Somewhat Homemade Lathe

[noname]

I'm almost done with my lathe! So far, it's costed $0. It's also extremely simple, but will (hopefully) work very well. The main component: a bench grinder! All you need to do is take off the covers for the grinding wheels, get 2 pairs of pliers, and grip the unts on the end of the rod that spins. Then twist opposite directions. One nut will loosen. Unscrew it, and take everything off the rod. Now it's just a metal rod about 3/8" diameter, with threads on the end. I might downsize the rod to 1/4" or something, but it's OK as is. I just slide something onto the rod, screw the nut on, turn the grinder on, and use files and rasps to shape the piston or whatever. I'll get some pictures up when I'm completely done with the project.

[ammosmoke]

My friend and I use drills all the time for lathes. It only works for small objects, but its cool. You put a plastic rod in the chuck for instance, and hold a razor up to it to shape.

[noname]

Forgot to mention that. It does work, but it gets extremely annoying. You have to hold the drill, press the button, and shape whatever you're making, all at the same time. With a bench grinder, you can just turn it on, and have two free hands to shape. This is also quite a bit safer, because with only one free hand and trying to hold a drill steady, there's always the possibility of hurting yourself by dropping the drill, shaking it, slipping, etc.

[ammosmoke]

Yeah, usually I have a friend hold it while I am doing it, or put fat rubber band on the trigger.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

This is also quite a bit safer, because with only one free hand and trying to hold a drill steady, there's always the possibility of hurting yourself by dropping the drill, shaking it, slipping, etc.

I usually clamp my drill upside down in a vice on my workbench et voila, instant lathe

[Marco321]

This is also quite a bit safer, because with only one free hand and trying to hold a drill steady, there's always the possibility of hurting yourself by dropping the drill, shaking it, slipping, etc.

I usually clamp my drill upside down in a vice on my workbench et voila, instant lathe

Hey
I was wondering how you fixed the job onto the drill. Thanks

[Novacastrian]

In the chuck one would suspect

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

was wondering how you fixed the job onto the drill

As above

[jrrdw]

Problems with the bench grinder is no speed control, mounting work piece/part, stability of work piece, no dail indicators/indexing, no tool post/holder. Not to shoot your idea down in flames but there is nothing safe sounding about it, honestly. I have a lathe, so, i know. It will be interesting to see the pictures, to see how your chucking the work piece. It's hard to get a smooth finish on soft meterail if you cant spin it slow. As for no tool post, turning down anything metal will be very difficult because of pull in, that causes gouges in your work. Safety wise, if your work comes off the spindle it's going to be spinning at anywhere inbetween 2200RPM's to 3550RPM's, 3550 RPM's being the higher end grinders like my 1055 Sharp-All from Foley-Belsaw, it's rated at 3450 RPM's. Be careful, we/i don't wanna hear about you loosing a finger/eye, so on and so on.

[Hotwired]

I've shaped moderately sized plastic parts ~2cm dia x 10cm with a dremel in one hand and a file in the other.

It's a bugger balancing it all to start with though.

[Fnord]

You could probably adjust the speed of your grinder "lathe" with a variac. I mean, they're just a big motor with a switch, right?

[Marco321]

In the chuck one would suspect

Lol yeah i know. But i know a drills chuck clamps down onto the drill bit, but doesn't a lathe chuck expand out and grip the job like that? I was wondering how to make the drill chuck do that, or would i have to buy a lathe chuck.

[ammosmoke]

You could probably just put a chunk of rubber over a rod and stuff whatever it is over that... I'm not entirely sure what you are thinking of...

[Marco321]

You could probably just put a chunk of rubber over a rod and stuff whatever it is over that... I'm not entirely sure what you are thinking of...

What i mean is. how do i adapt the drills chuck to act like a lathe chuck.

[ammosmoke]

I meant that you could put a metal rod in the chuck, and wrap tape over it or rubber to make it the inverse.