time for a lathe?
 

okay i need to buy a comm lathe! my limit is 180$ and i would like to get one that comes with everything, drive motor, battery, blade...everything i need to get going all i need to do as throw the arm and start cutting, any ideas????

http://www.hudy.net/xhudy/products/p...0&kategoria=61

thats the one i want it comes with everything exept a bit, is it any good, i think its 144

I have this, http://www.hudy.net/xhudy/products/p...8&kategoria=61

Works great. Combine that with a McMaster Carr carbide bit and your golden. Unfortunately this is over your price limit so I guess your choice is a good fit.

John

Re: time for a lathe?
 

The lathe is one of the most important tools a serious R/C racer could own. Either one of the HUDY lathes would be a good choice. I recently purchessed The single belt lathe 155.95 from speedtech and got a diamond bit off E-bay for 49.00> The lathe cuts like glass beutiful cuts. Over the years I have had the Cobra lathe and a integy XIPP and niether one compares to the Hudy. So I say spend the extra money and get something good and you wont regret it :D

You might find a Twister Lathe on Ebay. It is the first real lathe out their and even after all these years very few lathes can match these in performance. Normally can find them from 75 to 150 bucks. Mine is 14 years old and cuts just like the day it was new.

i have a 3racing lathe and a 3racing carbide tool...lathe is $100 and the tool is $10.

just get a spare tool and your setup, only disadvantage is you have you solder your own wires on, and its damn hard trying to solder inside the little hole in the base:(

Yep twister lathes are amazing, i've got one, i bought it second hand and now it's with its 3rd person (me :D ), one of the best bits of kit i've got :nod:

Chazz

I am running the same Hudy Lathe with McMaster carbide bits as John Fontaine and it is sweet. I had a Twister and the Hudy is just a little bit smoother. I also bought a Hudy diamond bit with my lathe and it never quite cut right. My carbides are sweet and cheap. Just take a diamond file to them after every 5th motor and good as new.

i think i will go ahead with that hudy system and a carbide bit, anyone know a site where i can order both of those? i thought i would be able to order it off tower and take advantage of some coupons but they dont sell lathes :mad:
\m/

I was working for a hobby shop at the time so I ordered my lathe direct form Serpent USA.

I buy my bits from mcmaster.com

p/n 3367a131 for the bit $3.18

8168a33 for the diamond file to sharpen the bit it you dont have one. $23.06

i just got two bits today from mcmaster both are the 3367a131 bits, but when i looked at them closer it looked like the cutting edge was to the side and not at the tip where the bit would make contact with the comm? the site describes the bit as "Styles AR & AL -8° lead-angle straight turning tools for turning, boring, facing, and chamfering with cutting edge parallel to tool shank."?

and when the bit is in the lathe just the very tip touches the comm not the whole front of the tip because it has a slight angle to it is this rite? and if anyone knows of a rc website that i can get cheap bits off of please let me know, ineed a site that sells only one type of comm lathe bit so thiers no question wether or not its the right one. thanks

I like my Pro-com 2000 lathe (cobra). It was $100 new. Plus I have an endless supply of carbide bits :D

Only the very tip (point) of the bit touches the com.

Yeah, just the tip touches the comm. The flat part of the cutting tip goes down making the point of the tip on the left side of the bit. When you start up the lathe, use a sharpie or other felt marker to blacken the whole comm. Now line up the bit just in from the top of the comm.

Screw the bit toward the comm slowly until it just touches the comm. Stop and turn off the drive motor. Line the bit up with one of the comm slots and move the bit out past the top of the comm. Turn the drive motor on and slowly move the bit across the comm. You want to cut the whole surface of the comm but don't hit the tabs. Stop the drive motor and line the bit up with a slot, and then move the bit back up past the top. Turn on the drive motor, reblacken the comm with the marker, turn the bit in one notch and go again. Rinse and repeat until after a pass all the black is gone.

It is common for the bit to not touch the middle of the comm on the first few passes. When you make your first pass and get down to the bottom of the comm, you will want to set the stop with the screw to the left of the carriage.

Hope this helps. I will get some pics up tonight after class so you can confirm how the bit is set up.

yes:nod: i get it!!! and pics would be really great but thanks for all the help!