The dream of every do-it-yourselfer, modeler and home craftsman is a lathe. Everyone who managed to privatize socialist property today has huge bonuses in the form of lathes, drilling and other small-scale mechanization in their garages and workshops. Those who could not, have to make machines with their own hands, since the minimum cost of a small average Chinese lathe device corresponds to the annual salary of our non-deputy. There is only one way out - to do it yourself, which is what we will do now.

Benchtop lathe, main components

Do-it-yourself mini lathe for metal is performed on the basis of what was done in the production environment, but for one reason or another, it no longer serves its intended purpose. This means that the main components and assemblies will have to be taken from other devices that are completely unsuitable for this, adapt them and use all your ingenuity.

So, the main parts of a screw-cutting or turning-milling machine should be:

Actually, these are only the main parts that have to be made or selected from what is at hand.

Parameters, advantages and disadvantages

The main parameters of the lathe, which will be made by hand, are linear dimensions, power and processing accuracy. We are not talking about a specific device now, since everyone sets tasks on their own, and in the drawings and diagrams presented on the page, you can find a suitable option for yourself. We are talking about the idea of ​​creating a tool in principle and its main parameters.

So, depending on how far from the guides the center of the spindle and tailstock will be, the diameter of the workpiece will be determined. The length of the workpiece actually depends on the degree of freedom of movement of the tailstock along the guides. The same applies to the feeder, which must match the dimensions of the maximum diameter of the workpiece.

But you need to be prepared for the fact that a homemade lathe will not be able to provide high processing accuracy and high speed. This will be a device for making parts with a low accuracy class. On what it depends, we will understand further.

Machining on lathes, diagrams and drawings

Briefly about the control system, we can say that if knowledge and skills in engineering radio modeling allow, you can always make the simplest screw-cutting or numerical control. CNC lathes allow you to automate the same type of work and they are needed if the master has to make a large number of identical workpieces according to a template.

In the bulk, desktop machines are designed to perform one-time work, so the use of complex programming systems is hardly justified on machines with a low degree of accuracy.

Accuracy and performance of a homemade device

In the event that the task is to create a machine for metal cutting with a high degree of accuracy, special attention must be paid to the guides and the bed. Many make structural elements out of wood, this is a fun budget solution, but it will not provide the desired accuracy simply because the material of the bed and guides must be harder than the workpiece.

Therefore, all beds and guides for metal lathes are made only of metal. It is advisable to use factory guides, but if this is not possible, which happens most often, then you have to use rolled metal, as in the example that we cited from an ancient English magazine. That is, all the details that are responsible for accuracy and strength must be made in production conditions, such as this option, where automotive connecting rods are used as centering elements.

Making a lathe for metal is a creative and unhurried work. You need to think over all the details a hundred times, draw a couple of dozen drawings, and only then proceed to the manufacture of the machine in metal. But in any case, direct hands and ingenuity will lead to the successful creation of a practical and functional lathe. Good luck in the field of small engineering!

A homemade lathe in most cases successfully replaces expensive factory fixtures. Especially when there is a desire to process metal with minimal equipment costs.

It is not difficult to make a small desktop lathe with your own hands, or you can choose a more complicated drawing for a garage. The cost of parts and materials is affordable, some spare parts are likely to be found on the farm.

Main elements and principle of operation

lathe device

One of the most important characteristics of a metal lathe is the ability to withstand the severe loads that occur during metal processing. At the same time, accuracy and speed are required.

A simple design for metal processing at home contains:

• base (frame);
• two racks (they are grandmas);
• electric motor;
• movement transmission mechanism;
• fixture for fixing the workpiece;
• stop for the cutter (caliper).

The main mechanisms are located in the headstock. but a self-made motor can be outside. With the help of the transmission mechanism, the movement from the engine is transmitted to the spindle - a hollow shaft, to which the workpiece is attached using a chuck. The tailstock serves to support the free end of the part.

Machining precision is achieved not only by skillful hands:

• foundation stability;
• lack of "beating" of the spindle;
• reliable fastening of the workpiece in the chuck.

Made in accordance with all the rules, the mini-machine is easy to operate and compact. It is suitable for processing small metal parts of various shapes, blanks made of wood, plastic.

Selection of parts

When the drawings of all components and fixtures are developed, you can begin to select parts.

strong metal frame

The purpose of the frame is a rigid fixation of the leading and driven centers. For a desktop mini-machine, you can do it yourself from a wooden block. This design will withstand work with small metal parts. A stationary frame for a garage or workshop must be durable, it is welded from a corner, metal strips or a channel. It is recommended to use factory-made guides. In the absence of them, they are assembled from rolled metal with their own hands.

The dimensions of the bed determine the dimensions of the parts to be processed. So, the length of the workpiece depends on the distance between the faceplate (chuck) and the center of the tailstock.

Electric motor and transmission

The most suitable for a homemade machine is an asynchronous motor. Its feature is a constant rotation speed. To process metal blanks, the following power is required:

• for work with small workpieces made of soft metals - 0.5 - 1 kW;
• for working with large parts and steels - 1.5 - 2 kW.

A motor from a high power electric drill is quite suitable.

The use of collector motors whose rotation speed depends on the load should be avoided. Accelerating at idle, it can lead to ejection of the workpiece from the chuck and injury to the hands. If there is no other engine, the collector must be supplemented with a gearbox that controls the speed under any load.

The transmission can be used belt or gear. It is easier to assemble a belt with your own hands, it is quite reliable. The belt levels the force directed along the shaft and destroying the bearings of the electric motor.

You can also use a gearbox that will allow you to work at several speeds. And you can increase the engine speed with the help of an additional pulley.

An alternative to the transmission mechanism is to mount the tool chuck directly on the motor shaft. Such a device is often used for desktop mini-machines assembled from a drill or a hand-held engraver. When planning it, you need to choose an engine with a sufficiently long shaft! To partially compensate for the load along the shaft, a stop is installed between its end and the rear surface of the housing, for example, in the form of a ball.

Master and slave centers

mini metal turning machine

In order for the part to rotate smoothly and not vibrate, the centers must be located strictly on the same axis. The workpiece is fixed with a faceplate or cam chuck.

The driven center is located on the rear support and can rotate or be stationary. A threaded hole is made in the support and a bolt is screwed in, which is sharpened under a cone. The bolt should have a stroke of about 3 cm in order to firmly press the inserted workpiece. The rear support (headstock) moves along the base along the guide. But in the simplest mini-machines, the end of the workpiece is supported by a retractable sharpened threaded pin, the amplitude of which is small.

Machine assembly process

metal frame combined with thick plywood support

We take an old working drill as the basis for the design.

1. From corner No. 40 we weld a base 70 cm long: at the edges there are two long corners, between them two - 40 cm long - this is the length of the working area. We leave a gap between the short corners - the guide.
2. The headstock in this case is a stand in which you need to conveniently and securely fix the drill. Let's make it from a metal corner and plates. In the vertical part we cut a round hole for a drill chuck. The cartridge must fit snugly into the hole.
3. We weld the headstock to the base on the corner.
4. The base for the tailstock is cut from the No. 100 corner. In the center of the horizontal part of the corner, we drill a hole for a bolt that runs along the guide and holds the headstock. From below, the bolt is welded to a rectangular pressure plate, from above it is adjusted with a nut.

The caliper or tool post will move along the center guide. For the manufacture of a caliper, you will need a cast-iron blank with a diameter of 80 mm, from which 2 parallelepipeds are cut out with a grinder. We cut holes in them for bushings with a diameter of 22 mm. We will make the rods from the axle shafts of the passenger car found in the garage.

The base and side parts are cut out of a metal plate. We weld a bronze nut between the rods, pressed into a steel sleeve, where we screw in a threaded pin passing through a hole in one of the sidewalls. Here we weld a homemade handle or lamb. We drill a vertical hole with a thread in the movable part with our own hands. On a long bolt we weld a plate - a tool holder. We pass the bolt through a square plate mounted on bearings and screw it into the moving part of the caliper. Along the perimeter of the plate, we will make clamps for the tool holder from bolts.

Common disadvantages of homemade lathes

• Low power of the electric motor, which does not allow to achieve sufficient performance of the mini-machine;
• small spindle diameter, limiting the size of the workpiece;
• lack of automation, so all settings are displayed by hand;
• limiting the maximum dimensions of blanks;
• vibrations due to fragile frame.

The first video clearly shows the design of the caliper, the second video shows another model of a do-it-yourself homemade lathe:

Tips for making a homemade metal lathe

Making a lathe cutting machine for metal with your own hands is quite simple. If you build this device yourself, you can save a lot of money. The finished product is not at all cheap, while the quality of the parts is not always satisfactory.

Homemade metal lathe

Diagram of a homemade lathe

A lathe cutting machine, which can be made very simply with your own hands, should consist of the following structural elements:

Homemade lathe (top view)

• grandmas - front and back;
• frame;
• electric drive;
• slave and leading centers;
• stop for the cutting part.

The unit itself is placed on the frame. In this case, when the device is manufactured independently, its role is played by the frame. The tailstock moves along this base. The other - the front, should be motionless. The headstock is designed to install elements for the rotation of the necessary equipment.

The center, which is the leading one, is connected to the engine through a special transmission device, which is installed on the bed or, in our case, on the frame. With the help of the leading center, the rotational movement is transmitted to the workpiece, which is processed on this unit.

If you decide to make this device with your own hands, then use wooden blocks, metal corners or other profiles that you can find in your garage to make the bed. In this case, the main condition is not the material itself, but how stable the frame can be created with it. In this case, all centers must be fixed in a certain position during its operation.

Headstock homemade lathe

To make a lathe with your own hands, you can use an electric motor of any type and power. When choosing this element, you need to consider only the type of material that will be processed. If it will be necessary to work with metal blanks, then it is best to use a powerful electric drive.

The rotation of the elements of a home-made unit is possible using a belt, chain or friction transmission. In this case, it is best to use the first option, which is considered the most effective and reliable. Some models do not have a transmission mechanism. Then the leading center is installed directly on the electric motor.

Features of the structural elements of a homemade lathe

Making a cutting machine for metal processing with your own hands is very simple if you follow a few rules. First of all, place the driven and leading centers on the same axis. This will help to avoid the generation of vibration when machining metal parts. If you decide to make a do-it-yourself device with just one leading center, then additionally install a cam chuck or faceplate. These elements are intended for fastening parts during their processing.

Also, do not install collector-type electric motors on home-made units.

This type of drive, without sufficient load, makes too strong rotational movements. In this case, the likelihood that the workpiece will simply fly out of the vise increases.

This can not only damage it, but also create a very dangerous situation, especially if the work is done in a confined space.

The best solution for homemade metalworking fixtures is an asynchronous motor. Under any load, it does not change the speed, which makes it very reliable. When using an asynchronous motor, it is possible to process parts with a maximum thickness of 10 cm and a width of no more than 70 cm.

On the tailstock there is a driven center, which can be made both stationary and dynamic.

It can be easily made with your own hands using a regular bolt. Then you just need to sharpen its end and give it a conical shape.

Before installing the bolt, it must be treated with machine oil. Only then can this element be inserted into the internal thread of the tailstock.

How to make a lathe using an electric motor?

A desktop metal cutting machine can be easily made using the following materials and tools:

The technology of work on the construction of a mini-unit for processing blanks made of soft metals or wood consists of the following steps:

We use a conventional electric drill

The cutting unit can be easily built using a conventional electric drill, which can be found in any home. In this case, a spring fixation with a plate must be attached to the metal rod. After that, install one such element in the drill, and the other in the tailstock. It can be made from any material, such as wood.

Using a drill as a lathe drive

Such an installation has the following mechanism of operation - a metal blank rotates between the plates, which allows you to perform the necessary manipulations with it.

A homemade metal lathe is a profitable alternative to expensive mechanisms, which sometimes do not even fully perform their intended functions.

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Video: DIY metal lathe

Features of milling machines with computer software for metal processing

Design features of lathes, trimming and screw-turning machines

We restore the shine and beauty of the metal with the help of polishing

We assemble a homemade metal lathe with our own hands

Why do you need a homemade lathe?

There is not a single real owner who would not want to get a compact, reliable, and most importantly inexpensive machine for metal processing in his arsenal. Such equipment allows you to perform many, both simple and complex operations associated with the manufacture of metal parts, starting with boring holes and ending with blanks made of metal of unusual shapes.

Of course, if the financial situation allows, then you can not bother with the manufacture of a lathe with your own hands. However, factory equipment has an impressive size. and placing it in a garage or a small utility room will be problematic. Therefore, the only right decision is to manufacture metalworking equipment with your own hands according to your size, which will meet all the requirements.

A self-assembled machine for processing metal products, which will be manufactured, taking into account all the features of its use, will have simple controls, do not take up much useful space in the room and be distinguished by simple and at the same time reliable operation. On such a lathe for metal, you can easily process any workpieces of small sizes made of steel.

The design and principle of operation of the lathe

Before you start assembling metalworking equipment with your own hands, it is important to familiarize yourself with the main components and mechanisms of a metal lathe. In the design of the simplest equipment, it is necessary includes the following elements:

The components of a homemade lathe are placed on the bed. In the case of a do-it-yourself unit, this is a metal frame. The tailstock moves along the frame base. In turn, the purpose of the headstock is to accommodate the base mechanism that rotates the equipment. Moreover, this element has a fixed structure. A transmission mechanism is installed on the bed, connecting the leading center with an electric motor. Through this central device, the rotational movement is transmitted to the metal workpiece to be processed.

The frame of a do-it-yourself metal lathe, in most cases made from wooden blocks. In addition to wood, you can use metal corners or steel profiles. The material from which the frame will be made does not really matter, the main thing is that the centers of the equipment are securely and motionlessly fastened to the base.

Almost any electric motor can be installed on home-made metalworking equipment, even with insignificant power indicators. However, it is important to understand that a low-power motor may not be able to cope with the rotation of bulky metal blanks at the right speed, which will lead to a decrease in the quality of the work being done. Low-power motors are best used if you plan to machine wood parts on a lathe.

The message of rotational movement from the electric motor to the main unit of the machine occurs through a friction, belt or chain type of transmission. At the same time, the belt drive is considered the most popular, since has a low cost with high reliability. I would like to note that some home craftsmen assemble equipment in which the transmission mechanism is not provided, and the working tool is fixed directly on the motor shaft.

Features of homemade machines

In order to prevent increased vibration of the metal workpiece being processed, it is important to ensure that the leading and driven center structure is placed on the same axis. If you plan to assemble the machine with your own hands only with a leading center, then it is necessary to foresee the installation of a special cam mechanism - a chuck or a faceplate.

On the advice of experienced specialists, the installation of collector electric motors on home-made metal processing units is not recommended. Such devices may spontaneous increase in speed in the absence of a work load, which, in turn, leads to the departure of the workpiece from the fasteners and possible injury to the person working at the machine. A part flying out at high speed can cause a lot of damage in the confined space of a home workshop.

If, for some reason, the installation of a collector-type electric motor is inevitable, then it is imperative to install a special reduction gear. Thanks to this mechanism, it is possible to completely prevent uncontrolled acceleration of the equipment in the absence of a load on the workpiece.

The most practical, convenient and inexpensive for a do-it-yourself metal lathe is an asynchronous electric motor. Such a motor has high stability during load without speed change. which allows to ensure high quality of processed metal blanks, the width of which does not exceed 100 mm. In general, the design and power parameters of the electric motor must be selected in such a way that the part to be processed receives the necessary force during rotation.

The mechanism of the driven center, located on the tailstock, can have both a fixed and a rotating design. For its manufacture, a standard bolt is used, which is sharpened in a conical shape on the threaded section of the product. The prepared part is lubricated with engine oil and mounted in the internal thread in advance, cut out in the tailstock. The bolt should have a free play of about 25–30 mm. Due to the rotation of the bolt, the workpiece is pressed between the central mechanisms.

Assembly procedure for turning equipment

The easiest to make with your own hands is considered to be a beam-type metalworking machine. The use of such home-made equipment allows you to grind metal and wood products, as well as, with a slight improvement, sharpen knives and other cutting tools. Such equipment is very useful if a car or other moving vehicle is to be repaired. At the same time, the assembly procedure itself provides some simple work .

A self-made design of a metal lathe, assembled by oneself, can be used not only for its intended purpose, but also for other domestic needs. It is possible on one of the moving parts connected to the shaft of the electric motor, install grinding wheel and sharpen various tools on it or perform grinding or polishing surfaces.

Selection of power equipment

The frame of home-made equipment, if possible, should be mounted on a metal base by securely fastening it to the frame. After that, you need to install all the individual components and mechanisms of the turning unit, which are not so many. At the next stage, they proceed to work with the power unit of the equipment. First of all, you need to choose an electric motor of appropriate parameters. Since we are talking about the processing of metal - a fairly durable material, then the motor must be powerful:

• when processing small metal parts, a motor with a power of 0.5 to 1 kW is sufficient;
• for turning larger workpieces, it is better to use a 1.5-2 kW motor.

For homemade metalworking equipment, an engine from an old sewing machine or from any other unnecessary household appliance is suitable. The choice depends on what is found in the home workshop or will cost inexpensively when buying in a store. A hollow steel shaft is connected to the electric motor, or as it is called, the spindle head. For this purpose, a belt or any available transmission is used. The shaft is connected to a pulley mounted on a key. A pulley will be needed to place the working part of the tool on it.

Connection of power mechanisms performed either on their own, or turn to specialists for help. At the same time, an experienced electrician will do everything quickly and efficiently, and the owner of the machine will have complete confidence in the safety of using electrical parts of the lathe. After the assembly work is completed, the equipment is ready for use. Also, if necessary, a person can expand the functionality of the equipment .

Having made a machine for processing metal parts with your own hands, a person will receive an indispensable assistant in a home workshop. And given the versatility of such equipment, everyone will be able to hone their skills in plumbing. A self-made machine will meet all the requirements for it and will not take up much space in a house or garage.

Do-it-yourself homemade lathe for metal with your own hands: drawings, photos, videos

Many home craftsmen are thinking about how to make a metal lathe on their own. Such a desire is explained by the fact that with the help of such a device, which will cost quite inexpensively, it is possible to effectively perform a large list of turning operations, giving metal blanks the required dimensions and shape. It would seem that it is much easier to purchase a simple desktop machine and use it in your workshop, but given the considerable cost of such equipment, it makes sense to spend time making it yourself.

Homemade lathe - it's quite real

Using a lathe

The lathe, which was one of the first to appear in the line of equipment for processing parts from different materials, including metal, allows you to manufacture products of various shapes and sizes. With the help of such a unit, it is possible to turn the outer and inner surfaces of the workpiece, drill holes and bore them to the required size, cut external or internal threads, perform knurling in order to give the surface of the product the desired relief.

A serial metal lathe is a large-sized device that is not so easy to manage, and its cost is very difficult to call affordable. It is not easy to use such a unit as a desktop equipment, so it makes sense to make a lathe for your home workshop yourself. Using such a mini-machine, you can quickly turn workpieces made not only from metal, but also from plastic and wood.

On such equipment, parts with a circular cross section are processed: axles, tool handles, wheels, structural elements of furniture and products for any other purpose. In such devices, the workpiece is located in a horizontal plane, while it is given rotation, and the excess material is removed by a cutter, securely fixed in the machine support.

Grooving a brake disc on a homemade lathe

Despite the simplicity of its design, such a unit requires a clear coordination of the movements of all working bodies so that the processing is carried out with the utmost precision and the best workmanship.

An example of a homemade lathe with drawings

Let us consider in more detail one of the working options of a lathe assembled on its own, the rather high quality of which rightfully deserves the closest attention. The author of this homemade product did not even stint on the drawings, according to which this device was successfully manufactured.

Of course, not everyone needs such a thorough approach to business, often simpler structures are built for home needs, but as a donor for good ideas, this machine fits perfectly.

DIY lathe

Appearance of the machine Main components Caliper, tool holder and chuck
Side view of the tailstock Bottom view of the tailstock
Guide shafts Caliper design Engine driven
Drawing #1 Drawing #2 Drawing #3

Structural knots

Any, including home-made, lathe consists of the following structural elements: a supporting frame - a bed, two centers - a leading and a driven one, two headstocks - front and rear, a spindle, a caliper, a drive unit - an electric motor.

The design of a small-sized lathe about metal

All elements of the device are placed on the bed; it is the main bearing element of the lathe. The headstock is a fixed structural element on which the rotating spindle of the unit is located. In front of the frame there is a transmission mechanism of the machine, with the help of which its rotating elements are connected to the electric motor.

It is thanks to this transmission mechanism that the workpiece receives rotation. The tailstock, unlike the front, can move parallel to the direction of processing, with its help the free end of the workpiece is fixed.

A simple diagram of the nodes of a home-made woodworking machine will tell you a simple option for making a bed, front and rear headstock

A homemade metal lathe can be equipped with any electric motor, even if it is not too high power, but such an engine can overheat when processing large-sized workpieces, which will lead to its stop and, possibly, failure.

Usually, electric motors are installed on a homemade lathe, the power of which is in the range of 800–1500 watts.

Even if such an electric motor has a small number of revolutions, the problem is solved by choosing the appropriate transmission mechanism. To transmit torque from such electric motors, belt drives are usually used; friction or chain mechanisms are very rarely used.

Mini-lathes that home workshops are equipped with may not even have such a transmission mechanism in their design: the rotating chuck of the unit is fixed directly on the motor shaft.

Direct drive machine

There is one important rule: both centers of the machine, leading and driven, must be located strictly on the same axis, which will avoid vibration of the workpiece during its processing. In addition, it is necessary to ensure reliable fixation of the part, which is especially important for models of the frontal type: with one leading center. The issue of such fixation is solved with the help of a cam chuck or a faceplate.

In fact, a do-it-yourself lathe can also be made with a wooden frame, but, as a rule, metal profiles are used for these purposes. The high rigidity of the frame of the lathe is necessary so that the accuracy of the location of the leading and driven center is not affected by mechanical loads, and its tailstock and support with the tool move freely along the axis of the unit.

The use of channels in the manufacture of the frame and headstock of the machine

When assembling a lathe for metal, it is important to ensure that all its elements are securely fixed, always taking into account the loads to which they will be subjected during operation. What dimensions your mini-machine will have, and what structural elements it will consist of, will be influenced by the purpose of the equipment, as well as the size and shape of the workpieces that are planned to be processed on it. The power of the electric motor that you will need to use as a drive will also depend on these parameters, as well as on the planned load on the unit.

Version of the bed, headstock and drive

To equip lathes for metal, it is not recommended to choose collector motors that differ in one characteristic feature. The number of revolutions of the shaft of such electric motors, as well as the centrifugal force that the workpiece develops, increase sharply with a decrease in load, which can lead to the part simply flying out of the chuck and can seriously injure the operator.

Such electric motors can be used if you plan to process medium-sized and light parts on your mini-machine. But even in this case, the lathe must be equipped with a gearbox that will prevent the uncontrolled increase in centrifugal force.

Asynchronous three-phase electric motor connected to a 220 Volt network through a capacitor

It has already been proven by practice and design calculations that for turning units that will process metal workpieces up to 70 cm long and up to 10 cm in diameter, it is best to use asynchronous electric motors with a power of 800 W or more. Engines of this type are characterized by the stability of the rotational speed in the presence of a load, and when it is reduced, it does not increase uncontrollably.

If you are going to make a mini-machine for turning metal work on your own, then you should definitely take into account the fact that not only transverse, but also longitudinal loads will affect its cartridge. Such loads, if not provided for by a belt drive, can cause destruction of the motor bearings, which are not designed for them.

If it is not possible to use a belt drive, and the leading center of the device is directly connected to the motor shaft, then a number of measures can be taken to protect its bearings from destruction. Such a measure can be a stop that limits the longitudinal movement of the motor shaft, which can be used as a ball installed between the motor housing and the rear end of its shaft.

In the tailstock of the lathe, its driven center is located, which can be stationary or freely rotate. The most simple design has a fixed center: it is easy to make it on the basis of a conventional bolt, sharpening and grinding to a cone that part of it that will be in contact with the workpiece. By screwing in or unscrewing such a bolt moving through a threaded hole in the tailstock, it will be possible to adjust the distance between the centers of the equipment, thereby ensuring a secure fixation of the workpiece. Such fixation is also provided by moving the tailstock itself.

In order for the workpiece to rotate freely in such a fixed center, the pointed part of the bolt that comes into contact with it will need to be lubricated with machine oil before starting work.

Homemade tailstock for a desktop lathe

Today it is not difficult to find drawings and photos of lathes, according to which you can independently manufacture such equipment. Moreover, it is easy to find various videos demonstrating the process of their manufacture. It can be a mini-CNC machine or a very simple device, which, nevertheless, will give you the opportunity to quickly and with minimal labor to produce metal products of various configurations.

Racks of the simplest metal lathe can be made of wood. They will need to be securely fastened to the frame of the unit using bolted connections. The frame itself, if possible, is best made from metal corners or a channel, which will provide it with high reliability, but if they are not at hand, you can also pick up thick wooden bars.

The video below shows the process of self-manufacturing a caliper for a lathe.

As a node on such a machine, on which the cutting tool will be fixed and moved, a handguard made of two wooden planks connected at an angle of 90 degrees will act. On the surface of the board where the tool will be placed, it is necessary to fix a sheet of metal that will protect the wood from deformation and ensure the exact location of the cutter in relation to the workpiece. In the supporting surface of a horizontal plank moving along the frame of the unit, it is necessary to make a slot, due to which such movement will be sufficiently accurate.

To make the headstock and tailstock of your homemade lathe, you will need to select metal cylinders of the appropriate size, which are placed in bearing assemblies installed in wooden racks. The rotation made by the workpiece will be transmitted to it through the front center, connected by a belt drive to the electric motor. Thus, the workpiece, securely fixed between the front and rear center, is processed using a cutter installed in the tool rest of the equipment.

Another option for a homemade machine (click to enlarge)

General view Headstock Caliper and chuck

There should be no problems with the search for an electric motor, which should be equipped with a mini lathe. Even if you could not find an engine of the required power (500–1000 W for processing small parts, 1500–2000 W for large-sized workpieces), then a previously used unit previously installed on a household sewing machine is quite suitable. In addition, it is permissible to use electric drills or grinders as a drive for compact lathes.

As a result of such simple manipulations, you will have at your disposal a machine capable of performing the most common metal turning operations. If desired, the unit can be upgraded, expanding its functionality. Of course, it is difficult to make a CNC machine from such a device, but it is quite possible to perform boring, drilling, grinding, threading and a number of other technological operations on metal on it.

Do-it-yourself lathe - the unit is no worse than the factory one!

In order to make a lathe with your own hands, a home craftsman will need to figure out the mechanism of its action, prepare some materials and have the patience necessary to assemble a home-made structure that will allow you to process a variety of metal products.

1. Why do you need a homemade lathe?
2. The device and mechanism of action of a homemade machine
3. Some design features of "home" lathes
4. The process of self-manufacturing a unit for turning work
5. Tips for choosing power equipment for the machine

1 Why do I need a homemade lathe?

No man will refuse to have a small lathe in his house or apartment. Indeed, with its help, you can perform many operations related to the processing of metal parts, ranging from knurling a corrugated surface and boring holes, and ending with threading and giving the outer surfaces of parts of given shapes.

Of course, you can try to purchase a factory turning unit. But such a purchase is not affordable for everyone, and it is almost impossible to place a production machine in an ordinary home due to the fact that metal turning equipment takes up a lot of space. An excellent alternative to acquiring a bulky and inconvenient factory machine is to make a simple and yet functional lathe with your own hands.

Homemade metal lathe. assembled in accordance with all the rules, it will have simple control, take up a minimum of space, and be distinguished by ease of operation. At the same time, you can easily process various metal and steel products of small geometric dimensions on it, becoming a real home craftsman.

2 The device and mechanism of action of a homemade machine

Before you start creating a turning unit for domestic use, it would be useful to learn about its main components and the mechanism of operation of such equipment. The elementary machine consists of the following parts:

• two grandmas;
• frame;
• two centers: one of them is the slave, the other is the leader;
• stop for working cutting tool;
• electric drive.

The mechanisms of the machine are installed on the frame (in a home-made unit, its role is played by the frame). The tailstock moves along this base of the unit. The headstock is necessary to accommodate the basic rotation unit of the equipment; it is fixed. A transmission device is also mounted in the frame, connecting the leading center with the electric motor. Through this center, the required rotation is transmitted to the workpiece.

The bed of the "home" machine is usually made of wooden beams; corners or profiles made of steel (metal) can also be used. It doesn't matter what kind of frame material you choose, as long as it firmly fixes the installation centers.

It is allowed to install almost any electric motor on a home-made turning unit, even a very small one in power, but it should be understood that its technical characteristics may not be enough for high-quality processing of parts, especially when it comes to a metalworking machine. The low power of the electric motor will not allow working with metal, but even a motor with a power of about two hundred watts can handle wooden blanks.

Rotation in homemade machines can be communicated by means of a chain, friction or belt drive. The last of these is used most often, since it is characterized by maximum reliability. In addition, there are also such designs of units made independently, in which a transmission device is not provided at all. In them, the leading center or chuck for attaching a working tool is placed directly on the motor shaft. A video of the operation of such a unit can be easily found on the Internet.

3 Some design features of "home" lathes

To prevent vibration of the workpieces, the driving and driven center should be mounted on the same axis. If you plan to manufacture a machine with only one center (with a leading one), the design of such equipment will need to provide for the possibility of fastening the product with a cam chuck or faceplate.

Experts do not advise installing collector-type electric motors on home-made turning units. Their revolutions in the absence of working loads can increase without the operator's command, which leads to the departure of the part from the fastening elements. It is clear that such a “flying” blank can do a lot of trouble in a limited space - in an apartment or in a private garage.

If you still plan to install a collector motor, take care to equip it with a special gearbox. This mechanism eliminates the risk of uncontrolled acceleration of parts processed on the machine.

The optimal type of drive for a homemade unit is a conventional asynchronous motor. It is characterized by high stability under loads (constant speed) and provides high-quality processing of parts up to 70 wide and up to 10 centimeters in cross section. In general, the type and power of the electric motor must be selected so that the product subjected to turning receives sufficient rotational force.

The driven center, which, as noted, is located on the tailstock, can be stationary or rotating. It is made from a standard bolt - you just need to sharpen the end of its threaded section under the cone. The bolt is treated with machine oil and inserted into the thread (internal) cut in the tailstock. Its course should be approximately 2.5–3 centimeters. The rotation of the bolt makes it possible to press the workpiece between the two centers of the unit.

4 The process of self-manufacturing a unit for turning

Next, we will talk about how to make a homemade bow-type lathe, and also provide a video of this simple process. With the help of such an installation, you can grind metal products and other materials, sharpen knives and other cutting devices. The unit, among other things, will become your best assistant in cases where you yourself are repairing your car.

To begin with, we need to cut out two strong wood racks and attach bolts to them with nuts. The bed of a home-made machine will be attached to them, which can also be made of wood (if possible, it is better to use some sort of high-quality metal for the frame - a steel corner or a channel).

Be sure to make a special handpiece, which increases the level of stability of the cutter for turning metal parts. A similar handguard is a construction of two boards glued at right angles (or connected with small screws). Moreover, a strip of thin metal is attached to the bottom board, which is necessary to protect the working tool from changing its shape during rotation. A slot is cut out in a plank standing horizontally, which makes it possible to control the movements of the handpiece.

You shouldn’t have any problems with the manufacture of the tailstock and headstock - the essence is clear, and if there are any difficulties, you can watch a video on the Internet, where this process is shown and described in great detail. Headstock cartridges, as a rule, are made from finished cylinders, suitable in cross section to the general design of the machine, or by welding sheet iron.

It is advisable to install the frame of a home-made installation on a duralumin base, securely fasten the frame to it, mount all the components of the machine (there are not so many of them). After that, we take up the power unit of our equipment. First of all, we choose a suitable electric motor. For processing metal products, it must be powerful enough.

The article is a step-by-step instruction for making a metal lathe with your own hands. How to make a homemade unit at home?

The use of a lathe is necessary in car workshops, in the engineering industry, in repair shops and training workshops.

The cost of the machine is high and not every workshop or workshop can afford to purchase it. Knowing what parts are needed and how to connect all the nodes into a single mechanism, you can make it yourself.

The main structure of the lathe

The lathe is created on the basis of a bed, stable and durable, withstanding impressive and serious loads. The main system of mechanisms and assemblies is mounted on it.

The first lathes appeared in the 18th century, after the manufacture of the caliper. Russian inventor Andrei Nartov came up with a mechanism that was spun with a flywheel, and on the machine itself, all parts were made of metal, including screws, rails, pulleys.

With the development of technology, the manual drive was replaced by a mechanical one.

There are several types of machine tools for metal, which differ depending on the power, size and productive force:

1. The desktop type metal lathe has a maximum weight of up to 100 kg and a power of up to 400 watts. Its use is relevant in small workshops and private workshops in which metal parts are processed and repaired, and not produced in large quantities.
2. A semi-professional type lathe is most often a symbiosis of turning, milling and drilling equipment, on which small batches of products are made. Power up to 1000 W allows you to work in production mode.
3. A professional metal lathe is usually equipped with automatic program control, has a high mass and high power. Machine tools of this type are used in industries and large enterprises for processing parts up to 3000 mm from materials of various compositions.

Their high cost, large scale and high power are unacceptable for use at home or in small businesses. An alternative option may be their self-assembly, which will allow you to quickly and efficiently produce parts and produce blanks.

How to assemble a lathe yourself?

To make a homemade lathe you will need:

• hydraulic cylinder, shock absorber shaft;
• metal shafts, angles, channels and beams;
• cylindrical guides;
• beams, pipe, fasteners;
• welding machine;
• electric motor, two pulleys with belt drive.

First of all, we manufacture the main frame structure with longitudinal guides. For this, two channels and two metal rods with a thickness of at least 30 mm are used with a working area of ​​the machine from 50 mm. Two longitudinal shafts are attached to two channels using guides with petals. Each petal is attached to the channel by bolting and welding.

The headstock is made from a hydraulic cylinder. In this case, with a wall thickness of 6mm. On the inner diameter, two 203 bearings are pressed in on each side. Inside the bearings there is a hole with a diameter of 17mm, in which the shaft is placed. Lubricant is poured into the hole of the hydraulic cylinder. Under the pulley is a large diameter nut that prevents the bearings from being squeezed out.

The pulley comes from a washing machine. The diameter of the pulley shaft must match the shaft on the motor. Then by rearranging the pulleys of different diameters, you can change the speed of rotation. The headstock is mounted on a metal beam.

The cross support is made of a metal plate to which cylindrical guides are welded. Two guides are driven into them, a shaft from shock absorbers is used as guides. To move in the transverse plane, tightly fitted bushings are put on each guide.

The tool holder is made of two thick metal plates. It is fixed on a stand made of brake shoes through a metal nut. Between themselves, the plates of the tool holder are connected by bolts.

The cartridge for fixing the part is made of a metal pipe. Fastening is done with four bolts. Which are screwed into pre-welded nuts.

For the drive, the engine from the washing machine is used. In this case, 180W. The engine is connected to the headstock via a belt drive. The machine is equipped with a self-tensioning mechanism. The belt is tensioned by the weight of the engine. The design of the corners is attached with canopies.

All parts are assembled into a single design. The lathe is ready for operation.

Video: making a metal lathe at home (several parts).

The lathe has always been the most sought after type of sophisticated equipment. Many craftsmen dream of using it for turning homemade products. Stops their need for cash investments. And ready-made models, despite their obvious advantages, often simply do not fit in a home workshop. A homemade lathe is capable of resolving these contradictions. It is built to unique requirements using simple materials. Of course, such a design will not surpass industrial products, but the very first successful home-made on a lathe will justify all the time and effort.

Design features

The task of making a lathe is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. Important structural elements are simply copied from industrial designs. At the same time, the scheme of a home-made lathe does not require the implementation of all the assembly units present in the factory models. You will need to make a bed, a caliper and a spindle. Other nodes will be needed only for solving specific problems.

Bed design

The basis of the working part of most machines is the bed. The massive base is designed to install all mechanisms, and also performs the function of damping vibrations that inevitably occur during machining. Many characteristics of the finished product will depend on the correct choice of the bed. Classic cast iron designs are not used in home-made machine tool building due to the high complexity of the technology. Practical application was found by the beds of a monolithic or welded type. The monolithic version provides high rigidity and vibration damping characteristics. Its main disadvantage is its heavy weight. As such a base, a metal plate with a thickness of 10-20 mm is perfect. Depending on the purpose of the machine, other materials can also be used. Monolithic bases can also be obtained using other technologies, for example, polymer concrete casting.

The welded bed is made in the form of a frame of rectangular section. For its manufacture, various metal profiles are most often used. The welded frame of the lathe is easy to manufacture and light in weight. But the apparent simplicity of such a solution turns into the need for additional processing of seats for the installation of equipment. A compromise can be reached by choosing a conventional channel. The necessary elements are installed on the horizontal edge of the channel, the side elements are used as a stand and a place for attaching auxiliary devices.

Machine support

To make a homemade lathe caliper with your own hands, you will need guides along which longitudinal and transverse movements will be performed. Sliding guides of the dovetail type are traditionally used in industrial equipment. At home, it is impossible to make such a knot with high quality. Therefore, when choosing, preference is given to finished cylindrical or profile rails with linear bearings. The best option for building a movement system is to install rails with rolling bearings. They allow you to get high accuracy, no backlash, reliability and long service life. No wonder such rails have become very popular with machine tool manufacturers around the world. Their only disadvantage is their high cost.

There is also a cheap solution. It involves the use of polished rollers from old printers or other equipment.

Movement in the longitudinal and transverse directions is created using running pairs of the screw-nut type. In mechanical engineering, mechanisms are used that are based on threaded studs, trapezoidal screws or ball screws (ball screws). The choice of standard studs is justified only for very simple machines, as it does not provide proper accuracy and durability. The trapezoidal screw is more reliable, resistant to heavy loads. The best, but expensive, option involves the use of ball screws. They are installed in precision industrial equipment. The fastening of lead screws requires the use of bearing blocks that provide free rotational movement and the impossibility of reciprocating. Such a block can be made independently, but it is better to use mass-produced models.

To connect the components of the caliper to each other, steel plates with a thickness of 8-10 mm are suitable. It is enough to process them according to the dimensions of the guides and drill the required holes.

Assembling the caliper will resemble working with a children's designer, and the result will be no worse than that of factory models.

Spindle and feed box

The headstock is used to mount the spindle axis, install the gearbox and the gear shift box (gearbox). The working part of the device of any box requires a large number of gears and is difficult to implement at home. A simple solution to the spindle problem would be to use a variable speed drive based on an asynchronous motor with a frequency inverter. This kit completely replaces the classic gearbox.

A homemade gearbox for a miniature lathe is unlikely to be needed. The small dimensions of the workpieces will not require great physical effort from the turner, and it is much more productive to cut fine threads with a lerk. If you still need a homemade lathe with a feed box, then it is not necessary to look for a set of gears. Automatic feeding can be performed on the basis of low-power electric motors, which will even allow the use of a CNC device in the future.

Tools, materials and drawings

The manufacture of a desktop lathe and its assembly is best done using serious equipment. Access to milling and drilling equipment avoids some problems. If there is no such access, then it remains to use what is at hand. Not only lathes, but also other complex homemade products, are made using a limited set of bench tools and an electric drill. Of course, “direct” hands should be attached to all this.
Materials for future construction are chosen from what is at hand, trying to limit financial costs. The metal profile for the frame, sheet metal parts, spindle bearing and lead screw attachment points, and fasteners will be in demand. You will need to purchase rail guides, drive screws, a frequency converter. Fortunately, today there are many companies offering their delivery.

There are many possible options for how to make a mini lathe. To select a specific solution, it is necessary to clearly define what the machine will be used for, what workpieces will be sharpened on it. Steel processing requires a different design approach than for soft feedstocks. The terms of reference include the dimensions of the final product, the maximum parameters of the workpieces to be processed, the available resources, the methods of transporting the machine and other necessary wishes. After analyzing all the wishes, they carry out drawings of a home-made lathe.

The necessary detailing is developed for the available components and capabilities. If this stage seems difficult, ready-made drawings for lathes are freely available.

Assembly instructions

To build a homemade lathe for metal, it is best to start from the bed. On the upper edge of the base, seats are prepared for the longitudinal guides of the caliper, spindle, engine and other necessary elements. The leading requirement for these surfaces is to provide the base plane of all equipment. The best approach would be milling sites on industrial equipment. It is also desirable to immediately drill mounting holes on it. Otherwise, it will take significantly longer to install and align the guides.

The longitudinal guides of the caliper are attached directly to the base of the machine with screws. The bearing blocks of the lead screw are also installed there. During installation, the alignment of all elements is achieved. After the final fixing of the guides, bearing modules are put on them. From above, on the mounting surface, the base of the transverse axis is attached. As the latter, a metal plate with mounting holes is used. The same plate is mounted on the bearings of the transverse movement and serves to fasten the tool post. The homemade turning caliper will complete the fastening of miniature indicator limbs and handwheels to the ends of the drive screws.

At the last stage, the installation of the electrical equipment of the machine is carried out. It consists in a complete set of a power cabinet, in which a frequency converter, an introductory circuit breaker and buttons for starting and stopping the spindle are installed. The motor and electrical network are also connected. On this, the assembly of the machine can be considered completed.

If in chores there is often a need for turning parts, trimming or sharpening tools, you can purchase the appropriate installation. But for small amounts of work at home, you can make a homemade metal lathe.

Purpose and benefits of home installation

The machine is made for their own business purposes. The complexity of the design and the power of the engine depend on this. In general, it can perform the same work as professional installations:

• turning of different surfaces (in the form of cylinders, cones);
• thread making;
• cutting work;
• end metalworking.

Thanks to such wide functionality, this device can be used to sharpen knives, repair some car parts, cut metal structures, etc.

At the same time, making a lathe with your own hands is a more profitable option, because:

• such a product will be cheaper;
• it is not as bulky as many industrial installations;
• it can be designed and executed for specific tasks that the owner needs;
• it is easy to place it in the garage, shed and fix it to any hard surface.

Features of a homemade lathe

A home-made metal lathe as a do-it-yourself device has a number of operational features that are important to consider when working on it:

1. Since work with workpieces is always accompanied by large vibrational fluctuations, it is important to ensure that the position of the driving and driven installations is the same - they must be along the same axis.
2. The use of collector motors is an undesirable option, since often in these mechanisms the speed of revolutions per minute can increase arbitrarily; this is dangerous because the workpiece can fly out.
3. If it is impossible to install another electric motor, then in the case of mounting a collector, it is imperative to equip it with a reduction gear - this will compensate for the uneven movement of the mechanism.
4. The optimally suited electric motor is an asynchronous one, in which the speed does not deviate significantly.
5. The driven center may consist of a static or moving structure; in any case, it is made from an ordinary bolt, which is processed so that the barrel takes the shape of a cone - it is with its help that it can rotate.

Preparatory stage: design and drawings

At the preparatory stage, it is important to figure out what components the future metal lathe will consist of. Based on this, suitable units and parts are selected from improvised materials. It is important to take into account exactly what tasks the mechanism will be oriented towards and what it will be used for.

In principle, the installation should consist of the following elements:

• Electric motor with transmission to the driving mechanism. Often choose working installations from old washing machines. Usually the power is selected in the range of 1000-1500 watts. This is enough for domestic work.
• Connecting parts (metal corners, bolts).
• Housing and metal base (pipe, channel).
• Chassis - handle for longitudinal movement, bearings.
• Supporting part (frame structure).
• Thrust mechanism with cutters.
• Tailstock and headstock - ideally, you can take it from another machine.

The scheme of the finished device is shown in the photo.

When all the parts are in stock, you can draw up a basic drawing of the product. The following drawings can be taken as a basis.

The assembled lathe, its main elements can be seen here.

NOTE. It is best to make a lathe for metal with your own hands from metal products (pipes, corners, etc.). Any wooden structure is short-lived, and it will be much more difficult to work with the part.

Making a bed: step by step instructions and video

Further actions consist in the manufacture of a support installation (bed), installation of working equipment, connecting it to an electric motor and direct commissioning. The sequence of actions is as follows:

After that, the bed is fully assembled. It is important to take into account that all elements are tightly connected - the slightest slack is unacceptable, because during operation, vibrational swings will increase the fragility of the mechanism and can lead to damage.

Visual instructions for mounting the bed - in this video.

Do-it-yourself mechanism assembly: step-by-step instructions and video

Further work is aimed at mounting the mechanism itself and fixing it on the working surface. The algorithm is the following:

Video: Do-it-yourself mini lathe. Headstock

It is important to do the first start at idle, and then check the operation of the entire device on a rough metal part.

Drill lathe: assembly algorithm

To use the device in a city apartment, it is quite realistic to create a home-made metal lathe from a conventional drill in a few hours. It will serve both as an engine and a rotating mechanism. The design is not so powerful, but it is quite suitable for small tasks.

It is desirable to mount the drill to a metal structure - the old rack is optimal.

The manufacturing algorithm is as follows:

Video: do-it-yourself drill lathe

The installation also copes with wooden products - with its help you can apply a simple relief carving on a wooden blank, as shown in the video.

USEFUL ADVICE. Working on a lathe from a drill is not limited to cutting parts and sharpening. You can install a copier on it, with the help of which perfectly similar parts are obtained at home in a matter of minutes.

Mini machine: making video

Often, for economic purposes, a small home-made metal lathe is required - here is a video with a visual step-by-step instruction for its manufacture.

Safety

Compliance with certain rules when working on the machine is mandatory, especially when it comes to a product made by oneself.

Preparatory stage

Immediately after assembly, you should run the machine for a few minutes at idle and listen to the sounds of the engine: they should be uniform, without extraneous noise. Preparation for work consists of the following steps:

1. Appropriate clothing is put on, on which all buttons are fastened and protruding parts are removed.
2. Before starting work, the workplace should be in full order so that only the necessary tools lie on it - then you can consistently implement the entire plan without unnecessary fuss and waste of energy.
3. Before each session, a home-made machine must be checked for the integrity of all parts and the reliability of their connection.
4. It is also important to take care of sufficient illumination of the work surface and the correct location of the source so that your own shadow does not interfere with work.

Rules for safe work

During work, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Removal of parts, as well as cleaning, lubrication of the working mechanism is not performed during operation.
2. When processing a part, you need to be on the right side and at a safe distance from the installation itself.
3. Do not pass any objects or keep your hands over the working mechanism.
4. If work is underway to cut a part, then the part to be cut off cannot be supported by hand - it is not known in which direction it will move at any given time.
5. It is unacceptable to lean even on the fixed parts of the machine, to lean on the work surface.
6. All shavings from parts are carefully removed after each working session.

A visual illustration is presented in the diagram.

A visual technology for working on a do-it-yourself metal lathe is presented in the video.

Features of caring for a lathe

Care of the mechanism is an essential condition for its long-term trouble-free operation. Several rules must be observed:

1. All waste that falls on the working surface of the device during operation must be removed in a timely manner.
2. To ensure even distribution of oil along the guides, you need to move the carriage 7-8 times back and forth.
3. Periodically, all connections must be tightened, as constant vibration during operation gradually weakens them.
4. It is important to ensure that the belt tension is always uniform - both too tight and too weak tension is unacceptable.
5. All moving parts are periodically lubricated with normal machine oil. In this case, the bearings are lubricated especially carefully - they experience special friction during operation.

NOTE. Grease must not get on the drive belts, because in this case the friction is greatly reduced, the belt slides over the surface of the pulley, as a result of which the tension is weakened.

Professional lathes for metal

If you need a professional tool for large volumes of complex work, you should figure out what types of metal lathes exist.

Machine diagram

The schematic diagram of the device is shown in the figure.

Types of machines

Depending on their purpose and features of the device, several types of metal lathes are distinguished:

• Universal are designed to perform basic metal work:
• drilling;
• milling;
• turning.

This is the most popular type of devices - with their help you can process parts inside and out, work with flat, conical and cylindrical surfaces. It is possible to carry out complex work on cutting precise threads, processing the ends of parts and drilling holes of almost any diameter.

Depending on the location of the bed, there are such types of machines:

Types of work on a lathe

Depending on the features of the feed of the workpiece, as well as on the specific type of metalworking, the following types of work on a lathe are distinguished:

• Turning with manual or automatic feed.
• Cone turning.
• Thread cutting.
• Drilling holes.

Turning with manual or automatic feed

In this case, it is important to set the tip of the cutting part so that it is slightly below the axis with the workpiece. If this is not possible, then it is better to install another tool or grind the part.

Often, when carrying out such work, the tailstock is not needed - then it can simply be removed

NOTE. If it is not possible to securely fix the workpiece in the chuck, a steady rest can be used.

Many models provide the ability to automatically feed the workpiece. In this case, the cutting part should be located to the right of the workpiece.

It is best to always keep your left hand free during operation so that you can immediately press the emergency stop if the workpiece goes astray.

Taper turning

The sequence of actions is as follows:

• The part is fixed with a spindle and a tailstock.
• If possible. then the speed of the mechanism is adjusted on the machine. It is selected depending on the softness of the material, which can be determined in advance from the reference book. If this is not possible, it can be established experimentally.
• Next, roughing is performed, after which - finishing.
• If you want to make a so-called Morse taper, you need to shift the centers so that the taper is at the desired angle, as shown in the figure.

Features of the technology of turning a cone on a universal machine are shown in the video.

Threading

On lathes, you can make internal or external threads on the workpiece. The thread is applied to both cylindrical and conical products. There are three types of profiles:

• at a right angle;
• at an acute angle;
• trapezoidal.

Technologically, the process is performed using the sharp tip of the cutter. The cutter is mounted in the caliper and moves with it, leaving marks on the metal product at a certain interval.

The cutters can be either solid or prefabricated with fasteners. They are also made with soldered blades - they are especially durable, since the blades are made of strong alloys (brass).

Hole drilling

For correct drilling, it is important to prepare the end face of the workpiece especially well. It is cut so that the surface is as even as possible. Also, a slight recess must be made at the end so that the work can be done exactly in the intended place. The recess can be made with a drill or cutter.

The size of the holes is adjusted by installing an appropriate drill. If the hole is made smaller, reaming can be done - that is, obtaining a larger hole due to a wider drill.

Drilling on a lathe

It is not difficult to make a lathe for metal with your own hands. The main thing is to choose the right electric motor with the parameters suitable for operation and ensure the rigidity of all structural connections.