- Joined
- Mar 29, 2013
- Messages
- 5
This might be my first post here, actually? Please read it anyway… lol
I came into a HF 7X10 mini lathe for almost free and have a single use for it in mind. I'd like to set it up to machine 3/16" X .5" slugs from 3/16" mild steel rods. I would like to convert it to CNC and automate the process, as I go through several hundred of these slugs or more a month.
What would be ideal, I think, is to set it up with a collet closer and small bar feeder. The collet closer would have to be something I could control with an actuator or motor down the road to automate it. A lever action closer would probably work, but there may be better options out there. I'm still learning (I hope that's always the case!).
Of course, I'm not finding many (any?) easy options out there for this sort of setup. I did find a single YouTube video of a Sieg mini lathe with a bar feed. I'm aware that I may have to make the bar-feed entirely myself, and that's probably not a problem.
Any thoughts on the collet closer? What are my options for replacing the chuck on this lathe with something I can use collets with and also feed round stock through the back of the headstock?
I came into a HF 7X10 mini lathe for almost free and have a single use for it in mind. I'd like to set it up to machine 3/16" X .5" slugs from 3/16" mild steel rods. I would like to convert it to CNC and automate the process, as I go through several hundred of these slugs or more a month.
What would be ideal, I think, is to set it up with a collet closer and small bar feeder. The collet closer would have to be something I could control with an actuator or motor down the road to automate it. A lever action closer would probably work, but there may be better options out there. I'm still learning (I hope that's always the case!).
Of course, I'm not finding many (any?) easy options out there for this sort of setup. I did find a single YouTube video of a Sieg mini lathe with a bar feed. I'm aware that I may have to make the bar-feed entirely myself, and that's probably not a problem.
Any thoughts on the collet closer? What are my options for replacing the chuck on this lathe with something I can use collets with and also feed round stock through the back of the headstock?