Do-it-yourself lathe for metal drawings. An industrial unit at no extra cost: do-it-yourself homemade metal lathe Do-it-yourself homemade fixtures for a metal lathe

Modern processing of metal parts is almost impossible without a lathe. To save money, you can make this device yourself.

Making an ego is actually not as difficult as it seems, and a drawing of a lathe can be easily found on the Internet. The design of the machine can be the most diverse, as well as its dimensions.

Material for its manufacture at home is easy to find in any garage.

Lathe device

It is impossible to make a lathe with your own hands without knowing its device, so below we present its main parts:

  • Drive unit. The basis of the mechanism, generates power. For a low-power machine, a drive from a drill or a washing machine is suitable;
  • Bed. A steel corner or a frame made of wood is suitable for manufacturing, this is a kind of load-bearing frame, so it must be strong to withstand vibrations;
  • Rear grandma. It is made by welding a corner to an iron plate. It is needed for fixing during processing of the manufactured device;
  • Front grandma. Mounted to the movable frame, similar to the tailstock;
  • Caliper. Acts as a support for the working part.

The torque is transmitted by the engine to the working part using the following options:

  • Chain;
  • With a belt;
  • Friction.

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Belt - the cheapest and most reliable, easy to manufacture. But the belt wears out quickly and needs to be replaced frequently.

Chain is more expensive, it is more bulky, but it lasts a long time. According to its advantages and disadvantages, friction occupies a middle position. It is worth noting the fact that photos of a lathe with different gears are available on the Internet, and you can easily study them in detail.

The caliper is an extremely important part of the machine. It regulates both the amount of effort expended during work and the quality of the part.

It moves in different directions and is therefore highly susceptible to wear. Do not forget to adjust it before starting work.

Assembly sequence of the mechanism

We assemble the frame of the machine with the help of channels and beams. The larger parts you plan to work with, the more durable materials the frame should be made of.

For the production of the headstock, we need a hydraulic cylinder with a wall thickness of 6 mm or more. We press 2 bearings into the cylinder. Using large diameter bearings, we lay the shaft.

It is necessary to fill the lubricating fluid into the hydraulic booster. Then we install a caliper with guides and a pulley.

We install a handbrake to give the cutter stability. We fasten a small strip of metal from below, betraying the wear resistance of the working part.

Which motor to choose?

The motor is the most important part of any machine, because without it it will not function. The total power of the machine depends on its power. A motor with a power of up to a kilovolt (old sewing machines can serve as a donor), suitable for the manufacture of small parts.

Motors with a power of 1.5-2 Kv. used in the processing of large parts. In no case do not forget about the insulation of all electrical parts.

For the correct installation of the motor, it is better to call an electrician than to get injured.

How to make a lathe from a drill?

To save on spare parts and simplify collection, it is allowed to use a drill as a drive. This design has its advantages:

Note!

  • the design is assembled and disassembled at any time;
  • it is transferred and transported quite simply, because it is quite simple to disassemble it;
  • cost savings;

But this method has its drawbacks, because the drill has a low torque, which will make it almost impossible to process large parts.

It is worth modifying a metal lathe with a drill only when a large amount of work is not planned and small parts need to be made.

For the manufacture of this type of metal lathe, ordinary parts are needed (with the exception of the motor and headstock). The function of the headstock is taken over by a drill.

Due to the compactness of the machine, the role of the beds can be played by a flat surface or a workbench. The drill itself can be fixed with a clamp or clamp.

The following safety points must be observed:

Note!

  • upon completion of the layout of the machine, it is necessary to check the serviceability.
  • the electric motor in the machine must be protected by a casing;
  • the power of the electric motor must be covered by your electrical network;
  • the working tool can only be located parallel to the surface of the workpiece. Otherwise it will bounce;
  • when processing the end planes, the latter must be rested against the tailstock;
  • you can start work only using eye protection against chips;
  • after work, the workplace must be left clean.

A woodworking machine requires the same safety precautions as a metalworking machine.

Machine change

When it is necessary to mount the cone-shaped holes, we fasten two files so that a trapezoid shape is obtained. Next, we mount the device on the springs for supplying the file.

To sharpen various blades, we attach a grinding wheel to the engine.

Summing up, I want to say that the assembly of the machine is quite simple. It is quite possible to make a homemade lathe at home with the help of improvised materials, which is a fairly economical measure.

You can adjust the size and power of the equipment yourself, as well as carry out the necessary modifications.

Note!

DIY lathe photo

A homemade metal lathe is quite easy to make with your own hands, but first you need to figure out what this equipment is.

The lathe was invented many hundreds of years ago. Initially, it was a hand-held equipment, but after going through many different upgrades, it has changed and become easier to use.

Today, the lathe is an indispensable device in absolutely any production. Now you can find various forms and configurations of this equipment, which are designed for different purposes.

What is used for

The lathe can be used in production for various purposes. The main purposes of this equipment include:

  • processing of face, internal and external bodies of revolution;
  • thread.

Machining with a lathe is the most common way to manufacture various rotational bodies, such as discs, shafts or nuts. At this time, there is a change in the shape and size of the workpiece due to the removal of the allowance. The machinability of a particular material depends on its structure, as well as its physical and chemical properties.

Threading on a lathe is done using a cutter. This tool is usually divided by experts into 3 types:

  • prismatic;
  • rod;
  • round.

But it is important to remember that threading on a lathe can also be done using taps and dies. The former help in the production of metric internal threads. And the latter are used for threading the outside of bolts and studs. The speed of this kind of work with the help of dies for steel products is less than five minutes.

Device

The lathe has a rather difficult structure. Its main element is the spindle. So it is customary for specialists to call a hollow shaft made of steel, which has a cone-shaped hole. It is thanks to the latter that the installation of various tools and mandrels is carried out.

The spindle has a special thread, which is primarily intended for fixing a faceplate for a lathe on it. Some types of this equipment have a special groove on this main element. It is with its help that such a danger as uncontrolled folding of the cartridge is eliminated.

The spindle is the main component of any lathe precisely because it is only thanks to it that really high-quality processing of any part is possible. Therefore, it is important to remember that the node in the radial and axial direction had no play, that is, a gap or gap between mating parts.

The power of the lathe also depends on the spindle. The performance of this unit will be higher if its main element has a high drive motor power.

Also an important component of the lathe is the caliper. It is this element that ensures the fixation of the cutting tool and its movement in various directions. On it is a tool holder, which is also commonly called a cutting head.

Do it yourself

Despite the fact that the lathe has a rather complex structure, you can make a lightweight version of it yourself without spending a lot of time and effort on it. It is also important that it does not require large material costs.

The main components of the lathe:

  • grandmas (front and back);
  • frame;
  • drive unit;
  • centers
  • stop for cutting tool.

Note: You can avoid vibrations while working on the machine if you place the centers of the device on the same axis.

When creating a machine, it is important to know that you cannot use a collector-type electric drive for it. It is strictly forbidden to do this precisely because it is too powerful for a home device, and during its use, the processed element may simply fly out of the clamps. This threatens to damage the device and can lead to various injuries.

An asynchronous drive is best suited for a home machine. Its main advantage is that its RPM stays the same.

caliper

As mentioned earlier, the lathe caliper is one of the components of this unit. It is used to fix the cutting tool, and a tool holder must also be installed on it.

Due to the wide variety of different electric motors today, it is quite difficult to choose one that fits exactly. All drives are divided according to their power. For a homemade machine, as mentioned above, the best option would be an asynchronous electric motor, since it is he who does not change the speed.

Drill machine

There are many different ways to create a lathe yourself. Some make this unit with their own hands from a drill. It is perfect for light turning work at home.

In order for this machine to perform its main tasks more efficiently, it is necessary to fix the drill on the frame with a vice and a collar that is fixed on the neck.

Important to remember: the frame of such a device must be heavy and have high strength.

Summing up, I would like to note that a home lathe can perform simple functions no worse than the one used in production, while its manufacture will not require too much cost.

How to make a lathe with your own hands, see the following video:

For a “handy” home craftsman, a desktop lathe for processing metal blanks is the ultimate dream. With its help, the missing parts of the mechanisms being repaired are made, threads are cut, corrugations are made or holes are bored. For some, the universal mechanism opens up new horizons for creativity or hobbies. For others, there is an additional way to replenish the family budget. Unfortunately, the cost of factory equipment in most cases leaves the dream of a complete home workshop unfulfilled. However, the desire to have a lathe at home can be easily fulfilled if you make it yourself. We will tell you more about one of these designs, giving you the opportunity to build a lathe with your own hands.

Purpose and opportunities

The modern lathe is a symbiosis of mechanical parts and electronic components.

The main functions of any modern mechanism, whether it be a simple manual meat grinder or a coal mining combine, provide rotating parts that could not be made without lathes. A feature of these units is the processing of bodies of revolution by cutting. The machines of the turning group provide manufacturing accuracy unattainable for other metalworking methods. Equipment of this type is easy to automate and allows you to perform the following operations:

  • longitudinal turning of a smooth or stepped cylindrical surface;
  • processing of ledges and grooves;
  • turning of external and internal conical surfaces;
  • boring of conical and cylindrical holes;
  • threading (internal or external) with a cutter or drill;
  • reaming and countersinking of holes;
  • grooving or cutting off;
  • shaped turning;
  • corrugated surface.

The main purpose of lathes is the processing of three types of parts - shafts, bushings and disks, resulting in a variety of axles, flywheels, liners, star blanks, etc. In addition, other workpieces with the shape of bodies of revolution are processed on universal units, for example , body parts.


Screw-cutting lathes - the most popular design among home craftsmen

All existing lathes distinguish between:

  • on the basis of turning (turning-turret, turning-and-boring, multi-cutting machines, etc. - a total of nine subgroups);
  • size range, which depends on the diameter of the workpiece;
  • degrees of specialization (special, universal, etc.);
  • accuracy class.

The most popular for repetition at home are screw-cutting lathes, which have the simplest design among the above units.

Design

Although the first lathes of the turning group appeared at the end of the 18th century, their architecture was so perfect that it has not undergone significant changes so far. We can say that today we use equipment similar to that used for metalworking two centuries ago.


The design of the screw-cutting lathe

A metal lathe consists of the following components and parts:

  1. The bed, which is the basis for all other elements. The accuracy of processing and the versatility of the device depend on the strength and scrupulousness of its manufacture. The body part of the machine must be a massive, fundamental structure. This is the only way to avoid vibrations and tool displacement during turning operations.
  2. Front spindle head. This unit allows you to fix the workpiece and rotate it during processing. Often the headstock includes a gearbox and a caliper or machining head feed mechanism. This allows you to change the speed of rotation of the part and increases productivity.
  3. Rear grandma. This element is designed to hold the part in a given coordinate system, coaxial to the spindle. In addition, a tool fixed in the tailstock allows you to perform additional operations, such as cutting threads.
  4. Caliper. Without a doubt, this node is one of the most important in the design of the machine. The support is designed to hold the cutting tool and move it relative to the workpiece. Depending on the design, the caliper can feed the cutter in various planes, which makes it possible to obtain parts with a complex configuration of internal and external surfaces. The main requirements for the support are the reliability of holding the tool and the feed accuracy, since this is directly related to the quality of processing.

In the manufacture of a homemade lathe, the design is simplified as much as possible. To do this, elements that are problematic to make at home are modified, and some nodes are completely abandoned. For example, the gearbox can be replaced with several pulleys of different sizes, and the automatic feed can be excluded from the scheme.

What you need to make

An ideal option in the manufacture of a homemade lathe would be to use separate components from decommissioned equipment. If this is not possible, then you will have to make components and parts yourself.

Instead of a cast frame, a frame welded from steel shaped pipes and corners is used. It goes without saying that a wooden frame in this case is an unacceptable option. The metal profile will be able to provide the required rigidity and stability of the structure. In addition, with the help of even square and rectangular pipes, it is not difficult to adhere to the strict geometry of the frame. An uneven frame will not make it possible to correctly fix the centers, which will further affect the quality of the work being done.


Low-power asynchronous motor - an excellent power unit for a homemade design

For the drive you need a power unit. It is best to use a low-speed asynchronous type electric motor. Unlike collector units, "asynchronous" are practically not at risk of breakage with a sharp decrease in speed.

For processing workpieces with a diameter of not more than 100 mm, an electric motor with a power of 500 - 1000 W will be enough. If you plan to grind larger parts, you will need at least a 1.5-kilowatt power unit.

In addition, you will have to choose a drive belt (or several belts of various lengths). Do not forget about the fasteners with which individual nodes will be attached to the body. For a homemade lathe, nuts and bolts with a diameter of 8 and 10 mm with a conventional metric thread are suitable.

As a sled, parts machined from a steel bar with subsequent hardening are used, but guides made from suspension struts or long shafts of industrial mechanisms would be the best option. They have excellent geometry, and their surface is hardened in the factory.


The tailstock, like the spindle, is best used from decommissioned factory equipment

The tailstock can also be made from shaped pipes and a thick metal sheet, but the quill is made from a hardened pointed bolt, several nuts with the same thread and a steering wheel made from a pulley from agricultural machinery. Using a home-made quill will require each time you fasten a part to lubricate the contacting surfaces with lithol or grease. A similar procedure will not be needed with a factory-made rotating center, so if possible, then this part is better to buy.

The longitudinal and transverse feed screws can also be turned on a lathe or use a long threaded rod that can be bought at hardware hypermarkets.

For feed screws, a finely threaded shaft is used - this will significantly improve the positioning accuracy of the working tool.

For rotation nodes, rolling bearings installed in the housing will be needed, and pulleys of various diameters mounted on the drive shaft will allow you to adjust the speed. These parts can be bought or ordered from a familiar turner.

Making a caliper will require stocking up on a steel plate with a thickness of at least 8mm. It can also be used for the holder.

Another node that cannot be made in artisanal conditions is the spindle. It will have to be bought. Spindle mounting requires the manufacture of a shaft on which the driven pulleys will be mounted. The strength of this part must be impeccable, so it is best to use parts from decommissioned factory mechanisms.

There are designs in which there is no belt drive. Rotation from the motor shaft is transmitted directly to the spindle. Of course, they have the right to exist, however, when choosing such a scheme, be prepared for the frequent failure of the motor bearings.

In addition to the lathe, in the process of work you will need such tools and equipment:

  • welding machine;
  • Bulgarian;
  • grinding and emery machine;
  • electric drill and a set of drills for metal;
  • taps and dies for threading;
  • set of wrenches;
  • caliper, metal ruler;
  • marker.

All these tools and materials will allow you to make a full-fledged desktop-type lathe. If it was not possible to get some details, do not despair - for a while they can be replaced with something else. So, a chuck from an electric drill is quite used instead of a spindle if it is necessary to process small workpieces.

Dimensions and drawings

Determining the dimensions of the machine, first of all, they are guided by the maximum length and diameter of the workpieces. Recall that in industry, low-power turning equipment has the following boundary parameters:

  • length - up to 1150 mm;
  • width - up to 620 mm;
  • the distance from the upper surface of the frame to the spindle axis (axis height) is about 180 mm.

It is hardly worth exceeding these values ​​on homemade equipment. We must not forget that with an increase in size, the risk of distortion of the machine geometry increases many times over. When choosing the size of the caliper and determining the extreme points of its movement, calculating the distance between the centers and the limits of movement of the tool holder, it is best to focus on the drawings of home-made machines. Made by craftsmen, they have proven their efficiency in practice, so it would be foolish not to use proven solutions.

Tailstock Drawing of the caliper and tool holder Drawing of the bed Drawing of the headstock Homemade lathe. General view Tailstock drawing

Instructions for making a simple do-it-yourself lathe

Since everyone decides what his lathe will look like and what dimensions it will have, it is impossible to give an accurate description of the manufacture of all parts with dimensions, tolerances and fits. However, the process of building any lathe consists of the same steps.


After the lathe has been tested in operation, its components and parts should be painted. This will add to your offspring of attractiveness and will not allow corrosion to spoil the equipment created by your own hands.

A lathe at home is a versatile equipment that can be used for other than its intended purpose. The spindle can hold a polishing or grinding wheel for sharpening tools or finishing metal parts.

Video: DIY lathe

How to set the tailstock

Of course, the proposed scheme of a home-made lathe is inferior in terms of power and processing accuracy to expensive factory counterparts. Despite this, it will help to cope with most tasks, providing an extensive field for modernization.

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prorab.guru

Metal lathe: how to make a homemade metalworking machine with your own hands

Zealous owners, accustomed to doing all the housework with their own hands, sooner or later come to the conclusion that in the arsenal of the home workshop there is not enough homemade turning device for processing metal blanks. A person who once used such equipment boasts to his comrades for a long time how easily and naturally on such a machine a neat piece made by himself is obtained from a shapeless piece of iron.

Naturally, you can buy a finished product in a store, but not everyone can afford it, and therefore many people decide to make metal turning equipment with their own hands. But for this, a home craftsman must understand the principle of operation and arrangement of such equipment and prepare all consumables. You will also need a minimum set of tools and, of course, the desire to do not the easiest work on your own.

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 impressive dimensions, and it will be problematic to place it in a garage or a small utility room. 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. The design of the simplest equipment necessarily 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 is in most cases made of wooden bars. 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 desired 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, as it 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. In such devices, a spontaneous increase in speed can occur in the absence of a workload, 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 an engine has high stability during load without changing the rotational speed, which makes it possible 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 for a number of simple works.

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 to install a grinding wheel on one of the moving parts connected to the shaft of an electric motor 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.

The connection of power mechanisms is carried out either with one's own hands, or they 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.

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stanok.guru

How to make a lathe for metal with your own hands?

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 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).

We recommend reading:

Installing a cutter on a lathe

Which milling machine to choose?

Installing a chuck on a lathe

Which lathe to choose?

metmastanki.ru

How to make a lathe for metal with your own hands - instructions, drawings and videos

Despite the large range of factory-made equipment, its use in everyday life is usually inconvenient or impractical. Impressive dimensions (and weight), a variety of functions (some of them are unlikely to be in demand by a “home craftsman”) and a number of other points - all this suggests whether it makes sense to spend money on purchasing a metal lathe? Moreover, the price of the cheapest desktop model is about 46,800 rubles.

With how to make a lathe from scratch, with our own hands, we will figure it out in detail, then - recommendations on the choice of materials and the procedure for assembling the machine. It is useful tips and examples of drawings, since making something with your own hands is a creative process; therefore, there simply cannot be "hard" standards. The given configuration scheme is just a reminder of the device of the lathe.

It is advisable to simplify the design of a lathe for home use. Some components can be modernized (modified), and something can be abandoned altogether. For example, complex automation, feed boxes with its gears and EMF. And the movable element of the tailstock - the quill - is hardly of great importance for a homemade lathe.

Material selection

There are various tips, including that for the manufacture of individual elements of the machine, you can use wood in the form of a board and a bar. Argumentation - such an assembly does not present big problems and is relatively fast.

I would like to note that they will arise, but then, and very tangible. A "wooden" machine will not last long. Simply put, it will work, but you will have to forget about the accuracy of the operations. A turning model of equipment, even factory-made, requires not only careful tuning, but also systematic monitoring of the condition. The slightest change in the geometry of the same sled will lead to the fact that the processing of the part will turn into a “mockery” of the sample. Wood constantly swells and shrinks. What kind of smooth movement of the carriage, the coincidence of the axes of the centers, and the like can we talk about? The same applies to the bed. Dynamic loads will quickly lead to loosening of the base (frame, table or other component).

According to whatever drawing a household lathe is assembled, for the manufacture of all structural elements, metal products (pipes, a channel or a corner) should definitely be used. More difficult - yes, more reliable and durable - no doubt. All other options are a waste of time and effort.

Machine assembly procedure

Making any mechanism (installation, unit) with your own hands is a creative matter. Each master focuses on the range of tasks that he will have to solve with the help of home-made equipment, the availability of free space in the garage (shed, outbuilding), and so on. But if you understand the algorithm of actions, then it will not be difficult to assemble a domestic lathe. Here are some homemade samples.

If the reader is quite satisfied with the simplest model, and there is no desire to spend time on designing, the author suggests paying attention to the machine, which is based on an electric drill. No further explanation is required here.

It is clear that the functionality of such an installation is limited. First of all, due to the fact that only a cutter or a drill can be clamped in the chuck. In fact, such a homemade product can be called a lathe conditionally.

But with the manufacture of more "serious" equipment, it is worth understanding in more detail.

table frame

It is necessary to determine whether the existing workbench (for example, in the garage) can withstand the additional load. If you intend to make a low-power lathe, for processing small parts, then the desktop is enough. When assembling the frame, two points must be taken into account.

The first is that nickels must be welded on the legs of the table. If the mobility of the machine is not required, that is, it is not expected to be regularly transferred, it makes sense to gouge holes in the concrete floor, install a frame and pour concrete again. The goal is to ensure maximum structural stability during the metalworking process.

The second - you should not overly weight the installation by using a thick steel plate as a countertop, especially since we are not talking about powerful equipment. It is enough to weld the lathe bed to the frame. Durability will be guaranteed.

bed

Everything is simple here - the support frame of the lathe (channel or corner) is welded in size.

Drive unit

Here you have to choose one of two options:

  • If it is decided to fix the spindle (clamp, chuck) on the motor shaft, then how to change the number of its revolutions? And this will have to be done, depending on the hardness of the processed sample. You can, for example, install an engine from a second-hand sewing machine (speed control is provided). Only now the power of such a lathe will be minimal, therefore, the possibilities are limited.
  • Any electric / motor is characterized by the frequency of rotation of the shaft (rotor). It is clear that regular replacement of the engine with another one during operation is impossible. Therefore, you will have to think about how to change the gear ratio of the drive. The simplest solution is to reinstall the pulley belts mounted on the intermediate shaft, that is, use this type of transmission.

"Craftsmen", focusing on this technique, make machines with 10 - 12 speeds with their own hands. Convenience in working with dissimilar materials is ensured, and you don’t have to search for components, draw up an automation scheme and assemble it.

There is another argument in favor of such an engineering solution. The main force present in do-it-yourself machine tools is along the axis of the shaft. But the bearings of electric / motors of any model are calculated for the load "perpendicular".

If the machine does not provide for a belt drive, you need to be prepared for frequent repairs. The reason is the destruction of the supporting parts of the engine. It is possible to avoid this, but such modernization requires separate consideration (there are several options) and will greatly complicate the design process.

What to consider when assembling

For such regulation, it is advisable to install an engine with a power of 0.75 - 1.5 kW on a lathe.

It is better not to use collector-type products. The peculiarity of such engines is that when the load is reduced (for example, at the time of retraction of the cutter), the rotor speed increases significantly. It is not difficult to predict the possible result - the departure of the workpiece and injury to the master.

As a rule, do-it-yourself lathes are assembled to work with small "blanks" - up to half a meter long and no more than 12 - 14 cm in diameter. For such models, asynchronous motors are considered the best (recommended power is indicated). The stability of the number of revolutions will be ensured, and sharp drops in the magnitude of the rotational speed are excluded.

Features of the manufacture of other structural elements

It is better (if possible) to take individual components from decommissioned equipment. Even if you need to remake it, it's easier than making it from scratch. Here are some of the options we will consider.

Sled

Turning from a bar is both difficult and impractical. Strength will not meet the requirements. It's easier to use ready-made elements. For example, shock absorbers.

pinole

Often in homemade lathes, the back gauge is fixed. You can use a regular bolt, having previously sharpened the end of its legs.

Toolholder

The author used 2 metal plates 4 mm. In order for the tool to be securely fixed and quickly reinstalled, an axle with a thread is welded in the center of the lower one, and a hole of the appropriate diameter in the upper one. To clamp the cutter - a nut with a "handle". The skew of the upper plate during tightening is excluded, since more holes are drilled at its corners, and vertical racks (bar segments) are welded to the lower (under them). As a result, the "clamping" plate moves strictly up/down.

When assembling a lathe, it is more correct to focus on the future. In everyday life, it is necessary to process not only metal blanks, but also from other materials - plastics, plexiglass, wood. The conclusion is unequivocal - if you already make turning equipment for home use with your own hands, then you need to strive for its versatility. In particular, to the possibility of changing the spindle speed in a wide range.

  • wood - 700 - 2,400;
  • metal - 85 - 940.

When determining the dimensions of the lathe, one should focus on the dimensions of the workpieces that are supposed to be processed. Specific recommendations on this item are meaningless, but it’s worth recalling the main parameters of low-power industrial equipment (in mm).

  • Length - 1 150.
  • Width - 600 - 620.
  • The height of the spindle axis is about 180. This will allow processing workpieces with a cross section of up to 175 mm.

In order for the lathe to be truly “working”, before drawing up its drawing, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the main characteristics of amateur models of industrial production. Linear parameters are not the main thing. There are also indicators such as the size of the caliper and the limits of its movement, the distance between the centers, the feed rate, and so on. This will greatly facilitate the choice of the optimal version of the machine for DIY assembly.

Particular attention should be paid to the coincidence of the centers of the spindle (chuck) and the quill. They should be connected by a horizontal line. Failure to comply with this condition leads to the appearance of backlash, beats of the workpiece in the process of metalworking. The result is damage. Bad, but not critical. If you have a lot of "iron" at hand, you can replace it. But the prospect of constantly acquiring new incisors (and they will “fly” without fail and quite often in such a home-made machine) is unlikely to suit anyone.

During the assembly process, questions will inevitably arise, how best to do “this or that” with your own hands. The author advises, in case of difficulty, to look at the photographs of lathes available on the Internet - both factory and home-made. An acceptable solution must be found.

Good luck in designing and metalworking!

Components of a home unit

It usually contains the following constituent elements:

  • the frame, which is the supporting frame of the entire structure, which must be particularly strong so as not to break during vibration during its action;
  • drive, which is the main part of the mechanism, responsible for the power of its action (you can use the drive of a drill or washing equipment);
  • tailstock made of a steel plate element with a steel corner welded to it for fixing metal products when working on this unit;
  • headstock, similar to the tailstock, only mounted on the moving part of the frame structure;
  • driven and leading centers on the tailstock;
  • caliper, which serves as a thrust mechanism in the operating part of the unit.

The structure of the lathe

  • torque to the working part of the device from the engine can be produced in different ways, for example, install the working part on the engine shaft itself or use a friction, belt or chain drive;
  • to install a belt drive, which is quite inexpensive with a fairly high level of reliability, it is quite possible to use a belt removed from the electric motor of another device (just remember that belts wear out over time and must be replaced frequently);
  • installing a chain drive will be more expensive, take up more space, but it will last longer than a belt drive;
  • when installing a friction transmission, it is important to understand that its characteristics correspond to intermediate data between the action of a chain and a belt drive.

Machine device

If we consider the drawing of a home turning device, then it is obvious that its headstock consists of the following elements:

  • V-belt;
  • two-stage pulley;
  • spindle
  • ball bearing.

The tailstock in a lathe contains the following parts:

  • frame;
  • Centre;
  • two handles;
  • pinole;
  • three screws;
  • flywheel;
  • thrust;
  • lever arm;
  • screw.

It must be borne in mind that the driven center is located on the tailstock and can be either dynamic or stationary. Such a center can be made from a simple bolt, sharpened at one end, giving a conical shape. They are treated with technical oil (solid oil), inserted inside.

The tailstock is made in a similar way, using the same cone-shaped bolt with a lock nut.

Homemade metal lathe

caliper

This part of the device, which serves as an emphasis for the working surface, is located on moving, along specially placed guides, “sled”. The caliper generally moves in three specific directions:

  • longitudinal, for moving the working part of the machine along the workpiece used to carve threads in parts, chamfer;
  • transverse, used for turning all kinds of holes, recesses, recesses;
  • inclined, produced at different angles, also used for turning different recesses on the surface of workpieces.

If you look at the drawing of the caliper, you can see that it includes the following details:

  • cross slide;
  • lead screw;
  • guides;
  • cutter holder;
  • screw for its fastening;
  • carriage;
  • turning part;
  • handle for turning the tool holder;
  • handle for moving the upper part;
  • upper part of the caliper;
  • flywheel for longitudinal movements;
  • nuts;
  • handle for moving the sled;
  • apron;
  • transverse guides;
  • handle to turn on the feed from the lead screw.

To make a caliper yourself, you need to take into account that it is subject to significant wear due to the vibration that occurs during its operation. As a result, the fasteners can loosen, play appears, which does not contribute to the good quality of the parts manufactured on it. To avoid such troubles, it is recommended that the caliper be constantly adjusted and adjusted.

A few tips for setting up the machine caliper:

  • it becomes necessary to adjust the gaps if the screw, which is responsible for movement in the longitudinal and transverse planes, has worn out;
  • due to the resulting friction, the caliper may begin to stagger under loads, which leads to a decrease in the accuracy of manufactured parts;
  • to eliminate the resulting gaps between the guides, you can insert wedges;
  • to eliminate backlash in parts, a fixing screw is usually used;
  • in case of severe wear of the oil seals, they must be washed well, then soaked with fresh technical oil, and if necessary, replaced with new ones.

If all the operations performed to restore the oil seals did not help, you will have to purchase new ones.

Self-assembly of the machine

If we consider the assembly drawing of a home turning device, we can see that it includes the following parts:

  • tailstock;
  • running pipe;
  • channels;
  • caliper;
  • a pallet designed to collect chips;
  • electric motor;
  • lead screw;
  • headstock;
  • lamp in a special protective cap;
  • support;
  • chip screen.

To build a mini-lathe with your own hands, you need to follow a certain order:

  • make the frame of the device out of metal beams, and it is desirable that the thickness of the material used be at least 3 mm for corners and at least 30 mm for rods;
  • install special longitudinal shafts on the channels by welding them or fixing them with bolts;
  • make a headstock using a hydraulic cylinder with a wall thickness of at least 6 mm (2 bearings must be pressed into the cylinder);
  • lay the shaft using bearings of a slightly larger diameter;
  • then fill the hydraulic cylinder with lubricating fluid;
  • install the drive.

Such a miniature lathe, made independently, can serve not only for turning purposes, but even perform grinding and polishing operations if a grinding wheel is attached to it.

Engine

One of the most important parts included in a do-it-yourself homemade metal lathe is an electric motor, with the help of which the working parts of the device can actually be moved.

In the case when it is supposed to perform turning work with small parts on the machine, the power of the electric motor can be small (up to 1 kW), it is convenient to remove the motor from an old-style electric sewing machine or use another similar electrical device.

If the machine is going to work with large parts, an electric motor with a power of 1.5 to 2 kW may be required.

When assembling such a machine yourself, you must make sure that all electrical parts of the assembled device are securely insulated.

Drill machine

To facilitate your work on arranging a home machine, you can take a simple electric drill for the drive.

Do-it-yourself lathe with a drill

Such a lathe from a drill has several advantages:

  • this device can be assembled very quickly, and if necessary, disassembled (if the drill needs to be used for its intended purpose), then reassemble it;
  • this lathe from a drill is compact, easy to carry, transported to any place (you can bring it to the garage, for example, or, conversely, take it outside);
  • profitable and economical, since the drill replaces the electric motor, which means that there is no need to use the transmission;
  • convenient, because replaceable drill bits can be used as necessary working tools.

The disadvantages of a lathe from a do-it-yourself drill include the inability to process large parts on it.

If a grinding wheel is attached to the electric motor of a manufactured lathe for metal, then knives, scissors and various household tools can be sharpened on it.

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. In demand will be a metal profile for the bed, sheet metal parts, attachment points for spindle bearings and lead screws, and fasteners. 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 completing 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.

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