Measure carefully - it's easier to
remove metal than to put it back
There's always one more source of error...
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Mini-lathe.com is an extensive information resource for the
7x10, 7x12, 7x14 and 7x16 mini lathes. This site is intended primarily to help new and
prospective owners understand the capabilities, limitations and frustrations of these
tools and how to modify and fine-tune them to get results you might expect only from a
much more expensive lathe.
During the years since I began this site in 2000, I have
also used and written reviews on some larger lathes and related equipment. See the Reviews page for much more info. Check out Mini-mill.com for information on the small milling
machines that make an ideal companion to the mini-lathe.
"Ol' Stubby"
Sold by a number of vendors for around $500 to $800, these
versatile and inexpensive machines are a good choice for model makers, experimenters,
inventors and just about anyone else who is interested in metalworking or has a need to
fabricate small precision parts. These lathes are miniature versions of industrial
metal-working lathes and are quite different in design and use than wood-working lathes,
but they can certainly be used for shaping wood, plastics and other materials, especially
if very accurate dimensions are required. If you follow the links on the navigation
bars above, you will find a great deal of information about these lathes and related
topics.
The designations 7x10, 7x12, 7x14 and 7x16 refer to the maximum diameter and length
(in inches) of a workpiece that the lathe can work on. All three lathes can rotate a
7" diameter workpiece up to approximately 10, 12, 14 or 16 inches long, depending on
the model. In practice though, the workpieces are typically limited to 4" diameter or
less, due to various factors described throughout this site.
Fundamentally, a lathe is used to make components such as
shafts and bushings that are basically cylindrical in shape. While that may not seem like
much, the fact is that nearly all mechanical and engineering devices rely on components
made on a lathe. So if you have interests such as RC cars, planes, boats or helicopters;
robotics, atronomy, microscopy, horology are an inventor or just like to repair cars,
motorcycles, household fixtures and appliances, a lathe is a great tool to have. Lathes
are also used by artisans to make beads, bangles and other items for jewelry.
If you have never run a metal lathe before, or it's been
many years since you last did in your high school shop class (back when high schools still
had shop class!), you can find some helpful information on the Introduction, Getting Started, Operations, Tool Grinding and Adjustments pages. Be sure to read the Safety page for important safety tips.
The mini-lathe has a lot of potential but has some
shortcomings that you should be aware of before you decide to buy one - see the Reviews for more informationon specific
models. Fortunately, there is now a great deal of information available about this
lathe on the web, so you are not on your own if you encounter a problem, and LittleMachineShop.com has become well established
as the place to go for parts and accessories in the U.S.
I'm happy to report that the quality of these lathes has
steadily been improving. Back in 2000, when I started this site, the variable speed motor
controllers had a high failure rate, but the newer ones are much more reliable. Similarly,
the overall quality of worksmanship is better on the newer lathes. While you still may
find some minor defects, the great majority are now ready to use out of the box after cleaning off the
packing grease. See the Getting
Started page for details.
If you are considering purchasing one, the Product Review pages will give you some detailed
comparisons among various models. You may also find my thoughts on Which Lathe
to Buy helpful in making your decision. The great majority of mini-lathes sold in the
U.S. and worldwide are made by Sieg in Shanghai, China.
They are re-branded by several vendors, painted in a variety of colors and sold with
various combinations of accessories and with four bed lengths: 8", 12", 14"
and 16", but all are basically the same lathe (Well, ok, the Micro-Mark version
is kinda unique...). A very similar lathe,
made by Real Bull in China, makes up the rest of the market. While this site focuses
mainly on the Chinese mini-lathes, be sure to check out the slightly smaller, but very
capable and high-quality lathes made in the U.S. by Taig
and Sherline; they're very popular among
precision model makers.
When I began this site, I was using the 7x10 version of the mini-lathe, shown above.
While the 7x10's are still available, the 7x12 is more common nowdays, and for good
reason: it's actually 4" longer than the 7x10. That may sound like new math, but it's
really a result of overly optimistic marketing of the 7x10; which is really only 7x8.
Since the mini-lathe is now available in four lengths (8",
12", 14" and 16"), you will find references to all four
models throughout this site. Most of the features and capabilities are very similar, other
than the maximum working length. You may also see references to "7x" lathes
where I am referring to all four sizes generically.
Specific features of these lathes are continually being
improved by the manufacturer. Therefore, some of the older information on this site may no
longer be accurate. For example, the lathes made before 2000 had a somewhat crude motor
speed control with a minimum speed of about 100 RPM. The motor speed controls have been
continually improved since then and the newer ones are much more sophisticated and
reliable than the the very early ones. Beginning with the SC4 lathe in 2007, Sieg
introduced the "S" series of machines which have brushless DC motors. These new
motors have much more torque than the prior motors, so that the internal HI-LO range gears
are no longer needed. The result is a quieter, more powerful and more reliable machine.
The newer lathes also include some improved safety features over the older ones.
One of the best sources of information is the 7x10 interest group, a very
knowledgeable and experienced group of guys who are always ready to welcome and help
newcomers. Discussions are by no means limited to the 7x lathes so feel free to ask any
question even remotely related to machining and you will get plenty of good advice. The
group has grown from around 200 members in 1999 to over 7000 in 2008. With this growth has
come a great increase in the number of messages, and a trend towards more off-topic
messages. By consensus the group has determined that the off-topic messages help to keep
the group alive. Unfortunately for newcomers, however, it is often necessary to wade
through volumes of off-topic messages in order to find the machining-related content. The
search feature may help you to avoid some of that. The 7x12minilathe group is a spin-off
of the 7x10 group, limited to on-topic discussions. While not nearly as active as the 7x10
group, nearly all of the postings are on-topic.
For discussion en Espaņol visit this group: http://foro.metalaficion.com
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Last updated
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