes.

My very first lathe was from HF, an 8x14 (HF calls it 8x12, same lathe from Lathemasters). After replacing various hardware & some mods it was a great lathe. Only took me 8 months to outgrow it though but it was great to get me into machining. For $360 OTD I couldn't pass it up, they now sell that same lathe for $999! I miss it but it's not gone, I gave it to my lil brother. Maybe I'll bring back home one day & CNC it for the heck of it. :D
 

darkzero

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The 8x14 that I had HF does not carry in stores. Only the 7x10 & 4x6 are displayed in stores. The 4x6 is not worth buying at all. The 7x10 is the same lathe as the 7x12 just wigh a shorter bed. The bed can be replaced for the longer if one really wanted to. There are lots of accessories, upgrades, & mods available for the 7x lathes. If you ever want to get one you'll definitely have fun with it. It's easier to use than the 8x14. Size is everyghing with lathes, they always say to buy the biggest you can afford or have room for. Check your local Craigslist you might be able to come across one with tooling. You'll spend way more on tooling than what the lathe cost. :)
 
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