| The first and foremost factor to consider when | | | | large diameter holes in most materials, including steel |
| starting your home machine shop is whether or not | | | | and cast iron. I would also highly recommend that |
| this will be for business or pleasure. If you just like to | | | | your first lathe be a large, heavy-duty, used model |
| tinker and enjoy fixing things yourself, you can get | | | | with a 16 inch swing and at least 42 inches between |
| by with much smaller, more versatile machinery than | | | | centers. You will reduce your machining time by half |
| if you are going to accept outside work. There are | | | | as compared to the smaller new machines available |
| three basic machine tools that perform the bulk of | | | | on the market. Many of these older lathes are |
| the jobs that you will encounter, the drill press, the | | | | massive in size weight, but that will greatly reduce |
| milling machine, and the lathe. The home hobbyist can | | | | vibration and give you much better finishes on your |
| usually get by with a multi-purpose machine that | | | | work, so dedicate as much floor space to this |
| incorporates all three of these into one versatile | | | | machine as you can. |
| machine, but the serious machinist will want to set up | | | | The last factor to consider when setting up shop is |
| shop with individual machines. You may already have | | | | cost. It pays to shop around and always get as much |
| a small drill press mounted on your work bench as it | | | | value for your money as you can, so don't overlook |
| is a very useful and necessary machine. | | | | the many benefits of buying good used machinery. |
| The next item to consider is floor space. You can | | | | eBay is a great source of used equipment, and at |
| buy bench top drill presses, bench top mills, and | | | | the very least a great place to find out what used |
| bench top lathes at very reasonable prices, so even | | | | machines are worth and how much they are |
| the home hobbyist might want to consider this | | | | currently selling for. I was able to find a very nice #3 |
| avenue rather than the multi-machine. This allows | | | | Warner and Swasey turret lathe on eBay a few |
| much greater versatility and will help to eliminate the | | | | years ago for under $300.00. Large used engine |
| set-ups and tear-downs that you will likely encounter | | | | lathes are abundant and very affordable, and you can |
| if you only have the multi-machine. There is nothing | | | | even find these in your local Penny Saver type |
| more frustrating than having to tear down a milling | | | | magazine if you keep a close watch. Finding one |
| job just to drill a hole in order to make a special | | | | locally can save you lots of money on shipping costs. |
| clamp for that same milling job. For the home | | | | If you can afford to purchase a new milling machine, |
| machine shop, you will need to acquire much larger | | | | this is the smart way to go. The mill is the most used |
| equipment. You may be able to get away with one | | | | of the machine tools and the majority of used mills |
| of the larger bench top mills when starting out, but I | | | | tend to be very well worn out. No matter how low |
| would highly recommend that you buy a large drill | | | | the price, a worn out mill is unreliable, produced |
| press with a #4 Morse taper spindle and as low an | | | | inaccurate work, leaves very poor surface finishes, |
| RPM as you can find. This will permit you to drill very | | | | and is a very poor investment. |