What would you use a lathe for?

[ovilla]

I'm considering getting an engine lathe for turning rotors, since it would allow for more use than just buying a brake lathe. Anyway, just wondering what others do with their lathe. What have you built or been able to do with yours. Thanks

 

[rsanter]

making bushings
making adapters
trimming the domes of pop up pistons
making new stainless handles for your oven
making the wheels for an english wheel
making the heads for a planishing hammer
making small steam engines (parts)
shorten a deep socket into a mid depth socket
weld up a galled shaft and then turn it back to correct size
fishmouth tubes for making a roll cage
steering wheel adapters
custom steering wheel
more and more.....

bob

 

[american lockpicker]

Making 2 in 1 picks(for mortice locks) and other things.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Well, I for one use one to make a living>

 

[Danglerb]

My question would be is a general purpose lathe practical to use for turning rotors?

Would everybody that needs to do the turning work be able to use the lathe without getting themselves in trouble?

 

[mkdive]

I am on CL everyday for the last 6 months, looking for a metal lathe that suits my needs...(still on the hunt).

I would like a lathe to make:
Custom mountain bike parts
Motorcycle parts
Heatsinks & hosts for hand held lasers I make/sell
Flashlight bodies I then could make to my specs from scratch

 

[mikevango]

custom grind cams in the backyard like Isky did!

 

[Mickey_D]

I use my 10EE for making repair parts for the other machines, bushings, adapters, custom tooling, mounting pins, movie props, and other misc. projects. Once you have a lathe you will never want to be without one.

 

[rsanter]

if you make the mandrel set like a brake lathe has, it makes it veary easy to use.
leep in mind that a lathe has many more levers than a brake lathe, so the operator will have to have to know a little more.
if you have a large shop and need a brake lathe then get one.
if you have a slecialty shop and only a few times a year need a brake lathe then an engine lathe will be fine.
cutting your own rotors is not about saving the small money fee another place charges, its about saving time and making sure the other shop does not over cut the rotors and thin them too much or ruin them.
many shops I have seen take far too deep a cut on a customers rotors

bob

 

[A_Pmech]

Working on the Do-All band saw:

I also make The Hammer on the lathe:

A little farm repair:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40242

 

[wreckercologist]

with a taper attachment, milling attachment, and maybe a toolpost grinder, there isn't much you can't do with a lathe.

 

[iknownothing]

I currently use this Southbend as a shelf...

I bought it for $100.00! It even came with a VFD to use as a phase converter. I hope to have it operational soon, at which time I can respond with a better answer.

 

[wendell]

I've never heard some one ask "what can you make with a lathe". In all honesty, with enough tooling and creativity, the answer is "anything". The lathe allowed the world to progress out of the 19th century.

 

[KenS]

I currently use this Southbend as a shelf...

I bought it for $100.00!

Wow, only $100!

Any more available?

 

[mkdive]

I currently use this Southbend as a shelf...

I bought it for $100.00! It even came with a VFD to use as a phase converter. I hope to have it operational soon, at which time I can respond with a better answer.

geeze you ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[iknownothing]

geeze you ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hehehe...I know, I've heard that more than once. I bought it from the last company I worked for, they make rotary pressure cookers for companies that make canned food.

It had been sitting in a back corner of one of the shops for years, rarely used, since they now use much more modern CNC lathes etc. So I asked the shop foreman if I could "help him out" by getting it out of there for him, you know, free up space. He said sure, go tell the Fab manager that it's worth about $100 and if he agrees, you can have it. I couldn't believe it...

I didn't mention it to anyone else, came in that weekend to pick it up, and the next Monday all the old timers that had been there for 20+ years immediately noticed it was gone and were pissed that I bought it since I had only been there 6 months! Apparently a bunch of guys had their eye on it but NEVER ASKED. Oh well...I figure it never hurts to ask, the worst that can happen is they say no.

 

[stock z/28]

I have several lathes and I use them for a lot of various things, but turning rotors isn't one of them.

I have played around trying to turn some rotors and I have never had any luck. I was turning one side at a time and I think you are much better of to turn both sides at once.

I think that parallelism is very important the way a typical disc brake works and it may be hard to keep it with in tolerances only cutting one side at a time.

I actually have a disc brake rotor lathe and it like most, actually does cut both sides at once. I hardly ever do any brake work any more and on top of that a lot of rotors are so cheap (some are about $7.00) its not worth turning them if you don't have a lot of "free" time.

If you could make a tool holder that cut both sides at once it would be cool I guess.

Maybe its easy on a regular lathe, but I had no luck.



Jeff

 

[rsanter]

I currently use this Southbend as a shelf...

I bought it for $100.00! It even came with a VFD to use as a phase converter. I hope to have it operational soon, at which time I can respond with a better answer.

damm, that earns you a big you ****
I would have bought that even though I already have 2 lathes

bob

 

[JohnFreeman]

Making small pieces of metal out of large pieces of metal?

( I have a smallish Prazi that I'd love to be more competent in using)

 

[ovilla]

Guys, I'm watching craigslist closely and there's at least 2-3 new/old lathes going up for sale each week. Anyway, thanks for all of the feedback - very enlightening to say the least. I've got a million ideas already flowing through my head of what I could build. Going to put them on paper for now and keep them in a binder.