Lathe/Drill/Mill

[ozkat]

Im looking at buying a Lathe/Drill/Mill does anyone have some advice on what brand, size etc to buy? Its only for my own use so i dont need (cant afford) a full industrial job, but id prefer a bit better than a hobby one. Ive done a bit of a search on the net and have found hundreds of brands and sizes ranging from $500.00 to $50000.00 I dont want to buy the wrong one and find out i cant buy parts for it or the chuck size is wrong or stuff like that. Its also gotta be 240v. Here are some specs i found on one
LATHE
TOOLS TO SUIT 12mm
CENTRE HEIGHT 200mm
DISTANCE BETWEEN CENTRES 409mm
SWING OVER BED 400mm
HOLLOW SPINDLE BORE (3MT) 19mm
TAILSTOCK TAPER 3MT
SPINDLE SPEED RANGES 7(160-1360rpm)
MOTOR 3/4HP
VOLTAGE 240V
MILL/DRILL
SPINDLE TAPER 3MT
MILL/DRILL SPEEDS 14 steps (125-1190rpm)
WORK TABLE 150 x 200mm
MOTOR 3/4HP
VOLTAGE 240V

Would something with these specs be suitable for the home workshop?
Shayne

[camlark]

personally, i think most combos are purely hobby machines. for light use stuff thats cheap but not too nasty you cant go past hafco(hare & forbes) most new stuff is chinese but i think they deal in second hand stuff too. try hafco.com or 600machinery.com not sure if thats exact adress but it should be close. cant't go past colchester lathes. i'd go a small lathe and a mill drill seperate.one day when i've got money!!

[Issues]

I rate these things against a pistol drill and a file, what are you goin to make?

The machines run too fast, have no torque, chatter like fuck and are not worth the money.

But don't let me spoil your dreams, I'm sure there is someone on here that loves their POS.

Seriously, have a hunt around auctions and chat to some of the smaller machine tool sellers. With the price of new Taiwanese and Chinese machinery, second hand stuff is dirt cheap. The company I work for just sent a heap of older machinery to Sims scrap, $0.10 per tonne. Lathes, mills, gearhead drills, radial arm drill, brobo cold saw. There was nothing wrong with it, I could have bought it, but I have nowhere to put it.

My mate bought a small lathe for $500 last year, came with everything. I think it is a French lathe and has about a 38mm spindle bore. A bloke I work with got an old lathe from work $150, with everything, 200mm spindle bore.

STAY AWAY FROM FLAT BEAD LATHES. Try to get something with a good cast bed, these fabbed things are shit.

If you find something you like you can pm me for an opinion, or if its local I can have a look with you.

[Issues]

Also if buying something newish, try get Taiwanese over Chinese. Taiwanese is much better build qulity.

[JackTar]

http://www.graysonline.com.au/catalogue.asp?SALE_ID=51920&SALE_TYPE=THUMB

[ozkat]

Thanks for the replies fellas, the biggest problem i have is lack of space thats why i was looking at the Lathe/Drill/Mill. There is a company located in Brendale Bris that seems to have better quality stuff than i was looking at, http://www.minitech.com.au/ . Only looking at making small stuff for bikes, like swingarm spools, instrument cluster holders, bar ends, maybe a billet sump, id love to be able to make swingarm extensions. Only small stuff tho.

[Tony OW31]

I have seen some fantastic stuff made by good tradesmen on cheap mill drills, but if you are not a good tradesman, forget it.
It will be ok for making small modifications to existing parts, but if you are thinking of making anything substantial, forget it.
Also there is the additional cost of ancillary equipment, collet chucks for holding milling cutters, cutters, vices, measuring equipment etc. This can easily come to more than the cost of the machine, just for the basics to get you going.
I have set up a workshop at home recently, spent $120k on machinery, and the extra equipment needed to make it so I can actually produce stuff cost me an extra $180k on top. Obviously this is for a business, but the same rules apply to hobbyists as well. If you spend 5k on a mill drill, expect about the same if not more on the rest of the necessary gear.
I personally would invest in a better quality lathe without the mill drill part, and read up on ways to use the lathe to mill and drill.
Just my opinion of course.

[jmw76]

Hi Ozkat,
I have a combo lathe/mill that I am extremely happy with.
It is a Hafco Al-60 Lathe with HM-10 mill/attachment.
By the time I added collect chucks, cutters and various other bits the bill came to about $2500.
The lathe is 500mm between centres and is able to turn some respectable parts.
Being small you can not do anything really big on it.
But it is great for making/modifying small parts (up to about 6" or so in diameter).
The finish is reasonably respectable.
THe mill is probably the weakest bit although I have not had any real problems.
I have a full sized Bridgeport mill at work and yet many bits I find I can sucessfully handle at home.
The only real hasle with a combo unit is having to change set ups for mill/lathe.
This requires a bit of time to change from one operation to the other.
But if you are space limited then this is only a small inconvenience.
For home/hobby work these units are fine.
I have just finished repairing my GSXR1100 gearbox using my unit which involved boring a hole down the gearbox input shaft and fabricating a new bearing retainer to strengthen a broken gearbox case.
Cheers

[evad]

have a look at www.shawmachinery.com.au they have some small lathes and seperate mills. The industrial stuff is great but a lot of them are 3 phase. I have a small chinese drill/mill since '92 and I have made a lot of the stuff on my zed etc using it and while Id love bigger machines I would be totally stuffed without it. Try and get one that has the centres, steadies and both 3 and 4 jaw chucks etc as tooling is expensive [V]
A seperate mill and lathe will be best as one of the problems with the combo are the size of the table.

Dudes I think we need a Co-op sort of thing....and some expert to over see us newbies

[DCRacing]

Yes couldn't agree more, i am looking for a drill/mill combo and a lathe. just don't know what is good and what to look for in them to get a good one.
If someone could expand on what is good and what to look for would be great. I got 3 phase in the shed so i am not as fussy.

[jmw76]

You don't really need 3 hase unless you are looking at full size machinery.
As evad said, a major draw back with the lathe mill combos is the bed size.
However, it is amazing what you can do enven with a small bed.
You will not be able to surface a large motorcycle cylinder head however.
This is a job for a large mill.
The lathe on the combo units is usually quite reasonable.
Make sure you get a good range of accessories if you can.
You can package most kits with 3 jaw and 4 jaw chacks alond with a backplate, a range of drive gears for thread cutting etc and make sure that you get a collet set for your mill.
A good machine vice is also usefull. I actually made one for my set up. I also made a fairly crude rotary head for the mill also.
Happy hunting.

[camlark]

the main difference with three phase power(bsides the obvious)is cost single phase equipment is always more expensive because they attract home hobby users as well as small industry. if you have three phase power you can usually pick up a good old german built lathe with 1000mm bed 400mm swing and 40mm spindle bore for under 2 grand. where the same in single phase would cost a fortune. my point bieng has anyone tried to adapt a single phase motor into a three phase machine. this way you could benefit from the cheaper machinery auctions etc, often thought about it but never had the funds to try it out.

[zedsled]

I thought about converting a 3 phase to single phase but came up against the fact that an equivalant single phase motor can often be at least double in physical size and thats if you can get one to fit. I am going down to hafco sometime this week to have a look at drill/mills. Maybe they will do us a group discount?

I have an old Hercus lathe in the shed. It was 3 phase and I bought a single phase motor on eBay and converted it, works a treat! Although I have yet to teach myself how to use it properly. Am going to turn out a couple of swing arm spools (in aluminium) when I get some time. I thought these might be a nice simple little project for me to start with.
Anyway, the lathe works, I'm just trying to catch up and develop some skills.

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/345882760101770.jpg

I've found a picture of my lathe. I didn't know what to do with at when I first got it, so I painted it!! I do have the bench that comes with these things, it was just a bit too big for the shed so I had to build another narrower table.
When I start turning something, I'll include a few pics of my efforts.
Cheers

[Issues]

I started my apprenticeship on a lathe very similar to that one.

[gibbo]

And nicely painted it is too! How big is that thing mate? Looks like a good size for work.

[Large]

quote:Originally posted by rnewall

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/345882760101770.jpg

I've found a picture of my lathe. I didn't know what to do with at when I first got it, so I painted it!! I do have the bench that comes with these things, it was just a bit too big for the shed so I had to build another narrower table.
When I start turning something, I'll include a few pics of my efforts.
Cheers


The old man has a lathe a bit like that in the shed. Hasn't been used for years..so I've been meaning to ask if I can have it (or swap for a few bottles of piss) but I wouldn't know where to start.[V]

[JackTar]

I would recommend the bottle shop Large.

[BANDITROD]

they are not that hard to use for hobby stuff and shit like that its when you start cutting threads and working out your speeds for different metals things start to get a bit more advanced and i am far from a pro i just use them for making pins and shit like that for ag equipment

[latheboy]

Guys the first thing you should do is go to a market and look for the old bloke selling machine tools and get talking to him... there is always one if not more .. Alot of the stuff is from Taiwan and is Very good, also get your self a book from the Library (if you dont know what this is ask your parents) or junk shop or even better go to a tafe and ask the head of the machining dept. what would be the best learning aid... Machinist Handbook is the one i've got from my appenticeship (ill get it to you Jo.) and is very good, and goes through everything from hand tools (looking at you sharky and weasel) to machinery...
I wont comment one the small lathes other than to say you get what you pay for... If you get a Mill/Drill make sure it has reverse, some tooling cuts in reverse and is a pain in the arse/un-useable if you dont have it ...
My dad has a 4hp lathe at his joint made in china, he loves it and has done some great work on it... I wont use it and think its a piece of shit but i have a full machine shop i can use when ever i want...
Here's a tip for you budding machinist ... If you want something to be strong radius's are your friend....
In the turbo busa thread Booster said something about a kit for machines to make them into CNC's .... look it up

[TurboKat]

The plural of radius is radii you dumb fuck :D

[latheboy]

You are times a hundred, so there!!! ;)

[TurboKat]

Well you are times a thousand [^]

[zx12argh]

From what I've read regarding turning a mill into a cnc unless you are doing timber or plastic forget about it. The cheapish stepper motors just dont have the grunt to push through metal. Unless you are a hydraulics wiz of course... Wheres Jim now?

[gibbo]

LB, Turbo, careful or Large will delete you!!

[TurboKat]

If he does, I'll come up to the AFR & punch him out [B)]
:D

[gibbo]

Fucken hell[:0] it's gunna be on come ASF, better get a boxing ring and some of those hot chicks that hold up the cards[:p], you guys fight and I'll look after the girls[8D]

[latheboy]

Thunder Dome...... 2 men enter 1 man leaves ....
Large is too much of a girl to stop us declaring our love for men

[Zed14]

i bought a hafco al330 lathe it does threading and most stuff 38mm spindle bore. cost 2k from hare and forbes its second hand and does a good job used it heaps and bought a hafco hm30 mill for 2k as well it was new. also used it heaps. i wonder how i got by without them before.

[Large]

quote:Originally posted by TurboKat

If he does, I'll come up to the AFR & punch him out [B)]
:D


Bring it on lubehead.

[jmw76]

Hi Guys,
A pic of my Hafco lathe/mill.
http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/345885750115553.JPG

[ozkat]

Peter that the kind of thing i was looking to get. What model is it? What have you made with it and how big? How is the quality of the the machine? Im very interested in finding out what you opinion of it is.
Cheers Shayne

[latheboy]

quote:Originally posted by latheboy

Thunder Dome...... 2 men enter 1 man leaves ....
Large is too much of a girl to stop us declaring our love for men


HAHA i guess thats checkmate then....

[DCRacing]

http://www.graysonline.com.au/sale.asp?SALE_ID=51983
Have a look on this site, it has a bit of gear that might be of use to some one, i am too far away to be bothered to look to seriously at it

[sharky]

quote:If he does, I'll come up to the AFR & punch him out
Oh classic mate..Didn't realised it had been moved next door to you ;)

[DCRacing]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/BENCH-METAL-LATHE-MILLING-DRILLING-CUTTING-MACHINE_W0QQitemZ260312119822QQcmdZViewItem?hash=i tem260312119822&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1308
This looks like your machine Peter, Did you ebay it & how does it go ok? any issues?

[DCRacing]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/DOVETAIL-GEARED-HEAD-MILLING-DRILLING-MACHINE-NEW_W0QQitemZ270296023119QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item2 70296023119&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
any opinions on this sort of mill?

[Issues]

Dont touch a mill with a morse taper spindle, tooling is expensive, it chatters like fuck and they will pull/fall out.

As far as lathe mill combo's, the first one listed by DCRacing with the R8 spindle would be better then the others with MT3's.

WARNING - These machines are not very robust and will chatter badly, some have very bad spindle bushing/bearings and are a pain to try and mill with.

The second post by DCRacing would be OK aside from the MT3 spindle.

[jmw76]

Yeah DCDRacing has found a link to the specs for my machine.
I actually purchased it new from Hare & Forbes in Dandenong.
The MT3 taper on the mill and lathe head is not an issue.
I purchased a ER32 collet chuck for the mill which will handle cutters up to about 25mm which is really the limit for this machine.
I originally thought that the mill head would be a bit underpowered but it has tackled most things I through at it.
One word of caution. The mill head uses plastic gears internally. If you jam the cutter there is the potential to damage the gears. I have not broken a set yet. THere are kits that you can get to convert the mill head to belt drive which makes it almost indestructable. When I break my gears I will consider this.
I have made all sorts of things on the unit from simple bushes, boring holes through gearbox shafts, fabricating bearing retainers, making additional tools, etc.
I will post a few images of things I have made so that you can get a feeling of the macines capabilities.

[jmw76]

Here is a pic of a simple rotary head that I made up out of some old scrap bits on my little lathe/mill.
This allows me to hold parts in the chuck and rotate through any angle to machine under the milling head.

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/554827327104334.JPG

[jmw76]

Here is an image of a new bearing retainer plate that I made for my GSXR1100 engine to repair a bearing/case failure.
The profile was laser cut in chrome-moly and finished on my mill.
Not particularly difficult but you end up with a nice job with the right equipment.

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/55482732781779.JPG

[jmw76]

The end view of the gearbox input shaft is a GSXR750 shaft that was bored on my lathe.
I hope all this information helps.
Cheers

[latheboy]

Good work peter that indexing haed is great

[davio]

just a note ,, when u do set up ur new mill or lathe the bed needs to be absolutely solid or u will get vibration marks on ur work , a good simple solution is to lay some bessa blocks (get them dead level )and then pour concrete into the hollows at the same time setting some bolts (longer the better )into the wet cement to match up with ur mounting points,make a pattern or it will prob. be out by just enough to fuck ur day, and if u bolt down a catch tray before u set the mill in place u can set up a cutting fluid pump system which will also improve the quality of ur work and the life of ur cutting bits, enjoy