Hello Fellow Modelers,
my hk 6 in 1 machine tool was in the post today.
On opening the box it looked more like a clone of the Unimat classic machine, though not as sturdy, and more like a toy than a hobbyist's machine.
But then considering the price of the hk 6 in 1 machine tool, its not bad, ideal for novice machinists.

As for me I will indeed assemble this machine and use it for turning/milling wood, while for all my hobby metal work will still be faithful to my good old Hero 7" X 16" table top mini lathe and my Feinbau vertical mini mill. Both in their early 50's

Regards
Nilanjan

Congratulations, Nilanjan. I'm sure you will find a lot of use for it

I started assembling the HK 6 in 1 machine tool since late last evening.
The choice of material and its quality used in this machine tool is not at all suitable for use in a hobbyist's machine. Especially the vice and slides they are plastic, while the lathe bed is from extruded aluminum.

I visited the website of Cool Tool, they market the Austrian made Unimat Classic, the assembly manual of the HK 6 in 1 like the machine itself is an exact copy of the Unimat Classic.

http://www.thecooltool.com/produktgruppe.php?language=d&pg_id=1

Although it does not mention anywhere in the HK 6 in 1's assembly manual, yet it is advisory, as I learnt from experience, that a jewelers flat & half round files come handy in de-burring the cast metal connecting pieces during assembly.

Most of the connecting pieces that hold the slides, motor, vices, tail stock etc to the slotted aluminum bed & posts have mould release marks and have to be de-burred in order to seat themselves in the slots.

While assembling the tailstock, I found the 3.5mm collet which needs to be inserted through the collet retaining nut, to be about 8.25mm o/d, oversized than the collet nut which had an i/d of 8.0mm.

The best cure for this was to fix the collet retaining nut on my Hero mini lathe chuck and using a reamer increase the collet retaining nut i/d to about 8.3mm.

Finally I have the lathe ready for testing, though the manufacturers claim this machine to be able to turn non-ferrous soft metals & alloys yet I am very skeptical about its capabilities as a hobbyist's metal working lathe/mill! So will limit it to wood working.

I plan to do certain modifications with the HK 6 in 1 machine tool:
1. replace the motor with a 5000 rpm 2kg torque 24v dc carbon brush pm motor that I have.
2 build a pwm speed controller & reverser
3. use a 24v 5A transformer based power supply instead of the 12v 1A switching power supply that came with the tool

Seems like the machine is in the right hands at last!

Pline, where can I get a cheap slide calliper?

Sir,
if u were in Calcutta I would say "Thonthoney" market off College street, that's where most of the small tools for my model making factory comes from.
regards
nilanjan