What Lathe Would You Like to See Built?

I like the idea of a t slot cross slide, wide for some milling set ups. then make it modular. so your other tooling mounts to the t slot table. you could have
a tool post for axa (or multifix) and a reverse cut off tool post for quick perations or bigger swing parts
Compound rest for manual threading
Angle plate for boring operations
Tool changer turret for cnc set ups
Oh and how about a shaper head that attaches to the top of the head stock... powered by the spindle

Same with the tailstock, the top of the tailstock slide off and a turret could be mounted for manual multi stage ops and while im at it mini gang tooling or a second spindle for really neat cnc ops.

Ball screws
d1-3 mounting for the chuck
A d1-3 to 30 taper adapter
3mt tailstock

The cool thing wouls be the modularity, so you can buy a base package, then get a turret tailstock, then on to cnc and so on.
 
Cast iron. Make it heavy for it's size. I for one am tired of light machine finishes. Cast iron in quantity has been proven beyond doubt to dampen vibration and help provide a nice finish. These machines provide a lot of service before needing scraped/ground. It's not broke, don't fix that. A T slot on the front of the bed casting would provide handy mounting of stops and indicators, maybe one on the back too.Tapered gibs would be nice for rigidity, ease of adjustability, and allow for wear. I like a smooth powerful dc motor with variable speed and tach. Variable power feed on lead and cross slide with readout. You could then Easily set speeds and feeds. Perhaps these could be modular add ons. Electric feeds? The gear box would provide all threading selections as well as some slow feeding. A leadscrew fit at one end or the other for the addition of electric feed module and a plug in on the board for the display. I for one would not want someone else to pick my dro. That would be a separate cost and choice. A well built taper attachment. A Heavy tailstock, lots o' beef. A two way dog clutch for feeding and threading to a stop and then reversing to take another pass without disengaging the geartrain losing your thread and having to pick it up again with the thread dial. Love the big bore on a small lathe idea! 2" is great. Make sure to add a nice outboard spider and a hole in the cover large enough for it. Nice bearings of course.
 
It seems to me a lathe is a stones throw away from being convertible to a horizontal mill. You said think out the box so I am. Seems to me your a support arm and x,y,z table away from milling on it.
 
I would like to see all lead screws covered/sealed at all times to prevent chips getting in and way wipers on everything..

Bernard
 
we're getting some real good stuff here... i was thinking that it would be nice to be able to mount index plates to the spindle and a cross-slide mounted drill motor for hole circles. what do you guys think?
 
I like the allowance for spindle indexing. The wide cross slide with t slots mentioned would accommodate said drill motor.
 
So putzing around today because the wife isnt feeling good and the kids don't play with the dog...
I took some of the ideas and made the bed of the new "Hobby machinist lathe concept" coming soon to a store near you...
I added elliptical bed webbing like you see on the clausing... cause i had a clausing and i loved the way that looked.
I have 2 t slots on the back, one on the front. the front one will be part of a trip mechanism like you see on some old school mills.
Under the front t slots will be a rack for the carriage.
The large box spaces are for access to the bolts to hold the bugger down, and to make it a bit lighter, although the bed is a nice 200 lbs right now. i could get it to 150 i think, but im ok with it at the moment. it is 6 1/4" "Vee to Vee" and 36" long bed.

going to work on the head stock/stock next. we'll see

bed_1.jpg

bed_1.jpg
 
toag said:
So putzing around today because the wife isnt feeling good and the kids don't play with the dog...
I took some of the ideas and made the bed of the new "Hobby machinist lathe concept" coming soon to a store near you...
I added elliptical bed webbing like you see on the clausing... cause i had a clausing and i loved the way that looked.
I have 2 t slots on the back, one on the front. the front one will be part of a trip mechanism like you see on some old school mills.
Under the front t slots will be a rack for the carriage.
The large box spaces are for access to the bolts to hold the bugger down, and to make it a bit lighter, although the bed is a nice 200 lbs right now. i could get it to 150 i think, but im ok with it at the moment. it is 6 1/4" "Vee to Vee" and 36" long bed.

going to work on the head stock/stock next. we'll see

View attachment 68891
Click to expand...

which program are you using toag? we use solid edge at work. it would be great if you could send a copy of it to me...

one thing that i'd like to see is maybe splaying the mount under the headstock to give a little more stability when its bolted to the bench.

another thing that would be great would be provisions for a lead screw in the center of the bed. the tailstock could be set up with a cam lock to make it stationary and a split nut to drive it, the center pull would give the most direct force. if we use some type of bed cover (which, of course we will) it should stay pretty clean. it might even be used to power the carriage and cross feed to save wear on the "threading" lead screw...
 
Any chance of making this a 3-v bed like my little SB? :)

Bill
 
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