[jdownie]

Hello,

I was noodling the other day and wondered if the following concept has any merit. Take a speed lathe and, using a plate or some such, attach an XY table with a cutting tool. The lack of tailstock means some limitations, but are there any other problems with the concept?

Thanks

John

[DareBee]

What is a "speed lathe"?
Are you trying to mill or turn with this?
What are you attching the XY table to?
Why is there no tailstock?

[jdownie]

>What is a "speed lathe"?

A speed lathe is a second operation or polishing lathe that has a headstock but limited or no bed and no tailstock

http://www.overbeckmachine.com/

>Are you trying to mill or turn with this?

I will use the lathe for turning.

>What are you attching the XY table to?

A plate or some such.

>Why is there no tailstock?

Because it is a speed lathe.

[wizard]

>What is a "speed lathe"?

A speed lathe is a second operation or polishing lathe that has a headstock but limited or no bed and no tailstock

Are you talking about Hardinges old speed lathe? If so I thought about doing this myself, but let a lathe slip out of my hands so to speak.

http://www.overbeckmachine.com/

>Are you trying to mill or turn with this?

I will use the lathe for turning.

This would work very well for chucking type work where a tail stock is not needed. In my case since I was thinking about conversion of a Hardinge speed lathe my idea was to sue the supplied dovetal ways for one axis and mount another axis on top of that to give me the X&Y. Sounded like good thoughs to my mind at the time.

The advantage of going this route is that you would end up with a very good spindle around which the rest of the lathe could function. You certianly wouldn't have much in the way of axis travels but for many uses that would be fine.

>What are you attching the XY table to?

A plate or some such.

Obviously you are talking aobut another sort of speed lathe than the hardinge. doesn't matter though as long as a solid connection between the headstock and your axises can be maintained.

>Why is there no tailstock?

Because it is a speed lathe.

You would not likely every have enough room for a tail stock but this does not mean one could not produce a very usefull machine for chucking or bar work that could sit on a table top. Like I said I thought about this myself, to do it right you would need a nice machine shop to begin with, and access to a speed lathe in good condition.

DAve