Metal Lathe For Sale | New Metal Lathes For Sale

Metal Lathes

Summit Machine Tool is one of the metalworking industry’s largest providers of metal lathes. Take a look at our innovative industrial lathes. If you don’t see the exact Summit metal lathe you’re looking for, contact us because we can probably help you find the best metal lathe!

As one of the metalworking industry’s largest providers of metal lathes, Summit Machine Tool offers cutting-edge customer service to match our high-quality metal tools and lathes.

Metal lathes come in three basic types; engine lathes, turret lathes, and special purpose lathes. Summit offers distance between centers up to 200”, lathes with bed swing over bed lengths up to 10 meters, quick change tool post, and variable speed headstocks. We also supply CNC metal lathes for the high-tech machine shop. Additionally, we stock hollow spindle lathes for the heaviest of heavy-duty applications. Each metal lathe is constructed from high-quality cast iron frames and engineered to provide the highest levels of precision.

At Summit Machine Tool, we understand that your lathe is crucial to your success. You need the right metal lathe, whether you’re a small machine shop or a large-scale operation. We offer a range of tools suitable for every situation, from metal lathes able to handle oversized pieces in a factory or the small precision work of a tool-and-die shop. Visit our individual lathe product pages for detailed prices and further details.

We stand by every part of our lathes, from headstock to tailstock. Need the exact price of a particular model? Unsure which lathe would best suit your requirements? Looking for replacement parts? Contact us for an exact quote and any advice you might need! We can talk you through the available options and figure out which metal lathe is best for you and will last for many years.

FAQ

What is a metal lathe?

A lathe is a machining tool that’s used to cut, sand, knurl, drill and turn workpieces by exposing them to a stationary cutting tool.

Also known as a metal lathe, a metalworking lathe is a type of lathe that’s designed specifically for metal workpieces.

What types of metalworking lathes are available?

Metalworking lathes are often classed according to the type of work they do, or according to particular features on the lathe itself. For example, a benchtop lathe is any lathe small enough to be mounted to a support bench rather than mounted directly on the floor.

The two most common categories are engine lathes and turret lathes.

What is an engine lathe?

The original engine lathe was a lathe with a steam-powered engine, as opposed to a manually-powered lathe. Now that all lathes are motorized, the term “engine lathe” has become a synonym for “lathe.” An engine lathe is the stereotypical lathe found in small machine shops and hobbyist workshops.

Today, the term “engine lathe” refers to a typical lathe; small to medium-sized, horizontally mounted lathes with carriage, slide, and the other normal features.

What is a turret lathe?

Turret lathes are heavy-duty lathes that evolved from earlier lathes with the addition of the turret.The turret is an indexable toolholder that allows multiple cutting operations to be performed, each with a different cutting tool, in easy, rapid succession, with no need for the operator to perform set-up tasks in between (such as installing or uninstalling tools).

What is a CNC lathe?

Computer Numerical Control technology – CNC – allows operators to program an operation into the lathe and then execute it without direct manual control. CNC lathes are typically capable of greater accuracy, precision, and consistency than manually-operated lathes.

What are the parts of a lathe?

The basic parts of a lathe are the bed, headstock, tailstock, spindle, steady rest, and motor.

What is the bed?

The bed is a robust base that connects to the headstock and permits the carriage and tailstock to be moved parallel with the axis of the spindle.

What is the headstock?

The headstock houses the main spindle, speed change mechanism, and change gears. The workpiece is always fixed to the headstock, usually by a jawed chuck.

What is a lathe carriage?

In its simplest form the carriage holds the tool bit and moves it longitudinally (for turning operations) or perpendicularly (for facing operations) under the control of the operator.

What is a cross-slide?

The cross-slide rides on the carriage and has a feedscrew which travels at right angles to the main spindle axis.

Who uses a lathe?

Today, you’ll find lathes everywhere from fine woodworking shops to cutting-edge factory floors, serving different purposes but using the same principle; a spinning workpiece with a stationary cutting head.

Modern CNC lathes are the bedrock for many production lines and machine shops the world over. Lathes account for around a quarter of all new machine tool sales.

How are lathes sized?

In the US, you’ll find lathes described as “8 in. by 24 in.” lathes. The initial number refers to the largest diameter a workpiece can have and still be mounted above the bed. The second refers to the distance between headstock and tailstock, the maximum length of a workpiece mounted between centers.

In the UK, the initial number is sized differently; it refers only to the maximum radius, not diameter. An 8 by 24 lathe in the US would therefore be a 4 by 24 lathe in the UK.

What is the X axis of movement?

Lathes have at least two axes of movement: an X axis (forward/backward along the cross-slide), and Y (perpendicular to the X axis). Note that on a lathe, the workpiece itself doesn’t move; only the tool moves.

What operations can be performed on a lathe?

Not only can you turn, bore, grind, face and part off but with some slight modifications, you can also carry out milling jobs. Lathes are among the most versatile of the modern machine tools. In the hands of a skilled operator, a lathe can even be used to create all the parts necessary to make another machine tool like a milling machine.

Home > Metal Lathes

16″ Heavy Duty Metal Lathes

18″ & 20″ Metal Lathes

22″ Metal Lathes

20″, 24″, 28″ Metal Lathes

30″ Swing Metal Lathes

26″, 30″, and 33″ Big Hole Engine Metal Lathes

Big Swing Geared Head and Variable Speed Metal Lathes

42″ Hollow Spindle Oil Country Metal Lathes

Euro Hollow Spindle Oil Country Metal Lathes

47″, 55″, 63″ Big Swing Hollow Spindle Lathes

70″, 80″, 100″ Big Swing Metal Lathes

Smartcut Big Hole CNC Lathes

Smartcut Flatbed CNC Lathes

14” & 16″ Metal Lathes