[Redfinger]

Not sure if this is where this goes....mods feel free to move if needed.


So I have been a model builder for several years now. I really enjoying casting and making my own parts, and I have a pretty fun set-up for doing this. What I have never had is a mill or lathe. there have been many time that I could have used one or both in the past.

I am seriously looking at getting one right now, and I am in need of a little direction/advice.

I know, or rather from what I have been told, lathes can't fully funtion like a mill can, and a mill cant fully function like a lathe....and my budget only has room for one right now.

I have looked at many of the tools offered by Harbor Freight and Grizzly, and the mixed reviews that I have read doesn't leave me w/ a lot of confidence.

The sherline products seem pretty realible and I have read many great reviews on them as well, but at that price, two would not be posible.

So the real question is versitility and upgradablity(aka cnc, which I would like to do one day.) I am also intrested in a dro feature as well.

So what is a more versitle machine, a lathe or a mill? W/ the addition of a rotary table and a right angle post how much "turning" can you do on a mill?

With the correct attatchments, on the sherline lathe, how functional is the milling aspect?

Any help or advice would be great guys!!


BTW first post, after lots of searching and lurking, I decided to finally post a response.

Ashton

[Ken_Shea]

Welcome to the forum Ashton,

The late responses are, I am sure, the difficulty in answering your questions.

For me, If I could only afford one or only had room for one it would be a mill.

There are the small Smithy type combo machines that incorporate both lathe and mill/drill. These always seem to take a bashing but they seem to still be selling well and do fit a need, perhaps yours at this time. I would sure rather have one of these then nothing.

Lots of nice stuff made on the cheaper line of lathes / Mills/Drills.
Buy the best you can afford, beyond that there is not much you will need to be regretting.

Ken

[extanker59]

I might be tempted to go in the lathe direction. But it depends on your parts. I'm envisioning a model ship? Gun tubes-very difficult to make without a lathe. They are always tapered.
Could you make most of your parts with a small lathe and a drill press? I assume that you have a drill press- so you would be more ahead than if you got a mill.
What are your parts like?

[Redfinger]

I might be tempted to go in the lathe direction. But it depends on your parts. I'm envisioning a model ship? Gun tubes-very difficult to make without a lathe. They are always tapered.
Could you make most of your parts with a small lathe and a drill press? I assume that you have a drill press- so you would be more ahead than if you got a mill.
What are your parts like?

No, I still dont have a drill press, I have done most of my work thus far by hand. It is hard to say what kind of parts I will be machining, barrells are a start but so are turrets, one off parts, and other objects that could be described as sci-fi to military.

Also, couldnt a taper be acheived by setting a rotary table at an angle and slowly machining the part down?

Get a solid mill and a less expensive lathe for simple turning?

Ashton

[extanker59]

Your question "So what is a more versitle machine, a lathe or a mill?"

I think, and have always heard, that the mill is more versatile.

"Get a solid mill and a less expensive lathe for simple turning?"

Absolutely! I was thinking you could only get one or the other (and that you had a drill press-sorry).

The taper on a rotary with a mill thing...well, I'm certainly not the one to respond here as I've never done that but, until a more experienced person answers, I would think that's an iffy proposition for such small parts.
Interesting. Any pictures?

[70cyclone]

I would say mill for sure and no question if you plan to CNC it in the future. you can make most any round part on a mill but thats all you do on a lathe(standard 2 axis that is). I have made lots of 'lathe' parts on my mill, i am just able to make them faster and more concentric on the lathe.

[Redfinger]

Thanks everyone for the replies, the information is extremely useful.

I have a question about a set for a part that I am going to try and machine, here is what I have so far;

8 direction mill from sherline.
rotary table bloted on the left side, mounted to a 90 deg bracket.
adjustable tailstock bolted on the right side
1x4 1/2in. alluminium rod supported between tail stock and rotary table.
4 flute end mill off set from the rod 1/4 in forward, so only half the end mill will be making contact w/ the rod.

What I am trying to acheive is trimming the rod down a few mm's and adding a series of steps so that the rod tapers, in steps from a little less than one inch down to a little more than a 1/2 in, I am not exact on the amounts yet, blue prints are still IP.....

So does this sound doable/possible? I would imagine that I would have to keep my cuts light and my feeds fairly ginger, but since I cant affoard the lathe and mill, I dont mind the part taking a little longer to fabricate....

any tips suggestions?

Ashton

[John Welden]

So does this sound doable/possible? I would imagine that I would have to keep my cuts light and my feeds fairly ginger, but since I cant affoard the lathe and mill, I dont mind the part taking a little longer to fabricate....

any tips suggestions?

Ashton

Sure you can do that or pretty much whatever you can dream up as long as you've got plenty of time. You'll screw up a lot but that's how you learn.

The key thing about what you're doing is that you can design your own parts and that means you can design them in a way that works for your machines and skill level.

I'd go with a mill for sure. The bigger and more "real" the better. Avoid table top rinky dinky hobby machines if you can.

[DareBee]

Thanks everyone for the replies, the information is extremely useful.

I have a question about a set for a part that I am going to try and machine, here is what I have so far;

8 direction mill from sherline.
rotary table bloted on the left side, mounted to a 90 deg bracket.
adjustable tailstock bolted on the right side
1x4 1/2in. alluminium rod supported between tail stock and rotary table.
4 flute end mill off set from the rod 1/4 in forward, so only half the end mill will be making contact w/ the rod.

What I am trying to acheive is trimming the rod down a few mm's and adding a series of steps so that the rod tapers, in steps from a little less than one inch down to a little more than a 1/2 in, I am not exact on the amounts yet, blue prints are still IP.....

So does this sound doable/possible? I would imagine that I would have to keep my cuts light and my feeds fairly ginger, but since I cant affoard the lathe and mill, I dont mind the part taking a little longer to fabricate....

any tips suggestions?

Ashton

You wouldn't have to cut light with that (assuming the machine can handle it)

You could mount the Rotary and tailstock aligned on a plate and mount the plate "crooked" on the mill. Then you can just mill the taper without messing around with "steps".

OR

Mount the rotary table with the axis pointing up, but shim the base to match the taper desired (ie as if it was on a Sine Plate). Turn the rotary table while side milling to make the taper.

OR

Mount your stock in your spindle (many ways to do this). Clamp a lathe tool (cutter) in your vise. Start turning.
The taper will be an "eyeball" job with this method.