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Thread: Home Made Lathe

  1. #1
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    Default Home Made Lathe

    Hey Guys, Do any of you see problems with this kind of home made lathe? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWCuqe6He_0

    Looks like it could be made for a couple hundred bucks from a old drill press, What do u guys think? I have wanted a lathe for a long time now

  2. #2
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    The way rod retaining nuts were loose and his parting tool did not look square to the axis.

    The chuck is pretty limiting in diam.

    What about this one:

    Clipboard01.jpg

    $240 delivered from China. Can handle 45mm diam and has a tailstock. DIY Tool CNC Metal Motorized Mini Lathe Machine 20000rev/min | eBay

    It may not be as rigid, but take a look to get an idea of what is available. I would not recommend this one myself, but it is cheap. I know where you are coming from. It took me about 25 years to get my first lathe.

    Do an EBay search on mini lathe and you will find some far better for under $1000.

    Dean

  3. #3
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    Thanks, Seen one on YouTube turning aluminium but it was the good branded model Unimat 1

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    You'd need a drill press to make it, but no parts would be required from it to make one.The chuck could be picked up from a tool shop or McJings, ideally a threaded one.
    The ones from China are OK provided you're prepared to take your time. All the gears are plastic, as is the toothed drive pulleys. I had the 7 X 12, it spent more time waiting for bits than making bits n pieces. I was glad when my brother asked back for it.
    Then there's always one like this, doubt you'd find one smaller. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAY_ptV146Y

    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  5. #5
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    I was just about to purchase the Chinese lathe but since i have never used a lathe before i may strip a few gears if they are plastic.. Do u guys know of a very basic diy lathe to build from parts that i can buy within Australia? I was looking at the lathe chucks and some i think came with strait shanks is this correct? Could i possibly just make 2 vertical post squared to hold the chuck and use some bearings on the shank shaft with a pulley on the other end

  6. #6
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    To the best of my knowledge there is no basic DIY lathe that could be built from parts available here. There are several suppliers that can supply the bits and pieces for the 7 X 12 lathes, Little Machine Shop in the USA, there was a place in Qld that I used to buy from but they sold the business to someone in Canberra.
    I think one of the reasons I had problems with mine was I might have been expecting a bit much from it at the time, have read several comment that people have had them for some time and not had a problem with them.
    It would be good to know what you're wanting to turn or make, as what you describe would be OK for a wood lathe, or turning a bit of aluminium, with hand tools. If this is all that you're wanting to do a wood lathe, and turning chisels might be more suitable and a lot cheaper.
    Trying to make the rest of the lathe to be able to turn other metals, would be very hard unless you've access to a metal lathe.
    A metal lathe is the only machine that can replicate itself.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  7. #7
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    I'm trying to make wheel spaces for a motorcycle i have been helped out by a fellow member here the past two times but its something i would like to try make my self, I understand the whole design of a lathe just trying to work out how to make all the bits and pieces is time consuming

    i was looking at getting either aluminimum or steel RHS as the main chuck post and drilling the for the chuck shaft than running a piece of pipe thru the whole and welding it in place than pressing a full row of bearings inside the tubing, the slider i would use 2 steel bars with two outer pipes that fit nicely and weld the ends of these two angle aluminium or steel than progress on with the rest

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    My favorite homemade lathe would have to be the "concrete lathe" I bet it's surprisingly rigid too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxqxlexybqE

  9. #9
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    Anyone know where and what the cost i would be looking at in getting two pieces of flat bar 10mm bent 90 degrees i could bolt this to the base and have both vertical bends to hold the bearings and shaft i think 10mm steel should be sufficient just unsure on who could actually bend that kind of material

  10. #10
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    I know of a guy who made a lathe using a car stub axle, bearings and hub for a headstock. He mounted a chuck on the hub and used a 2 way drilling vice for ways.

    Dean

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    Gazz, I admire your enthusiasm but feel you may be wasting your time.

    I reckon you are much better off buying a second hand lathe, eg, a Unimat3 for small hobby turning or a Hercus 9" lathe.

    Have a look here Australian Metalworking Hobbyist


    This site is run by Mal, one of our forum members, and a decent bloke.

    Ken

  12. #12
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    Gazza

    I don't like to tell people to buy tools not build them but somethings are just not practical to make properly unless you already have a full machine shop.

    I have seen a few people fall into the trap of doing something like trying to build a lathe, ending up with something that looks like a lathe but doesn't function like one. Then as they have already spent enough to get it to that stage then spend more and more to try get it to work properly. By the end they have spent as much as a second hand lathe would have cost but have something worth less that doesn't perform as well.

    What machines do you have so far ? don't rule out tricks like if you have a mill then put the material in the chuck, clamp a turning tool in the vice and boom, makeshift lathe

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by NedsHead View Post
    My favorite homemade lathe would have to be the "concrete lathe" I bet it's surprisingly rigid too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxqxlexybqE
    An interesting project but I can't imagine the lathe fittings being very accurate placed using wooden formwork. I'd like to see it in action, I'll have to do a search.

    Found it:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr_8TpRgHFM&t=86s

    Scroll through to 11:19!

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by gazza2009au View Post
    I was just about to purchase the Chinese lathe but since i have never used a lathe before i may strip a few gears if they are plastic.. Do u guys know of a very basic diy lathe to build from parts that i can buy within Australia? I was looking at the lathe chucks and some i think came with strait shanks is this correct? Could i possibly just make 2 vertical post squared to hold the chuck and use some bearings on the shank shaft with a pulley on the other end
    gazza,
    I think the trick here is to learn and benefit from mistakes that some of us ( me included) on the forum may have made already, re purchase of lathes.

    If you can wait a bit longer and research lathes and ask the guys here what they think of X model lathe from what ever vendor. .

    There might be blokes here that have bought the X model.

    They will be quick to tell you "don't buy that " I broke the gears etc" and conversely tell you about the good characteristics of said lathe. I can still remember what I was told here,when looking to buy a lathe.

    It was along the lines of you can turn small stuff on a big lathe but not big stuff on a small lathe. the people here saved me from making some awful mistakes.

    Gazza if you know the following, fantastic! If you don't , I hope it can help. God knows I am no expert-almost the opposite but have about 17 years exposure as an amatuer- I am no machinist in the true sense of the word- but I immensely enjoy light engineering and lathe work.

    The thing is to choose a reasonable quality lathe that will meet your current and possibly expanded needs further down the track. What follows are potential questions /discussions on lathe selection,specifications , tooling, transport logistics, your workshop siting, installation, safety, learning the basics to name a few topics. For me it was, I did not know what I did not know.

    Selection will be dictated by Specifications ie Chuck swing X Length between centers , Center height, motor size, lathe spindle RPMs, number gears, the ability /or not to cut threads-(anything I have left out guys?)

    The specifications are in turn dictated to a point by the sizing of the work you will no and may want to do lather on.

    After you buy your lathe I am told Mick Moyles Mick Moyle's Engineers Supplies is a good place to have a look at in Sydney. It might be worth a look if its relatively easy to get there.

    I am sure the rest of the guys will have something to add.

    Grahame

  15. #15
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    Thanks for the help guys i appreciate it, The lathe idea is only going to be a small actually a tiny model i just don't have anywhere to store a 1+ meter long lathe nor a way of transporting one of those they look very heavy!

    The lathe i want to build will only be around 35-40cm wide more of a toy size something i can build a shelf in the shed and place it on

    I understand the whole accuracy of lathes but to be honest if it just shaped the material i would be happy i don't really need it to be to the degree of a $100,000 commercial lathe, i was thinking of using a 45-50mm chuck running a 24V DC motor, I have seen video of those ebay cheapies and how sloppy they are that is why i thought about building my own machine

    The idea is still out there, I have saws, drills, welders, grinders, i just don't have a lathe to help make one like the shafts so i would be relying on ebay's harden steel shafts

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