Any idea's for making a CNC lathe? Here is a great picture of one-

It is desireable to have the bed a broad as possible. The way this long cross slide cantelevers out over the bed would be a recipe for chatter.

Can a tail stock be fitted?

I am in the middle of building one right now. Should be a few weeks at the most till I am done and making parts. It has a 36" overall work envelope, and the head will except up to 2-1/4" dia. stock. I am making the head myself. There will be 2 axis of cnc and one axis of manual for depth control. I will submit pics as soon as I can. Can't wait (neither can my customer)
Glen

Take a look through Stevie's long thread. Sorry, don't have time to find a link right now. But I think it's in the general metalworking forum.

Looking forward to those pics.

A T-slotted cross slide is a real bonus.

Once I get some time, that will be my next project building a CNC lathe, for the stuff I make it would be perfect.

A few years ago, I brainstormed doing a big-bore (3 inch dia") CNC lathe
from scratch.

Regarding the photo (hope it uploads!), it is fashioned out of only two
pieces of sheet steel (cardboard here). One piece is the vast majority
of it, (plasma, waterjet or laser cut) and folded, then welded along some
of the seams. One thicker piece (say 3/8") forms the insert where you
see the chuck (tin pot) hanging off it. This piece gives rigidity to the
whole structure.

Note the X, Z and feedrate override knobs (margarine containers!) and
big 4" voltage & amperage analog guages.

The bedway would be a 12"*12"*48" cast iron block, cut lengthwise
into four 12" wide * 3" high * 48"L beds (to make four lathes). They
would then be ground.

On the inside of the cabinet, another 12"*12"*18" solid block of cast
iron would be machined to fit a few big taper roller bearings and the
spindle, then bolted to the main bed.

The spindle motor (3 - 5 HP) would cog-belt drive the spindle through
either a low speed pulley set, or a high speed pulley combo (manually
changable).

In the backside, there is a big 4" depth space for electronics & coolant
pumps etc.

The rest, (carriage, cross-slide, power chuck) I haven't figured out yet.

Any interest out there in this type of project? Probably would have to
sell for at least $10K, as making it would be a lot of work. On the other
hand, thats cheap for a 3-4" bore cnc lathe.

cheers
Doug Fortune

Thanks alot all

Thanks alot all

follow the lathemaster thread or the HF 9x20 to cnc. i'm currently working on converting my 9x20 lathe to cnc. it takes some engineering but since i'm a mech E i think i've got most of if figured out.

Thanks alot

I am building my own cnc lathe with THK rails and custom cast iron frame.
Here is a (not-so-finished) 3D model of the design. [for size comparison, the chuck is 100mm (4")]

http://www.loisteputki.liitin.net/TLP/cnc-sorvi.jpg

Thanks alot JH-Q

thats a pretty slick loking design JH-Q nice work so far!