Requests for: “You can make /that/ with a lathe?!?” examples

[Probablygrigsby]

I’ve heard it said that your first machine purchase should be a lather and not a mill*, and that with enough work/steps, you can more or less make most things that you could make on a mill.

I can visualize some basic operations that are equivalent of milling. For example, and I’m not speaking from experience, so forgive me if I’m wrong, I think you could true the face(s) of a block of steel with a face plate by center mounting the steel and facing like you would the end of a cylinder. I’ve seen examples of people turning this sphere/plus-shaped cube thing.

I am interested in other, perhaps surprising, operations you can do with a lathe. I can’t imagine cutting a keyway with one, at least without a milling attachment, which I assume is kind of cheating by this definition.

*I think the first place I heard this was Quinn aka Blondihacks in her mill skill series where she says, if you’re new to machining, watch her lathe skills series first, as she recommends people start with a lathe. I’ve seen her mentioned before, a on the off chance that someone new to machining sees this and doesn’t know of her: She’s great. The $5/month I pay to be a Patreon supporter is money better spent vs. a streaming service.

 

[markba633csi]

A lathe has some basic limitations involving the carriage and compound which makes many milling operations difficult or impractical
Most smaller lathes don't have much of a mounting surface on the cross slide compared to a milling table with T-slots
Some lathes have a flat surface cross slide with T-slots but not many- the larger Emco/Maier machines for example
Cutting a keyway would be doable without a milling attachment if the workpiece could be mounted on the cross slide solidly and at
the correct height

 

[Just for fun]

I make more things on the lathe then I do my mill. But they are both a lot of fun. I guess I agree if I could only have one the lathe would be more useful. But you need both or at least you're going to want both.

I made this cool little thing mostly with my lathe. There are a few operations on the base that I used the mill for. But the cube itself was made with the lathe, hence the name "Turners Cube"

 

[Probablygrigsby]

A lathe has some basic limitations involving the carriage and compound which makes many milling operations difficult or impractical
Most smaller lathes don't have much of a mounting surface on the cross slide compared to a milling table with T-slots
Some lathes have a flat surface cross slide with T-slots but not many- the larger Emco/Maier machines for example
Cutting a keyway would be doable without a milling attachment if the workpiece could be mounted on the cross slide solidly and at
the correct height

Ah, sure. I think you’re saying spin a cutting bit in the lathe and use the cross slide to move the piece across the bit. That’s similar to a milling attachment, I guess, but I assume more rigid. I hadn’t considered that approach, but can see where that opens up options. Thank you!

 

[Probablygrigsby]

I make more things on the lathe then I do my mill. But they are both a lot of fun. I guess I agree if I could only have one the lathe would be more useful. But you need both or at least you're going to want both.

I made this cool little thing mostly with my lathe. There are a few operations on the base that I used the mill for. But the cube itself was made with the lathe, hence the name "Turners Cube"

View attachment 462694

Neat! I found this write up, which may be considered cheating, that I’ll read when I’m fresh. Thanks for sharing the example!

 

[matthewsx]

I’ve heard it said that your first machine purchase should be a lather and not a mill*, and that with enough work/steps, you can more or less make most things that you could make on a mill.

I can visualize some basic operations that are equivalent of milling. For example, and I’m not speaking from experience, so forgive me if I’m wrong, I think you could true the face(s) of a block of steel with a face plate by center mounting the steel and facing like you would the end of a cylinder. I’ve seen examples of people turning this sphere/plus-shaped cube thing.

I am interested in other, perhaps surprising, operations you can do with a lathe. I can’t imagine cutting a keyway with one, at least without a milling attachment, which I assume is kind of cheating by this definition.

*I think the first place I heard this was Quinn aka Blondihacks in her mill skill series where she says, if you’re new to machining, watch her lathe skills series first, as she recommends people start with a lathe. I’ve seen her mentioned before, a on the off chance that someone new to machining sees this and doesn’t know of her: She’s great. The $5/month I pay to be a Patreon supporter is money better spent vs. a streaming service.

Made this on my Seneca Falls lathe.

Hilco Model 2

I bought this little universal cutter grinder and can't find anything about it on the interwebs. Motor is a Dumore Type 2GM which I also can't locate. The machine is pretty simple so I don't think I really need any manuals or the like but it would be nice to know a little history. Hilco...

www.hobby-machinist.com

 

[Aaron_W]

I think the lathe first is good advice for many who are looking to add machining as a skill mostly because it is an easier starting point to learn from and they are very versatile machines so lots of basic projects to start with.

I do think most people will eventually want a lathe and mill (and eventually even more). However it all depends on what you want to make. Like I see a lot of knife makers asking about mills, and with that kind of focus on flat pieces with precisely located holes mill first makes sense for them.

Having both a lathe and mill it is kind of hard to come up with any just a lathe projects off the top of my head.
A lathe is quite handy for making really simple, but useful adaptors, bushing and spacers. I recently used my lathe to turn down the spacers for a TV mount (think extra thick washers). The bolts and spacers that came with the mount were either too short or too long for the TV that we were mounting.

There is a young guy on youtube (I think the same guy that now offers some really nice plans for a 2x72" belt grinder), who has some videos making ball point pens with just a lathe. They only require some basic milling to be done on the lathe, mostly the spring clip and slot for the lever to extend retract the tip. Some file work as well as I recall. Having a drill press opens up a lot more options.

CNC changes things quite a bit. A CNC mill can do a lot of "lathe" things well that would be hard to do with a manual mill. As a result lots of CNC people just buy a mill.

 

[jwmay]

I am interested in other, perhaps surprising, operations you can do with a lathe.

The answer to this question is subjective to the experience of the lathe operator. A new person may be surprised to know you can make square things on a lathe. But that’d be a simplistic example to a seasoned machinist.

And in fact, most machinists I know, look at a person sideways when anything other than shafts and threads are suggested as lathe work.

How about bolt circles on a flange? Yeah, that’s a little different idea, that’s possible on a lathe. Gears? Yep. Gear cutters? Yep. Entire miniature steam engines? It’s been done. Milling cutters? Yes. Pillar drills? Yes. Dodecahedrons? I think so, but I don’t actually even know what that is.

I think it may be more challenging to figure out a thing that absolutely could not be made on a lathe. Because, while it may not be the “best” tool for every job, it has the capability (assuming a patient and smart operator) to do nearly anything.

 

[Jim F]

A lathe is the only tool that can make itself.

 

[stupoty]

can’t imagine cutting a keyway with one, at least without a milling attachment, which I assume is kind of cheating by this definition.

Use it like a shaper

Stu