Lathe Specifications

Fabrication and Cost

• Ease and low cost of fabrication is the primary goal, as a high-performance lathe is perhaps the most important tool in a workshop
• Construction consists of a concrete bed
• Cost is that of 4 bags of concrete for the bed, chuck, cross slide, and
• Motor cost is included in LifeTrac infrastructure
• Motor coupler to lathe shaft is machined
• Commercial chck is the main cost
• XY table constitutes a cross slide
• Tool post is fabricated
• 2" shaft constitutes a mounting surface for an xy table and for tail stock
• Feed-through shaft is present, but is only 1 foot deep
• Cheap 2 15/16" bearing

Specifications

• 12" lathe
• 1/1000" accuracy via bearing tolerance and chuck tolerance
• Heavy duty axial thrust acceptable, as determined by 3" shaft and bearings
• Radial thrust determined by set screws on 2 bearings, with 2 extra full split collars