DIY miniature lathe. Do-it-yourself homemade metal lathe: manufacturing and operation. Advantages of self-assembly of the machine

The dream of every DIYer, modeler and home handyman - lathe. Everyone who managed to privatize socialist property today has huge bonuses in the form of lathes, drilling machines and other equipment small mechanization in your garages and workshops. Those who couldn’t do it have to make the machines with their own hands, since the minimum cost of a small, average, turned Chinese 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.

Tabletop lathe, main components

A do-it-yourself mini metal lathe is made on the basis of what was done in production conditions, 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 turning-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 a 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 their own tasks, 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 the distance 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 feeding device, which must correspond to 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. Let’s figure it out further on what this depends on.

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 a simple screw-cutting lathe or with 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.

For the most part, benchtop machines are intended for one-time work, so the use complex systems programming is hardly justified on machines with a low degree of accuracy.

Precision and performance of a homemade device

In the event that the task is to create a machine for processing metals by cutting with high degree accuracy, you need to pay special attention to the guides and frame. Many people make structural elements from wood, this is a fun budget solution, but it will not provide the required accuracy simply because the material of the bed and guides must be harder than the part being processed.

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 we gave from an ancient English magazine. That is, all the parts that are responsible for accuracy and strength must be made in production conditions, such as this option, where automobile connecting rods are used as centering elements.

Carrying out a metal lathe is creative and unhurried work. You need to think through all the details a hundred times, draw a couple of dozen drawings, and only then start manufacturing 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 lathe is needed for the manufacture and processing of metal parts. Professional equipment is quite expensive, so in order to save money, you can make a homemade metal lathe with your own hands. This can be done in several ways, and drawings of such a product are easily found on the Internet. You can use improvised materials for production, but the size of the machine can be any.

Components of a mini metal lathe with your own hands

Any homemade lathe consists of the following elements:

drive is the main part of the mechanism, which is responsible for its power. Selecting a drive with the required power is one of the most difficult tasks. In small do-it-yourself metal lathes, you can use a drive from a conventional washing machine or drill. Typically, the power of this element starts from 200 W, and the number of revolutions per minute starts from 1500;
bed - a supporting frame of the structure, which can be made of wooden blocks or steel angles. The frame must be characterized by high strength, otherwise the entire structure may fall apart from vibrations during operation;

tailstock - made of a steel plate and a steel angle welded to it. The plate rests against the guides of the bed, and the main purpose of the tailstock of a do-it-yourself lathe is to fix the metal part during processing;
headstock - a part similar to the tailstock, but mounted on a movable frame;
master and slave centers;
caliper - a thrust mechanism for the working part.

Torque from the engine to the working part of the machine can be transmitted in several ways. Some people prefer to directly install the working part on the motor shaft - this saves space and allows you to save on spare parts. If this option is not possible, torque can be transmitted using friction, belt or chain transmission. Each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Belt drive for an electric motor is the cheapest and is characterized by a fairly high level of reliability. To make it, you can use a belt for an electric motor, removed from any other mechanism. The disadvantage of a belt drive is that over time the belt can wear out and will have to be changed more often the more intensely you work with the machine.

The design of the headstock and tailstock of a lathe. Front headstock (left): 1 - V-belt; 2 - two-stage pulley; 3 - spindle; 4 - ball bearing. Tailstock (right): 1 - body; 2 - center; 3, 6 - handles; 4 - quill; 5, 12, 14 - screws; 7 - flywheel; 8 - traction; 9, 10 - levers; 13 - nut

A chain drive is more expensive and takes up more space, but it will also last much longer than a belt drive. Friction transmission has intermediate characteristics between belt and chain.

Do-it-yourself lathe support: drawings, how to make it from scrap materials

The caliper is one of the most important parts of a homemade lathe - the quality of the future part, as well as the amount of time and effort you will spend on its manufacture, depends on it. This part is located on a special slide, which moves along guides located on the frame. The caliper can move in three directions:

longitudinal - the working part of the machine moves along the workpiece. Longitudinal movement is used to turn threads into a part or to remove a layer of material from the surface of a metal workpiece;

transverse - movement perpendicular to the axis of the workpiece. Used for turning recesses and holes;
inclined - movement at different angles to grind recesses on the surface of the workpiece.

When making a lathe support with your own hands, it is worth considering the fact that this part is subject to wear as a result of vibrations that occur during operation. Because of them, the fasteners become loose, play occurs, and all this affects the quality of the manufactured part. In order to avoid such problems, the caliper must be regularly adjusted and adjusted.

Adjustment of a homemade support for a lathe with your own hands is carried out according to gaps, play and seals. Adjusting the gaps is necessary when the screw responsible for moving the part in the longitudinal and transverse planes has worn out. As a result of friction, the caliper begins to loosen under load, which significantly reduces the accuracy of the part. Gaps can be eliminated by inserting wedges between the guides and the carriage. The play of the part is eliminated using a fixing screw.

If the oil seals in your machine are worn out, they should be thoroughly washed and soaked in fresh machine oil. In case of critical wear, it is better to completely replace the oil seals with new ones.

Caliper structure: 1 - caliper carriage; 2 - lead screw; 3 - transverse slide of the caliper; 4 - rotating part of the caliper; 5 - guides of the rotating part; 6 - tool holder; 7 - screw for securing the tool holder; 8 - screws for fastening the cutters; 9 - handle for turning the tool holder; 10 - nuts; 11 - upper part of the caliper; 12 - transverse guides of the carriage; 13 - handle for moving the upper part of the caliper; 14 - handle for moving the cross slide; 15 - handle for turning on the feed of the caliper from the lead screw; 16 - handwheel for longitudinal movement of the caliper; 17 - apron

Homemade metal lathe with your own hands: assembly procedure

The mechanism is assembled in the following order:

The machine frame is assembled from metal beams and channels. If you are going to work with big details, then the materials for assembling the frame must be used with the expectation of a large load. For example, if you plan to work with metal workpieces longer than 50 mm, the thickness of the materials for the frame should start from 3 mm for corners and from 30 mm for rods.

Longitudinal shafts with guides are installed on the channels. Shafts can be welded or bolted.

The headstock is being made. To make the headstock of a lathe with your own hands, a hydraulic cylinder with a wall thickness of 6 mm is used. Two bearings must be pressed into the cylinder.

The shaft is being laid. For this purpose, bearings with a large internal diameter are used.

Lubricant is poured into the hydraulic cylinder.

The pulley and caliper with guides are installed.

The electric drive is being installed.

In addition, from the do-it-yourself drawings of a metal lathe, it can be seen that to increase the stability of the cutting mechanism, a tool rest is made, and a thin strip of metal is fixed to the lower part of the structure. The latter serves to protect the working part of the machine from deformation during operation.

Construction of a homemade lathe for metal processing: 1, 7 - channels; 2 - running pipe; 3 - tailstock; 4 - tray for collecting chips; 5 - caliper; 6 - lead screw; 8 - electric motor; 9 - fixed headstock; 10 - lamp in a protective cap-reflector; 11 - mesh screen to protect the turner from chips; 12 - support

Selecting an electric motor for the machine

The most important part of a homemade metal lathe, a video of the making of which can be easily found on the Internet, is the electric motor. It is with its help that the movement of the working part of the machine is carried out. Accordingly, the power of the entire structure depends on the power of this mechanism. It is selected depending on the size of the metal workpieces you plan to work with.

If you plan to work on a machine with small details, a motor with a power of up to 1 kW is quite suitable for this. It can be removed from the old one sewing machine or any other similar electrical appliance. To work with large spare parts you will need a motor with a power of 1.5-2 kW.

When assembling a homemade metal lathe according to ready-made drawings, keep in mind that all electrical parts of the structure must be reliably insulated. If you don't have required experience work with electrical equipment, it is better to seek help with connection to a specialist. This way you will be confident in the safety of operation and the reliability of the design.

Making a lathe from a drill with your own hands

If you want to save on spare parts and greatly simplify the task of assembling a homemade lathe, you can use a regular electric drill as a drive. This one has constructive solution there are a number of advantages:

Possibility of quick assembly and disassembly of the structure - the drill is easily detached from the frame and can be used for its intended purpose.

The ease of carrying and transporting the machine is a good option if you have to work with metal workpieces in the garage or on the street.

Savings - the drill not only acts as an electric motor, but also eliminates the need to use a gear, and also allows you to use replaceable attachments as a working tool.

Of course there is also negative sides at a lathe from a drill. How to do processing using of this instrument large parts possible? This is practically impossible, since the drill has a relatively low torque and a high number of revolutions. Of course, you can increase these parameters if you still install a belt drive and use it to transmit torque from the drill to the spindle, but this will significantly complicate the design, the main advantage of which is simplicity and compactness.

Making a homemade tabletop metal lathe based on a drill makes sense in cases where you do not need to carry out large-scale work, and only need to turn small parts.

To make a metal lathe based on an electric drill, you will need the same parts as for a conventional design, with the exception of the electric motor and headstock. The role of the latter is also played by a drill. Given the compact design, a regular table or workbench can be used as a bed, on which all components of the machine will be fixed. The drill itself is secured to the structure using a clamp and clamp.

Using a homemade lathe, you can not only turn parts, but also apply paint to a rotating workpiece, wind wire on a transformer, make spiral notches on the surface of the part, and perform many other actions. In addition, if you assemble a copier attachment for the machine, then with its help you can quickly and without special effort produce small identical parts.

Features of do-it-yourself metal lathes, video instructions as a way to avoid mistakes

Like any other equipment, homemade lathes have their own characteristics that must be taken into account during assembly and operation. For example, when working with large parts or when using a powerful electric motor, strong vibrations occur, which can lead to serious errors when processing the part. To get rid of vibrations, the driving and driven centers of the machine must be installed on the same axis. And if you plan to install only the leading center, a cam mechanism must be attached to it.

It is not recommended to install a commutator motor in do-it-yourself desktop metal lathes. It is prone to a spontaneous increase in the number of revolutions, which can lead to flyout of the part. This, in turn, can lead to work-related injuries or property damage. If you cannot do without installing a commutator motor, you must install a gearbox along with it to reduce the speed.

Ideal option The motor for a homemade lathe is asynchronous. It does not increase the speed of rotation during operation, is resistant to heavy loads and allows you to work with metal workpieces with a width of up to 100 mm.

Rules for installing and operating any type of electric motor for a lathe can be viewed in numerous video instructions on the Internet. With their help, you will not only avoid common mistakes during assembly, but also save time and effort due to the clarity of the material.

Safety precautions when working with a homemade lathe

When working with the structure, certain safety precautions must be observed. So, after assembling the machine, you need to check its functionality. The spindle should rotate easily and without hesitation, with the front and rear centers aligned on a common axis. The center of symmetry of the rotating part must coincide with the axis of its rotation.

Any video of a do-it-yourself lathe shows that after installing the electric motor, it is covered with a special casing. The latter serves not only to protect the machine operator, but also to protect the motor itself from dust, metal particles and dirt. For a machine made on the basis of an electric drill, such a casing is not needed.

You should also adhere to the following safety rules:

The working tool must be positioned parallel to the surface of the workpiece being processed. Otherwise, it may come off, causing the machine to break down.

If you are machining end planes, the part should rest against the tailstock. It is very important to maintain alignment, otherwise you risk getting a defective part.

To protect your eyes from metal shavings and particles, you can build a special shield or simply use safety glasses.

After work, the structure must be cleaned, removing metal filings and other production waste. Be careful not to let small parts fall into the motor.

Options for upgrading a homemade lathe

If you need a machine that can not only turn, but also sand and paint the workpiece, the basic machine can be easily modified. It is best to do this for a design based on an electric drill, since it is easiest to replace the working part.

There are several popular modifications of a metal lathe. How to make a cone-shaped hole? To do this, you need to attach two files to the base so that they form a trapezoid. After this, a spring mechanism is mounted, which ensures that the files are fed forward and at an angle, which allows you to drill cone-shaped holes into the part.

In addition, to work with metal parts of different lengths, you can make a machine with a collapsible base. Using several boards or metal corners, you can move the working tool closer or further to the fasteners holding the part, and also change the size of the gap between the fasteners. It is most convenient to make such a design on the basis of a regular table or workbench.

If attached to an electric motor as a working tool grinding wheel, using the machine you can not only polish the surface of a part, but also sharpen knives, scissors and other household tools. Thus, the lathe turns into a convenient multifunctional mechanism.

Assembling a lathe at home is a fairly simple task, which is further simplified by numerous video instructions and drawings from the Internet. At the same time, the structure can be assembled literally from scrap parts, using old household appliances and waste from installation and construction production.

The main advantage of self-assembly is cost savings. In addition, it is worth noting the ability to independently adjust the dimensions and power of the device in order to adapt it to your needs. A homemade machine can be not only large, but also very miniature, designed for processing small parts.

For a “handy” home craftsman, a tabletop lathe for processing metal workpieces is the ultimate dream. With its help, missing parts of repaired mechanisms 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 it appears additional method replenish family budget. Unfortunately, the cost of factory equipment in most cases leaves the dream of a complete home workshop unrealized. However, the desire to have a lathe at home can be easily realized if you make it yourself. We’ll tell you more about one of these designs, giving you the opportunity to build a lathe with your own hands.

Purpose and capabilities

A modern lathe is a symbiosis of mechanical parts and electronic components

Basic functions of any modern mechanism, whether a simple hand grinder or a coal miner, provide rotating parts that could not be made without lathes. A special feature of these units is the processing of rotating bodies by cutting. Lathes provide precision manufacturing that is unattainable with 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;
cutting threads (internal or external) with a cutter or drill;
reaming and countersinking of holes;
groove cutting or cutting;
shaped turning;
rolling of a corrugated surface.

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

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

All existing lathes are distinguished:

according to turning characteristics (turret lathes, rotary lathes, 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 units presented above.

Design

Although the first turning machines appeared in late XVIII century, their architecture was so perfect that it has not undergone significant changes to this day. We can say that today we use equipment similar to that used for metalworking two centuries ago.

Design of a screw-cutting lathe

A metal lathe consists of the following components and parts:

The bed, which is the basis for all other elements. The precision of processing and the versatility of the device depend on the strength and scrupulousness of its manufacture. The body of the machine must be a massive, fundamental structure. Only in this case can vibrations and tool displacement be avoided during turning operations.
Front spindle headstock. This unit allows you to fix the workpiece and rotate it during processing. Often the spindle head includes a gearbox and a feed mechanism for the caliper or machining head. This allows you to change the rotation speed of the part and improves productivity.
Tailstock. This element is designed to hold the part in a given coordinate system, coaxial with the spindle. In addition, the tool mounted in the tailstock allows you to perform additional operations, for example, cutting threads.
Caliper. Without a doubt, this unit is one of the most important in the design of the machine. The support is designed to hold cutting tool and its movement relative to the workpiece being processed. Depending on the design, the support can feed the cutter in different planes, making it possible to produce parts with a complex configuration of internal and external surfaces. The main requirements for the support are reliable tool retention and feed accuracy, since this is directly related to the quality of processing.

When making 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 components 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 circuit.

What is needed for making

The ideal option when making 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 profile pipes and angles is used. It goes without saying that a wooden frame is not an acceptable option in this case. Metallic 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 at all 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 subsequently affect the quality of the work performed.

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

For the drive you will need a power unit. It is best to use a low-speed asynchronous electric motor. Unlike collector units, “asynchronous” units are practically not at risk of breakdown when the speed drops sharply.

To process workpieces with a diameter of no more than 100 mm, an electric motor with a power of 500 - 1000 W will be sufficient. If you plan to grind larger parts, you will need at least a 1.5-kilowatt power unit.

In addition, you will have to select a drive belt (or several belts of different lengths). Don’t forget about the fasteners that will attach the individual units to the body. For a homemade lathe, nuts and bolts with a diameter of 8 and 10 mm with regular metric threads are suitable.

Parts machined from a steel rod with subsequent hardening are used as slides, but the best option there will be guides made from shock absorber struts or long shafts of industrial mechanisms. 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 profile 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 homemade quill will require lubricating the contacting surfaces with lithol or grease every time you attach a part. A similar procedure will not be necessary with a factory-made rotating center, so if possible, it is better to buy this part.

The longitudinal and transverse feed screws can also be turned on a lathe or you can use a long threaded rod, which can be bought in construction hypermarkets.

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

For rotation units, you will need rolling bearings installed in the housing, and pulleys of various diameters mounted on the drive shaft will allow you to regulate 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 a tool holder.

Another component that cannot be made in a home-made environment is the spindle. You'll have to buy it. Mounting the spindle 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 discarded factory mechanisms.

There are designs that do not have a belt drive. Rotation from the motor shaft is transmitted directly to the spindle. Of course, they have a right to exist, however, when choosing such a scheme, be prepared for frequent failure of the electric motor bearings.

In addition to the lathe, during the work you will need the following tools and equipment:

welding machine;
Bulgarian;
grinding and emery machine;
electric drill and set of metal drills;
taps and dies for thread cutting;
kit wrenches;
caliper, metal ruler;
marker.

All these tools and materials will allow you to make a full-fledged tabletop lathe. If you couldn’t get some parts, don’t despair - they can be replaced with something else for a while. Thus, a chuck from an electric drill can be used instead of a spindle if small workpieces need to be processed.

Dimensions and drawings

When determining the dimensions of the machine, first of all, we focus on the maximum length and diameter of the parts being processed. Let us 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 top surface of the bed 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 increasing size the danger of bending the geometry of the machine increases many times over. When choosing the size of the caliper and determining the extreme points of its movement, calculating the distance between centers and the limits of movement of the tool holder, it is best to rely on the drawings homemade machines. Made by folk craftsmen, they have proven their performance in practice, so it would be stupid not to use proven solutions.

Tailstock Drawing of the support and tool holder Drawing of the bed Drawing of the headstock Homemade lathe. General view Drawing of the tailstock

Instructions for making a simple lathe with your own hands

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 indicating 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 attractiveness to your creation and will not allow corrosion to spoil the equipment you created with your own hands.

A lathe at home is a universal piece of equipment that can be used for purposes other than its intended purpose. A polishing or grinding wheel can be attached to the spindle for sharpening tools or finishing metal parts.

Video: DIY lathe

How to set the tailstock

Of course, the proposed scheme of a homemade lathe is inferior in power and processing accuracy to expensive factory analogues. Despite this, it will help cope with most tasks, providing ample scope for modernization.

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

Thrifty owners, accustomed to doing all the housework with their own hands, sooner or later come to the conclusion that the home workshop arsenal lacks a homemade turning device for processing metal workpieces. A person who has once used such equipment brags to his comrades for a long time about how easily and naturally, on such a machine, a neat part made independently is obtained from a shapeless piece of iron.

Naturally, you can buy ready product in the store, but not everyone can afford it and therefore many decide to make metal turning equipment with their own hands. But for this, the home craftsman must understand the principle of operation and design of such equipment and prepare everything Consumables. You will also need a minimum set of tools and, of course, the desire to do difficult work yourself.

Why do you need a homemade lathe?

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

Of course, if your financial situation allows it, then you don’t have to bother making a lathe with your own hands. However, factory equipment has impressive dimensions, and placing it in a garage or small utility room will be problematic. Therefore, the only correct solution is to make metalworking equipment with your own hands according to your own dimensions, which will meet all the requirements.

Homemade processing machine 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 have simple and at the same time reliable operation. On such a metal lathe you can easily process any workpieces small sizes of steel.

Design and operating principle of a 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, it is a metal frame. The tailstock moves along the frame base. In turn, the purpose of the headstock is to accommodate basic mechanism rotating the equipment. Moreover, this element has a fixed structure. A transmission mechanism is installed on the frame connecting the driving center with an electric motor. Through this central device, rotational motion is transmitted to the metal workpiece to be processed.

The bed of a do-it-yourself metal lathe is 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 is not particularly important, the main thing is that the centers of the equipment are securely and motionlessly attached to the base.

Almost any electric motor, even with insignificant power ratings, can be installed on homemade metalworking equipment. However, it is important to understand that a low-power motor may not be able to cope with the rotation of bulky metal workpieces at the required speed, which will lead to a decrease in the quality of the work performed. Low-power engines are best used if you plan to process wood parts on a lathe.

The communication of rotational motion from the electric motor to the main unit of the machine occurs through a friction, belt or chain type transmission. At the same time, belt drive is considered the most popular, as it has a low cost and high reliability. I would like to note that some home craftsmen assemble equipment in which a transmission mechanism is not provided, and the working tool is fixed directly to the electric 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 driving and driven center structures are 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 provide in advance for the installation of a special cam mechanism - a chuck or a faceplate.

According to the advice of experienced specialists, the installation of commutator electric motors on homemade metal processing units is not recommended. In such devices, a spontaneous increase in speed may occur in the absence of a working load, which, in turn, leads to the workpiece flying out of fastening elements 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 commutator-type electric motor is unavoidable, then it is imperative to install a special reduction gearbox. Thanks to this mechanism, it is possible to completely prevent uncontrolled acceleration of equipment in the absence of 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 rotation speed, which makes it possible to ensure high quality processed metal workpieces, 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 driven center mechanism, located on the tailstock, can have either a stationary or rotating design. For its manufacture, a standard bolt is used, which is sharpened into a cone-shaped 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 in the tailstock. The bolt should have a free play of approximately 25–30 mm. Due to the rotation of the bolt, the workpiece being processed is pressed between the central mechanisms.

Lathe equipment assembly procedure

The easiest one to make with your own hands is a bow-type metalworking machine. The use of such homemade equipment allows you to turn metal and wooden products, and also, with a little improvement, sharpen knives and other cutting tools. Such equipment is very useful if a car or other moving vehicle needs to be repaired. Moreover, the assembly procedure itself involves a number of simple work.

Homemade design metal lathe, assembled with your own hands, can be used not only for its intended purpose, but also for other household needs. You can 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 grind or polish surfaces.

Selection of power equipment

If possible, the frame of homemade equipment should be mounted on a metal base by securely fastening it to the frame. After this, you need to install all the individual components and mechanisms of the turning unit, of which there are not so many. At the next stage, they move on to working with the power unit of the equipment. First of all, you need to select an electric motor with appropriate parameters. Since we are talking about metal processing - a fairly durable material, 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 one is suitable. sewing machine or from any other unnecessary household appliance. The choice depends on what can be found in a home workshop or will be inexpensive when purchased in a store. A hollow steel shaft or, as it is called, a spindle head is connected to the electric motor. For this purpose, a belt or any available transmission is used. The shaft is connected to a pulley secured to 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 by hand or by asking for help from specialists. 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 the electrical parts of the lathe. After completing the assembly work, 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 his home workshop. And given the versatility of such equipment, anyone can hone their skills in plumbing. A self-made machine will meet all the requirements for it and will not take up much space in the house or garage.

stanok.guru

How to make a metal lathe with your own hands?

Article - step-by-step instruction on making a metal lathe with your own hands. How to make a homemade unit at home?

The use of a lathe is necessary in auto repair shops, 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 units into a single mechanism, you can make it with your own hands.

Basic structure of a lathe

A lathe is created on the basis of a bed that is 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 spun using a flywheel, and on the machine itself all the parts were made of metal, including screws, racks, and pulleys.

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

There are several types of metal cutting machines, which differ depending on power, size and productivity:

The tabletop metal lathe has a maximum weight of up to 100 kg and a power of up to 400 W. Its use is relevant in small workshops and private workshops, in which metal parts are processed and repaired, and not produced in large quantities.
A semi-professional lathe most often represents 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.
A professional lathe for working with metal is usually equipped with automatic program control, has a high weight and high power. Machines of this type are used in production and large enterprises for processing parts up to 3000 mm from materials of various compositions.

Their high cost large scale and high wattages are not suitable for home or small business use. Alternative option They may be self-assembled, which will make it possible 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 of 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 of a hydraulic cylinder. In this case, with a wall thickness of 6mm. Two 203 bearings are pressed into the inner diameter on each side. Inside the bearings there is a hole with a diameter of 17 mm in which the shaft is placed. Lubricant is poured into the hole of the hydraulic cylinder. There is a nut under the pulley large diameter, which prevents bearings from being squeezed out.

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

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

The tool holder is made of two thick metal plates. It is secured to a stand made of brake shoes through a metal nut. The tool holder plates are connected to each other with bolts.

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

The drive uses a motor from a washing machine. In this case at 180W. The motor 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 structure of the corners is secured using canopies.

All parts are assembled into a single structure. The lathe is ready for use.

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

We recommend reading:

Installing a cutter on a lathe

Which milling machine should you choose?

Installing the chuck on a lathe

Which lathe should you choose?

metmastanki.ru

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

Despite the large range of factory-made equipment, its use in everyday life is usually inconvenient or impractical. Impressive dimensions (and weight), variety of functions (some of them are unlikely to be in demand by the “home craftsman”) and a number of other points - all this makes you wonder 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.

We will look in detail at how to make a lathe from scratch, with our own hands, and then - recommendations on the choice of materials and the procedure for assembling the machine. Exactly 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 above configuration diagram is just a reminder of the structure of a lathe.

Lathe design for home use It makes sense to simplify it somewhat. Some components can be modernized (modified), and some can be abandoned altogether. For example, complex automation, feedbox with its gears and EMF. And the movable element of the tailstock - the quill - is unlikely to be of great importance for a homemade lathe.

Selection of materials

There is a variety of advice, including that for the manufacture of individual elements of the machine, you can use wood in the form of boards and beams. Argumentation - such an assembly does not pose any big problems and is completed relatively quickly.

I would like to note that they will arise, but then, and very noticeable. 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 adjustment, but also systematic condition monitoring. The slightest change in the geometry of the same slide 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, coincidence of the center axes, etc. 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).

No matter what drawing is used to assemble a household lathe, metal products (pipes, channel or angle) should definitely be used for the manufacture of all structural elements. More complex - yes, more reliable and durable - undoubtedly. 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 endeavor. Each master is guided by the range of tasks that he will have to solve with the help of homemade 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 lathe for domestic use. Here are some homemade samples.

If the reader is completely satisfied with the simplest model, and there is no desire to waste time on design, the author suggests paying attention to a machine based on an electric drill. No additional explanation is required here.

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

But the manufacture of more “serious” equipment is worth looking into 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 plan to make a low-power lathe for processing small parts, then a workbench will be enough. When assembling the frame, two points need to be taken into account.

First, you need to weld nickels onto the table legs. If the mobility of the machine is not required, that is, it is not expected to be carried regularly, it makes sense to hollow out it in concrete floor holes, install the frame and fill it with concrete again. The goal is to ensure maximum stability of the structure during the metalworking process.

Secondly, you should not unnecessarily complicate the installation by using a thick steel plate as a tabletop, especially since we are not talking about powerful equipment. It is enough to weld the lathe bed to the frame. Strength will be ensured.

bed

Everything is simple here - the supporting frame of the lathe (channel or angle) is welded to size.

Drive unit

Here you have to choose one of two options:

If it is decided to attach the spindle (clamp, chuck) to the motor shaft, then how to change its speed? And this will have to be done, depending on the hardness of the sample being processed. You can, for example, install a motor from a used electric sewing machine (speed adjustment is provided). Only the power of such a lathe will be minimal, therefore, the possibilities are limited.

Any electric motor is characterized by the rotational speed of the shaft (rotor). It is clear that regularly replacing the engine with another during operation is impossible. Therefore, you will have to think about how to change the drive gear ratio. The simplest solution is to reinstall the pulley belts attached to the intermediate shaft, that is, use this type of transmission.

“People's craftsmen”, focusing on this technique, make machines with their own hands for 10–12 speeds. Convenience in working with dissimilar materials is ensured, and there is no need to search for components, draw up an automation circuit and assemble it.

There is another argument in favor of such an engineering solution. The main force present in machines assembled by hand is along the axis of the shaft. But the bearings of electric motors of any model are designed for a “perpendicular” load.

If the machine does not have 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 significantly complicate the design process.

What to consider when assembling

For such regulation, it is advisable to install a motor with a power in the range 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 decreases (for example, at the moment of retraction of the cutter), the rotor rotation speed increases significantly. Possible result It’s easy to predict – the workpiece will fly out and the worker will be injured.

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 (the recommended power is indicated). The stability of the speed will be ensured, and sudden changes in the rotation speed will be excluded.

Features of the manufacture of other structural elements

It is better (if possible) to take individual components from decommissioned equipment. Even if rework is necessary, it is easier than making it from scratch. Here are some options we will consider.

Sled

Turning from a rod is both difficult and impractical. The strength will not meet the requirements. It's easier to use ready-made elements. For example, shock absorber struts.

Pinol

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

Tool holder

The author used 2 4 mm metal plates. To ensure that the tool is securely fixed and quickly reinstalled, a threaded axle is welded in the center of the bottom, and a hole of the appropriate diameter is welded in the top. To clamp the cutter - a nut with a “handle”. The distortion of the upper plate when tightening is eliminated, since more holes are drilled in its corners, and vertical posts (pieces of rod) are welded to the bottom (below them). As a result, the “clamping” plate moves straight down/up.

When assembling a lathe, it is better to focus on the future. In everyday life, you have to process not only metal blanks, but also other materials - plastics, plexiglass, wood. The conclusion is clear - if you are going to 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 over a wide range.

wood – 700 – 2,400;
metal – 85 – 940.

When deciding on the dimensions of a lathe, you should focus on the dimensions of the workpieces that are supposed to be processed. Specific recommendations on this point are meaningless, but it is 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 centers, feed speed, and so on. This will greatly facilitate the selection of the optimal machine option 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 this condition leads to the appearance of backlash and beating of the workpiece during the metalworking process. The result is damage. Bad, but not critical. If you have a lot of hardware on hand, you can replace it. But the prospect of constantly acquiring new incisors (and they are so homemade machine will certainly “fly” and quite often) is unlikely to suit anyone.

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

Happy designing and metalworking!

In metal work, a lathe is used to produce cylindrical (conical) shaped parts. There are many models of this production device, and all of them have almost the same layout of similar components and parts. One of these is the machine support.

To better understand the functions performed by a lathe support, you can consider its operation using the example of the common 16k20 model. After reading this information, perhaps some home craftsmen will have the idea to create a homemade lathe for metal work with their own hands.

1 What is a machine support?

This is a rather complex knot, despite its apparent simplicity. How correctly it is manufactured, installed, adjusted - the quality of the future part depends, and the amount of time spent on its production.

1.1 Operating principle

The support placed on the 16k20 machine can move in the following directions:

transverse - perpendicular to the axis of the rotating workpiece for deepening into it;
longitudinal - the cutting tool moves along the surface of the workpiece to remove an excess layer of material or grind a thread;
inclined - to expand access to the surface of the workpiece at the desired angle.

1.2 Caliper design

The support for the 16k20 machine is located on the lower slide, which moves along guides fixed to the frame, and thus longitudinal movement occurs. The movement is determined by the rotation of the screw, which converts the rotational force into translational movement.

On the lower slide, the caliper also moves transversely, but along separate guides (transverse slide) located perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the part.

A rotating plate is attached to the transverse slide with a special nut, on which there are guides for moving the upper slide. You can set the movement of the upper slide using a turning screw.

Rotate the upper slide to horizontal plane occurs simultaneously with the stove. Thus, the cutting tool is installed at a given angle to the rotating part.

The machine is equipped with a cutting head (tool holder), which is fixed to the upper slide with special bolts and a separate handle. The caliper moves along the lead screw, which is located under the drive shaft. This feeding is done manually.

1.3 Caliper adjustments

In the process of working on a 16k20 machine, natural wear, loosening, and weakening of the caliper fastenings occur. This is a natural process and its consequences must be constantly monitored through regular adjustments and adjustments.

The following adjustments are made on the support of the 16k20 machine:

gaps;
backlash;
oil seals

1.4 Adjusting clearances

During the transverse and longitudinal movement of the machine support 16k20 on the slide, wear occurs on the screw and its working surface due to constant friction.

The presence of such free space leads to uneven movement of the caliper, jamming, and oscillation when lateral loads arise. Excessive clearance is removed using wedges, with which the carriage is pressed against the guides.

1.5 Backlash adjustment

Backlash appears in the screw drive. You can get rid of it without disassembling it using the securing screw located on this caliper movement device.

1.6 Adjusting the seals

At long work for metal on the 16k20 machine, wear and clogging of the oil seals, which are located at the ends of the carriage protrusion, occurs. This is visually determined when dirty streaks appear during the longitudinal movement of the caliper.

In order to eliminate this phenomenon without disassembling the unit, it is necessary to wash the felt padding and soak it in machine oil. If worn oil seals are completely unusable, they should be replaced with new ones.

1.7 Caliper repair

This lathe device wears out over time under constant significant loads in metal work.

The presence of significant wear is easily determined by the condition of the surface of the guide slides. Small depressions may appear on them, which will prevent the caliper from moving freely in a given direction.

With timely regular maintenance, such repairs may not be necessary, but if such a defect occurs repairs should be done and in case of severe wear - replacement.

The 16K20 caliper quite often requires carriage repair, which consists of restoring the lower guides that interact with the frame guides. Special attention requires maintaining stable perpendicularity of the carriage location.

When repairing a caliper, it is necessary to check both planes using a building level.

2

A turning device used to perform metal work can be very simple. You can assemble a homemade machine with your own hands practically from improvised materials, which are taken from mechanisms that have become unusable.

You should start with a metal frame welded from a channel, which will be the bed. The front fixed headstock is fixed to it on the left edge, and a support is installed on the right. A homemade machine made with your own hands requires a ready-made spindle with a chuck or faceplate.

The spindle receives torque from the electric motor through a V-belt drive.

When working with a machine on metal, it is impossible to hold the cutter with your own hands (unlike working with wood), so you will need a support that will move longitudinally. A tool holder is installed on it with the possibility of alternating it transversely to the direction of movement of the support itself.

The movement of the caliper and tool holder is set by a specified amount using a screw with a flywheel, on which there is a ring with metric divisions. The flywheel is driven manually.

2.2 Materials and assembly

In order to collect turning device do it yourself you will need:

hydraulic cylinder;
shock absorber shaft;
corner, channel, metal beam;
electric motor;
two pulleys;
Belting.

A homemade lathe is assembled with your own hands in this way:

A frame structure is assembled from two channels and two metal beams. When working in the future with parts having a length of more than 50 mm, materials with a thickness of at least 3 mm for the corner and 30 mm for the rods should be used.
The longitudinal shafts are fixed on two channels with guides with petals, each of which is bolted or welded.
To make the headstock, a hydraulic cylinder is used, the wall thickness of which must be at least 6 mm. Two bearings 203 are pressed into it.
The shaft is laid through bearings with an internal diameter of 17 mm.
Hydraulic the cylinder is filled with lubricating fluid.
A nut with a large diameter is installed under the pulley to prevent the bearings from being squeezed out.
The finished pulley is taken from a used washing machine.
The caliper is made of a plate with cylindrical guides welded to it.
The cartridge can be made from a piece of pipe of a suitable diameter, with nuts welded on it and holes made for 4 bolts.
The drive can be an electric motor of the same washing machine (power 180 W), connected to the front headstock by a belt drive.

We will look in detail at how to make a lathe from scratch, with our own hands, and then - recommendations on the choice of materials and the procedure for assembling the machine. These are 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 following configuration diagram is just a reminder.

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

Selection of materials

Machine assembly procedure

It is clear that the functionality of such an installation is limited. Primarily due to the fact that you can only clamp a drill in the chuck. In fact, such a homemade product can be called a lathe conditionally.

But the manufacture of more “serious” equipment is worth looking into in more detail.

Table frame

First, you need to weld nickels onto the table legs. If the mobility of the machine is not required, that is, it is not expected to be moved regularly, it makes sense to hollow out holes in the concrete floor, install the frame and fill it with concrete again. The goal is to ensure maximum stability of the structure during the metalworking process.

It is necessary to check the compliance of the upper cut of the support frame with the horizontal plane. And only after the structure has been brought back to normal can this working stage be considered completed.

bed

Everything is simple here - the supporting frame of the lathe (channel or angle) is welded to size.

Drive unit

Here you have to choose one of two options:

If it is decided to attach the spindle (clamp, chuck) to the motor shaft, then how to change its speed? And this will have to be done, depending on the hardness of the sample being processed. You can, for example, install a motor from a used electric sewing machine (speed adjustment is provided). Only the power of such a lathe will be minimal, therefore, the possibilities are limited.

Any electric motor is characterized by the rotational speed of the shaft (rotor). It is clear that regularly replacing the engine with another during operation is impossible. Therefore, you will have to think about how to change the drive gear ratio. The simplest solution is to reinstall the pulley belts attached to the intermediate shaft, that is, use this type of transmission.

There is another argument in favor of such an engineering solution. The main force present in machines assembled by hand is along the axis of the shaft. But electric motors of any model are designed for a “perpendicular” load.

What to consider when assembling

For such regulation, it is advisable to install a motor with a power in the range 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 decreases (for example, at the moment of retraction of the cutter), the rotor rotation speed increases significantly. The possible result is easy to predict - the workpiece will fly out and the worker will be injured.

Features of the manufacture of other structural elements

It is better (if possible) to take individual components from decommissioned equipment. Even if rework is necessary, it is easier than making it from scratch. Here are some options we will consider.

Sled

Turning from a rod is both difficult and impractical. The strength will not meet the requirements. It's easier to use ready-made elements. For example, shock absorber struts.

Pinol

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

Tool holder

wood – 700 – 2,400;
metal – 85 – 940.

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.

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 backlashes and runouts of the workpiece during the metalworking process. The result is damage. Bad, but not critical. If you have a lot of hardware on hand, you can replace it. But the prospect of constantly acquiring new cutters (and they will certainly “fly” in such a homemade machine and quite often) is unlikely to suit anyone.

Happy designing and metalworking!