Mini Lathe for Small Parts?
- Thread starter Rob_in_NC
- Start date
If I were buying new today I would probably go with precision mathew's, I think they all need a little tweaking to get them the way you want it.
I found a deal on mine years ago with some with tooling and material, granite plate. It's the G0752
10X22. variable speed with 1.0" spindle bore. Since then I've added a lot of tooling, which is where you'll spend a lot of money.
I've done a lot of upgrades to it since I got it, but now it's the way I want it and it's a solid machine.
It will cut steel, stainless steel, brass, bronze, aluminum, delrin no problem. Parting off is the weakness on these small lathes, I made a solid tool post which helps. You can also run the part off tool upside down, spindle in reverse at slow speed to help with parting off. Also some grooving operations.
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Just when you thought airguns were expensive. Now we’re talking machinist tooling. I’ve been running a 9 x 20 chinesium rebranded HF for the last couple years. It’s not perfect , has about .030” runout on the last three inches of travel as the ways are worn and I don’t have the patience to fix it. The thing about tools is ……. Any tool can be the right tool with the right person behind the controls. Learn its faults and work your way around it. Buy the one you can afford and don’t forget the tooling is what is gonna cost you. A quick change tool post and a good set of holders and carbides will set you back about 1000$
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Looked at the Precision Matthews, but as mentioned earlier, space is a huge issue for me. Even the SB 9, I'm looking to have to put it in the garage and even then, I'll have to get rid of something. Very interesting about turning the tool upside down and running in reverse though... !
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I found that out with the HF lathe, after the QCTP and other associated gear, I was already in as much as the lathe itself...haha.
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Inverting the part off tool can help evacuate chips and works to a certain degree, however I would not advise doing so in most instances. Instead of your cutting forces being vectored through the tool post, carriage and into the bed, the force is now trying to lift the tool, post and carriage. If the cutting force remains smaller than the weight of the carriage, all is well. If a chip were to bind, your groove pinches in on the parting blade, or any number of conditions that can occur, the failure can be pretty catastrophic.
While I don’t have a specific recommendation in your size range, I suggest buying the largest through bore you can find, ensuring the gearbox will accommodate your thread pitch needs, and paying attention to the size, weight, and travel specifications of the tail stock. Lots of slack can be adjusted out of a loose machine, or you can strategically add weight to a light machine, but my three areas of note are very difficult to change or remedy “after the fact”.
While I don’t have a specific recommendation in your size range, I suggest buying the largest through bore you can find, ensuring the gearbox will accommodate your thread pitch needs, and paying attention to the size, weight, and travel specifications of the tail stock. Lots of slack can be adjusted out of a loose machine, or you can strategically add weight to a light machine, but my three areas of note are very difficult to change or remedy “after the fact”.
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I dont know either way about inverting, as the other post was the first I'd heard of it, but your explanation makes sense to me.
I read a lot about thread pitch needs.... and in the 10 years I've had my HF lathe, I never attempted threads. I mostly just modify parts to suit a specific need. The through bore, I've dealt with limitations with that before, but even the HF lathe is big enough for a typical barrel to pass through.
I've been going back and forth for a couple years on this, just havent found something to pull the trigger on quite yet.
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I have the best of both worlds....i can use this lath anytime I want, and it's not in my house!!
I'm a retiring tool maker who can't seem to retire.....so i have full use of a tool & die shop.
Collet lathes are the way to go. We have all the chucks, but....
carry on...
I'm a retiring tool maker who can't seem to retire.....so i have full use of a tool & die shop.
Collet lathes are the way to go. We have all the chucks, but....
carry on...
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This guy has some good info on improving a Harbor Freight lathe, Rob. You might want to check his page out. There's a lot of good other stuff, too.
Cheers,
J~
Cheers,
J~
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Have seen his stuff! I'm trying to convince myself that an 'ok' lathe will be just fine. I kinda liken this to when a new airgunner comes on and states that he wants to shoot tin cans in his 20 yard backyard range and folks start recommending a RAW or FX. Just not what he needs... I could have the lathe pictured above your post and it would never be used to its potential in my hands. I've been happy with my HF lathe until it started being REALLY rickety and I've had it for 10 years.
I'm starting to think that a 'marginally decent' 8-16 with some TLC by me will serve me well for what I intend to do with it.
Not that I wouldnt love to have a nice big lathe, but as I've mentioned before... just no room.
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I'm still hoping to find room and a good deal on Craigslist.. but chances are getting slim.
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As soon as they pop up they're gone, been looking for a decent milling machine for years..lol.
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I think the one I posted earlier in this thread would have qualified if I had the room. Still, I'm just not certain that I would use it to its capacity. I think I'm more along the lines of this guy....
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Speaking of milling, I also got a cheapie HF mini mill when I got the lathe about 10 years ago and I still use it. I use it much more than the lathe. Nice for cutting out guards for knives/swords and for precise-ish drilling operations.
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