Home lathe precision question

[Dabbler]

-- if you think 50K$ is affordable, and that's with all the nearly-free grad student programming included...

 

[dpb]

For short turned lengths, ~1” or so, I can hit +/- .0002” pretty consistently, often less, probably 19/20 times. The key (for me), is to rough to within .020-.040” of target diameter, and then take two roughly equal size passes to finish. Rough..measure...take 1/2 remaining off...measure...take remaining off.
3 year old PM1440gt.