Finding a lathe person

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BBB
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Finding a lathe person

Post by BBB »

Need to find somewhere that can lathe down a set of caliper spacers, nothing major just removing the shoulder where it meets the fork.

How do I find a machine shop that can do it? Google brings up lots of industrial engineering companies. What do samll scale engineers call themselves?

South Derbyshire /Leicester area
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Count Steer
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by Count Steer »

BBB wrote: Thu Mar 23, 2023 3:50 pm Need to find somewhere that can lathe down a set of caliper spacers, nothing major just removing the shoulder where it meets the fork.

How do I find a machine shop that can do it? Google brings up lots of industrial engineering companies. What do samll scale engineers call themselves?

South Derbyshire /Leicester area
I just googled 'machine shop near xyz' and found one that looks like they do one-offs at a reasonable price. Unfortunately not in your area. You could try local historic bike/car groups...chances are they know people who can make things or make things fit.
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by mangocrazy »

Normally word of mouth is best bet. Failing that, visit the metal-bashing end of town and ask around. Sorry if that seems a bit flip, but it was how I 'discovered' the various trades I needed. Once you've found a lathe man/engineer, ask them for a recommendation for a welder, or a plater or whatever else you need.

The caveat is that I'm based in Sheffield and it's harder to avoid the various metal bashing trades than it is to find them.
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

BBB wrote: Thu Mar 23, 2023 3:50 pm Need to find somewhere that can lathe down a set of caliper spacers, nothing major just removing the shoulder where it meets the fork.

How do I find a machine shop that can do it? Google brings up lots of industrial engineering companies. What do samll scale engineers call themselves?

South Derbyshire /Leicester area
Try Nick Chambers, he's on Facebook
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by ZRX61 »

You're looking for a machinist... with a mill or a lathe. We find these miserable buggers in machine shops.

https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... +leicester
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Re: Finding a lathe person

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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

Anyone who's old-boy-in-a-flatcap enough to do what you want ain't gonna have a website. That's your problem really. So it's word of mouth as ya man says! Or randomly mooch about industrial estates?

Even 'small machine shops' are predominantly CNC now, there's not a huge market for manual stuff.
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by Wossname »

I’m a bit of a lathe person. I just pronounce it differently.
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by demographic »

Wossname wrote: Sat Mar 25, 2023 4:57 pm I’m a bit of a lathe person. I just pronounce it differently.
Mr Turner?
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by Screwdriver »

Post them down to me and I'll do it.
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by BBB »

Screwdriver wrote: Sat Mar 25, 2023 11:42 pm Post them down to me and I'll do it.
Thank you, I'll get measured up and arrange postage.
Probably should start a thread in the projects section. Who is best for image hosting these days?
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by Horse »

Wossname wrote: Sat Mar 25, 2023 4:57 pm I’m a bit of a lathe person. I just pronounce it differently.
Purthon?
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by Screwdriver »

BBB wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 9:59 am
Screwdriver wrote: Sat Mar 25, 2023 11:42 pm Post them down to me and I'll do it.
Thank you, I'll get measured up and arrange postage.
Probably should start a thread in the projects section. Who is best for image hosting these days?
Alrighty. I assume this forum has an "attachment" option.

If you want to post images inline, I use IMGUR. Google photos is also a good one.
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by Wossname »

Horse wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 10:10 am
Wossname wrote: Sat Mar 25, 2023 4:57 pm I’m a bit of a lathe person. I just pronounce it differently.
Purthon?
That thit.
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by cheb »

I use flickr, but only through habit and not because I've looked at other options.
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by PitaNaanRoti »

Kieron Sanger In Leicester.
Or the Machine Shop
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by Mussels »

I use postimages.org. I like it because there are no accounts needed, upload the photo, set the size and it gives a URL.
I wouldn't use it for long term storage but for forums it's good.
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by BBB »

Giving this a try

Image
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by BBB »

If you can see the image it's the shoulder I need machining off to sit flush against the brake mount.
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Re: Finding a lathe person

Post by Screwdriver »

I can't really see what the part looks like from the picture. I assume it is something like this:

Image

...and you want the little stepped section to be machined off flush.

I guess it is intended to fit into a pocket on the fork leg which your machine doesn't have. Does the caliper have a similar stepped shoulder section which fits into the spacer? You should probably double check the spacer isn't upside down too just in case.

I can knock that little collar off yes. If it is to become flush, you won't need to measure it, just make sure the bolt doesn't bottom out when the spacer is relieved. If it does, send those too and I can turn off the same amount of length.

The inset and the stepped shoulder are to ensure alignment of the caliper to the mounting bracket. Without it, there could be a tiny amount of play equivalent to the clearance of the bolt to the caliper mounting hole. If that becomes an issue, that's on you. :thumbup:

If there is runout in the disk(s), the spacer is designed to hold the caliper firmly in place. Without that fitting, all that stops the caliper from moving to follow runout is the bolt tension against the fork mounting face.
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