CNC Lathe FAQ

1. Will your CNC lathes thread?

Yes, Smithy CNC lathes are equipped with a spindle encoder to enable the user to thread. Threading is a very common operation on all lathes and any CNC lathe should have this capability.

2. Does your lathe have an automated turret?

Yes, it is equipped with a 4 position automated tool post. In addition the CNC-1315 lathe, has an auxiliary carriage 7" x 12" t-slot table for mounting optional gang tooling.

3. Is there a bar feeder available?

The long and the short of this is, no. To use a bar feeding system, a machine must be equipped with some sort of power chuck. In order to offer small shop entrepreneurs , the "Best Bang for the Buck", we have opted to equip the machine with a manual chuck. Power chucks are a very expensive option as are bar feeding systems.

4. Can you knurl?

Yes, knurling is possible but it is an operation that must be done carefully and with your full attention. Knurling is done at a low RPM with an requires an enormous amount of force to "deform" the metal. We do not recommend trying to knurl any pre-hardened material.

5. Can it cut stainless?

Yes, absolutely. We have successfully machined 316 stainless in our test lab. Remember when cutting stainless, coolant is absolutely necessary and your speeds and feeds are critical.

6. Tailstock turret available?

Not at this time but we do plan on adding one in the near future which will give the operator more control of manual tool changes.

7. Can it machine pre-harded parts?

With the right cutters, coolant and proper speeds and feeds the lathe should be able to to it. However, we would not recommend knurling pre-hardened material.

8. What sort of duty cycle does the lathe have?

Our CNC-1315 has been tested by an independent lab to run 72 straight hours without failure. Belts were readjusted after this run cycle. The control system has been designed to run "without limit" as long as the electronics are properly cooled and an ambient temperature of 80 degrees in not exceeded.

9. What is the Maximum speed of the spindle?

Spindle RPM is 30 on the low end and 3000 on the high end with no belt changes required.

10. Are the ways hardened and what is the method of hardening?

Yes, the ways are induction hardened.

11. Is the tailstock removable?

Yes. It is secured to the ways with a locking plate and two acorn nuts which can easily be removed.

12. How come the machine is not fully enclosed?

This is another design decision to give the user the best bang for the buck. Typical CNC lathe work is mostly done near the chuck. Having the sliding door without an end panel allows the operator to easily load his/her work piece while protecting the operator from coolant spray and hot metal chips.

13. Is there a provision for coolant?

Yes, the CNC-1315 lathe comes with a coolant tank and pump that sits at the base of the machine collecting coolant that discharges from the chute located on the back side of the machine.

14. Overall foot print?

To fully utilize the access panels to the machine, maintain the coolant system, and to run stock through the spindle, we recommend a 10' by 10' area as optimum.

15. How is chip removal handled?

There is center cavity in the machine that allows chips and coolant to flow out the discharge chute located at the back of the machine. The chute empties into the coolant tank, filtering out chips and recycling coolant.

16. What are the power requirements?

Your CNC Lathe should be plugged into a dedicated 220 V 20 amp circuit.