Mill Or Lathe

I got my first lathe 30 years before I bought a mill. Though I did have access to a friends mill for about half of those years. That being said IMHO the lathe is a more versatile machine.
 
Really depends on what you plan to do with it. Square or round type of person. I drilled and needed to size/cut down flat/rectangular materials to specific shapes, so the bench mill was first. Having never had either nor any tool specific schooling on their use, I think that changes your prospective a bit. I also built boats in my younger years, so had more of a woodworking/table saw (sizing material) and drill press mentality. I could make things round if needed on the mill, and used it for several years first, built lots of parts and improvised. The lathe came several years later, and all self taught. The lathe allowed a whole new avenue of part making, but for me, I do more on the mill (but really enjoy making parts on the lathe). Both just as important, just different avenues on what you plan to use it for. I would look at it more from the point of view, you need both, how do you want to divide up the money, and where are you going to put them. I found the mill more innate and easier to use up front, the lathe took longer to learn all the aspects. In the end the lathe cost quite a bit more than the mill, and the tooling was significantly more than tooling for the mill. So if you start out with a limited pot of change, look at the total costs, not just the machine itself.

Maybe when teaching machining they start out on the mill, because in theory the risk and the damage to the machine is less if you mess up. I am careful using the mill, and extra careful with the lathe. The other essential item that I finally purchased was a metal band saw. Use to take me hours cutting stock by hand (or jigsaw), now 20-30 seconds and it is done. Probably need to learn some welding next, just to know how to do it. I have no space for anymore equipment.
 
I initially looked at mill/drill/lathe combos but ultimately decided they only make sense if there is absolutely no room for multiple tools. Their existence makes it all but guaranteed that you will consider them at least at some level at some point as you weigh this decision.
 
I got a used lathe first because they were more available and less expensive around here.
 
It really is dependent on your work envelope. What do you plan on making, round or square parts? Everyone's work envelope is different. I need both but I have found I spend more time standing in front of the lathe than the mill, but only slightly nowadays.

Mike.
 
I purchased my lathe first because that's what I found first. I found my mill 2 1/2 yrs later. If your buying used equipment like I was and looking for nice stuff, you take either mill or lathe depending on what you find first. That how I did it .
 
i find myself utilizing the lathes more than my milling machines, i hope to balance that activity more.

there are some operations that are just tool specific.
not to say that ingenuity can't prevail any obstacle, but the benefit of choice really puts the operator in a position of advantage.

i guess i'll be the first one to mention that there are horizontal milling machines, vertical milling machines and universal milling machines too!
 
I went mill first and I'm glad I did. I didn't have any specific projects in mind when I bought it, but square parts seem to be more common around my house. Lots of brackets and small parts for my sons RC car. Overall though, I have more fun using the lathe.
 
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