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lathe design

Does anyone know of any good sources on lathe design, preferably online, but I can try the library if that's warranted. I'm especially interested in smallish lathes, about 50mm above bed height and 150mm between centres, but capable of very high accuracy (approaching 0.001mm).

Is belt drive better, or is a fully geared head a reasonable choice? Remembering also that I am going to have to cut any unbuyable gears...

In the headstock of a small lathe with some kind of belt drive, the pulleys are usually arranged so the largest is nearest the chuck. Any special reason?

Is myford type backgearing better than the traditional type with two cog sets at either end of the pulleys? Why?

I have a zillion more questions, but that's enough for one post. :)

Thanks,

-- Peter

"Sweet dreams are made of Anything that gets you in the seam And I feel like I'm Seventeen again." Eurythmics

Reply to
Peter Fairbrother
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Um, your mind? Just see where the forces are going... everyone has a natural talent for engineering, really.

Belt is going to be easier... possibly more smooth, but then again there are plenty of geared systems running smoother than any belt linkage I've made so far. ;o)

Probably less torque windup on the spindle. Doesn't really matter, but it "looks" better (again, see the forces).

Dunno...wassa Myford? :0)

I'm waiting for you to ask me how to melt and pour the 20 pound bed casting you'll need. ;-)

Tim

-- "I've got more trophies than Wayne Gretsky and the Pope combined!" - Homer Simpson Website @

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Reply to
Tim Williams
[snip some nswers, thanks]

I've got a suitable length of meehanite (a fine grained cast iron, I don't know if it's sold outside the UK under that name), and I'll machine the bed/ways from solid. Same with the head and tailstocks. With a wee bit of geometry I can arrange things so the left over bits are the right size for the saddle and cross slide too.

All from billet, as they say :)

Reply to
Peter Fairbrother

Reply to
Rex in Texas

Wow. You're talking ABEC-7 bearings at a minimum. That's a few buckaroos, for sure.

You'll need very good lead screws, probably ball screws.

Personally, I'd buy a Hardinge & fix it up. Don't know about the .001mm though.

Good luck.

Reply to
Steve Walker

On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 04:13:41 GMT, Steve Walker calmly ranted:

0.0000393"? Why, that's less than a hundredth of an RCH.

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Reply to
Larry Jaques

or a thousandth of a BCH?

Reply to
Sam

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