Advice to newbies

[robcas631]

Each machine has it's limitations. A lathe will do great work on making certain parts but there are many components that can't be made without a mill. My advise is to obtain both for your abilities and ambitions will improve. At that point not having the right machine will impede your success.

 

[deverett]

For many years, when cash did not rule everything, very fine models were made using only a lathe with a vertical slide for milling + the use of a drill press.

A milling machine may make work easier to set up and allow for speedier working, but they are not essential.

With the advent of cheap import machine tools, if the person's budget can stretch to a milling machine, then YES, it would be a worthwhile investment.

Anyone contemplating the purchase of any machine tool should also factor in up to 50% of the purchase price for essential tooling (if starting from new) to be able to get the machine up and running satisfactorily.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

 

[aarggh]

Funny you mention factoring in the cost of the tooling Dave, as I'm contemplating selling my current mill to upgrade, which might render the vast majority of my tooling useless for the new mill. I'd hate to add up how much I've spent on tooling for the lathe and mill, but 50% would be on the conservative side over time I suspect.

cheers, Ian

 

[Sshire]

When I got my BF20 mill, fortunately it was R8. Now with the"new" Bridgeport, everything is usable. This should be a consideration when buying a mill or lathe. Standards like R8 and 5C, etc. should be a factor because, as I suspect ,like most of us, the first mill or lathe won't be the last one we buy

 

[Jasonb]

Can't really agree with that statement, unless you are talking of very large items then all can be done with a lathe. For sure it may take a bit longer to set up and be a bit of a pain but a mill is certainly not a must have for someone starting out.

I made this without a mill so hardly many parts that could not be done and for the majority of bar stock engines that are made here a lathe will easily cope with it all.

Its not what tools you have, its being able to use them

 

[jwcnc1911]

Its not what tools you have, its being able to use them

I mostly agree with this... but if you need a hammer and only have a wrench, yes you can beat something with a wrench but the work will be less efficient. Or if you need a wrench and only have a hammer...

The right tool for the job is even a safety consideration. Using a wrench as a hammer can result in bloody knuckles. Even for a lathe, you need a "milling" attachment which is the right tool. Just much less efficient than a dedicated mill.

Every one has 3 main factors to consider, #1 individual skill and application thereof, #2 tools available, #3 funds for the right tool.

 

[tornitore45]

Quote: Anyone contemplating the purchase of any machine tool should also factor in up to 50% of the purchase price for essential tooling

Perhaps more like another 100% in time, Or as it happen to me make 2 tools for every part you make. After 6 years the toolmaking slows down but there ia always someone posting a neat gadget yo absolutely positively got to make.

No arguing a mill is very useful and in some instances indispensible but many projects can be completed with only a lathe and a good dose of creativity. Just a lathe is a good way to start.

 

[Stub Mandrel]

Ultimately what you need depends on what you want to do AND what sort of experience you want from the hobby. Some, like me, enjoy tuning and getting the best out of cheap kit. Others will 'do up' what should be a scrapper or a museum piece.the next man will buy the finest he can afford. Another will spend a premium to 'buy British' or some other loyalty for the joy of owning a particular brand for other reasons. All are legitimate, but match your expectations to what you spend.

Modern engineering started with a caveman banging rocks together. The Lathe was the first step towards true precision as it allows the generation of truly round or plane surfaces. A mill is just a lathe with the workpiece and tool interchanged and a the only limitations of a lathe versus a mill are size (which you can't do much about) and rigidity. Inconvenience is only a matter of time, not a limitation as Jason's fine accomplishment demonstrates. Buy what you can afford bearing in mind the advice to reserve cash for tooling AND materials.

Concentrate of having fun, building skill and solving problems; if you can save cash by expending brainpower and effort, you will be a better engineer at the end.

If I was starting out now, I would try and spend as little as possible, saving my cash for the things you never heard of that suddenly become essential like reamers and centre finders!

Neil

 

[Mechanicboy]

Before i bought lathe, i learned how to make a oscillating steam engine with drill machine and file as a lathe when i was 14-15 year old. Then i builded a milling machine by drill press with modifications against play in drill press as i am showing in this movie of my milling machine.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcG9Eoyf9aI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcG9Eoyf9aI[/ame]

And other

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBhzBmErbjY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBhzBmErbjY[/ame]

 

[Lhorne1]

Funny you mention factoring in the cost of the tooling Dave, as I'm contemplating selling my current mill to upgrade, which might render the vast majority of my tooling useless for the new mill. I'd hate to add up how much I've spent on tooling for the lathe and mill, but 50% would be on the conservative side over time I suspect.

cheers, Ian

I'm in the same boat. I have a Sherline with all the stuff. The extras cost more than the machine. It make things much more enjoyable. Now I want to start making thing that are larger than the Sherline capacity, but the extras make this harder to pull the trigger.

I can remember my wife saying, "are you ever going to use all the tools you buy." Now that I know so much more about using the lathe, and mill, I can move unto the larger machines and be safe. The smaller machine are a little more forgiving. I couldn't even imaging crashing a large lathe, or mill.

 

[robcas631]

Thank you all. For now I will go with the milling attachment. Better than nothing at all.

 

[Hopper]

If I can't do it in the lathe or drill press, I do it with a hacksaw and files.

 

[aarggh]

I'm in the same boat. I have a Sherline with all the stuff. The extras cost more than the machine. It make things much more enjoyable. Now I want to start making thing that are larger than the Sherline capacity, but the extras make this harder to pull the trigger.

I can remember my wife saying, "are you ever going to use all the tools you buy." Now that I know so much more about using the lathe, and mill, I can move unto the larger machines and be safe. The smaller machine are a little more forgiving. I couldn't even imaging crashing a large lathe, or mill.

Yeah, if it's shiny I just can't seem to help myself! If it has knobbly bits and doo-dads, then it's definitely a required tool! Luckily for me the wife's pretty much given up on me, so all I get now is a roll of the eyes! So long as my "crap" doesn't roll over into her domain, she's happy.

cheers, Ian