[JJDennon]

I have a Taig mill that I use for some things. I would like a way to create cylindrical parts.

I am trying to figure if a manual lathe or CNC rotary table would be a better fit. The lathe would (probably) be able to handle larger and be easier to set up for smaller jobs, but with the CNC rotary table I could do more complex stuff like indexing.

I am considering a Chinese 7x10 lathe or the Taig Micro lathe. Not sure about the rotary table yet.

What would you do if you were me and why?

[keebler303]

If you are doing round parts, a lathe is much more efficient and versatile. You can easily do threads, etc.

If you are doing non round parts that need to be rotated, a rotary table may be better.

If you don't need full 4 axis machining, a manual rotary table and a lathe would be the best bet. Then you have the lathe and you can still do some manual indexing if needed for a hex or something like that.

Matt

[JJDennon]

If you are doing round parts, a lathe is much more efficient and versatile. You can easily do threads, etc.

If you are doing non round parts that need to be rotated, a rotary table may be better.

If you don't need full 4 axis machining, a manual rotary table and a lathe would be the best bet. Then you have the lathe and you can still do some manual indexing if needed for a hex or something like that.

Matt

Thanks for the info Matt. I've been using dies and taps for threading things and that works well for me for small quantities of parts.

Getting a rotary table for the lathe is something I had not thought of. That is an operation that seems like it would be juast as easy on a Vertical Mill + Rotary table.

The lathe seems like it would be ideal if I need to do both shaping operations and center drilling operations on the same part. That said, if the part is small enough, couldn't I just mount a 3-jaw chuck to the table and drill with the mill?

[keebler303]

I was not suggesting a rotary table for the lathe?????

A lathe is good for round parts, drilling, etc.

If you need a lathe, get a lathe. If you need a rotary table, get one. Without knowing the type of parts you do it is hard to say how much you would need either.

Matt

[fizzissist]

Ok, now I'm really confused.... I thought you meant put the lathe on the rotary table...... 'Cause the lathe is not round.

Or, you could put a rotary table on a lathe in place of the spindle, and call it a C axis??

[JJDennon]

If you need a lathe, get a lathe. If you need a rotary table, get one. Without knowing the type of parts you do it is hard to say how much you would need either.

I have a couple of parts in mind right now, and I believe both could be made with a rotary table on a mill or a lathe using indexing. I don't think I'd want to spend all day cutting gears on a lathe manually, I'd rather cut them on the CNC.

This is hobby stuff for me, so I have no idea what sort of things I'll be doing in the future, I am sure once I have the machine I will dream up more things to do! I've never used a metal lathe or a rotary table so if I knew which one "I needed" wouldn't be asking the question in the first place!

Right now I am leaning towards the rotary table since it seems like it would be more flexible, really the question should be is there anything I can't do on the rotary table and vertical mill?

JJ

[BAMCNC.COM]

You can mount a Taig spindle on the Taig table, they make a bracket for that.

[keebler303]

really the question should be is there anything I can't do on the rotary table and vertical mill?

You tell me how you are going to make a .969-32 thread on a rotary table, or most any other thread for that matter. Knurling, boring, internal threading and the list goes on. Any part that can be made on a lathe, is easier to make on a lathe than a rotary table.

Now where you need a rotary table, you need one, but if you aren't sure if you need it, don't buy it.

A lathe is far more versatile and I am quite sure you would regret having spent your money elsewhere.

Matt

[BAMCNC.COM]

I agree, If you want a small lathe then get a 7x14 minimum, 7x12 is about worthless, bigger is ALWAYS better.

[wizard]

I have a Taig mill that I use for some things. I would like a way to create cylindrical parts.

Cylindrical parts tells us nothing. One could assume that a lathe is the place to do such parts but there are examples where a mill makes sense.

I am trying to figure if a manual lathe or CNC rotary table would be a better fit.

You have to address the physical nature of the parts. In some cases neither would be the best investment. Further a CNC'ed mill can often replace the need for a rotary table.

The lathe would (probably) be able to handle larger and be easier to set up for smaller jobs, but with the CNC rotary table I could do more complex stuff like indexing.

Again you have to understand what you are making. A cylindrical part ten inches in diameter would be difficult to do on a bobby sized lathe.

I am considering a Chinese 7x10 lathe or the Taig Micro lathe. Not sure about the rotary table yet.

That is a huge difference in capability which leads me to believe you don't have a good handle on what you expect to make. Frankly I always suggest that people think long and hard about this and avoid buying to small. Look at the Grizzly / SouthBend 8x18 lathe for something a bit bigger and more capable.

What would you do if you were me and why?

Think about what you intend to do. The TAiG lathe is very nice if you are a clock or watch maker for example. It is not the machine to purchase if you want a more generally usable shop machine. So you really need to nail down what your needs are before buying anything.

As to my suggestion to avoid buying to little machine that is something learned the hard way. I've done it personally and have seen others do it to themselves. Obviously many factors come into play when considering a machine purchase but if you are to dedicate bench space to a machine I'd make sure it will cover all of my estimated needs and then buy a bit bigger anyways. Especially if you expect to only have one lathe in the shop.

Frankly a machine shop, even a hobby oriented one, is not complete without a lathe of some sort. In fact a few decades ago the lathe was the first and sometimes the only machine purchased for a hobby machine shop. So most likely you need a lathe anyways but that says nothing about being able to solve your cylindrical object issue.

[wizard]

I have a couple of parts in mind right now, and I believe both could be made with a rotary table on a mill or a lathe using indexing. I don't think I'd want to spend all day cutting gears on a lathe manually, I'd rather cut them on the CNC.

Are you saying you have a CNC mill? If so that should eliminate the need for a rotary table for many operations.

This is hobby stuff for me, so I have no idea what sort of things I'll be doing in the future, I am sure once I have the machine I will dream up more things to do! I've never used a metal lathe or a rotary table so if I knew which one "I needed" wouldn't be asking the question in the first place!

You must have at least some idea of what sort of parts you will be making.

As to which one you need, I suspect that you don't need either as if you had an actual need the item you need to machine would define the machine you need. For example if you need a shaft for widget of some sorts that highlights the need for a lathe. Frankly it ought to be pretty obvious when a lathe is needed.

Right now I am leaning towards the rotary table since it seems like it would be more flexible, really the question should be is there anything I can't do on the rotary table and vertical mill?

JJ

More flexible? You have to be kidding. Seriously a rotary table is just an attachment for a machine tool. A lathe is a whole machine tool and a very capable one at that. Frankly it boggles the mind that you would make the above statement. Don't get me wrong a rotary table can be a very useful device but it is in no way a lathe.

[wizard]

I agree, If you want a small lathe then get a 7x14 minimum, 7x12 is about worthless, bigger is ALWAYS better.

I have to agree though that it is very very easy to buy too small. Even the 7" lathes leave a bit to be desired in my estimation. In this case though the poster needs to define what his needs are, even a 7" lathe would be huge for a watch maker or somebody focused on miniatures.

The more that I think about this thread the more I think it will be hard to direct the original poster without having a clue about his needs.

[uli12us]

Bamcnc, I prefer a bit bigger. The price of the 10*22 lathes are not so much more expensive, but you can use it much better than the smaller parts. you have more room for the tools, a bigger spindle bore, a bigger spindle who can easier converted to a dividing head. Most of the machines have an integrated VFD and a gear for threadcutting.

Wizard, you can easy make small parts on huge machines, but otherway no chance. Generally a machine a bit to big, may be more expensive, but thats better than a machine who is often too small for the parts.

In my first job, I was a turner on machines with some 24*60. Most of my parts were in the range of 1*2.

[BAMCNC.COM]

I wasn't saying that 7x14 is bigger persay, that's not directly what I ment, anything one step bigger in one way or another is ALWAYS better, he was looking at 7x12, so as an example I said 7x14, or even 7x16. I have done A LOT on my 7x16 but precision is hard to achieve on a cheaply made machine.