[Galane]

I'm looking for a benchtop CNC training lathe, would like to put together a list of models. Ones I know of so far...

Denford ORAC and Starturn, Emco Compact 5, South Bend Magnaturn 612. What others of comparable size are/were out there?

The ORAC has the cool factor of having a car stereo in the base, supposed to be used for audio instruction tapes but if I had one I'd install a modern DIN type with the ability to play MP3 off a USB flash drive.

The Starturn and Magnaturn are slant bed, the ORAC and Compact 5 aren't.

I've also seen several built around Taig or Sherline or similar tiny lathes but those are only suitable for training use or light hobby work, and if they can cut steel they're very slow at it. Would be useful to include such in a list of CNC trainer equipment but they're not a type I'd consider buying for what I want to do.

[URSTech]

I think I recall seeing a Rhino ST/6 once at a community college. They are small slantbed lathes. this particular one had turret, was pretty cool.

The ME department at my school has a Boxford 250PC lathe (another slantbed)

[mmprestine]

Never used either but might be worth a look.
Matt

http://www.tormach.com/product_15l_slantpro.html

NL-150 | Novakon

[Galane]

The Rhino ST/6 is on the wee little lathe part of the list. Rhino Robotics Ltd. Maximum turning diameter 2" with auto tool changer. Boxford 250PC is one of the larger types, not a benchtop. 250 PC | Boxford Group

The Tormach with 15" swing is more like a small commercial/production machine and the Novakon isn't much smaller.

So far it doesn't look like there's anything currently made that's comparable to the Denford ORAC, Emco Compact 5 PC, or South Bend Magnaturn 612 benchtop CNC lathes. There's weedy little ones that have very limited capacity (not bad if you're just doing very small stuff) and much bigger ones built like scaled down industrial machines.

I've found a couple of ORAC lathes in the USA but they're *way over there* in the Eastern seaboard states, same for the Magnaturn 612 I know of for sale. One auction in Florida had a pair of ORACs that went for something like $250, but again too far away.

[URSTech]

Wow I would love to pick one of these little guys up if you can really get them for $250-$500. Mind sharing what auction sites you frequent for them? I was checking out ebay a bit but have not come up with anything great.

Anyhow from your list I would lean twords the South Bend if you can get it. I assume the shipping is what you're concerned about?

Another option might be a Wabeco D4000 or D6000. They are probably some of the best benchtop lathes you can get nowadays but they cost a pretty penny...

Wabeco CC-D6000E High Speed CNC Lathe


Rhino also has a ST/7 and ST/8 which are larger variants of the ST/6

Rhino Robotics Ltd., Miamitown, OH

[Galane]

The Wabeco ones look good. (Even though they appear to be typical Chinese lathe-shaped product with CNC added and fitted into a box.) Able to sit on a sturdy table or bench, but yikes, the prices and they're *even farther over there*.

There's pieces of an ORAC scattered across eBay, been there for months and the seller won't bundle it all up into one deal. They're not a common lathe in the USA, not very likely that parts will be a hot commodity - though the headstock might have possibilities for the core of a 4th axis.

[URSTech]

Wabeco are German made unless I'm mistaken. They are very well made though, friend of mine has one of their mills and that thing is just a beautiful piece of machinery.

You could of course always grab a manual lathe from grizzly/LMS and do a retrofit. The nice thing about those units is you would never have to worry about spare parts/support.

[Tkamsker]

Galane i think it is other way around the Wabeco emco klippfeld are existing much longer aß this China stuff and i think spare Parts are paramount ..

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