Heavy machine tools, workshop floor insulation and, thermal bridging?

[Jelly]

Also, I can't wait to see pics of this! An FP3 and a Mascot sized lathe? I'm in!

I'm working on a DSG 17T or an equivalent Lang... It's moving them down the access road which is an issue which could be insurmountable, the Lang would be easier at only 2 tonnes.

Surface grinder is a Jones and Shipman my friend has been threatening to replace the bearings in for 3 years.

I don't have any candidates in mind for the mill. I would like an FP2 or 3 (I'd really like an ElgaMill, but even the smallest ones are too tall) but given I'd likely have to import form Holland or Germany would settle for a big British horizontal with a universal head attachment, or maybe one of the XYZ's which is effectively a scaled up Bridgeport clone.

Be 3 years before I get them all in I reckon.

 

[TFrench]

How about a Huron? that would be in between an elga and a deckel. Still a monster chunk though! I collected some bits from an old boy a few months ago and he had a full toolroom in his garage, including an SIP jig borer, so anything is possible!

 

[Jelly]

How about a Huron? that would be in between an elga and a deckel. Still a monster chunk though!

There's an OK looking Huron at one of the dealers in sheffield actually, tatty but still working well, you're right that it would cover most of what I'd want out of a small ElgaMill but at a fraction of the total size/weight.

I collected some bits from an old boy a few months ago and he had a full toolroom in his garage, including an SIP jig borer, so anything is possible!

I was inspired to go "pipper it, I'm going to have a full size workshop in here and have done" after visiting a friend who built a 3-axis CNC gantry mill from several lathe beds of various sizes for the slideways, a bunch of machined saddles to connect them and the table and head of a old universal milling machine, does about 1000mm*1500mm*900mm with a 4kw spindle and dual 1kw servos to power each axis...

It's terrifyingly powerful and looks remarkably neat considering it's a heath-robinson assemblage of rescued bits of scrap machines and inexpensive chinese automation equipment.