[star1280]

Hey guys,

I've never toyed with a mini lathe before. We are about to purchase a nice CNC precision tool room lathe (possibly a ganesh or a hardinge with a fagor control) but I was wondering would it be worth the investment to get a mini lathe as well. We make small intricate hardened steel hand/finger parts in the tolerances of .0002. If so, from my readings here it looks like I should go with a Emco or Prazi, yes? CNC as well? or manual? I'm invisioning watch makers work.

[dang]

Hey guys,

I've never toyed with a mini lathe before. We are about to purchase a nice CNC precision tool room lathe (possibly a ganesh or a hardinge with a fagor control) but I was wondering would it be worth the investment to get a mini lathe as well. We make small intricate hardened steel hand/finger parts in the tolerances of .0002. If so, from my readings here it looks like I should go with a Emco or Prazi, yes? CNC as well? or manual? I'm invisioning watch makers work.

Obviously a mini lathe can't compete with a Hardinge or any of the others you mentioned, but it should still be worth it to have a 2nd lathe around to make ancillary parts.

[star1280]

Thanks for verifying that a mini Lathe could not keep the necessary tolerances that the larger precision tool lathes can!

[star1280]

Now i'm reading that most jewelry/watch makers use a mini lathes and machines that run on belt to prevent machine vibration to get the precision needed. So now I'm back to me original question can i get a .0001 tolerance from a mini lathe or precision tool makers lathe or even a swiss lathe? What is the preferred/reliable machine?????

[ironDigit]

without being sure how mini ,mini might be to you guys,

but i can imagine an emco doing some tight tolerance when cuts are as light as when fiddling toolgears from brass.

If a brand new schaublin is within your budget i'm sure you wont be sorry.

sorry i can't be really specific ,but i'm sure if you visit your local jewel and watchmakers and ask them for brand and dealers for the equipment you might even find a machine upto it locally.
alltogether i mean that what you ask is possible but mini means minicuts also and with this in consideration you have not asked for the impossible just the barely-affordable imo.

good luck.

[star1280]

Oh my I think I'm in love! The 102 TM-CNC looks ideal!! Has anyone played with this one yet? Unbelievable tolerances. Thank you

[ironDigit]

wuhahahahahahahahaaaa

102 TM-CNC

that's a bomb as lathe you'll never regret except when pay-off time comes around once amonth.


And if the electronics used are in any standard comparible to the lathe you'll be a happy chipmaker for years as far as i can see.And i'm in no way affiliated to these machines to be this positive.

i know a guy wo owns a old as conventional 102schaublin that still rocks as 20yrs. after production.

PLS don't do any purchases based on my big mouth though ,cause i just happen to be one of the most inexperienced guys around this place.

BTW i just want to be sure you are aware of all th facors coming into play when producing to 0.0002 tolerances like the temp. in the measuringroom or just the temp. of the machinist's farts while passing by.

good luck

[ryansuperbee]

Hi Star. I have a microlux 7"x14" and of course a full size lathe. I use the mini lathe quite often. It's really nice to have an extra smaller lathe to get the "petty" jobs done. Now I'm not sure of the tolerances when using the lathe manually. (never bothered, like I said petty jobs) but when I use it in conjuction with my CNC mill the tolerances are great! Here are some pictures of my setup. As you can see, the lathe sits on my CNC mills bed. I use the X and Z axis to move the lathe tool. Very acurate and clean!