Chinese capstan mini-lathe

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Chinese capstan mini-lathe

This topic has 15 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 4 May 2023 at 23:12 by Chris Pearson 1.

Viewing 16 posts - 1 through 16 (of 16 total)

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4 May 2023 at 11:08 #643912
Hopper
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@hopper
Stumbled over this little snippet of video and thought it quite clever. The basic principles could be adapted to just about any lathe. I don;t know if you can buy it outside China but looks to have a built-in bar-feed collet set up and dead simple "capstan" arrangement for either/both cross slide and main carriage using nowt more than a disc of steel with offset pin and a bit of flat bar for a linkage.

(Warning: Those of a sensitive nature regarding WHS should look away now or forever hold your peace.)

Seems there have been several posts in recent months enquiring about capstan set-ups so this might provide some ideas.
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4 May 2023 at 11:08 #14826
Hopper
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@hopper
Simple but effective
4 May 2023 at 11:29 #643919
Hopper
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@hopper
Could some kind passing mod please remove the extra "s" on the end of Chinese in the thread heading. I don't seem to be able to edit it out. Thanks.
4 May 2023 at 11:51 #643922
Ady1
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@ady1
Nice to see you back Hopper. Wondered how you were doing.
4 May 2023 at 12:03 #643927
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
I wondered how they made those ARC 1-2-3 blocks

Not a lot different to any second ops machine you would have seen in the past except they would have been running off a line shaft rather than individual motor

Edited By JasonB on 04/05/2023 12:15:56
4 May 2023 at 12:21 #643930
Hopper
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@hopper
Posted by Ady1 on 04/05/2023 11:51:23:

Nice to see you back Hopper. Wondered how you were doing.

Thanks. Been living up to my name and hopping around on one foot after a bit of minor surgery. Glad I did not sign up for anything major.
4 May 2023 at 13:59 #643950
ega
Participant
@ega
Posted by Hopper on 04/05/2023 12:21:52:…Been living up to my name and hopping around on one foot after a bit of minor surgery. Glad I did not sign up for anything major.

In North Norfolk, UK, the Hopper is the bus service that runs along the coast.
4 May 2023 at 14:05 #643952
Ady1
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@ady1
The cam gives you good leverage, feel, and accurate depthing
4 May 2023 at 14:10 #643954
noel shelley
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@noelshelley55608
EGA, Coast Hopper to be precise ! Are you on its route ? Noel.
4 May 2023 at 14:59 #643957
Baz
Participant
@baz89810
Not strictly a capstan lathe as it has no capstan turret, just a work holding fixture, not much different to many second op machines seen in industry back in the sixties and seventies.
4 May 2023 at 15:59 #643965
Clive Foster
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@clivefoster55965
Hardly novel.

All the well known makers of precision bench lathes supplied the equipment needed for such lighter repetition and capstan duties. The well known Smart 7 Brown Model L is at the heavier end usually coming with a dedicated cast base but it's still fundamentally the same thing. Plenty more unheralded "industrial only" makers. SouthBend were one of the better known names offering similar accessories to convert lightweight bench, hobby and training lathes for such duties.

Not forgetting the morphologically different but effectively functionally similar small repetition lathes such as the "you're not getting paid until your arm falls off" Britan.

I guess it all got started around 1900 (ish) since then, until the Western de-industrialisation of the late 20th century, the number of parts made on such machines must be way beyond convenient, or even inconvenient, counting. Mostly for the complex, small mechanical devices largely superseded by "do you want it with chips" electronic revolution.

Hafta say I'm surprised that integrating Lego robotics to to the parts handling thing with a simple software programmed powered sequencer on machines of that style as an alternative to proper CNC hasn't become a thing. Basically think EMI-Mec lathe functionality but way cheaper. With a programming ap.

OK it's going to be slower than full on CNC. A Brother would probably blow its fuses laughing. But if you can hit at £5,000 (ish) a spindle plonk on a bench and its ready to go a bunch can produce serious numbers of parts for, probably, well less investment than a proper CNC. Even one running 24/7 could be cost effective for things its not worth setting up a proper CNC for half a day or so a week.

Clive
4 May 2023 at 19:30 #643983
larry phelan 1
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@larryphelan1
I think Clive might be right on the button there. The simple flypress can produce a vast range of stuff using simple tools and cheap and unskilled labour along with no power. Part of my mis-spent youth was lost in hanging out of one of those things, bashing out parts for heaters. Was impressed even then by the amount of bits it could produce, so these little machines might be something similar. Simple, cheap, effective.
4 May 2023 at 20:43 #643985
Rainbows
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@rainbows
Posted by Clive Foster on 04/05/2023 15:59:14:

Hafta say I'm surprised that integrating Lego robotics to to the parts handling thing with a simple software programmed powered sequencer on machines of that style as an alternative to proper CNC hasn't become a thing. Basically think EMI-Mec lathe functionality but way cheaper. With a programming ap.

Possibly along your idea. A three station capstan and cross slide all powered by steppers
4 May 2023 at 22:20 #643993
Clive Foster
Participant
@clivefoster55965
Rainbows

Interesting video but very much a conventional type of CNC turret lathe made small.

Ultimately I can't see the price /performance / speed / size ratios working out for a viable industrial "use several small cheap spindles" machine.

Way I looked at it you'd use cheap mouse power steppers to set the stops and something more husky, but still inexpensive, like a DC motor to drive the capstan et al. The trick is being appropriately clever to keep the price down and afford automated materials and parts handling. Whole thing has to be very "ap dependant" to avoid needing skilled tool setters et al.

10 years back when I took a preliminary look at the concept for reasons that seemed valid at the time it was all do-able, although the human interfacing wasn't going to be nice, but would have been twice or more the maximum viable selling price. Now I'm comfortably retired so another career doesn't interest me. Nor does making one to prove I can do it.

Clive
4 May 2023 at 22:42 #643998
ega
Participant
@ega
Posted by noel shelley on 04/05/2023 14:10:07:

EGA, Coast Hopper to be precise ! Are you on its route ? Noel.

Sadly, no – just a lover of the big sky county.
4 May 2023 at 23:12 #644001
Chris Pearson 1
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@chrispearson1
Ah, a good old fashioned sweat shop!
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