In article ,
Ghazan Haider wrote:
On a side note, I'm wondering how much would the cheapest low-volume
high-precision lathing and milling machines cost.
First -- let's clarify the terminology.
1) Yes -- a milling machine does milling.
2) But -- a lathe does "turning". That is the understood term,
and "lathing" is not normally used, and can lead to confusion.
Given the largest
part is 10cm x 10cm but steel might be used...
Hmm ... another thing is that in machining, the common units of
measure (an capacities of the machines) are given either in inches (and
thousandths), or in mm, not cm. (It is a more reasonable size of unit
for precision work.
Now -- for both the mill and the lathe, the answer to "how much
dose it cost" can be anything from $50.00 (lots of luck on a used
machine), to several thousand (or perhaps tens of thousands of) dollars
for a quality *new* machine.
Now -- for the lathe, assuming that your 100 x 100 mm is length
and diameter, you would want a 100 mm swing lathe (maximum diameter), or
perhaps twice that to allow the workpiece to pass over the carriage --
needed for machining the whole of the length to those dimensions). 100
mm is approximately four inches, so an eight inch swing lathe would do
nicely, and that probably means in reality a nine inch as a standard
size. (They seem to jump from seven inch to nine inch). And in the UK,
you would want half the specified size, because they specify the maximum
radius, not the maximum diameter. :-)
Do you really intend to work purely in metric units? If so,
that limits your choices to mostly imported machines. and if you want to
cut threads as part of your operations, you really want a machine which
was made as metric from the ground up. This probably means Austrian, or
perhaps UK. while the Chinese import lathes tend to be partially metric
(such as all of the fasteners used), the leadscrews and handwheels are
most likely calibrated in inch mode.
Chinese lathes in that size range can be made to work, but
ideally they require someone who knows how a machine should behave, and
can did into the machine and fix a lot of the things which weren't
done properly (such as de-burring corners, cleaning out casting sand, and
proper adjustment. And while you're about it -- replace the screws with
US-made ones in the same (metric) sizes. The metallurgy of Chinese
screws tends to be rather poor. (Note that once you get to the 12"
swing or larger, the Chinese lathes tend to be somewhat better -- simply
because the customer base expects more, and will return machines which
don't measure up.
However, used US-made machines, which probably started as better
machines, may be worn enough so they will need some rebuilding -- or at
least replacing of things like cross-feed leadscrews and nuts or similar
things. Again -- this requires someone who knows the machines to
evaluate the quality vs the cost. My Clausing (12x24" size) was a very
good one, and only needed a replacement cross-feed leadscrew and nut to
become a very serviceable. machine. (I was lucky -- but I was dealing
with someone who I trusted.)
Now -- you haven't really specified what kind of precision you
really need for these projects. What is precision to one individual is
very loose tolerances to another.
Any lathe in good condition should be capable of cuts to +/-
0.001" over a short distance with care -- and will need careful initial
setup to maintain that over a longer distance.
However, if you need tolerances in the range of +/- 0.0001",
you're going to need a much better (more expensive) machine -- and more
personal skill in the machinist -- you or someone else.
With lots of patience, skill in following classified ads, and
luck, you might be able to find the machines you need for perhaps
$200-$300 each. The more of a hurry you are in, the more it will cost
you.
To put a bit of perspective on it, I paid about $1700.00 for my
12x24" Clausing lathe about four years ago -- and it was made in 1957.
The Horizontal spindle mill which I got about a year later cost
only $200.00. The shipping cost more. :-) But you need more skill and
imagination to use a horizontal spindle machine. Most people prefer
vertical spindle.
However -- the machines are only part of the cost. Each machine
will need tooling to make it do what it needs to do, and you will need
measuring instruments as well. For a machine obtained at a good price
(not a steal, as you would like), you need to expect to pay as much
again for the tooling as you paid for the machines -- though this can be
stretched out over a long period -- buying what you need when you need
it.
Do you have room to set up a couple of machines weighing
somewhere between 500 pounds and perhaps 1500 pounds? Obviously, this
should be on the ground floor, with easy access to bring them indoors.
This weekend would have been an excellent place to look around
and perhaps even get some of the machines you need -- at the Cabin Fever
expo in Pennsylvannia. There are some other similar gatherings in other
parts of the country -- so you need to specify where you are -- at least
to the state, and perhaps the part of the state if a large state.
And, of course, you might be in one of the industrial areas
currently suffering a downturn, and thus be able to buy the tools quite
inexpensively.
There is a lot to be settled upon before you can be given good
advice.
Good Luck,
DoN.
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