Hello,
Im interested in learning how to speed up making parts on a lathe.
More looking for steps others have taken that reduce the time it takes to make a widget.
Ex. collect closer,quick change tool post,tailstock turret,gang tooling, automatic tool changer, hydraulic chuck,DRO ect.
Little more info which I hope will help out. Im a TIG welder at my day job but nights/ weekends I make whatever comes into my head to sell. Most of my ideas either don't sell or barely sell. A handful really take off keeping me mostly busy until someone else makes it cheaper and orders dry up.
I normally make one item and use it to make sure its what I wanted then change or modify it as needed to make it better. After that Ill make a dozen or so and see if it sells. Sells slowly Ill make another dozen but when they sell fast I farm out the parts to a local shop to free up my time.
Currently most of my widgets are 1.500-.500" diameter and .500-6.000" long ranging from aluminum to pre hardened 4130.
Was interested to hear if people either bought an attachment for a lathe(or a different lathe completely) that really helped speed things up or also the items that looked like they would help but really didn't.
I know this is a completely open ended question with more unknowns and variables than you can shake a stick at but thought I might get lucky here.
Current lathe I can not mention but along with the TIG welder and knee mill Im still making money with it just would like to be more efficient. Correction I make more money farming the parts out but I have to make them first.
Operations include: turning, facing, threading, drilling, grooving, parting, boring and lots of radius'.
Thanks for your time.
Im interested in learning how to speed up making parts on a lathe.
More looking for steps others have taken that reduce the time it takes to make a widget.
Ex. collect closer,quick change tool post,tailstock turret,gang tooling, automatic tool changer, hydraulic chuck,DRO ect.
Little more info which I hope will help out. Im a TIG welder at my day job but nights/ weekends I make whatever comes into my head to sell. Most of my ideas either don't sell or barely sell. A handful really take off keeping me mostly busy until someone else makes it cheaper and orders dry up.
I normally make one item and use it to make sure its what I wanted then change or modify it as needed to make it better. After that Ill make a dozen or so and see if it sells. Sells slowly Ill make another dozen but when they sell fast I farm out the parts to a local shop to free up my time.
Currently most of my widgets are 1.500-.500" diameter and .500-6.000" long ranging from aluminum to pre hardened 4130.
Was interested to hear if people either bought an attachment for a lathe(or a different lathe completely) that really helped speed things up or also the items that looked like they would help but really didn't.
I know this is a completely open ended question with more unknowns and variables than you can shake a stick at but thought I might get lucky here.
Current lathe I can not mention but along with the TIG welder and knee mill Im still making money with it just would like to be more efficient. Correction I make more money farming the parts out but I have to make them first.
Operations include: turning, facing, threading, drilling, grooving, parting, boring and lots of radius'.
Thanks for your time.