Note that this article refers only to the lathe part of the machine. For information abut the milling head, see Milling Attachment
Class Red Equipment
High risk of injury
See Workshop Safety
Training is required to use this tool
You are responsible for ensuring your own safety; do not operate this machine if you do not feel capable of doing so safely. Trainers will always be happy to assist you if you need it, and would much rather be involved before problems occur, than after.
Spindle speeds can be calculated using our HackMill web app.
- Only those who have been trained by the room lead, and have signed a usage agreement, are permitted to operate the machine.
- When using this machine, loose clothing must be tucked in, jewellery should be removed, and long hair should be tied back.
- Never change gears (spindle speed or auto-feed/threading) when the spindle is spinning.
- Never run the lathe with nothing clamped in the chuck.
- Never leave the chuck key sitting in the chuck.
- Only cut in reverse if the spindle clamps are tight, and the cutting forces are low.
- Never leave it running unattended.
- Always wear safety glasses while the machine is running.
- Never put any body part anywhere which could get trapped or cut while the machine is running.
- Never crash the tool.
- Never cut into the chuck, faceplate or spindle nose.
- Never use abrasives on this machine, either by hand or in the spindle.
Using this machine is charged at £2 per hour to cover the cost of maintenance, tooling and consumables.
Chargeable time is measured when the machine is being used. We expect users to have integrity in reporting and paying for time used.
- Spindle:
- Quick-change spindle speed gearbox
- 0.44/0.62kW AC motor
- MT3 (Morse taper #3) spindle nose
- M39 x 4mm spindle thread
- 20mm spindle bore
- Tail Stock:
- MT2 (Morse taper #2)
- 80mm throw
- Auto tool ejection by retracting tail stock
- Motion:
- Metric handwheel graduations
- 122mm max swing over bed
- 244mm max turnable diameter
- 635mm between centres
- Quick-change auto-feed/threading gearbox
- Separate threading and feed rods
- Auto-feed:
- 0.028 - 0.444mm per rev longitudinally in 24 steps
- 0.014 - 0.222mm per rev radially in 24 steps
- Threading:
- 0.25 - 4.0mm pitch in 24 steps
- All common metric thread pitches available
- 3mm pitch leadscrew
- Auto-feed in longitudinal and radial axes (Along bed and across bed)
- Do not ever change gears while in motion, spindle or auto-feed.
- The gears can only mesh when not moving, and the gears in the headstock are make of a fibre/resin composite, and will break very easily.
- When making precise facing cuts (across the bed), the carriage can be locked in place using a 13mm spanner and the bolt on the top-right of the carriage.
- When making precise turning cuts (along the bed), the cross slide can be locked in place using a 5mm hex key and the bolt in the centre of the right hand side of the cross slide.
- When making facing or turning cuts, the leadscrew and half-nuts should not be used. Instead the auto-feed rod should be used instead. This reduces wear on the leadscrew.
- To engage the auto-feed rod, the lever on the right hand side of the carriage apron can be pulled out and up for turning cuts, and down for facing cuts.
- When making threads, the leadscrew should be used by engaging the half-nuts.
- This is done by turning the lever on the front-right of the carriage apron clockwise. You may have to wait a moment for the leadscrew to turn to a suitable position, or move the carriage, before it engages.
- If the half-nuts will not engage, gently lift the auto-feed lever (without pulling it out) to unlock the half-nut lever.
- You will also need to pul the sliding gear into the out position on the quadrant.
- There is a clutch on the auto-feed rod to prevent catastrophic damage in case the machine is crashed, but this should not be used intentionally.
- Before using the lathe, ensure that the mill quill handle has been removed.
- All chucks for this machine have spindle clamps to hold them firmly onto the cpindle nose.
- This allows light turning in reverse, but only if the cutting forces are low.
- This machine has a quick-change toolpost, so tools can be swapped in and out without having to reset their positions.
- All tools must be set at centre height for optimal cutting.
- All tools in quick-change tool holders will have already been set to the correct height.
This machine is designed to cut metals and plastics. Do not use any other materials without first confirming suitability with the room lead.
- Nylon
- Acetal (Delrin)
- Brass
- Bronze
- Aluminium
- Steel
- Cast iron (be sure to clean up chips thoroughly)
- Stainless steel (be careful with feeds and speeds
This is a non-exhaustive list.
Changing tools on the cross slide is very simple.
- Loosen the current tool holder by turning the T handle clockwise by around 90 degrees.
- Lift the tool holder off the toolpost.
- Place the new tool holder down onto the toolpost.
- Make sure that the alignment disc is sat on the correct part of the locking cam.
- Tighten the tool holder by turning the T handle anticlockwise until tight.
- Morse taper tooling must be firmly pressed into the tailstock in order to get a solid grip.
- To release a tool, retract the tailstock until the ejection pin pushes the tool out.
Any workpiece 20mm or smaller in diameter can be passed through the spindle bore, so very long pieces can be turned easily.
The 3-jaw chuck is self-centring, so workpieces will be approximately concentric with the spindle when clamped. This chuck is best suited for jobs where:
- Precision is not critical.
- The entire surface of the workpiece will be turned down.
- This is the first of sever operations.
The 4-jaw chuck has independent jaws, so workpieces can be clamped perfectly concentric with the spindle, or intentionally eccentric for off-centre features. This chuck is best suited for jobs where:
- The workpiece is square or rectangular.
- A feature must be cut eccentrically (not concentric to the rest of the part).
- An existing diameter must be exactly matched.
The faceplate is used when neither the 3-jaw or 4-jaw chucks can provide a suitable clamping solution. This is a more advanced way of clamping workpieces, so details will not be given here.
These are the tools and accessories which we already have. See the wishlist for things that we would like to acquire.
Workholdng and Toolholding
- 3-jaw self-centring chuck
- 4-jaw independent chuck
- Face plate
- MT2 ER20 collet chuck
- Spare chuck mounting plate
- MT2 annular cutter holder
- MT2 drill chuck
- T37 (T0-M) quick-change toolpost
- T37 (T0-M) quick-change tool holders
- x6 Normal holders
- x1 Parting tool holder (12mm blade)
Cutting Tools
- Centre drill set
- HSS boring bar
- Brazed carbide tools
- Left and right turning tools
- Boring bar
Measuring Tools
- 10mm dial test indicator (DTI) (0.01mm precision)
- Digital callipers
Accessories
- Carriage stop
- MT2 live centre
- MT2 dead centre
- MT3 dead centre