Difference between revisions of "Equipment/Lathe"
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=== Concrete suggestions === | === Concrete suggestions === | ||
| − | + | The following small lathes have the features: | |
http://www.chestermachinetools.com/products/detail/2 -- 332.50 ex. vat | http://www.chestermachinetools.com/products/detail/2 -- 332.50 ex. vat | ||
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http://www.chestermachinetools.com/products/detail/3 -- 415.83 ex. vat | http://www.chestermachinetools.com/products/detail/3 -- 415.83 ex. vat | ||
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| + | Joe says that these are rather small and he knows, from experience, that they are easy to knock out of alignment. He recommends a bigger machine for beginners: | ||
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| + | http://www.warco.co.uk/metal-lathes-metalworking-lathe-machine/19-wm280v-f-variable-speed-lathe.html | ||
Revision as of 18:49, 5 January 2013
This page will serve as a proposal to buy a lathe and the peripheral tools that support it.
Contents
Lathes
We could buy used or new...
Large used lathes sell for cheap. They have the capacity to work large pieces, and they may be of very high quality for the price. Transporting them is difficult: they can weigh (literally) a ton. Getting spares when they arrive incomplete, they break, or we want accessories could be very difficult. Making a decision as a group about what to buy could be very difficult -- the used market is a moving target.
New lathes cost a lot, but there are entry level lathes of reasonable quality that would get us started. The downsides are a more limited capacity, and a less rigid machine. The small machines coming out of China dominate the small-lathe market, and buying one of these would make it easy to get spares and accessories from multiple sources. There is also an online community of hobbyists using them that we could draw upon. Chester, Machine-Mart, Axminster, and Arc Euro Trade all re-brand and sell very similar Chinese lathes.
Desirable Features
Thread cutting
Variable speed
Quick change tool post
Concrete suggestions
The following small lathes have the features:
http://www.chestermachinetools.com/products/detail/2 -- 332.50 ex. vat
http://www.chestermachinetools.com/products/detail/3 -- 415.83 ex. vat
Joe says that these are rather small and he knows, from experience, that they are easy to knock out of alignment. He recommends a bigger machine for beginners:
http://www.warco.co.uk/metal-lathes-metalworking-lathe-machine/19-wm280v-f-variable-speed-lathe.html
Peripheral tools and accessories
Running the lathe will require many accessories, there is a suggested list here:
http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe/Accessories/accessories.htm
List desired accessories below:
Bench grinder
HSS tool blanks
Tailstock chuck
Vertical slide attachment (enables limited milling operations)
Vernier Calipers
