Lathe questions

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xandi

New member
I’ve been looking at gettin a smallish lathe, maybe in the next year or so
The one I have been looking at is a 7 by 14
Would that be large enough for smaller machining? Like a revolver barrel and stuff?
 
7X14" should be plenty clearance-wise to machine pistol barrels.

The problem with smaller machines tends to be horse power, mass, rigidity, etc. A smaller, lighter machine will be affected more by vibration and have more flex during cutting operations. This is where you're going to run into trouble with grooving, threading, heavy turning, and other operations that exert a lot of force.

Many of the smaller machines may not have the capability to single-point cut threads (or they are inconvenient to set up for it) and I can't speak towards the tailstock capability for reamers and such which will be important for barrel work.

I'd also make sure you can get a 4 jaw chuck or a headstock spider fixture if you're going to be doing barrel work.

EDIT: Just thought of another thing. I don't know how many of the smaller machines have power feed, which I really consider essential on a lathe (at least in Z travel)
 
The mini-lathes can be a useful addition to a shop, subject to their limitations which were outlined by Dakota. I have one that I use occasionally for small parts and it's surprisingly accurate.

You should determine exactly what you're intending to do, and make sure you get a lathe with adequate swing, bed length, and spindle bore diameter to accomplish the needed machining. Not a bad way to get started on learning the basics on a budget and where space may be limited.

Rifle barrel work doesn't need to be done through the headstock, plenty of us work between centers still (Kelbly's, McMillan to name a couple), but you need to make sure you have the bed length if going that route.

This guy even used one for light barrel work:

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9411043/m/1901055732

Lots of forums, Yahoo groups etc. on these and modifications to them

http://www.mini-lathe.com/Default.htm
 
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