DIY lathe, anyone here build their own?

[skeer]

Picked up a free treadmill yesterday and got to thinking that a mini lathe would be super cool. Of course there are random plans found when Googling but I wanted to ask if anyone here had built their own?

 

[Old Man Roger]

I started to build a grinding lathe, but a real lathe fell into my lap before I finished it. If you really want a lathe, I’d just buy one if I were you. I had so many damn hours into building it

 

[charbar]

Interesting idea....sounds to me like you would almost need a lathe to build a lathe though

 

[skeer]

I did see at Harbor Freight yesterday, a small-ish one for under $300. Think is, I don't have anything resembling an actual need for a lathe, I just think it'd be super cool.

 

[Renegade1LI]

It's a nice idea, but cheaper and easier to buy one. I was looking for a good used one and ended up buying a new grizzly plus it came with a warranty.

 

[johninct]

I once had to turn down a hardened bolt to make a special pin, so I chucked it into my drill press and used a stone on my die grinder.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Interesting idea....sounds to me like you would almost need a lathe to build a lathe though

Funny you say that, the lathe is considered the only machine tool that can build/rebuild itself.

I have decades of tool&die experience and would have reservations about doing this on many levels.

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, a home built lathe might be possible, a home built lathe could not be a good latte.

 

[skeer]

IMHO, a home built lathe might be possible, a home built lathe could not be a good latte.

Depends on the builders skill. Not saying mine is awesome mind you, lol.

 

[cvairwerks]

Might want to get and read Dave Gingrey’s series first.

 

[goldtang]

when I worked in a machine shop we made a few Wood work style lathes over the years for people
as for metal lathe would just go and buy one

 

[kaymccampbell]

I've rebuilt them, but never built one from just stuff. If you were closer, you could have a 19th century screw cutting lathe, with no headstock or back gears, that I got to salvage parts from.

 

[Old Man Roger]

I once had to turn down a hardened bolt to make a special pin, so I chucked it into my drill press and used a stone on my die grinder.

I’ve used my drill press as a mill more times than I’d like to admit..lol Seriously though, it’s not really safe, and not great for the drill press.

I've rebuilt them, but never built one from just stuff. If you were closer, you could have a 19th century screw cutting lathe, with no headstock or back gears, that I got to salvage parts from.

Wouldn’t happen to be a Rockford would it? I have a small cast part for my table feed that makes me have to keep slight pressure on the shifter.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I’ve used my drill press as a mill more times than I’d like to admit..lol Seriously though, it’s not really safe, and not great for the drill press.

Wouldn’t happen to be a Rockford would it? I have a small cast part for my table feed that makes me have to keep slight pressure on the shifter.

Nothing so nice. I think it was meant for making machine screws and small spindles.

 

[Old Man Roger]

I keep telling myself I’ll make a new peice, but I just keep holding the shifter..lol

 

[Innovate1]

I did see at Harbor Freight yesterday, a small-ish one for under $300. Think is, I don't have anything resembling an actual need for a lathe, I just think it'd be super cool.

Not sure what you were looking at. Are you thinking of wood or metal lathe? The HF 7 x 10 metal lathe is sold with few variations by several places - mostly just changes in paint color - and they have a following. But I see they are about $800.

 

[skeer]

@kaymccampbell That's a great looking frame for a mini lathe imo.

@Innovate1 Oh Im sure it was a wood lathe.

 

[Innovate1]

@kaymccampbell That's a great looking frame for a mini lathe imo.

@Innovate1 Oh Im sure it was a wood lathe.

That makes sense. A wood lathe is much easier DIY than a metal lathe.

 

[Monza Harry]

Picked up a free treadmill yesterday and got to thinking that a mini lathe would be super cool. Of course there are random plans found when Googling but I wanted to ask if anyone here had built their own?

Good for a repower IMO. If you want a home built (metal) lathe [I see you are semi local...ish +/-] I have 2 my grandfather started. He died in '66 so they are old. He was a blacksmith, than worked in a machine shop when he moved here. So not complete garbage but, not a precision machine. Some re-finessing might be ok for some toy work(?) I want to keep and finish/refine them but the old trifecta is in the way (time/money/space) I just can't make this work out. P.M. me and we can work something out, as mom wants things cleared out. Just such a small market for something like this, advertising this will be a suicide mission. I'm not throwing these away! So maybe we can help each other out. Harry

 

[Old Man Roger]

See, lathes do just fall into your lap sometimes..lol

 

[Monza Harry]

Well not quite Standish is 2.25 hours from here [each way, IIRC been 40 years since my last visit] plus tolls for bridge/tunnel, and that doesn't include the proctological exam at Customs, both directions. The last part is my favorite NOT! Harry

 

[zippyslug31]

A DIY lathe can absolutely be done -

But as somebody who recently bought a brand new Precision Mathews lathe for a little under $4k (decent sized bench model), I think you'd be into a homemade job for at least a couple grand in all the parts you would need, much less the time and hassle factor in building the thing.

 

[tx_mike]

Not a metal lathe, but my grandfather and some friends built a wood lathe from parts in the shop. 2 pieces of C channel for the base, risers from this to the chuck and end piece are used engine connecting rods, belt drive from remote electric motor. Think it was built in the 60s. We put a new motor on it in the 90s. It got flooded in Hurricane Harvey at my dads house, so I need to rebuild it (polish and clean it up, new motor)

We made a few spindles and table legs with it. Its nothing fancy, or great, but it makes an awesome talking piece in the shop.

 

[PoorUB]

Picked up a free treadmill yesterday and got to thinking that a mini lathe would be super cool. Of course there are random plans found when Googling but I wanted to ask if anyone here had built their own?

Wood turning lathe? Sure!

Metal turning lathe, no way!

 

[bigdog12]

I built this one so yes, you can. Detroit diesel pistons and cold rolled steel. But the company I bought the plans from has been out of business for years.

 

[Jason280]

A DIY lathe can absolutely be done -

But as somebody who recently bought a brand new Precision Mathews lathe for a little under $4k (decent sized bench model), I think you'd be into a homemade job for at least a couple grand in all the parts you would need, much less the time and hassle factor in building the thing.

I watched this video a couple of weeks ago, and its fascinating what he was able to do. That being said, for the amount of money he spent on materials, he could have damn near bought a used lathe....and that doesn't even factor in time.

 

[gahrajmahal]

I built this one so yes, you can. Detroit diesel pistons and cold rolled steel. But the company I bought the plans from has been out of business for years.

That is so cool!

 

[Old Man Roger]

I built this one so yes, you can. Detroit diesel pistons and cold rolled steel. But the company I bought the plans from has been out of business for years.

The pistons weren’t in the plans right?

 

[Drill Sergeant Arc]

I built this one so yes, you can. Detroit diesel pistons and cold rolled steel. But the company I bought the plans from has been out of business for years.

Imaginary movie plot from 1960’s; guy trapped in desert or marooned on island takes perfectly good engine apart to make lathe to fix other broken engine to facilitate escape before one of following happens; 1- volcano erupts, 2- bear eats him, 3- bad guys find him and take his treasure, 4- girlfriend falls for bad guy.

 

[Old Man Roger]

Imaginary movie plot from 1960’s; guy trapped in desert or marooned on island takes perfectly good engine apart to make lathe to fix other broken engine to facilitate escape before one of following happens; 1- volcano erupts, 2- bear eats him, 3- bad guys find him and take his treasure, 4- girlfriend falls for bad guy.

Makes me think of the movie The Flight Of The Phoenix. Lol

 

[Drill Sergeant Arc]

There were so many…..

 

[bigdog12]

The pistons weren’t in the plans right?,

Yes, the pistons were part of the plans. Same guy also had plans for a mill, but I bought an old mill at a farm sale so I never built that one.

 

[Old Man Roger]

Yes, the pistons were part of the plans. Same guy also had plans for a mill, but I bought an old mill at a farm sale so I never built that one.

I love that someone would sell plans for something that needs detroit diesel pistons..lol Cause you know, they’re sold at convenience stores, Walmarts, grocery stores, and anywhere you buy auto parts nationwide.

I love the lathe though

 

[Mandres]

Can you cast and harden steel at your house? If not, then a homemade lathe isn't really worth the effort and expense. The Dave Ginghery design is an interesting novelty and would have a place in a post apocalyptic situation.

 

[dutchgray]

We live in an age where high quality manual industrial lathes that cost as much as good houses when they were new are now often worth little more than scrap value and even desirable machines often only a few thousand, then decent Asian imports of hobby sized machines also for a few thousand available new, the only real reason to make your own lathe is because of the challenge in doing so.

I appreciate some live in areas where machinery is harder to find and therefore more expensive, but if you live anywhere that had manufacturers you will find used machines.

 

[Old Man Roger]

We live in an age where high quality manual industrial lathes that cost as much as good houses when they were new are now often worth little more than scrap value and even desirable machines often only a few thousand, then decent Asian imports of hobby sized machines also for a few thousand available new, the only real reason to make your own lathe is because of the challenge in doing so.

I appreciate some live in areas where machinery is harder to find and therefore more expensive, but if you live anywhere that had manufacturers you will find used machines.

Mericas big.

 

[bigdog12]

I love that someone would sell plans for something that needs detroit diesel pistons..lol Cause you know, they’re sold at convenience stores, Walmarts, grocery stores, and anywhere you buy auto parts nationwide.

Actually in the plans he suggested just going to a shop that worked on diesels and asking if they had any used pistons. I did that and they told me I could have as many as I wanted to dig out of the scrap metal bin.