Choosing the right lathe machine- looking for advise

[sanyalsoumitra]

Hi all,

I am looking for advise / opinion from the forum.

I am well trained on medium sized metal lathe machines
[ due to many years working as a shipboard engineer].
However did not know anything about wood lathes until
a few months back when I took an interest in pen-turning.
I managed to buy some fountain pen kits and made some pens
+ plus made some ( unfinished) kitless pens of metal,
teflon, plastic etc.

I am planning to buy a lathe and set up my hobby workshop
in a small way.

I have found out some local suppliers [ by the way,I live in
Kolkata, India] and found two good options in 350 mm span( Chuck to
tail stock distanc) precision lathes

a) Manual lathe machine [ which is just a miniature of the 2000mm lathe
I am used to in my ships workshop] for about INR 25000 ie about US$ 400;
b) CNC version of the same size for about usd 1800.
Have not yet searched for a typycal wood lathe [ some thing I have not used
anytime]. For me a handheld cutting tool at end of a long handle sliding back and
forth on a smooth support and variable tilt just by sheer judgement, is a dream
experience at the moment.This is a skill I do not have, not that I can not learn
but do not know how easy or difficult.

Now , in my own way I have explained the scenario. Basis that, kindly allow me to have some opinions from you.

A) Is it essential to use a wood lathe [ with its own tools & styles] to make wood pens ? Does the metal lathe [ with the fixed type usual metal tools] make any lesser quality on the job?

Or is it that a wood lathe offers simplicity and cost benefit - can some experienced guru advise me?

B) It appears to me that there are attachments available so that wood working tools can be used on tool post of a metal lathe [ so I can retain the alltime option of metal working too side by side]. Where to look for these conversion stuuf ?

C) How limited or unlimited are the options with a CNC lathe. Is it a steep learning curve? Let me have some advise here too.

I would delay the purchase till I clear my cofusions using advise from the forum. I would prefer to have only one machine, two at the most because of limited space. Perhaps one lathe and one vertical drill press would be the ideal as I wold have some free space around. Please suggest
the best plan.

Wram regards
Soumitra Sanyal.

 

[Paul in OKC]

CNC can have a big learning curve. Plus it may limit in some aspects what you can do as far as just playing around. A small metal lathe can be the best all around, as you can make a tool rest to replace the tool post and use it just like a wood lathe, plus have the capability to thread small parts for kitless. You can do an awful lot, as shown by many capable folk here on just a wood lathe with a few extra items. Low cost and simplicity is what you get there.

 

[mredburn]

I use a metal lathe to make all my pens. I use an attachment for my lathe to turn or shape anything other than a straight cut.

On the question of the cnc lathe.. can you write g-code yourself? Would you have to buy software instead? I havent found a good cheap software package under $600.00

 

[sanyalsoumitra]

Dear Sir, Thanks very much for this clear input.

 

[sanyalsoumitra]

Thank you sir. No I do not know about the g-code part. This means if I buy a CNC lathe I will have to study the programming. Not feeling much inclined to do that now!

 

[mredburn]

If you buy a cnc lathe machine you will need a computor to run it, a program to run the g code, you will need to learn g code to program the cuts or buy software that does it for you. Some g code gernerating software may require a drawing made in other software and imported. Some can draw the shape of the part you want to cut as well as generate the g code. It might be a skill well learned for future use.

best of luck

Mike

 

[randyrls]

Hi all,

A) Is it essential to use a wood lathe [ with its own tools & styles] to make wood pens ? Does the metal lathe [ with the fixed type usual metal tools] make any lesser quality on the job?

Soumitra; Welcome! You can use a metal lathe for wood, but you want to clean up the saw dust completely before using it on metal again. Sawdust and oil make a paste that will be difficult to remove. Sawdust and hot metal chips equals fire.

Some time ago I made a square horizontal bar that I could mount on the cross slide on my metal lathe. I removed the compound slide. I then drilled a vertical hole and horizontal thumb screw to lock the tool post in place. I used a standard woodworking tool post. It may be necessary to adjust the pieces so the bottom of the tool post doesn't hit the bed ways on the lathe.

Or is it that a wood lathe offers simplicity and cost benefit - can some experienced guru advise me?

That is exactly correct. A wood lathe isn't made to the exact tolerances of a machine lathe or tool room lathe.