Small Lathe for custom builds

[RoBeacon]

Hey all, I would really like to get a small lathe. I don't know anything about them other than they make an object spin and they have a cutting blade to remove metal and or wood or w/e you are lathing. I know they are dangerous as well. Are there smaller lathes that would be great for flashlights?

 

[Thetasigma]

First things first, read as much as you can on safety and operation prior to buying a machine, they can be fun, however they are equally capable of inflicting serious or fatal injury if safety and care aren't taken.

Now, the following is my viewpoint based on my own experience.
For making flashlights I would suggest getting a lathe with at least a 10" swing, smaller lathes such as the mini lathes with 7, 8, or 9 inch swings can be made to work, however their light weight and lower rigidity are limiting factors and frustrating if you want to cut anything besides aluminum. The general rule of thumb with lathes applies as well, get as much machine as you have room for and can afford, big lathes can make smaller parts, small lathes can't necessarily do larger work.

My best recommendation for something suitable for most any flashlight hobby work and still running on 120V, would be an import from Precision Matthews or Weiss, with relevant models being,
PM1022V/1030V, PM1228VF-LB, PM1127-LB, or for Weiss, WBL250F or WBL290F.

Another option with be 10" offerings from Grizzly, but I think the PM and Weiss imports are a step up and generally offer better features.

 

[DrafterDan]

Devin speaks the truth.
I've been using my father's lathe for all of my custom work, but I'm fairly close to purchasing my own. Those small $500 lathes aren't worth it for flashlights, you'll quickly outgrow it.

Plus, one of the reasons cheap lathes are cheap is that they don't have niceties like an Aloris style quick release tool post, or even threading ability.

If you have never spun metal before, look locally to see if they have a makers' workshop available to you. I've been teaching myself how to use a lathe/ mill/ etc. seriously for about five years now. Do not expect great things your first few months.

a pic of the spin indexer I've been working with lately, just because forums are better with photos

 

[gadget_lover]

There are several threads in this forum about small lathes. Some people say they are useless, others have made some really nice lights with them. Most of the people who have made disparaging remarks about the mini lathes have not used them. Some have used one (often when starting out) and base their experience on that one lathe.

I've used the 7x12 Sieg lathe (sold by many companies under their own name) as well as two of the 7x10 models and a 9x20 model. I've also used a 12x36 lathe and a medium sized Logan. They are all equally capable within their work envelope. Mass is not as big an issue as you''d expect because the 7x10 works closer to the chuck than a 12x60 with a shorter lever to work against.

Every lathe needs adjustments when purchased new, and occasional adjustments thereafter. These are often missed by neophytes and are often the source of complaints. Tighten them up properly and use the right tooling and you will find that they are accurate enough. Only the very small (5 inch swing and under) lack the ability to cut threads.


I've turned many flashlights on the minilathe. The carriage only travels about 3/4 of the length of the bed so you have to plan your work on longer lights. I prefer 1 CR123A for pocket carry, so that was not an impediment.. The single cell flashlight below was made on a 7x12 from a 1.5 x 6 inch bar of aluminum. The bezel, head and tailcap are all threaded.

I've worked on larger lights before. The swing over the cross-slide limits the diameter that you can work on. Max swing over the cross slide is just 2-1/4 inches. That does not keep you from working on larger pieces like finning 3D heads which don't have to extend across the length of the bed.

This is a 2D Maglight in a 7x10 lathe. I was not working on that light, just showing how it fits on the lathe.

This is a 4D maglight head. I was setting up an adapter to use it with a hopped up 2AA minimag.

So in summary, go for a Sieg C3 (sold by little machine shop, grizzly, busy bee, etc) if you want a small machine that will do all the things that a big one will on a smaller scale. It works for aluminum, steel, plastic, etc. Available new for under $700.

 

[Thetasigma]

My humble little PM1030V (10x30) holding my original 7x14 grizzly. It actually fits flat on the ways when i have the 4-jaw on there, this collet chuck is bulky for my little lathe.

 

[DrafterDan]

cool to hear opinions from others here as well.

let me paraphrase a saying here: "how do you make a small fortune in custom flashlights?"
"start with a large fortune"

 

[NoNotAgain]

cool to hear opinions from others here as well.

let me paraphrase a saying here: "how do you make a small fortune in custom flashlights?"
"start with a large fortune"

Isn't that true with any business that requires capital and equipment?

You can use a mini lathe or table top mill for proof of concept, but beyond that you've got too much time and labor to break even much less make a profit.

A used inexpensive VMC that will hold +/_ .002" over 12" will set you back $15k. A CNC lathe add another $6k.

IMO, if space is available, look for a 12-14" throw, 48-60" bed mill that runs threads with a taper attachment in the $2,000-3,000 range. If it's not totally worn out on purchase, the small flashlight projects aren't going to hurt it.

 

[gadget_lover]

That's a good point. If you want to make your own flashlights, a light with 7 inch swing and a 14 inch between centers will allow you to make a ton of lights. On the other hand, if you are going to do a production run you want to look at automation. Or at least mechanizing the process. Jigs and Collets and Stops! Oh MY!

But, it can be done. Manually making 100 lights that are the same takes a fraction of the time needed to make 100 different lights.