Lathe Project

[ItsNemo]

So, picked up a used metal lathe a couple months ago, it's a Craftex CX701 12x28, so nothing fancy but decent enough for my first time doing any machining. Have been slowly chipping away at building a stand for it and some rearranging the garage to make space for it.

Lathe was pretty dirty when I picked it up, the guy definitely was using it and wasn't exactly the most neat/tidy/clean type unfortunately but the price was right for what I got. Beyond just the lathe and it's normal accessories it also included a DRO, quick change tool post with a bunch of extra holders, small milling attachment and rotary table, some insert and hss tooling, a mid grade dial indicator, and couple other odds and ends.



Got it home and started cleaning it up...





Then started building a stand. It's 22x58" top and around 34" tall (leveling feet) and is built primarily out of 2x2x0.125 square tubing, along with 1.5x1.5x0.100 tubing for the tool box shelves. The intermediate chests were fairly cheap but decent enough (think Harbor Freight toolbox quality) and gives me some small storage right at the lathe for tooling and calipers/micrometers and whatnot.






Then just this past weekend got the lathe lifted up onto the stand...used the engine hoist but still is kinda weird having ~500lbs hanging that high in the air. Drilled the plate and it's bolted together. Total thing is somewhere in the 800-900lb range and is rock solid. Casters just bolt on and will be normally removed when it's in its spot, but gives me the option to easily move it if I ever need to.




So starting this week I need to rebuild some shelving (not pictured) on the other side of the garage. Right now it's floor to ceiling just out of 2x4's and only 4 foot spans but will be building new custom shelving out of steel tube that will start at around 6 feet off the ground and full 8 foot span, so there's clear space underneath for the lathe to go. Trying to leave a bit of room in the corner under the shelves for a future small bench top mill.

 

[Beelzeboss]

Looking good! I like your idea of the chests under the lathe for tooling yet still maintaining space underneath to store larger items - I may have to steal that idea

 

[fordkid88]

I'm loving it, keep it coming

 

[toglhot]

The lathe looks like a rebadged Optimum Maschinen. Optimum are a German company who manufacture lathes in China to their specifications. Much better than Chinese owned manufacturers in quality, fit, machining and finish. I have an older, smaller model (280 x 600), rebadged as an Impala. It was manufactured before they went to electronic speed control, so mine is belt driven with six speeds. I bought it around 10 years ago. It has been an excellent lathe, the only problem I've had with it is the switchgear which fell apart early this year. I made a stand for it with inbuilt labelling and coolant systems.

 

[ItsNemo]

The lathe looks like a rebadged Optimum Maschinen. Optimum are a German company who manufacture lathes in China to their specifications. Much better than Chinese owned manufacturers in quality, fit, machining and finish. I have an older, smaller model (280 x 600), rebadged as an Impala. It was manufactured before they went to electronic speed control, so mine is belt driven with six speeds. I bought it around 10 years ago. It has been an excellent lathe, the only problem I've had with it is the switchgear which fell apart early this year. I made a stand for it with inbuilt labelling and coolant systems.

Lots of clones of this machine out there...Precision Matthews sells one:

https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/pm-1127vf-lb/

Grizzly had one at some point but I can't find it anymore.
Bolton has a combo one based on the same lathe (my lathe even has the bolt holes in the casting for the mill head):

metal lathe

Bolton Tools BP290VF is 11" x 28" high precision variable speed mill, drill and lathe combo.Bolton Tools: online ordering for metal lathe, bench lathe, mill machines, cnc machines, tools and shop accessories.

boltontool.com

Random "no name" versions:

AMABL290VF Bench Lathe (11x27) - power crossfeed- BRUSHLESS MOTOR

www.amadeal.co.uk

So yeah, no shortage of these things out there in various forms.

 

[LXCam]

Nice job and congrats on what looks to be a great score.

 

[mogandave]

First, I want to say that that seems to be a nice, well equipped lathe, and a great looking, well built stand/workbench.

Not to be an a-hole, bit I think you want a coolant recovery system (tray, pump, tank), and I would not make the foot-print of the stand any bigger than the base of the lathe, and I would absolutely bolt it down.

I would roll that badass bench behind me...

Having a quick-change tool post is a game-changer...

 

[ItsNemo]

First, I want to say that that seems to be a nice, well equipped lathe, and a great looking, well built stand/workbench.

Not to be an a-hole, bit I think you want a coolant recovery system (tray, pump, tank), and I would not make the foot-print of the stand any bigger than the base of the lathe, and I would absolutely bolt it down.

I would roll that badass bench behind me...

Having a quick-change tool post is a game-changer...

I have no plans to run full free flowing coolant here, the lathe itself is definitely not setup for such.
Why not have the foot print bigger? This will help catch chips and other whatnots from reaching the floor.
It is indeed bolted down.

 

[toglhot]

If the lathe came with a manual, you will see the name 'Optimum Maschinen' written in there. Although now, they seem to have adopted 'Optimum' as their brand name.

 

[toglhot]

First, I want to say that that seems to be a nice, well equipped lathe, and a great looking, well built stand/workbench.

Not to be an a-hole, bit I think you want a coolant recovery system (tray, pump, tank), and I would not make the foot-print of the stand any bigger than the base of the lathe, and I would absolutely bolt it down.

I would roll that badass bench behind me...

Having a quick-change tool post is a game-changer...

Funny thing, I bought my first lathe around 1991, I've never seen the need for a QCTP I have several tool holders, a height gauge and a draw full of shims, I reckon it would take me no more than a minute to change a tool in the tool post. Convince me a QCTP is worth the financial outlay???

 

[rlitman]

Funny thing, I bought my first lathe around 1991, I've never seen the need for a QCTP I have several tool holders, a height gauge and a draw full of shims, I reckon it would take me no more than a minute to change a tool in the tool post. Convince me a QCTP is worth the financial outlay???

Easy. The QCTP allows you to drop a tool into exactly the right height in just a couple of seconds. Want to switch from threading to boring, turning and then facing, and then do it all over again? A QCTP makes it easy.

Also lantern toolposts are unstable ****.

 

[mogandave]

Funny thing, I bought my first lathe around 1991, I've never seen the need for a QCTP I have several tool holders, a height gauge and a draw full of shims, I reckon it would take me no more than a minute to change a tool in the tool post. Convince me a QCTP is worth the financial outlay???

First, I'm not trying to convince anyone (outside of my wife) of anything, and to be clear, I've never owned a lathe, nor have I spent any significant time making parts on a lathe. I have purchased a few lathes and have managed the operation of more.

If you are only making a few parts, or if the parts you are making do not require tool changes, than the the QCTP has little value.

If you're facing, knurling, and cutting off a simple part, that's three tool changes, yes? So a minute per tool change is three minutes a part. With the QCTP, the tool change goes to ten seconds or 30 seconds a part, saving 2.5 minutes a part. Four parts an hour, that's 17%. At $30 an hour, that's $40 a day. Also, you go from having to use a set-up guy to using an operator.

 

[toglhot]

Waste of time and money in a home workshop. Ever operator of a lathe does parting off, turning, knurling and so on, but saving a couple of minutes in a home workshop, to my way of thinking, is not worth the effort or the expense. I'd rather spend the money elsewhere, micrometers, callipers, cutting bits, knurling scissors and so on. But, each to their own, I'll never add one to my lathe, a couple of minutes to me is nothing.

 

[king nero]

I also got a copy like that, under the name Optimum. Very happy with it.

I folded a sheet for the table (like an upside down cover, think the lid of a shoebox but the size of the machine) so chips and so on stay "contained".
This also allows the use of coolant, but to be honest if it's for heavy machining I have access to another, full-size lathe so I don't use coolant at home).

I would have put the table top cross bars right under the feet of the machine, but perhaps it's not very clear in the pictures? It certainly will need bolting down (after shimming, if necessary)!

 

[mogandave]

I also got a copy like that, under the name Optimum. Very happy with it.

I folded a sheet for the table (like an upside down cover, think the lid of a shoebox but the size of the machine) so chips and so on stay "contained".
This also allows the use of coolant, but to be honest if it's for heavy machining I have access to another, full-size lathe so I don't use coolant at home).

I would have put the table top cross bars right under the feet of the machine, but perhaps it's not very clear in the pictures? It certainly will need bolting down (after shimming, if necessary)!

I think he has the original chip-pan that came with it, at least it seems to be in the first photo. Looks like the previous owner blocked it up to make it higher and easier to clear chips and whatnot. I think he could fit that pan between his new stand and the lathe,

 

[ItsNemo]

I also got a copy like that, under the name Optimum. Very happy with it.

I folded a sheet for the table (like an upside down cover, think the lid of a shoebox but the size of the machine) so chips and so on stay "contained".
This also allows the use of coolant, but to be honest if it's for heavy machining I have access to another, full-size lathe so I don't use coolant at home).

I would have put the table top cross bars right under the feet of the machine, but perhaps it's not very clear in the pictures? It certainly will need bolting down (after shimming, if necessary)!

I'm thinking I might still add a "backsplash" to it to keep the chips from going off the back, I don't mind them going forward. Again, no plans to run flood coolant really.

The cross bars are not under the bolt down points, I considered that on my original design but the tube wall is only 0.125 when the plate is 0.250 and I really kind of doubt 0.125 wall tubing with bolts going through it is really going to be any stronger (the tube would probably squish before it moved the casting). I evenly spaced the cross tubes and this way if I ever change lathes, I could potentially re-use the same stand just by drilling a few new holes in the plate and welding in some plugs in the old holes.

I think he has the original chip-pan that came with it, at least it seems to be in the first photo. Looks like the previous owner blocked it up to make it higher and easier to clear chips and whatnot. I think he could fit that pan between his new stand and the lathe,

I do have the original chip pan and could add it easily, just didn't seem very useful when it has such a small lip...would make it a PITA to brush chips out. Being my first lathe but after seeing what "OEM" lathe stands look like, I'm surprised at everyone concerned about chip and fluid collection...if you look at the Precision Matthews stand for this lathe, there's no provisions for coolant and the chip tray is tiny (same size as the one that came with mine).

 

[gmcgeo]

very nice, love the stand you made for it. This would be prefect for what I'm looking for. I will have to see if i can find a lathe like this to add to my shop and learn on

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice looking stand. I keep telling myself I want to fabricate a new base for my 13x40 lathe with a toolbox for extra tooling storage but never seem to find the time.

 

[lilredex]

I found some fibreglas baking trays at a garage sale. One of them is used as a chip tray under my old SB, added step up blocks to accomodate.

 

[DocsMachine]

Funny thing, I bought my first lathe around 1991, I've never seen the need for a QCTP I have several tool holders, a height gauge and a draw full of shims, I reckon it would take me no more than a minute to change a tool in the tool post. Convince me a QCTP is worth the financial outlay???

-If you don't need one, you don't need it. People got along just fine with lanterns and 4-ways for decades before the first of the quick-changes came along.

Personally, however, I wouldn't have a lathe without a QCTP. I had a 4-way and a box of shims on my first lathe, and did a lot of pretty good work on it. But adding a QC was a game changer. Tool swaps take seconds and are no longer fiddly. No shims, no stacks, no remembering which shims go with which tool, etc. Drop it on an go. If there's an issue with height or center, it takes seconds to dial it in.

For repetitive work, a QCTP is vital. I can swap between tools and always know where my "zero" is.

The only lathes I don't have a QC on is the turret and the CNC.

Doc.

 

[nadogail]

Congratulations of acquiring a lathe, may you get many years of service from it as you enjoy good health.

The stand you have built looks great.

 

[toglhot]

I rarely turn anything without coolant. Particularly drilling. Coolant keeps the tool and work cool so cutting tools last longer between sharpenings and they cut easier. There are a plethora of different coolants, but be careful which one you choose, some are a little hard on paintwork and skin. I just use water soluble oil with a homemade coolant system using reticulation parts and a cheap, 12 volt centrifugal pump.

 

[APEowner]

Funny thing, I bought my first lathe around 1991, I've never seen the need for a QCTP I have several tool holders, a height gauge and a draw full of shims, I reckon it would take me no more than a minute to change a tool in the tool post. Convince me a QCTP is worth the financial outlay???

Clearly for you it's not and, that OK. For me I found the ability to quickly swap tooling around for multi-operation parts to be well worth it. Particularly when I'm making more than one of something. Yeah, I'm usually doing something hobby related but that doesn't mean that there's no value in being efficient about it. If I can make a part five or ten minutes quicker that gives me five or ten minutes of valuable shop time that I can use to do something else. Likely something more fun than setting up a tool post. I use a collet chuck when I can for the same reason.

I totally get why someone might have different priorities though.

 

[ItsNemo]

Funny thing, I bought my first lathe around 1991, I've never seen the need for a QCTP I have several tool holders, a height gauge and a draw full of shims, I reckon it would take me no more than a minute to change a tool in the tool post. Convince me a QCTP is worth the financial outlay???

Do you use a hand saw to cut a 2x4 or a miter saw?
Do you use a ratchet to loosen a bolt or an impact wrench?
Do you use a file to shape a piece of metal or a lathe and mill?

There's plenty of situations where we spend significantly more money on a tool that does the same job faster. A QCTP in the machining world is a pretty inexpensive add on for the benefits it provides (consistency/repeatability in additional to just speed).

 

[toglhot]

Tell you what, you use a QCTP and I'll save my money for things I'd prefer to spend my money on. I quite often use a handsaw, ratchet or a file, I'm in no hurry! Is that acceptable to you?

 

[ItsNemo]

Tell you what, you use a QCTP and I'll save my money for things I'd prefer to spend my money on. I quite often use a handsaw, ratchet or a file, I'm in no hurry! Is that acceptable to you?

That's your perogative, just saying it's hardly a waste of money.

 

[BTL-A4]

Nice lathe, nice stand. I hope you are considering painting the stand for that extra touch to make it look really awesome. Maybe match the lathe color? Just a thought. Bare metal looks pretty cool, but it could rust.

I have my lathe mounted on a workbench I made. I wish I had just a bit more room in front so I could set my calipers, QCTP holders, etc. down. Looks like you've got enough room, though.

I made a chip pan and I use it to keep the lube and cutting fluid in check. My lathe requires oiling all the time. Yours may not, but when you use cutting fluid, it will have to go somewhere, so a pan is nice to have. You could put a cheap, dollar store oven or cookie pan under the lathe bed to catch chips and cutting fluid.

I have a hobby lathe (1944 Atlas Craftsman) and have a QCTP and love it. Makes everything easier. You have one that came with the machine so go ahead and use it. You will buy lots of holders for it. Lanterns are a PITA. I put mine in a drawer and haven't used it since.

 

[mogandave]

Nice lathe, nice stand. I hope you are considering painting the stand for that extra touch to make it look really awesome. Maybe match the lathe color? Just a thought. Bare metal looks pretty cool, but it could rust.

I have my lathe mounted on a workbench I made. I wish I had just a bit more room in front so I could set my calipers, QCTP holders, etc. down. Looks like you've got enough room, though.

I made a chip pan and I use it to keep the lube and cutting fluid in check. My lathe requires oiling all the time. Yours may not, but when you use cutting fluid, it will have to go somewhere, so a pan is nice to have. You could put a cheap, dollar store oven or cookie pan under the lathe bed to catch chips and cutting fluid.

I have a hobby lathe (1944 Atlas Craftsman) and have a QCTP and love it. Makes everything easier. You have one that came with the machine so go ahead and use it. You will buy lots of holders for it. Lanterns are a PITA. I put mine in a drawer and haven't used it since.

Is the frame not painted? I thought the color combination looked good. I would not paint the top, and doubt it will rust.

If he does want a pan, he can always sandwich the original in, or nail a strip (stainless?) around the perimeter of the bench-top.

A little mat and or pan on top of the head-stock is nice for tools...

 

[ItsNemo]

Is the frame not painted? I thought the color combination looked good. I would not paint the top, and doubt it will rust.

If he does want a pan, he can always sandwich the original in, or nail a strip (stainless?) around the perimeter of the bench-top.

A little mat and or pan on top of the head-stock is nice for tools...

Frame is painted flat black (see last couple pictures). The cream colour of the lathe shows far too much dirt as is, I don't want the frame the same way and the boxes match the frame anyway. Painting the top would be silly, the chips would scratch it up day 1.

Depending on how things go I will either put the original in (would make it hard to extract chips from the back) and/or also do a perimeter on the bench itself (more likely weld some 1.5"x0.125 flat bar on that I have kicking around).

Thinking of 3d printing something to go on the head stock.

 

[Rsharp66]

Just my 2 cents
- On my Enco I love the tray because I do tend to drip oil and chips and it does contain stuff.
- I think the previous owners blocks might be to get that handle on the carriage wheel up a bit. At first glance I felt like I would whack my knuckles when rolling back after a cut

That said yours looks a LOT prettier than mine in a heartbeat!

 

[ItsNemo]

Just my 2 cents
- On my Enco I love the tray because I do tend to drip oil and chips and it does contain stuff.
- I think the previous owners blocks might be to get that handle on the carriage wheel up a bit. At first glance I felt like I would whack my knuckles when rolling back after a cut

That said yours looks a LOT prettier than mine in a heartbeat!

I've taken a few cuts with it since, all the chips and such stays on the plate...only thing falling onto the floor would have got there with or without a tray.

My hands fit in there fine, hasn't banged into anything yet, but I could see how that might be a problem for some. The crank on the handwheel does stick out a couple inches past the plate despite what it looks like in the pictures.

 

[ItsNemo]

I guess I should finish this up with the shelving build that I did custom and in a bolt together fashion (so it wasn't one massive welded piece) to fit the space.

Made a bunch of pieces...



Bunch of test fitting and making sure it was good to go...



After painting the new shelves I emptied the old shelves and removed....



Then put together the new shelving...



And filled it up again...



Then finished off some details adding a little chest to put heavier tools in and mounted DRO/electrical...

 

[foghorn1966]

ItsNemo, I like your machine. I've had a CX-706 for a number of years. Only issues with mine are flaky fuse holders which I upgraded. As well as some loose gibs (expected).
To all the posters saying it is an "Optimum" rebrand, It is actually mfg by Weiss Machine (whom I suspects builds them for Precision Mathews as well).

 

[dffay]

Beautiful work. Now that it is in its permanent place, have you checked to make sure there is no longitudinal twist in the ways from one end to another? That way you’re not always cutting a taper. Blondihacks on YouTube has a vid on the adjustment and squaring of the lathe and hers is a shorter lathe like yours.
You’ve done well.

 

[ItsNemo]

Beautiful work. Now that it is in its permanent place, have you checked to make sure there is no longitudinal twist in the ways from one end to another? That way you’re not always cutting a taper. Blondihacks on YouTube has a vid on the adjustment and squaring of the lathe and hers is a shorter lathe like yours.
You’ve done well.

As best I can it's leveled. I need some higher precision equipment to get any better.

 

[ojh]

I like the space frame bench and room for the 2 tooling cabinets, I have a traditional support with the 2 end cabinets and might replace it with what you've done. Re: quickchange tool post, if you have one you'll never put the original one back on. I bought additional tool holders for mine.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Shop life really steps up to a higher level when a person gets a lathe. The next shop improvement is when a quality milling machine takes up residence in your shop.
I bought a nice lower roller BEACH cabinet on Craigslist. I fits nicely under my MYFORD SUPER 7. I do not have a cabinet under my 16" Southbend.

 

[ItsNemo]

Shop life really steps up to a higher level when a person gets a lathe. The next shop improvement is when a quality milling machine takes up residence in your shop.
I bought a nice lower roller BEACH cabinet on Craigslist. I fits nicely under my MYFORD SUPER 7. I do not have a cabinet under my 16" Southbend.

I am semi-actively looking for a mill. If the right deal comes up, I'll buy one tomorrow, but haven't seen much lately. I'll get seriously active at some point in the near future though and might just go new.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I am semi-actively looking for a mill. If the right deal comes up, I'll buy one tomorrow, but haven't seen much lately. I'll get seriously active at some point in the near future though and might just go new.

I think one of the more important things a mill buyer should insist on is a dove-tail back. I do not like the round pipe style backs. Stability loss is something I hear very often.

 

[ItsNemo]

I think one of the more important things a mill buyer should insist on is a dove-tail back. I do not like the round pipe style backs. Stability loss is something I hear very often.

Yup, I missed out on a PDM-30 for a grand which is a round column...blessing probably and will keep trying to find a dovetail column. I don't have space for a bridgeport or knee mill in general, so need to find a decent benchtop.