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My Homemade Metal Lathe Project (backyardmetalcasting.com)
50 points by mhb 16 days ago | hide | past | favorite | 12 comments



If you want to see a video series of someone making this lathe design from scratch (right from casting aluminum), here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBuUOO3qn30

I was amazed at the accuracy and surface finish he could achieve with homemade parts.


If you enjoy absurd precision and accuracy, have a look at Dan Gelbart's older videos where he fabricobbles together a custom milling machine and grinder with air bearings that can work parts down to 1 micron. No lapping needed.

https://youtu.be/sFrVdoOhu1Q

PS: More power to the professors who go into business and reach "F everyone money".

https://www.bctechnology.com/news/2021/2/11/Vancouver-based-...


Simon Winchester has a good take on the development of absurd precision -- https://www.simonwinchester.com/precision-praise


YouTube is now blocked to those of us who use adblockers.

Please provide alternative links.


As a data point, Youtube is still working ok for me (using Firefox and uBlock Origin).


I am also using Firefox with uBlock origin--I am on Linux.

I now see "Ad blockers violate YouTube's Terms of Service".


Interesting. Using Linux here as well.

Sounds like a selective roll out or testing then maybe.

Either way, if/when it rolls out to me that'll be the end of my YouTube use.

--

Hmm, is it something simple like needing to refresh the uBlock Origin filter list? I've seen that happen before for other stuff, so maybe that's it?


I like the idea at least of the late Dave Gingery's books: start with a home-made foundry, progress to a lathe.

I don't think I could suffer the janky gimcrack I would come up with though — I suspect even the bargain Harbor Freight lathes would put mine to shame.


Or, build your own lathe using the harbor freight lathe to make the parts.

I share your sentiment though. It's kept me from starting his series (so far)



Living my dream. I hope I can afford to start doing this some day. I work on small antique machines and would love to cast small replacement parts.


Careful with that lathe Eugene!




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