Want to buy a CNC Lathe
Discussion
Hello,
I am looking to bring more manufacturing in house and want to start off with buying a CNC Lathe. I only create small products and would like something that could produce the following in as few hands on steps as possible:
Part size less than 6" diameter.
Threads.
Hex's.
Chamfers on both ends.
Autofeed.
I am really struggling to find information on the net about what features you can get for your money, unfortunately I don't have unlimited funds and don't mind going second hand. I'll be learning to run the machine myself, I pick things up relatively quickly if I have a keen interest in it. Experience extends to programming jobs on Lantek software for a CNC punch for a local engineering company, I do all my own 3D CAD work and currently have a Stratasys 3D Printer and Creaform 3D scanner so am slowly building up a repertoire of tools at my disposal!
Where would be the best port of call for some more indepth research about all the different types of machines available or features? Anybody got experience they wouldn't mind sharing?
Many thanks!
I am looking to bring more manufacturing in house and want to start off with buying a CNC Lathe. I only create small products and would like something that could produce the following in as few hands on steps as possible:
Part size less than 6" diameter.
Threads.
Hex's.
Chamfers on both ends.
Autofeed.
I am really struggling to find information on the net about what features you can get for your money, unfortunately I don't have unlimited funds and don't mind going second hand. I'll be learning to run the machine myself, I pick things up relatively quickly if I have a keen interest in it. Experience extends to programming jobs on Lantek software for a CNC punch for a local engineering company, I do all my own 3D CAD work and currently have a Stratasys 3D Printer and Creaform 3D scanner so am slowly building up a repertoire of tools at my disposal!
Where would be the best port of call for some more indepth research about all the different types of machines available or features? Anybody got experience they wouldn't mind sharing?
Many thanks!
Mudgey said:
Hello,
I am looking to bring more manufacturing in house and want to start off with buying a CNC Lathe. I only create small products and would like something that could produce the following in as few hands on steps as possible:
Part size less than 6" diameter.
Threads.
Hex's.
Chamfers on both ends.
Autofeed.
I am really struggling to find information on the net about what features you can get for your money, unfortunately I don't have unlimited funds and don't mind going second hand. I'll be learning to run the machine myself, I pick things up relatively quickly if I have a keen interest in it. Experience extends to programming jobs on Lantek software for a CNC punch for a local engineering company, I do all my own 3D CAD work and currently have a Stratasys 3D Printer and Creaform 3D scanner so am slowly building up a repertoire of tools at my disposal!
Where would be the best port of call for some more indepth research about all the different types of machines available or features? Anybody got experience they wouldn't mind sharing?
Many thanks!
practicalmachinist.com is probably the best forum for people who actually do "it" for realI am looking to bring more manufacturing in house and want to start off with buying a CNC Lathe. I only create small products and would like something that could produce the following in as few hands on steps as possible:
Part size less than 6" diameter.
Threads.
Hex's.
Chamfers on both ends.
Autofeed.
I am really struggling to find information on the net about what features you can get for your money, unfortunately I don't have unlimited funds and don't mind going second hand. I'll be learning to run the machine myself, I pick things up relatively quickly if I have a keen interest in it. Experience extends to programming jobs on Lantek software for a CNC punch for a local engineering company, I do all my own 3D CAD work and currently have a Stratasys 3D Printer and Creaform 3D scanner so am slowly building up a repertoire of tools at my disposal!
Where would be the best port of call for some more indepth research about all the different types of machines available or features? Anybody got experience they wouldn't mind sharing?
Many thanks!
2nd hand CNC lathes appear on eBay with a fairly high degree of regularity and there's auctioneers like Apex who are frequently holding machinery auctions
Haas will lease you a brand new CNC lathe which will also have decent conversational programming for not very much
Nothing on your list is "complex" other than the hex requirement; if you can restrict yourself to buying hex stock in you will avoid the need for live tooling on the turret/slant etc
The hardware, to be frank, will not be the issue. The cost is in tooling, consumables and software. Autodesk Fusion 360 is "free" to business with turnovers less than 100k IIRC. You'll also need 3phase and usually a decent compressed air supply.
Have you got a good idea on how much it's costing you right now to keep the work outsourced? It may simply make more financial sense to keep doing it that way rather than having your own machine.
You could go old skool and get a turret or capstan lathe if your part counts are not huge and you have a high boredom threshold
Quick link to PracticalMachinist's CNC area: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/cnc-machining...
GnuBee said:
practicalmachinist.com is probably the best forum for people who actually do "it" for real
Hi,Thanks for your informative reply, will check the forum out and get reading!
Unfortunately some of our parts the Hex is inside the round profile of other regions of the same part so I am thinking an extra axis may be needed and therefore a more expensive machine...
Mudgey said:
Hi,
Thanks for your informative reply, will check the forum out and get reading!
Unfortunately some of our parts the Hex is inside the round profile of other regions of the same part so I am thinking an extra axis may be needed and therefore a more expensive machine...
If the hex is inside but in the same axis as the spindle/turret you could look at broaching? Thanks for your informative reply, will check the forum out and get reading!
Unfortunately some of our parts the Hex is inside the round profile of other regions of the same part so I am thinking an extra axis may be needed and therefore a more expensive machine...
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