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Where to start...

MilesM

MilesM

New Member
Hello all,

I'm new to the forum and new to machining in general. I have a number of parts that I would like to make and I have decided that it would be better form to invest thousands of dollars in tools instead of going to a shop and just paying to get it done...

The question is, where do I start? I was thinking of getting a lathe but should I start with a mini (like the 7x12" at Busy Bee) or go the next size up to the 10x22" ? Should I go the route of the combo lathe/ mill?

I see guys getting deals on used equipment, but I worry that 1) I don't know enough to know if I'm getting a good deal and 2) if there's any restoration or adjustment to do, I'll be lost and frustrated.

Most of what I want to do is relatively simple: cut parts to size, bore holes, put in threads, make things fit together...

Thanks for any advice!

Miles
 
Perhaps little more info, making model engines, maybe full size. Working on some kind of equipment, making clocks etc. other wise, a hacksaw, drill, file, tap and die set. Don’t get me wrong, not making fun of what your trying to do, just not sure what you want to cut, what you are boreing holes in and size, and threads big or small, and what you maybe fitting together.
Maybe it’s the need for something to do in spare time or up coming/being retired. BE WARE, it may not stop at a few thousand dollars.
The sky is the limit for the amount of money or the size and number of machines, sometimes the amount of room available and the room to walk/work is the limiting factor. Only sometimes! This too can be changed!
Maybe where you are, and who could help/show you things. Yes it says Saskatoon, there are a few member in that area.
 
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hello there Miles...

I'll add another "aye" to skipping the mini-lathe...it'll just frustrate the sh!t out of you...

Bandit's got a solid point. Without knowing the extent of your interests...not so much your skills...it's challenging to point you in a beneficial direction...
I can attest to the "this size of lathe should do everything I want to do" logic...then a project comes up that just barely exceeds the capacity of your machines...OR...you come across a deal that seems to hit every nail in the row...now your one machine has a step-brother...so you have to tool them both up if the machines can't share specifics...
For example...I started with a chinese/russian/insertcloneorigincountry 9x20 lathe. Then I found a much larger lathe at a very good price...I sold the small one, to pay for the large one...Then a 2nd deal came up (from a forum member) on another small lathe...Each lathe uses a different series of tool holder...so I have 2 machines, with their own tool holder posts...it starts to add up fast...

But...when you can come up with a design, get suitable material, take your time, and come up with a finished part that fits and functions as you intended...that is a near impossible-to-wipe-off-your-face grin n win...
It gets addictive as you try and succeed at new processes...
 
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I sense you want to buy some equipment....unless you know or suspect you will need the capacity of a larger lathe the 10x22 lathes offer reasonable capabilities and are moderate in cost and space requirements. If you know/suspect that you will have considerable milling to do id skip the combo machines. If budget and space will never allow for a milling machine then the combo machines can be an option. Some milling operations can be done on a lathe with some additional equipment but the capabilities are quite limited.
Lathe first in my opinion....a lathe is much more versatile and useful than a milling machine.
If budget and space are generous then go as big as budget allows with selection of lathe and milling machine. You can do small things on big equipment but can not do big things on small equipment.
And member tooling and accessories are a BIG cost and usually they are harder to recoup their cost than the machinery itself....IMO.
 
Sadly for most of us, shop size plays an all too important role in what machines we acquire.
Bigger is almost always better, budget notwithstanding.
This applies to both machines and shop space.
 
Welcome to the forum.

All good points above. One important fact for me was the spindle hole, you can't fit a 1" bar thru a .750 hole and I find I use a lot of 1" bar.

An older 9 or 10 inch lathe with no electronics is a good starting point. They are simple in design, easy to work on and can come very well tooled for a reasonable cost if you are patient. If you find something of interest you could put out a call to a local member for a second opinion.

Any lathe is better than no lathe, find something to get going and that will teach you how to use and what you ultimately need for a lathe. Most lathes can be easily resold so in theory there won't be any money lost moving into a different machine.

I wouldn't expect to find what you want/need on the first try, I'm on lathe #4 and consider myself an amateur in the world of lathe purchases compared to others on the forum. lol

Good luck
 
Thanks all for the quick replies.

Basically, what I want to be able to do is to say yes to the question, "Can you fix this?"

1) Making parts for older cars - I often find myself in the position where I need to replace something on a project car and I end up having to wait for weeks for parts to arrive when the part in question could have been machined in relatively short order.
2) I have an Italian espresso machine that's about 25 years old. A hole corroded through a heat transfer pipe in the boiler. I have an idea about how to fix it, since a new boiler is made of unobtainium.
3) I have a new motor and controller that I need to adapt to mount to a wood lathe that I have (different shaft sizes and lengths, different mounting plate).
4) Any number of random small pieces that could be machined instead of hours spent not finding something that might work at Canadian Tire.

I have been accumulating woodworking tools for years now, so I know how slippery the slope is...

Anything I get will be used by son as well, so I'm willing to use that as justification!
 
Welcome to the slippery slope. I agree with others you need a lathe that is good enough to handle steel, has metal gears and wouldn’t cause the beginner frustration. Don’t be afraid to spend money on decent tooling and measuring tools right away.
A DRO is a great addition to a lathe as well.
Good Luck, Mark
 
MilesM said:
Thanks all for the quick replies.

Basically, what I want to be able to do is to say yes to the question, "Can you fix this?"

1) Making parts for older cars - I often find myself in the position where I need to replace something on a project car and I end up having to wait for weeks for parts to arrive when the part in question could have been machined in relatively short order.
2) I have an Italian espresso machine that's about 25 years old. A hole corroded through a heat transfer pipe in the boiler. I have an idea about how to fix it, since a new boiler is made of unobtainium.
3) I have a new motor and controller that I need to adapt to mount to a wood lathe that I have (different shaft sizes and lengths, different mounting plate).
4) Any number of random small pieces that could be machined instead of hours spent not finding something that might work at Canadian Tire.

I have been accumulating woodworking tools for years now, so I know how slippery the slope is...

Anything I get will be used by son as well, so I'm willing to use that as justification!
Click to expand...
Welcome to the bottomless pit.
Get the biggest lathe and mill you have space for after you've bought your welder, arbor press etc.
 
There is a saying "A workshop without a lathe and welding machine is naked. " There is more than a little truth to that. I'm not much of hobby machinist, more of if I need a part, so I'll see what I can do about it. The lathe and mill/drill just saved me $6,100 . That more paid off their cost and a lot of their tooling. Another example a woodworker can appreciate . I picked up a used 3hp wood shaper . They are only as good as their fences . I remachined the fence, it really needed it. An aftermarket fence years back was $700 USD. The mill did that work.

I'm on my second lathe, the first was a new 10x22 that my son and I went together on, it's his now . I have a 12x24 and RF-45 mill/drill.. Both were bought as projects, though.
 
I'll add another hat to the 9-10" swing lathe pile. It's a good compromise if you don't know exactly what you need/will do, while still having good capabilities and not being too massive. I'm starting to outgrow my 10x36 lathe, but have gotten lots of good work out of it and will continue to until I find a replacement that I love more. If you go much bigger than that they get heavier and harder to move quickly. For that weight you get better performance too, but it doesn't come without shop space and ease of re-arrangement trade offs.
 
SightlessSeer mentioned weight of a larger lathe as a potential issue. It isn't just the heavy larger lathe which may require moving when you occasionally rearrange your shop. I often need to swap my 3-jaw, 4-jaw and collet chucks. A 6-inch chuck is easily handled by most old men of my vintage but a 16-inch chuck is another thing entirely.
 
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