How useful are metal lathes?

[ELL]

They look cool and I quite fancy getting one for the sake of it. But how useful do they come in, or are they really only for people who have specific things they want to do on them? Cheers.

 

[Maker]

You'll wonder how you ever lived without one.

 

[fizzy]

Very useful. Making bushes and spacers. Drilling holes down the end of bars, making the odd bolt, skimming brake discs, too many things to list.

 

[bourbon]

Do you really have to ask?!

 

[gaz1]

put it this way ive owned 2 lathes and still havent used one of them even though i sold one

i also own a milling machine a hand shaper and multi sharpening device to go with those machines as well

do they have there uses yes when you really need them

i also own a hydrualic press as well and that is one item its use once when needed otherwise it stands in the corner out of the way until needed

 

[Beanwood]

If you need one, you need one.
If you want one you will find many uses for it.
Mine gets used weekly and I honestly don’t know how I would do some things without it - probably more slowly and badly..

 

[dieselsamurai]

Once you own one you wont look back the problem is just having a lathe is only the start its all the tooling and accessories you need that can really add up , when buying one you really need to have some understanding of how they work and what you need it for before you commit . A bargain can easily turn into a money pit , mine was stupidly cheap but restoring it and buying the tooling has really added up in time and expense but i use it weekly and could not do without it now

 

[Morrisman]

I’m a turner by trade, City and Guilds apprentice etc. I always said that when I buy my own lathe I’d get one big enough to swing brake discs, flywheels etc.
30 years after I left the industry I finally bought one…..
…a tiny little pre war model that barely spins an 8” diameter.
It’s still had a fair bit of use though.

 

[Munkul]

Do you need to make things round? Do you need to adapt round stuff by making it round in a different diameter? Do you need to make big round holes in things?



If answered “yes” to any of the above, then a metal turning lathe might be the right thing for you…

 

[lchris21]

probably the most useful power-tool in the shop.....the versatility can not be underestimated and raises the bar when it comes to getting stuff done. It'll be the last tool the bailiffs will be getting

 

[fizzy]

I’m a turner by trade, City and Guilds apprentice etc. I always said that when I buy my own lathe I’d get one big enough to swing brake discs, flywheels etc.
30 years after I left the industry I finally bought one…..
…a tiny little pre war model that barely spins an 8” diameter.
It’s still had a fair bit of use though.

View attachment 486511

Its funny. When I had my first lathe, a Hobbymat, I always wanted a bigger lathe. Now I have 9 lathes going from a Unimat to Holbrook 20" weighing 5000kg I find the smaller ones more appealing
Having said that my trusty old Triumph Roundhead gets the most use..

 

[rcx132]

They look cool and I quite fancy getting one for the sake of it. But how useful do they come in, or are they really only for people who have specific things they want to do on them? Cheers.

I asked myself the same question and really hesitated buying one. Now I don't know how I lived without it and wish I'd paid the extra money and bought the next size up.

Mine is mini lathe, needed a bit of mods to be good. It has a lot of capability for not much space.

 

[Mick Annick]

Mods can you please lock this thread? They’re tempting me to spend money again.

 

[Seadog]

If you need one, you need one.
If you want one you will find many uses for it.
Mine gets used weekly and I honestly don’t know how I would do some things without it - probably more slowly and badly..

There's no "if" about it.

 

[Beanwood]

There's no "if" about it.

Yes, but “you need one, you need one” appears a bit like a salesman

 

[not done it yet]

If you are going to buy one ‘just for the sake of it’, don’t bother. It is a tool to be used, not just an embellishment.

 

[MattF]

If you are going to buy one ‘just for the sake of it’, don’t bother. It is a tool to be used, not just an embellishment.

Get out!

 

[8ob]

Didn’t Pike ask captain Mainwaring a similar question?

 

[arther dailey]

Its funny. When I had my first lathe, a Hobbymat, I always wanted a bigger lathe. Now I have 9 lathes going from a Unimat to Holbrook 20" weighing 5000kg I find the smaller ones more appealing
Having said that my trusty old Triumph Roundhead gets the most use..

well the truimph is a really nice thing isnt it.

 

[arther dailey]

If you are hands on into repairing/restoring anything from motor bikes/cars/tractors and loads of other stuff you will find one very worth while , because you save a fortune on time saved doing things your self that you would otherwise have to farm out , await it being done , travel to and from etc only to find its not quite the right fit and go through it all again.. so yes very usefull.