Unpacked the prize!

(the 3D printer has been converted in a fantastic bunch of cool stuff)

Very nice Enrico!.

That mini lathe looks neat.

I have just tried to power on it and it works fine. Next week I expect the tools to try making some metal parts, the one that usually I can't do with 3D printer (hehe) or other methods. On the paper, it has a precision of 0.05 that is more than sufficient for most of the cases I will work. The next step is trying to make a metal piece from an Aluminium bar then I will see what happens. Then I already checked, it's not difficult to add a stepper to the manual controls... Another nice too to hack.

I have just tried to power on it and it works fine. Next week I expect the tools to try making some metal parts, the one that usually I can't do with 3D printer (hehe) or other methods. On the paper, it has a precision of 0.05 that is more than sufficient for most of the cases I will work. The next step is trying to make a metal piece from an Aluminium bar then I will see what happens. Then I already checked, it's not difficult to add a stepper to the manual controls... Another nice too to hack.

If you can add the stepper to the lateral movement, you can cut custom screw thread with the machine.... If the spindle can be put on very low rotation speed.

I will add two stepper-motors, also the longitudinal movement. This is used – moving very slow – to make perfect holes in the center of metal stuff with special drill tools for lathes. Instead, for the lateral movement, it is not needed to make a very very slow motion – I mean, this small lathe has the lowest speed 800 rpm that is sufficiently slower, but no need to go slower than this – but it is a question of synching the two movements.

Enrico

Yes, it would never produce a precision thread .

The lathe at school used the spindle driver to also drive the cutters horizontal movement - via reduction.

That way, because horizontal movement was a function of rotation speed, you had a guaranteed thread "speed".

The hack is a hack... The idea is that this is the structure, and is useful for hand-work. Then motors should be synched, including the spindle motor. With what? An optical encoder (shabaz  hehe).
I mean, that motorizing it includes many changes, and also a 3 axis controller that should be modified to change the cartesian representation to non-Euclidean space. Nothing easy, but nothing impossible (hopefully)

Enrico

Also fun to use just on it's own : )

Looking forward to hearing about your experiences with it!

Although your familiar with a lathe, maybe for beginners the 'hello world' of the manual lathe is a centre punch? It's the only thing I got taught to make.. still have it, and use it from time to time.

Yes, a Lathe is a very versatile tool and will open up your projects to many more ideas and features -and generally everything related to subtractive manufacturing. Personally, I've been eyeing for one, and given the world's situation, I think I'll get it sooner than later.

... and you are right, the amounts of hacks you can work on your new little machine are countless: adding a DRO, power feed, tachometer, stepper motors are just the beginning.

Luis

From what I've seen countless of times, the first projects almost always involve making tools with your new tool... to use with your new tool, kinda like toolception