Homemade Lathe

I saw this video about building a home made metal lathe and was a bit sceptical at first as to whether it would actually work. I was impressed though by the skills of the fabricator even though his marking-out and building techniques were a bit hit and miss. Not what you would use for making a precision tool.

Paul

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 13/01/2020 18:08:50

Great job

Very sensible use of commercial rails and bearing assemblies.

MichaelG.

Ha ha awesome. I wondered where all the quick change tool posts were being made. India at it's best maybe. Wonder how much it cost him to build it.

I had wondered about using those linear rails for such things before and always assumed swarf would mess them up. but looks like they have seals on the edges so all good. Well done that man.

I wonder how well they will stand up to wear under the kind of cutting forces in a lathe?

And do they have any facility to adjust for wear if the balls become a loose fit on the rail? The equivalent of gib strips.

Edited By Hopper on 13/01/2020 03:41:02

Double post. doh!

Edited By Hopper on 13/01/2020 03:39:18

.

To the best of my limited knowledge, the are not adjustable for wear

Some good [upmarket] info here: **LINK**

https://www.automotioncomponents.co.uk/en/catalog/linear-components/linear-bearings-shafts/linear-shaft-supports/shaft-support-rails/l1780.12/g+m+c+s+a

MichaelG.

Thanks - Enjoyed that video, wish I had similar skills.

Bill

I seem to remember the late L,C Mason writing about something like that in his book "Using the small lathe".

, and he was no duff ! Am I perhaps mistaken ?

That machine might be no worse than many others on sale, if this Frum is any thing to go by.

How long did it take to build ? How long does it take to build a model engine, which may be only a showpiece anyway. I thought it was a fine piece of work, but then, I,m easy pleased.

What was the purpose of pouring swarf on the shaft ?? We know its going to get in there anyway. But at least he made something in the shop.

The ball recycling bearing assemblies and rods are excellent in automation situations particularly in one off robot assemblies especially in clean enviroments but after time the balls will slowly wear several straight grooves in to the guide rods and as good as the seals are will attract muck and accelerate the wear,

Martin P

A couple of steppers and its CNC ready. Those big cnc ball screws arent cheap though.

I thought it might be graphite.

I thought it might be graphite.

Edited By ega on 13/01/2020 16:29:57

Yes possibly graphite but it looks a bit chunky for that.

re double posts. I have had that when I was a little impatient and did not allow time for the post to load on the forum.

regards

It's a bit concerning that the "bed" did not sit flat on this bench after he welded the two U sections together.........

It wouldn't have worked that well if I'd made it...

Iain

Edited By Iain Downs on 13/01/2020 17:22:39

I’ve seen a couple of small CNC milling machines fitted with linear rails rather than dovetails so assumed this was the current way of doing things? They also used ballscrews.

Oh ye of little faith.

regards

My guess it is graphite flakes or shredded graphite yarn from valve packing...

George.