Calling all woodworkers and machinist,

[MadPlumbarian]

Ok, maybe now that I got your attention, let me ask the question, can you turn a router into a lathe? I know you can attach them to the lathe and do a few things, but I’m saying can you use the router as the actual motor and attach a chuck of some sort? I’ve been wanting to turn some stuff on a lathe for a while, not just wood but metal, but nothing big just pen size, so a mini lathe, and I figured a router would be a pretty good motor with the adjustable speed and power to do so, I mean I’ve seen those setups where you attach a drill, but I just figured I have a router why not? Any suggestion?
JR

[MadPlumbarian]

BUMP
I guess we don’t have any in the forum?
JR

[Chako]

I know nothing...so I looked it up. The common consensus is to not do this. The router is way too fast even at its lowest speed to act as one safely.

[Don Pablo]

What I do know is that lathes operate at 100-1000 rpm.

[MadPlumbarian]

What I do know is that lathes operate at 100-1000 rpm.

Well I guess my idea just went in the trash cause I looked up my router and it is 8k-24k rpm,
JR

[Vidar]

Well I guess my idea just went in the trash cause I looked up my router and it is 8k-24k rpm,
JR

I have no experience trying this with a router as that does indeed spin very fast. Which means really small items at best. Safety might the real thing to look out for though with possibly pressing a tool to do work well beyond what it was designed to do and withstand. (The workpieces might be heavier, longer, less straight, worse grip than compared to the normal router tools. A long and slightly out of center workpiece might loosen, bend or whip due to centrifugal forces and come looking for you in a hurry).

You might instead consider using the router as a tool post grinder and have something else spin the workpiece against it. That way the router is actually used as a router with router tools, but you still get to turn with it. (I've done similar with a battery Dremel and a magnetic drill at a few occasions in off site desperation).

As for speeds RPM is just part of the equation. Surface cutting speed is the key and that depends on diameter of the workpiece spinning as well as RPM. The optimal surface cutting speed varies for different types of materials, cutting tools used, depth of cut, machine power, how stiff and rigid your setup is and so on. (As for RPM reference I believe my little metal lathe goes to about 3000 RPM and takes workpieces up to about 8" diameter. The big lathe tops out at about 5500 RPM - it is much heavier and stiffer machine though).

The best is likely just finding a nice used lathe. Some great used ones can sometimes be had for a song and a dance.

[MadPlumbarian]

I have no experience trying this with a router as that does indeed spin very fast. Which means really small items at best. Safety might the real thing to look out for though with possibly pressing a tool to do work well beyond what it was designed to do and withstand. (The workpieces might be heavier, longer, less straight, worse grip than compared to the normal router tools. A long and slightly out of center workpiece might loosen, bend or whip due to centrifugal forces and come looking for you in a hurry).

You might instead consider using the router as a tool post grinder and have something else spin the workpiece against it. That way the router is actually used as a router with router tools, but you still get to turn with it. (I've done similar with a battery Dremel and a magnetic drill at a few occasions in off site desperation).

As for speeds RPM is just part of the equation. Surface cutting speed is the key and that depends on diameter of the workpiece spinning as well as RPM. The optimal surface cutting speed varies for different types of materials, cutting tools used, depth of cut, machine power, how stiff and rigid your setup is and so on. (As for RPM reference I believe my little metal lathe goes to about 3000 RPM and takes workpieces up to about 8" diameter. The big lathe tops out at about 5500 RPM - it is much heavier and stiffer machine though).

The best is likely just finding a nice used lathe. Some great used ones can sometimes be had for a song and a dance.

I’ve been looking, it’s nuts, but it would be cheaper to build my own since all I want is a mini,
JR

[Vidar]

In the US you have both the reasonable priced Sherline and Taig mini lathes with all kinds of accessories available. They are indeed mini, but some people have done amazing work with them.

Sometimes when companies goes bankrupt the lawyers move in and just wants to clear out the space or whatever - I've seen machines almost given away just to have them removed. Most lawyers in such situations have no clue about the value, and no wish to learn it either. Sometimes that just leads to bizarre pricing - one way or the other.

[Max Stone]

I've seen affordable adapters for drills...to make them small-purpose lathes...

[MadPlumbarian]

I've seen affordable adapters for drills...to make them small-purpose lathes...

I thought of something of this setup, but I don’t want to do wood but metal, so I’d have to put like an x-y vice on it,
JR

[Vidar]

Unlike a router a drill wont be made for taking much forces sideways, and most drills will likely be wobbling a fair bit around the center. After all their business is mostly about pressing straight down.

One thing to consider is that with a machine you often end up with a fair collection of accessories and tools. They often cost more than the machine itself. If you make the machine yourself it might be an idea to make it accept accessories and tools from some existing machine or standard. Otherwise you might have to make all those too.

[MadPlumbarian]

Unlike a router a drill wont be made for taking much forces sideways, and most drills will likely be wobbling a fair bit around the center. After all their business is mostly about pressing straight down.

One thing to consider is that with a machine you often end up with a fair collection of accessories and tools. They often cost more than the machine itself. If you make the machine yourself it might be an idea to make it accept accessories and tools from some existing machine or standard. Otherwise you might have to make all those too.

It sucks, I originally only had a little shed to work out of and I had a good amount of tools but after everything happened and losing my tools now I have a freaking two car garage with a huge bench and that’s it..

Maybe if I can do what my grandfather did, had like four simple stock motors with a huge chuck somehow mounted to the shaft, he then put the motors like / / / / and put like a large wire wheel in one, a grinder in another, a polishing wheel, and I don’t remember the other, but if I was to do something similar and somehow mount a nice size chuck to the shaft there’s half the latte, maybe mount a dimmer switch on the top and that should control the rpm?

Either that or just find a broken drill press and mount it sideways?
JR

[Vidar]

Either that or just find a broken drill press and mount it sideways?
JR

The issue with many drills and drill presses is that they are often wobbly (within the precision of metalwork), and have bearings that aren't made for sideways pressure. That can be corrected for by adding a proper bearing and mount up front, but then costs start adding up. If you have an indicator it might be an idea to just test it?

If you want to work with small stuff collets is a better holding option than chucks. (ER collets in particular as they grip along the entire length of a part or tool within their size range. Other collets tend to grip only at the very front if size is a bit off ideal). 

A suggestion for motors if you want to go that way is motors that have been used for lifting or driving a chain or such. Those will often have gearboxes and bearings made to take considerable sideways pressure, and there is usually plenty of cheap used ones around. (Make sure the mount orientation the same as the gearbox has been made for so the oil gets in the right place).

I've only used frequency inverters to control motor speeds so not sure how dimmers would work. I guess it depends on the type of motor too.

[MadPlumbarian]

I forgot I had this little guy, I picked it up tagsale for $3, dirt cheap, but it’s a little power house, only thing is it’s rpm is a little too high, they make a switch that supposedly cuts the rpm down to like 1k, but I’m not paying $80 when I can probably make something or find something way cheaper, but if I could mount a 1/2” chuck on this and a rpm switch I’d be golden,
JR