Hobby lathe, metal turning.

[Dazza]

Does anyone have any information for a DIY metal turning lathe, Just a small basic one.

It will come in handy for my hydrogen project, for the construction of the reactor chamber.

Thanks for any help .

 

[ante1]

Hi Dazza,

Here is something for your inspiration mate!

http://silent1.home.netcom.com/HomebuiltLathe.htm

http://www.pioneer.net/~felice/taig.html

http://www.woodturners.org/tech_tips/cnc-lathe/cnc.htm

[move] 8) 8) 8) 8)[/move]

 

[Dazza]

Thanks ante,

Very very helpful .

Question ante ;D, what is the best method of varying the AC motor speed 240v 50Hz 1/2 3/4 Hp, in addition to the mechanical gearing. It will need to be very stable especially if I want to eventually use it to cut threads.

Thank you.

 

[ante1]

It depends on which type of motor it is you are using. Synch, asynch or series with brushes?

 

[Dazza]

Hi ante,

Yes of course, I should have realised the motor choice would need to be known first :.

I'm looking at two possibilities, a washing machine motor or a small benchtop drill press, a drill press would probably prove to be the most cost-effective, around $100 because it already has the mechanical speed adjustment as well as other useful bits.

Ok probably the only thing I really need to know at this stage, would be the motor type what would be the most suitable for this application, I understand that I will need some kind of feedback from the motor to the speed control, I won't need this degree of accuracy for now (the feedback) I just need the bare bone unit, for machining parts needed for my reactor.

Thanks ante .

 

[ante1]

Dazza,

I would go for a 3-phase motor, such a motor will maintain (only some minor slack) the rpm until the power rating (hp) is exceeded. These can be found in 2 speed version and will combined with a

 

[Dazza]

Hi Ante ,

Well I decided to go a similar path to this guy(http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/index.html) I have worked in a foundry and I pretty much no the whole process, so it makes sense to me to make a small foundry, then go on to make the equipment that l will need .

A series inventor need some good equipment to get serious .

I have discovered a SmartDrive washing machine, I think it's electric motor would be ideal to use for a lathe. It's a 3-phase motor with a 42 pole stator and 36 magnets. Hopefully I can pick one up for the right price somewhere, I'm not sure on the Hp of these motors and I'm not sure on the Hp that I will need, as I have decided to make a decent size lathe .

 

[ante1]

Hi Dazza,

Metal casting sounds a bit dangerous to me; I prefer spilling coffee in my lap before liquid metal! I remember the small soldiers we made of tin when I was young

 

[mixos1]

Check out those plans i found

Plans_for_Micro_Lathe.pdf

 

[Dazza]

Hi Ante, mixos,

I think I will just start building it to the scale that I want, then worry about the Hp that I'll need later 8).
Molten aluminium will bounce off of your skin it wont stick, but it is no fun when it goes into your boot, believe me I no .


Thanks for those plans mixos very very useful .

 

[ante1]

Hi Dazza,

Have you seen this one: http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/lathe1.html ?

 

[Dazza]

Hi Ante,

Thanks Ante, yes that's the same guy with the foundry, the link I posted above .

I have about 90 percent of the materials needed for the foundry. The ingredients needed for the refractory were very hard to find in my area. The heat will be on soon ;D, this project is bringing back bad memories, of working in the middle of summer in a foundry, hot hot hot .

 

[ante1]

Hi Dazza,

Oops! :-[ I didn

 

[Dazza]

Hi Ante,

Beer cans are not a very good choice, about 70 percent is waste slag which is skimmed off the top of the molten metal. Cylinder heads are good, because you know that they are the type of aluminium that is use for casting, but the biggest problem is breaking them up into small pieces that will fit into the crucible.

 

[ante1]

Hi,

I don’t think this has been posted before:

Plans_for_6_inch_Turret_Lathe.pdf

 

[Alun]

Wow, this looks old, where did you find this?

Old things are often the best and this will never go out of date, old is golden.

 

[ante1]

Hi Alun,

Yes it’s old but at least you can snatch some ideas from it. I can’t remember exactly where I got it, just found it on an old CD-R “backup”. 8)

 

[Dazza]

Thanks Ante , I love these old designs 8).

Alun, did you get the one that mixos posted on the previous page?

 

[ante1]

Dazza; I knew you would like it! After all this time I almost know how you think, scary isn’t it!  ;D ;D