Can a lathe really build itself?

[Aaron_W]

I frequently see it stated that a lathe is the only tool that can build itself.

While I can certainly see how I could build a very rudimentary lathe using a lathe but it seems far fetched that I could really duplicate the exact machine I have.


I obviously don't have the skills to do it, but could a very skilled machinist really duplicate an identical lathe using nothing but their lathe?

 

[Bill Gruby]

What is meant by that is it does not need all its parts to function. You can usually make the new part needed on the same machine that is broken.

"Billy G"

 

[Manderioli]

https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/lathe-myth.26337/

More info in the thread

 

[projectnut]

I've made a number of replacement parts for my Seneca Falls Star #20 machine when I realized the originals were nearing the end of life. Unfortunately I didn't realize just how bad the cross slide feed screw and nut were. They failed (actually fell off the machine) before I realized how bad they were. Apparently long before I owned the machine my wife's grandfather had made a "temporary" emergency repair. The repair was substantial enough that the machine worked another 20 years before it finally failed. This time there was no repairing it. I had to use another machine to make a new nut and screw.

 

[mmcmdl]

Yes , it could , and a mill can make a mill ( with a 4rth axis ) . Would I want to do it , no .

 

[markba633csi]

I think what is meant is that all the basic machining operations required (turning, facing, milling, drilling, threading) can be performed, but the machine can't duplicate itself exactly. Perhaps you could make a tiny replica though..
Mark

 

[Bill Gruby]

Old School -- it can repair itself.

"Billy G"

 

[jwmay]

its True. The way to avoid it though is to never feed it after midnight, or get it wet. I made that mistake one time. Never again.

 

[Mitch Alsup]

In any kind of realistic reality, it takes both a lathe and a mill to reproduce an lathe and mill.

The lathe makes the round parts, the mill makes the flat parts.

 

[4GSR]

In the old Audels Machinists book, in the first page or two, is a picture of an old cone head lathe. I believe it says something like "The King of Machine Tools".