Why are second-hand lathes a benefit for the machining workshop? Second-hand lathes are available as conventional machines (such as engine lathes and vertical lathes, among others) and with computer numerical control, the most advanced technology in the metalworking industry.
What are second-hand lathes?
Lathes are very versatile machine tools capable of a range of machining processes. On a lathe you can groove, thread, drill, perform cylindrical turning, machine conical and spherical surfaces, and more. It all depends on the type of lathe you choose, as the metalworking industry offers a wide range of these machine tools.
There are engine or mechanical lathes, which are very basic machines. There are also copy lathes, vertical and automatic lathes, and even computer numerical control (CNC) lathes.
Second-hand or used lathes can do the same work as a brand-new machine, but at a lower price. Buying second-hand machinery means considerable savings and an investment that is easier to pay off.
Operations on second-hand lathes
A lathe, new or used, can perform a wide range of work. The workpiece is held in the machine's head or chuck and rotates about its own axis. As the workpiece rotates, the cutting tool, mounted on a carriage, approaches the surface of the workpiece with a controlled feed movement.
Turning is a metal-cutting process, meaning that excess material is removed from the surface of a metal part in the form of chips. But lathes can do more than shape a part until it has the required characteristics: depending on the lathe you choose, they can carry out many other tasks.
Lathes can produce grooves (grooving) and holes (drilling), form internal and external threads (threading), perform cylindrical turning to create parts of that geometric shape, and finish conical or spherical surfaces. They can also be used for roughing, facing and knurling various parts.
Not all lathes can perform the same work, and you may in fact need more than one machine tool to machine your parts. That is why, before choosing a second-hand lathe, it is essential to know what operations will be carried out on the machine, what kind of parts will be machined and what material they are made of.
Conventional or CNC used lathes?
Today you can also find second-hand lathes that feature computer numerical control technology. New machines with this technology are much more expensive than used ones. This is because CNC lathes include an electronic component that makes them more expensive than conventional lathes (engine lathes, copy lathes and so on).
CNC lathes include a computer that runs on an alphanumeric language based on letters, numbers and symbols. A design of the part has to be loaded onto this computer. The design is created on external computers using dedicated software such as CAD and CAM. So why invest in a second-hand CNC lathe?
Bought new, these machines come at a much higher price than conventional lathes. The investment is significant, but if the lathe is used to its full potential, it is possible to recoup the initial investment over time. A used CNC lathe, however, will be much cheaper and offer the same benefits as a brand-new one. With computer numerical control, processes are automatic, and you save on production costs, lead times and labour, since a single operator can run several CNC machines at once.
Finally, work done on a CNC lathe is more precise than on conventional machines. This machine can also carry out several operations in a single process: turning, drilling, cylindrical turning and so on. You will not need more than one lathe, nor will you have to stop the machine to change the cutting tool or reposition the part.
Advantages of second-hand lathes
Whether you choose a conventional or a CNC second-hand lathe, what matters is that either type offers major advantages for the machining workshop. Second-hand lathes are much cheaper than new machines and are sold fully reconditioned, that is, tested and with any faults corrected.
If you buy from a leading company in the sector, you can obtain quality guarantees and technical service for the machine's preventive maintenance, inspections, installation and more. You can often even get machines with extra tools and accessories for a minimal price, which you would have to buy separately with a new lathe.
Second-hand lathes are always available for immediate delivery. You can visit the warehouse, choose the lathe that best suits you and take it to your workshop straight away. New machines usually take weeks or even months to be delivered.