Future Lathe and Mill locations?

[Doward]

For someone new to mills and lathes, generally speaking would them being next to one another on a single wall introduce issues? Should I be looking to have extra room around a lathe or mill?

I've seen, for example, some lathes (all?) let you run stock through the jaws and out the side of the lathe. Just wondering if there are other things like that.

For example, someone not familiar with usage of a table saw might not consider they should leave room for an out feed if they cut panels, if they are only considering cutting 2x4s.

Appreciate any information!

 

[LXCam]

If it’s a normal sized knee mill I’d suggest you center it up in a 7ft opening minimum.

The lathe totally depends on the throat opening and what you think might be the longest bar stock you’ll ever turn. Personally I’ve got 5ft clear from the head which nets me about 6’6” to my work.

 

[Firebrick43]

It really depends on the lathe. Some its is very advantageous to leave space behind them to work on the drive, clean chips, adjust taper mechanisms. Some with a good back splash and small enough and undercabinet drive everything can be done from the front.

Knee mills its typically not as important for space behind unless you have a slotting attachment on the back side of the head. Side space matters depending on the work you are doing(how long is it).

 

[Doward]

Ah, maintenance, duh! Of course I need to insure I can access all around the machines. I'll keep that in mind, thank you!

 

[gorilla]

Milling machines seem to throw chips away from them more than lathes so having them close to a wall can help contain the mess. In my shop the mill and lathe share the operator space since I'm a one man band. You also need to provide space for a toolbox or workbench for all the accessories machine tools need.

 

[John in OH]

Lathe - if no taper attachment, then really the only rear space required is for cleaning and maintenance. The maintenance space will depend on the lathe design. Through-spindle clearance can "overlap" space above a mill table (assuming you will be using only one of the machines at a time).

Knee-mill - general clearance for cleaning and maintenance. Very rarely would a home-shop guy need expanded clearance around a mill table.

I would say you also need to consider the space around your drill press. I've seen far too many drill presses stuck in confined spaces that limit mounting and moving of work pieces.

 

[ZRX61]

A lot of people put the mill in a corner at 45deg to the walls.

 

[txvwnut]

My mill is in a corner and the lathe sits a couple feet to the left of it. I’d prefer the mill and the lathe to be in the middle of the shop floor but due the size of my shop they get relegated to a wall. Wherever you place a mill and a lathe make sure you can get around it easily for cleanup and maintenance.

 

[PWC Repair]

A lot of people put the mill in a corner at 45deg to the walls.

Mine is sort of like this, and I bought an old locker and added shelves to store my tooling.

 

[matt_i]

Lathe - I'd make sure you can put a 3ft bar in the headstock thru the outboard end of the tube.

I'd make sure you can swap the spindle drive belt(s) if ever needed.

Want to make sure you have access to any change gears or "banjo" if you ever thread metric (and not a quick-change).

If you ever use a collet-closing handwheel tube then that needs to have clearance to remove when not in use.

Depending on the electrical complexity I would leave space for opening the panel doors. My neighbor has a nearly new Clausing Metosa and it has a loaded-up electrical panel complete with a Pilz safety-relay that we did some troubleshooting on as it wouldn't run. I got a Monarch and had to convert from 480/3/60 to 240/3/60 and so I was swapping discrete overload heater elements that were probably obsoleted around 1970...before I stuffed it in a corner I wanted to make sure that I wasn't tripping the overloads and so I did a few turning jobs with it to build confidence. If you have a southbend with nothing more than a drum switch you can disregard this last paragraph.

A couple things that fit nicely "behind" a mill are a shop vac for cleaning the vise + table and if you wanted to have a "swarf drum" it makes a handy spot for it. Being a right handed person I typically operate the mill from the right side of the knee and so it can be a lot closer clearance on the opposite end of the table.

Either machine could potentially move around with a pallet jack if you want to make fine adjustments. My mill sits on a stack of 2x6s with a slot for the pallet jack (its mostly for ergonomics tho). And I'm assuming here your lathe is under 5000 lbs.

 

[Snip]

Home hobby shop here. I placed both my mill,14x40, and lathe 90* to the wall, facing each other with 3-4' between them. This limited the real estate used while still allowing access all the way around for maintenance and cleaning. The lathe tailstock end is closest to the wall (about 3' away) giving almost unlimited access to feed stock thru the chuck. My shop is still very much a work in progress but when this wall is complete there will be an outlet for each machine with the power cords and air line suspended overhead to the wall.

 

[zmotorsports]

I've seen many people put their milling machines at an angle in a corner and it seems to work well. Thus allowing full table travel in either direction. My corners were already taken and it is usually just me in the shop so my lathe is against the wall which makes cleaning easy. Usually a shot of air behind the lathe and it forces any chips out under the bottom to where I can easily sweep them up.

My mill out in the open across the work space from my lathe and easily accessible to the workbench and toolbox containing machining tooling. My son's CNC mill and my manual mill are back to back in open floor space. I installed electrical ceiling drops and air drops down to the milling machines when I built the shop so no need to have cords or air hoses running across the floor.

 

[ptschram]

If it’s a normal sized knee mill I’d suggest you center it up in a 7ft opening minimum.

If we are talking a vertical with a 9X29 table, that is a HELLUVA lotta space and completely overkill. None of the machine shops where I have worked have had anywhere near that much space-unless we are talking a jig/boring mill.

My knee mill is in a pocket where the turret and motor are kinda backed in with the table proud of shelving on one side and a lathe on the other. If needbe, I can lift it, put it on dollies and move it to accommodate bigger jobs.

This is in my home shop, but it is a profit-seeking business for me.

 

[LXCam]

Well PT, I assumed a 42" table but the OP neve did state what it was. And as far as the spacing, that's pretty subjective and dependent upon what size material you play around with. For me, that golden space was 7ft for my supermax 10X48.

 

[cvairwerks]

Easy way to figure the width needed for a knee mill is run the table all the way one direction, mark the floor, then run it the other and add about 2 feet to the measurement. Not fun when someone sets the mill into a corner, then there isn't enough room for full table travel, or you have to bang your knuckles into the wall to turn the handles....

 

[dutchgray]

Mill, as long as you can get full table travel and access all the controls it will be fine, I got my Bridgeport in a corner, makes getting in the electrical cabinet a tad tricky but its doable.

Lathes, you want to be able to slide stock in through the headstock, you want to be able to get into anything that needs maintenance, I have one against a wall with the headstock next to a 4' access door, its only 2000 lb so pulling it out for access to the rear isnt that bad and its on 4" blocks as it would be uncomfortably low otherwise.

The other is 90 deg to a wall tailstock end, that one is 5,100 lb and the 60 year old electric's are at the back so I need to get in there from time to time, plus the headstock oil fil and sight gauge is on the back, and its got six levelling points so you don't want to move it unless you have no option

 

[Samh]

This is a good instance of where pics would be helpful

 

[jmarkwolf]

I've got my 12x36 lathe and full-size mill side by side with about 4ft between them. The lathe is aligned with the table of the mill, in case I ever need to chuck up a long piece of stock in the lathe, I can utilize the table of the mill to support the long end of the stock sticking through the headstock of the lathe to avoid whipping.

Also, do leave some room behind each for maintenance as others' have stated.

 

[no704]

I like to leave space for a push broom between the machine and the wall. Also install glue on rubber base molding on the walls.