9 x 20 CNC Lathe
I'm not quite sure at this point, where this page will go, but I just thought I'd share my new toyl (toy+tool). I currently own a 13x40 manual lathe, so I am a bit familiar with how to machine parts on a lathe. However, I do not know anything about CAM software, G-code or the Mach3 software that runs the HobbyCNC controller on this lathe. I currently pay to have some of my parts made by a shop with CNC equipment. I get a decent price from them, but I have to put it orders of around $500-750. My hope is that I can use this lathe to do much smaller quantities affordably and to also do single, prototype pieces. There are certain shapes that I just can't do with my manual lathe. At least not with my current tooling.
I was a bit envious when my friend Greg bought this off of Craigslist this last summer(2011). But, now that he's sold it to me for an even better price, I feel just fine. :) It's a Harbor Freight unit that was converted several years before Greg bought it. Greg fired it up and played around a bit with it manually, using the jog feature, to make a few parts, but he never tried to run it in CNC mode. I bought it anyway. I've since been able to run it in CNC mode and watch it so I'm getting a bit excited about the possibilities.
I was a bit envious when my friend Greg bought this off of Craigslist this last summer(2011). But, now that he's sold it to me for an even better price, I feel just fine. :) It's a Harbor Freight unit that was converted several years before Greg bought it. Greg fired it up and played around a bit with it manually, using the jog feature, to make a few parts, but he never tried to run it in CNC mode. I bought it anyway. I've since been able to run it in CNC mode and watch it so I'm getting a bit excited about the possibilities.
I may change this around a bit later, but I'm just going to throw up some misc pics I have.
