Small metal Lathes / IE 350 to 50W machines

[dudz]

The more I play about with my CNC, the more I find I need a lathe to mill round or square solid bar for small projects.

My question is, when you buy a mini lathe such as the "Metal Worker Super C3 Mini-Lathe " or simular, do you get everything you need to ; as an example = milling down a 40mmx100mm round solid bar of mild steel to 35mmx100mm, then cutting a round pocket in the center at one end ?

Or are there hundreds of pounds to be spent for bigger jaws and different cutters etc before you can start to do such things ?

I have never owned one, so I do not have any exp with this.

[dudz]

Title is supposed to read 350 to 500W !!

[mekanik]

Hi dudz
Just had a quick look @ that and you appear to get a 3 Jaw Chuck as standard, for turning(not milling) square stock you will require the optional extra of the 80mm 4 Jaw Chuck which should possibly be able to grip 75mm stock, then you will need cutting tools to put in the toolpost

[dudz]

Hi dudz
Just had a quick look @ that and you appear to get a 3 Jaw Chuck as standard, for turning(not milling) square stock you will require the optional extra of the 80mm 4 Jaw Chuck which should possibly be able to grip 75mm stock, then you will need cutting tools to put in the toolpost

Ah Ok thanks...

What cutting tools would I need to take material from the outside and/or inside of the stock ?

[mekanik]

You taking the Pi** M8

[dudz]

Uuuhh No. I simply do not have any idea !

I know there are different cutting tools, but I have absolutely no idea other than that.
If I was Taking the P**** I would come round your house and do it.

[JAZZCNC]

You taking the Pi** M8

Nothing wrong with that question.??

DudZ for inside turning you need a Boring bar and for general outside or face turning then you just need standard tooling which comes in few forms.
Have a look on this page and you'll see sets cheap enough to get you going,Lathe Tools - Arc Euro Trade
When you get more into it you'll probably buy a few of the indexable tools. Look for indexable tooling and you'll see different forms and cutting angle's etc.

[irving2008]

You taking the Pi** M8

Strange as it may seem, there are many people who may have extensive experience of CNC Routers, 3D printers, etc. who have never seen, let alone used a lathe (or for that matter a proper milling machine). So its a perfectly reasonable question. Working with round, rather than flat, stock is a whole new ball game even tho many skills are transferable.


@dudz. Have a look at the videos at MIT TechTV – Videos
specifically the two titled Machine Shop 8 and 9. Bit dated, old big machines and American, but still a useful intro to the skills...

[bikepete]

...an example = milling down a 40mmx100mm round solid bar of mild steel to 35mmx100mm, then cutting a round pocket in the center at one end ?

If this is a typical size job then IMO and if you have room you would be better off with something bigger than a C3. Just looked on Arc Euro and it only weighs 40 kg.

The job is within its size spec (I think - swing over cross-slide is not given) so you should be able to do it via loads of small cuts but the speed and sheer pleasure of doing the same job on say 400kg of secondhand proper industrial lathe is in a different league.

Something like a secondhand Boxford should cost much the same money and be a gazillion times stronger and more rigid. Loads on ebay, Gumtree, etc., choose one with all the tooling. May be a bit worn but for me, I'd live with that rather than try turning big lumps of steel on a wet noodle of a 40 kg machine. Info at e.g.

Boxford Lathes

IMO of course but the extra power and weight of a 'proper' lathe (and there are plenty of others apart from Boxford) is well worth the effort to get one moved...

Personally I'd get a three phase machine and power it on an inverter (smoother, gives you variable speed) but there are plenty of single phase motor Boxfords around if this isn't something you don't fancy tackling straight away.

If you've no space not an option perhaps but worth considering IMO.

Oh and interrupted cuts on square stock will show up the difference even more - don't think taking 40mm square steel to round on a C3 would be much fun (but would admit I've never owned one - but I did have a Myford for a while and that was bad enough - get heavier than that too for 40mm steel!)

[dudz]

If you've no space not an option perhaps but worth considering

I have bags of space, just built myself a huge workshop just deep pockets and short arms. I will keep looking for bigger used machines.