Re: Thor
Sorry, I've edited the post. See above for more.
It takes a little while to get, but the principle is very simple. You need material to oppose forces (cutting forces, gravity).
Think of a soft drink can. It is very thin walled, but the walls are tall. You can crush it in from the sides with very little force. However (if undented) a person can stand on top of the can and it will support their weight (so long as the force is applied in the direction there is a lot of material).
7xCNC.com - CNC info for the minilathe (7x10, 7x12, 7x14, 7x16)