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Thread: Mini Lathe Help

  1. #31

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    Your instructable link was not for a metal capable lathe. It was mounted on plywood and uses wood pulleys for god's sake!
    The author: "Being only a high school student" "decided to just stick with [a] wood [lathe]"

    You can't make a metal lathe out of a drill.
    - The drill doesn't have the bearings to handle the sideways pressure
    - The motor won't handle the friction load and it will burn out.
    - you will not be able to hollow out a 1" hole through 3 to 8 inches of aluminum alloy

    - save your money and take a class. (most people learn to drive THEN buy a car).
    - then start saving up for a real lathe
    - or better yet, save your money and pay someone to make the parts for you... Like, oh I don't know, maybe the guy who owns the company this website is connected to.

    By the time you are done, playing with toys and reinventing the wheel, you will have wasted hundreds of dollars and man/hours. You are not going to save any money on making a saber this way. Is your design really so radical that it can't be done from modified parts?

    I have wasted a lot of time and money on things I didn't really need for my hobbies. Do you really need a lathe or is it just an itch you want to scratch?

  2. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by jbkuma View Post
    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. With all due respect to xl97, suggesting you jump 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.


    @jbkuma

    Dont mis-quote me.. or 'mince' my words.


    As a matter of fact.. you said (more or less) the same thing as I did. (do not be deterred/discouraged)

    I never said anything about 'jumping in'... or anything remotely about not being safe.

    I own a lathe/mill.. and have taken 'classes; at the local maker space..
    watched TONS of MIT training videos and other videos to grasp concepts and procedures.. read books on certain techniques... yadda yadda

    * and have had many a gut check or knuckle smacks to understand safety is important. I would never suggest otherwise

    My comment was more so aimed at the 'saber smith' comment. (where as 'some' can have a lathe without issues/judgement.. and others are judged by wanting one)

    why anyone would care WHY he wants to buy a hobby lathe (outside of being trained/safe or posting here for 'work') I dont understand. Definitely not a threat to here. and shouldnt be a threat to any members 'who take on commissions' on the side either.. (especially with the type of questions being asked.. and the idea of using a wood lathe or a drill as the base!) which seemed a little off point of being helpful for his safety and guidance.

    So with 'all due respect' (you are just wrong about what you 'think' I said) (I dont want anyone to die!)

  3. #33

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    I have the grizzly G0602 that has been mentioned earlier its a 10x22 and I feel its just big enough for most saber applications. Also like mentioned before you will spend just as much on tooling as the machine itself and guess what some of those parts wear out and you will have to replenish them. Most importantly also mentioned earlier do not underestimate the power of the machine! Have no doubt it can kill you if you do not take care in its use. Even the chips it produces are dangerous. Sure it looks like soft spongey coils but jokes on you its razor wire. I've only had one scary misstep with my machine. When I was maybe a little tired after a long day of work and when I was turning something I had left the key in the chuck after I changed a part out. I don't know how I left in but like I said maybe a little tired. Anyone that works with a lathe is probably cringing already at the story. Anyhow turned it on and it flew at light speed about 3 inches from my foot and took a little chunk of my garage floor. Let me tell you that was the absolute best case scenario for that situation. That could have gone a hundred different other ways, most of them bad. Could have taken it to the face or head which would be catastrophic. Anyway after that I make sure to do a checklist before I turn on the machine and I do not machine tired anymore. So don't take it the wrong way when people are telling you to exercise caution, they merely want you to be safe. Do a lot of research into the machines and safety of the machines. With the maker movement right now there are a lot of makerspaces out there that have classes for little or even no money. A class on safety and techniques would be worth hours of youtube videos and personal tinkering. You could even join and use their equipment and see what size and all the different tooling needed before taking the plunge on purchasing your own equipment.

  4. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by xl97 View Post
    @jbkuma

    Dont mis-quote me.. or 'mince' my words.


    As a matter of fact.. you said (more or less) the same thing as I did. (do not be deterred/discouraged)

    I never said anything about 'jumping in'... or anything remotely about not being safe.

    I own a lathe/mill.. and have taken 'classes; at the local maker space..
    watched TONS of MIT training videos and other videos to grasp concepts and procedures.. read books on certain techniques... yadda yadda

    * and have had many a gut check or knuckle smacks to understand safety is important. I would never suggest otherwise

    My comment was more so aimed at the 'saber smith' comment. (where as 'some' can have a lathe without issues/judgement.. and others are judged by wanting one)

    why anyone would care WHY he wants to buy a hobby lathe (outside of being trained/safe or posting here for 'work') I dont understand. Definitely not a threat to here. and shouldnt be a threat to any members 'who take on commissions' on the side either.. (especially with the type of questions being asked.. and the idea of using a wood lathe or a drill as the base!) which seemed a little off point of being helpful for his safety and guidance.

    So with 'all due respect' (you are just wrong about what you 'think' I said) (I dont want anyone to die!)
    And if you're going to "aim" - especially at me, make sure you hit the target. And to quote you - don't mince MY words.

    I asked him a legitimate question - what his ultimate plans would be, would determine how much of a machine he would need. Something I know you should be WELL aware of, becasue you've essentially said as much after the fact.
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  5. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by xl97 View Post
    @jbkuma Dont mis-quote me.. or 'mince' my words.
    I apologize for misinterpreting your comment. Obviously your intention wasn't what I took from it. I removed the reference to your post and rephrased my statement.

    I think most of the comments here have really been about the safety concerns, not whether or not he should attempt the work. I think people here are almost exclusively supportive and encouraging to other builders of all skill levels, and I've often remarked to my friends that this is one of the best boards on the web for that reason. I think that was true here as well, we just want to make sure he lives to show us the great works his enthusiasm can bring. I'm glad we agree on that and I'm sorry again for mincing your words (although I didn't quote you )
    Last edited by jbkuma; 10-18-2016 at 02:25 PM.

  6. #36

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    understood, no worries.

    I just wanted to clarify.

    Yes, safety first (of course).. and it doesnt/shouldnt matter if he wants to be a 'sabersmith' or anything else.


    update:

    'bullseye'
    Last edited by xl97; 10-19-2016 at 11:38 AM.

  7. #37

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    This may be a bit late but have you tried Grizzly.com or Harbor Freight? Both have some nice small lathes. The tool holder on both of the pages on Amazon are not worth anything.
    Check out Grizzly and check out what a good lathe should have, spend a bit more up front and you will be able to use it for years, and on many other projects. Just my $0.02...

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