Cheap cnc lathe

[Trevlaw]

OK, so a noob with no outside help or training gets this machine....


Whats the learning curve compared to running a manual machine?

How much tooling is he going to wreck during that time?

If a noob with no outside help or training buys this he's a fucking tard that deserves to break all his shit.

I went from zero lathe experience to making four axis programs on my own, proving out setups and nearly self sufficient in about 2-3 weeks.

Don't be a dipshit and use single block, then you've gotta try pretty hard to break stuff

 

[Trevlaw]

Fuck mazatrol. Learn G code or get a cad cam setup. Programming at the machine is asinine. If the spindle ain't turning you aren't making money.

I have a CNC mill in the garage. I would like to get a lathe with live tooling and a Y axis, but space and power are issues.

G code is such a fucking hassle for 90% of the lathe work most people will run in to.

CAD/CAM setups are spendy and just one more thing to deal with, learning how to run it, finding a post that doesn't butt fuck your code on its way to the machine.

And the alternative to that is just learning g code and what, writing your programs on a notepad and typing it into the controller as if that's any better? Or you can use macros which are basically just conversational with extra steps

 

[bgaidan]

OK, so a noob with no outside help or training gets this machine....


Whats the learning curve compared to running a manual machine?

How much tooling is he going to wreck during that time?

If a noob with no outside help or training buys this he's a fucking tard that deserves to break all his shit.

I went from zero lathe experience to making four axis programs on my own, proving out setups and nearly self sufficient in about 2-3 weeks.

Don't be a dipshit and use single block, then you've gotta try pretty hard to break stuff

G code is such a fucking hassle for 90% of the lathe work most people will run in to.

CAD/CAM setups are spendy and just one more thing to deal with, learning how to run it, finding a post that doesn't butt fuck your code on its way to the machine.

And the alternative to that is just learning g code and what, writing your programs on a notepad and typing it into the controller as if that's any better? Or you can use macros which are basically just conversational with extra steps

Fusion 360 costs $350 a year right now. If you're buying a machine like this and can't swing that, you're doing it wrong.

I do some minor production work on the cnc mill and could open up to more items on a lathe. I used to own a leblond 15x30 servo shift lathe that was good for home use but cnc would have made a few of the jobs easier. The engine cnc lathes also allow manual machining if the need araises.


There is two of them for sale. You could buy the second one also.

They'd have to be in the $5-6k range for me to bite. Deffinitely something I wouldn't mind owning, but not high priority or something I'm actively looking for, but if one popped up at a local auction and went for scrap value, I'd certainly jump on it. I just have too many other projects that need to be finished before I move more machines in!


I would certainly take your Leblond off your hands though. That thing is sweet.

 

[bdkw1]

G code is such a fucking hassle for 90% of the lathe work most people will run in to.

CAD/CAM setups are spendy and just one more thing to deal with, learning how to run it, finding a post that doesn't butt fuck your code on its way to the machine.

And the alternative to that is just learning g code and what, writing your programs on a notepad and typing it into the controller as if that's any better? Or you can use macros which are basically just conversational with extra steps

There are several editors that will also send and receive programs. I can type one out in no time while the machine is running. I keep several template programs that can be altered to suit. With a G71 or 72, you can rough and finish the part in about 10 lines of code.

Your bitch about post processors is the same one I have about conversational shit. I can write a way faster running program than conversational spits out.

 

[Trevlaw]

Your bitch about post processors is the same one I have about conversational shit. I can write a way faster running program than conversational spits out.

Care to explain how your G code program is "way faster"?

 

[bdkw1]

Care to explain how your G code program is "way faster"?

Programming is like a language, I look at a lot of shit cad cam and conversational spit out and it's like a retarded kid with terrets and a stutter wrote it. There are many shortcuts. If you strictly stick with conversational, you will never know.