Re: swiss turning in minature?

Hi Grahm,

first, I thought swiss turning WAS miniture? you want to go smaller ?

Second, if your bushing is stationary and you are spinning your stock
and pushing it in and out of the bushing it does seem that you need a
darn accurate stock holding apperatus. if you don't the vibration
will make a mess.

other than that, the idea seems sound.

just how big are your parts going to be ?

Dave






--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "Graham Stabler" <eexgs@n...>
wrote:

> I am working on some small metal working projects related to very
> small model aircraft. When I say small projects what I want to
> produce is actually the small thing, the project will no doubt end

up

> being rather large.
>
> Some of the parts I need to produce are very small turned parts,
> rollers with accurate diameters and possibly some "crown".
>
> Although I do have a lathe is is neither suitable nor is it CNC.
>
> Anyway, after soom surfing I came accross the process of swiss
> turning. These special lathes feature a moving headstock that

pushes

> the bar material through a special bearing. The cutting tool that
> moves in only one axis is located close to this bearing. This

means

> that the overhang between the bar supporting bearing is constant

and

> small. That's the basic idea although there is a lot more too it.
>
> My idea that I put forward for a roasting is to build a small

desktop

> machine on the cheap.
>
> I have a pretty decent linear rail with two carriages, the rail is
> nice and wide as are the carriges, the idea is to stick the head
> stock on one and the tail stock on the other. The headstock does

not

> need to be accurate as the accuracy will come from the
> bearing "chuck". I think a dremel might even do the trick. The
> headstock could then be moved back and forth under stepper control

as

> could the tail stock. Between the two would be the bearing unit.
> Here I need ideas, what sort of bearings? Bushes?
>
> Then there would be a cross slide, another linear rail again under
> stepper control. Built solid with absolute minimum over hang.
>
> So, am I daft? Would it be better just to build a normal lathe?
>
> One other thing it has to be on the cheap. I have rails and
> leadscrews, steppers and drivers. I don't have decent spindles etc.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Graham