"Lurker" wrote in message
...
"Allan Adler" wrote in message
...

I've read many times that the lathe (or rather the milling machine) can
be used to duplicate itself and to make any other machine in the shop.
On the other hand, I've also read that some lathes are too small to do
anything with. That led me to wonder whether those two statements might
contradict each other.

Specifically, suppose you have a small lathe and milling machine in
a shop. Can you use them to make a bigger lathe and bigger milling
machine? And, if so, can you use the resulting lathe and milling machine
to make still bigger ones, and so on?

The concept is valid and almost certainly 'can' be done. Whehter it is
very
practical is another question.

What comes to mind is seeing a forty(40) foot long wing spar for a c-130
machined on a vertical mill with a 36 inch x 8 inch table. Thing is, it
required
weeks of nibbling away to it, but....

http://active.boeing.com/assocproduc...es/2082245.jpg

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SVL