Lathe v Milling Machine??

[8ob]

As a complete Machining Ignoramus.... can someone explain the difference between a Lathe and a Milling Machine (in Layman's Terms) please?

Yes, a lathe throws coolant/swarf up the walls ,across the ceiling and floor. The mill only throws coolant/swarf horizontally around the workshop.
Ask me one on sport

Bob

 

[Rkweld]

I mostly use a mill, most work on a lathe is to turn something circular for want of a better description. A mill is quite versatile but you can buy attachments for either to do the job of a lathe or mill but neither will be optimal at the others job. I would have a mill over a lathe but thats probably because I use a mill alot. If I did the majority of my work on a lathe I would probably think the opposite because I would be better at adapting to work out how to go a job in the lathe to do it instead.

 

[optima21]

For Hobby use,

When Im using using a lathe I can normally look at a drawing of the part Im making and just work from that.

When Im using a milling machine I normally have to write down all the dimensions Im working to, as its much harder to just mill from a drawing.

 

[merryman]

Stop taking the pee. A lathe makes round things a mill makes flat things. OK lathes can be used as a mill and CNC Mills make round things but for most applications that is the difference. All that other stuff just confuses someone who wants a simple answer.

 

[8ob]

If in doubt and short on space get a combo

 

[redlig]

A picture tells a thousand words . Just spend an evening looking at a few utube video's and all will be reviled.

 

[Matchless]

I don't have the space to accommodate a Lathe (& would be baffled as to which machine was good or suitable, let alone using one).
I haven't a clue what use I'd put one to either tbh (though that doesn't stop me looking at every Lathe ad that pops up on Marketplace ).
I noticed that there's a partially buried and unloved looking metal lathe in one of the work premises the other day tucked in a corner of the plant workshop - I'll have to try and find out what it is.

I started out with a small yellow lathe / mill, East European from memory, did everything I wanted up to a point, now I have a Colchester Student, a Harrisson 11 or 12" that is nowhere near 12" and a Hayes die master mill, I am no engineer, just a good time served bodger but I get the job done with the mininium of measuring! I find a lathe more than useful, bought some round 2" LED lights to replace the reflectors in my Mk2 Jag rear lamps, but they were not 2" they were 56mm, turned them down, now 2" plastic plumbing pipes never fit together, they do if you have a lathe! my tube spacers now have square ends! I have even turned down motorcycle pistons and widened the ring grooves, again with the mininium of measuring! could not find a clutch alignment tool to fit the Jag, broom handle now 6" shorter and I have a Jag special tool....................

 

[mike os]

Lathes are fir the cylindrical bits, Mills for the flat bifs

 

[skotl]

Lathes are fir making the cylindrical bits, Mills for making the flat bifs

Expanded that for you

 

[Hopefuldave]

Only if you can drive the 5 axis cnc.....

What I will say......once you buy a lathe, there is no going back you will want a mill too!

And this is why I've ended up with seven and a half tons of assorted machines in the Shed Of Danger, and my kids can't have nice things...

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[mike os]

Expanded that for you

Might have fixed the spelling too

 

[Maker]

All that other stuff just confuses someone who wants a simple answer.

Best not mention live tooling and polygonal turning then!

 

[skotl]

Might have fixed the spelling too

Nah - then I'd have been accused of being pedantic

 

[JMS1972]

When people arrive in my garage and ask what the big clunky things do, I tell them:

"The lathe makes square things round, the mill makes round things square"

Bit simplistic but works for me

Beat me to it

 

[mtt.tr]

If I was making a shaft I would use a lathe

If I needed slots and spline on that shaft j would use a mill.

 

[gaz1]

If I was making a shaft I would use a lathe

If I needed slots and spline on that shaft j would use a mill.

but you can do both slots and splines on a lathe

if you used addons same with your spline cutting on the mill

 

[Gritineye]

Probably best not to mention a shaper at this point...

 

[Hopefuldave]

Probably best not to mention a shaper at this point...

Why's that? Going to want to cut internal splines at some point...

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[My Old Landy]

Probably best not to mention a shaper at this point...

It's funny, the older the tech, the more desirable!!

 

[Pete.]

It's funny, the older the tech, the more desirable!!

Shapers have fallen victim to the 'gotta haveit's' thanks to youtube mania. The majority of them are parked up never to be used except as discussion pieces.