[Kenny Duval]

Hi All:

This forum is huge. I wasn't sure the best place to post this. Hopefully I can get the answers I need here.

I am looking at buying a Southbend SB1001 8K lathe because - based on all my reading here- this is a higher quality lathe for the small Chinese made lathes. My intentions are to Convert it to CNC. I have run into a few issues though.
1). I hear the 8K might be discontinued and parts may be hard to get. Can anyone confirm that?
2). I don't see anyone that has converted this lathe to CNC
3). I can't seem to fin any 8X conversion kits around. Does anyone do this....anywhere.?

If the SB1001 8K is not a good candidate, than does anyone have advice for one that is? I am limited on space, so the 8K is about as large as I can fit.

Thanks.

Mike Norman
G-Force Racing Development
www.mngforce.com

Are you following me around? Guess I'm not the only one working on acquiring new skill sets.

Everyone here treat Mike very nicely. He's a super sharp guy with lots of good ideas and tons of engineering experience.

Mike you'll be unhappy to know the VFR got pretty heavily taco'd at VIR last year. Folded up a perfectly good magnesium rear and generally beat up and broke just about everything else.

So what ya workin on? Something good?

She's not this pretty anymore....

[mngforce]

Are you following me around? Guess I'm not the only one working on acquiring new skill sets.

Everyone here treat Mike very nicely. He's a super sharp guy with lots of good ideas and tons of engineering experience.

Mike you'll be unhappy to know the VFR got pretty heavily taco'd at VIR last year. Folded up a perfectly good magnesium rear and generally beat up and broke just about everything else.

So what ya workin on? Something good?

She's not this pretty anymore....

Wow, hey Kenny! I think it is YOU following ME ;-)

What have I been up to? That all depends on when the last time I talked to you was. I left Kawasaki in 2011 to work for Elrod. Got Laid Off for a year. Then, just took a job as the Quality Manager at Honda Performance Development, the IndyCar Race Engine division of Honda here in California. We design, manufacture, test, develop and race the IRL engine and Le Mans/Daytona Prototype cars out of our facility. I now live 300 miles from the Main G-Force, but am continuing the development of the V-4s from my home in Southern CA. I am also developing something very exciting for the NC chassis.....but that's a secret for now

The machining equipment I am looking for now is to set-up my garage to prototype parts for these projects. I am hoping for the lathe like I described here, as well as a G0704 CNC mill (maybe through Midewest Machine Works).

I am so, so sorry to hear about the Taco'd bike. Let me know if there are any parts I can help you with - including frames. And, thanks for the props to the forum. Definitely appreciated.

Mike Norman
www.mngforce.com

[Kenny Duval]

Wow, hey Kenny! I think it is YOU following ME ;-)

What have I been up to? That all depends on when the last time I talked to you was. I left Kawasaki in 2011 to work for Elrod. Got Laid Off for a year. Then, just took a job as the Quality Manager at Honda Performance Development, the IndyCar Race Engine division of Honda here in California. We design, manufacture, test, develop and race the IRL engine and Le Mans/Daytona Prototype cars out of our facility. I now live 300 miles from the Main G-Force, but am continuing the development of the V-4s from my home in Southern CA. I am also developing something very exciting for the NC chassis.....but that's a secret for now

The machining equipment I am looking for now is to set-up my garage to prototype parts for these projects. I am hoping for the lathe like I described here, as well as a G0704 CNC mill (maybe through Midewest Machine Works).

I am so, so sorry to hear about the Taco'd bike. Let me know if there are any parts I can help you with - including frames. And, thanks for the props to the forum. Definitely appreciated.

Mike Norman
www.mngforce.com

There's a bunch of clever guys running around this site. You'll fit right in.

That's racing. It's mostly repaired I'm just taking my time putting it back together and using it as an excuse to work on learning all I can about the machining.