Mini Lathe Help

[xl97]

@OP who cares if you want to lathe/mess with saber parts.. MANY OF US do it, its fun and a great skill to pick up... dont be deterred by some of the comments.

As mentioned you'd get better info on the internet that is more encompassing then the feedback you'll get here..

With any of the 7x10 lathes you wont be able to do much with them.. (just too small)

a 7x12 is a minimum.. and i bet you find yourself running out of room/space IMMEDIATELY..

your tooling takes up much needed room, so you need to compensate for that. (tail stock, steady rest..etc all eat up bed length quickly, so does your chuck!)



I got my 8x14 HF lathe (on sale long ago) for only $379 or so! I see there are like $1000 now.. but I think its DEFINITELY a much better buy than either of the 7x lathes HF offers.

I know the LMS machines come with decent QC.. and are nice 'out of the box'.. but you pay for that.. and your still not in a much bigger lathe at that price.

Check out Grizzly if you have the money for one..

[alcadude]

I found a cost effective instructable on how to make a metal lathe.I am going to try it out this weekend!!!I am soo excited.

http://www.instructables.com/id/100-...athe/?ALLSTEPS

http://www.instructables.com/id/Mini...he-1/?ALLSTEPS
I can't figure out what to use for the bed or drill so any ideas would be great!!!

[ARKM]

I found a cost effective instructable on how to make a metal lathe.I am going to try it out this weekend!!!I am soo excited.

http://www.instructables.com/id/100-...athe/?ALLSTEPS

http://www.instructables.com/id/Mini...he-1/?ALLSTEPS
I can't figure out what to use for the bed or drill so any ideas would be great!!!

That lathe is for lathing wood, not metal. It states that in Step 1. IMHO, it's not a good lathe. Not even remotely.

[alcadude]

Could you please explain why,because it says "Hack a power drill into a mini metal lathe with precision speed control."So doesn't that make it a Metal lathe?

[acerocket]

On the plus side, you can use all the money you saved on that lathe to pay for the trip to the emergency room.

[alcadude]

What makes it so dangerous?

[Silver Serpent]

A professionally manufactured lathe is already dangerous. You have parts spinning at high speed, cutting tools, little bits flying off.

A homebuilt lathe, being made by someone who has minimal (or zero) machining experience? That's a very VERY bad idea. Best case scenario: you end up with a few messed up saber parts. Worst case scenario involves blood. Possibly a lot of it.

I would strongly advise finding a local machining class and taking a course or two.

[acerocket]

You are obviously eager about the hobby (which is not a bad thing), but judging from your past postings, you are most likely young and have little experience with power tools/equipment. Any type of powered equipment capable of reshaping metal is inherently dangerous. Parts and components spinning at 1000s of RPM and razor sharp tools mean you MUST respect the machine at all times. As I type this, I can look over my monitor and see 3 CNC lathes spinning at close to 5000 RPM to warm up. I can see the front panels on those machines and see the dozens of yellow triangle safety warnings showing stick figures in various states of dismemberment. Do yourself a favor and get proper equipment to do the job properly. If you want to turn lightsaber parts, those micro-lathes and instructables drill motor lathes are going to be your worst enemy. I understand you want something inexpensive, but if you are talking about sacrificing safety for a few dollars, you need to think long and hard. You are free to make your own decision... Good advice has already been given. The micro-lathes will most likely be way too small and under-powered. Some lathe brands and sizes that are popular in the hobby have been mentioned. And it has been recommended to look for a Maker Space or some sort of classes where you can learn while you create.

[jbkuma]

Seconding what acerocket said. It's great to be eager and willing and excited, but it's equally important to understand the risks of what you are doing. Just jumping in is reckless. You've done a far more asking questions of simple questions than doing the least bit of research. The judicious application of hubris will lead to wasted money as often as injury, with satisfaction least of all outcomes. Do not rush in this. Patience is the soil in which the fruit of success grows sweetest.

We say these things not to discourage you from doing, but to encourage you towards learning. I hope you have a great and brilliant future in the art of saber building, but you must learn to walk before you can run.

[PhoenixHawk]

Could you please explain why,because it says "Hack a power drill into a mini metal lathe with precision speed control."So doesn't that make it a Metal lathe?

All lathes are made of metal. As the above members have said...going to your local collage and go to the metal shop, and take some classes so you have a basic understanding of the equipment. Most good University's have a good metal shop. All the members here just want to keep you from hurting yourself. From what you are say'in you don't see the danger your wanting to undertake...a home made metal lathe is a very BAD idea. A wood lathe is way different then a metal lathe...i'm a master craftsman and wood chips flying around is way different then metal ones...also the metal ones spin a lot faster, they have to to prevent chattering.