What Lathe Would You Like to See Built?

[toag]

I use alibre/geomagic. I think it is a knock off of solid works. I'll post a .stp file and dxf and whatever geomagicn uses. one should convert.

Bill,
Post a pic of your sb bed. how does the 3 vees work?

I think there is room for a center lead screw (I so planned that!:jester great idea!

 

[ricsmall]

Due to my lack of experience, I dont have any input that you guys dont already have covered, but this is getting very interesting. Anxious to see the finished product. Where do I send my deposit for one?!:thumbsup:

 

[Dranreb]

Running a lead screw through the bed might prevent a gap bed design, so maybe to allow for a bigger swing a slant bed wound be more suitable....

http://www.lathes.co.uk/willson/index.html

Bernard

 

[gregdammit!]

toag- a .stp file would be great, i can easily convert it...

Dranreb- that's definitely an interesting design concept, i've found myself on that website a few times... great historic information

keep the ideas coming guys... everything is up for consideration!

 

[wrmiller]

I use alibre/geomagic. I think it is a knock off of solid works. I'll post a .stp file and dxf and whatever geomagicn uses. one should convert.

Bill,
Post a pic of your sb bed. how does the 3 vees work?

I think there is room for a center lead screw (I so planned that!:jester great idea!

Here's a shot from the tailstock end.

Bill

 

[John Hasler]

I suggest that you consider using steppers and servos wherever possible. Electronic synchronization of motors is more flexible than gear, shafts, and leadscrews and may also be cheaper.

 

[wrmiller]

I suggest that you consider using steppers and servos wherever possible. Electronic synchronization of motors is more flexible than gear, shafts, and leadscrews and may also be cheaper.

Not to mention quieter and more accurate.

It would be really cool if someone could build something along the lines we've been discussing. In my price range of course.

Or if anyone's feeling ridiculously generous you could drop a Griz SB1009 at my doorstep. Gross overkill for what I do, but it sure would be sweet to have/run. )

Bill

 

[David Kirtley]

If you want a more conventional bed, buy a cheap chinese lathe or just about any lathe bed to start from. Think of it as a casting kit. Strip it and build it right.

If you were going to actually home build one, I think the easiest would be an oversized copy of the Taig. A rectangular tube with a fill material. The most expedient would be a mortar or plaster or portland mixed with gravel. Want extra weight in it? Toss in scrap steel or lead wheel weights. It could be made in an afternoon. Screw a piece of cold rolled steel on the top to anchors that go down into the bed. If you have the capability, mill dovetails on the bed. If not, do boxed ways like a Gingerly lathe. Even better is if you have access to a heat treating facility and use hardened steel. If you prefer, you can also just bolt on some supported linear shafting. A pair of 940mm long 20mm shafts with 4 bearing blocks are $150 at Glacern Machine Tools (some even cheaper on ebay). Hey, go crazy and pick up a pair of the 2640mm rails and build a 103 in. long bed.

Personally, it really is on my project list. I bought an extra complete headstock when I upgraded my 7x10 to a 14 in bed so I could use the chucks and stuff from my other lathe rather than starting over. I also picked up stock for a saddle and tailstock. The only thing I really lack is the tube which I was just going to either pick up at the local steel supplier or maybe use aluminum tubing. I have not really decided yet but both would work just as well and price would be the main deciding factor.

 

[gregdammit!]

If you want a more conventional bed, buy a cheap chinese lathe or just about any lathe bed to start from. Think of it as a casting kit. Strip it and build it right.

If you were going to actually home build one, I think the easiest would be an oversized copy of the Taig. A rectangular tube with a fill material. The most expedient would be a mortar or plaster or portland mixed with gravel. Want extra weight in it? Toss in scrap steel or lead wheel weights. It could be made in an afternoon. Screw a piece of cold rolled steel on the top to anchors that go down into the bed. If you have the capability, mill dovetails on the bed. If not, do boxed ways like a Gingerly lathe. Even better is if you have access to a heat treating facility and use hardened steel. If you prefer, you can also just bolt on some supported linear shafting. A pair of 940mm long 20mm shafts with 4 bearing blocks are $150 at Glacern Machine Tools (some even cheaper on ebay). Hey, go crazy and pick up a pair of the 2640mm rails and build a 103 in. long bed.

Personally, it really is on my project list. I bought an extra complete headstock when I upgraded my 7x10 to a 14 in bed so I could use the chucks and stuff from my other lathe rather than starting over. I also picked up stock for a saddle and tailstock. The only thing I really lack is the tube which I was just going to either pick up at the local steel supplier or maybe use aluminum tubing. I have not really decided yet but both would work just as well and price would be the main deciding factor.

i've put some thought into the tube idea, i can see the benefits to it, i can also see where a more conventional approach has it's merits. one thing i did consider, which may be a possible solution for your plans if you don't mind me adding my two cents worth, is the use of motorcycle fork tubes. they can be had relatively cheaply, often with hard chrome plating (like industrial hydraulic cylinders), in various lengths and diameters. you can also easily acquire bushings, felts and seals for low cost. they're designed to withstand shock loads and G forces from 1000 lbs. of bike and rider. just a thought...

 

[John Hasler]

i've put some thought into the tube idea, i can see the benefits to it, i can also see where a more conventional approach has it's merits. one thing i did consider, which may be a possible solution for your plans if you don't mind me adding my two cents worth, is the use of motorcycle fork tubes. they can be had relatively cheaply, often with hard chrome plating (like industrial hydraulic cylinders), in various lengths and diameters. you can also easily acquire bushings, felts and seals for low cost. they're designed to withstand shock loads and G forces from 1000 lbs. of bike and rider. just a thought...

Another source of shaft material is hydraulic cylinders. Used ones with bad seals can be had for much less than the price of the hard chrome plated shafts they contain at ag scrapyards such as All State Ag Parts. These are solid shafts, not tubes.