Power Metal Lathe is a woodworking machine used to shape wood or other materials using a rotating abrasive tool. The woodworker controls the speed and direction of the power metal lathe, and the size and shape of the finished product. Power metal lathes come in a variety of sizes from personal to professional grade. The most common type of power metal lathe is the back-strap lathe, which is controlled by a strap attached to the operator’s hand or foot. Some of the renowned brands are Grizzly, Woodtek, Jet and Atlas.
Choosing the right power metal lathe is difficult as there are many factors to consider like size, shape, speed and price. To make it easier to find the exact power metal lathe you’re looking for, we rounded up the best power metal lathes on Amazon, according to thousands of customer reviews.
Check out our favorite power metal lathes in the list below, and keep reading for our buying guide.
Our Editor’s Best Power Metal Lathes Reviews
- Widely Used: Our metal lathe machine, measuring 8.3'' x 29.5'', is perfect for processing precision parts and models. It has a wide range of turning pitches that can create 24 different kinds of threads, including 14 metric system (ranging from 0.3-3mm) and 10 imperial system (ranging from 10-44 TPI) threads.
- Built to Last: Our power metal lathes are built to last with high-quality HT200 cast iron. They come equipped with wear-resistant and strong metal gears and aluminum alloy handwheels, ensuring a longer service life.
- 750W Brushless Motor: Our benchtop metal lathe features a 750W brushless motor that provides more power and avoids the need for brush replacements, saving time and effort.
- Continuously Variable: Features a spindle that can turn in both forward and reverse directions, with two-speed options: a high gear of 100-2500 rpm and a low gear of 50-1250 rpm. It also has intelligent electric speed controls and a digital display, allowing for accurate speed adjustments and making your work easier.
- Security Comes First: Our metal lathe machine has multiple security features in case of emergency, ensuring operator security. These include an emergency stop switch, overload protection, chuck cover power off switch, pulley set housing power off switch, and a main control panel security switch.
- Precise Engineering: Ideal for professionals, this power metal lathe's high-precision 4-inch 3-jaw chuck handles both square and round objects with equal aplomb. It's especially suitable for jobs requiring high accuracy, such as threading.
- Large Working Capacity: This metal working lathe cranks out 550W and handles small to medium projects. It provides a 7.09"/180mm swing over bed and 13.78"/350mm center distance so that you can manage more extensive projects.
- Upgrade Design: This small metal lathe uses metal gear instead of a nylon one. Aluminum handwheel can increase service life. Automatic power-off protection switch to make it safer. An extra LED lamp can help you finish processing in places with insufficient light.
- Complete Control: The lathe's rotational speed can be set from 50 to 2500rpm and monitored by the digital display; the well-crafted head and tailstocks, large through-hole, and 4-way tool post also contribute to providing greater control of your work.
- Professional Construction: 4-way quick change tool post can install 4 standard turning tools at the same time. You can adjust tool post forwards/backward by turn blade adjustors with accurate scales clockwise/anticlockwise.
- [Metric & Imperial] Switching between metric and imperial is no longer required by changing gears, Only need to operate through the panel, save a lot of time.
- [Gearless Design] New gearless design! Brand new belt drive! Lower noise, no longer need to change gears to adjust the processing thread, only need to operate on the panel, processing efficiency greatly improved!
- [Self-acting Feed] Self-acting feed design enables automatic feed speed adjustment from 0.01mm to 0.4mm, and can set self-acting feed speed through the panel, greatly improve the machining accuracy and efficiency.
- [Variable Speed] Spindle rotation speed is divided into two adjustable gears: 50-1250 rpm and 1250-2500rpm. Panel can observe the rotation speed in real time,which is convenient and flexible.
- [High Precision] The saddle handle, tailstock handle, and movable center feature precise metric scales for accurate and professional work in the Precision Metal Bench Lathe category.
- 7" x 14" Metal Lathe: Our metal lathe machine adopts external poly-V-belt drive technology. The output torque is increased by 3 times, up to 1:9, so you can turn 45# steel bar easily. With 20 mm / 0.79 in hole through spindle diameter, you can process all kinds of rotating surfaces and end faces of rotating bodies.
- 4-Speed Adjustment: The benchtop metal lathe adopts a 4-speed continuously variable function so that you can adjust spindle speed flexibly from 0 to 2200 rpm according to your demand. Intelligent electric control speed regulation and digital display equipment are more convenient for you to adjust and operate accurately.
- High Accuracy & Professionalism: The tailstock spindle features an MT2 taper with top-press thread quick-lock technology for user-friendly use without effort. The precision dial is provided in the tailstock handle so that you can work more accurately and professionally.
- Forward & Reverse Thread Turning: All gears of the power metal lathe are made of high-quality metal material, ensuring a longer service life. It can turn 18 types of imperial threads (12-52 T.P.I) in both forward and reverse.
- Security Comes First: The benchtop metal lathe has chuck cover disconnection protection, automatic overload protection, and an added circuit board protector to avoid high-speed reverse short circuits, which protects the security of the operator and the machine motor.
- Security Comes First: Our metal lathe machine has multiple security features in case of emergency, ensuring operator security. These include an emergency stop switch, overload protection, chuck cover power off switch, pulley set housing power off switch, and a main control panel security switch.
- Continuously Variable: Features a spindle that can turn in both forward and reverse directions, with two-speed options: a high gear of 100-2500 rpm and a low gear of 50-1250 rpm. It also has intelligent electric speed controls and a digital display, allowing for accurate speed adjustments and making your work easier.
- 750W Brushless Motor: Our benchtop metal lathe features a 750W brushless motor that provides more power and avoids the need for brush replacements, saving time and effort.
- Built to Last: Our power metal lathes are built to last with high-quality HT200 cast iron. They come equipped with wear-resistant and strong metal gears and aluminum alloy handwheels, ensuring a longer service life.
- Widely Used: Our metal lathe machine, measuring 8.3'' x 29.5'', is perfect for processing precision parts and models. It has a wide range of turning pitches that can create 24 different kinds of threads, including 14 metric system (ranging from 0.3-3mm) and 10 imperial system (ranging from 10-44 TPI) threads.
- 2 MT#3 dead centers (1 carbide tipped) � 1 MT#3 live center � 1 MT#5 - MT#3 sleeve � 1/2" drill chuck w/ MT#3 arbor
- Dimensions 51-3/4"H, 71-3/4"L, 30"W � Approximate shipping weight 1550lbs � 11" face plate
- Motor 2 HP, 110/220V, single-phase, 20/10 Amps, 60Hz, 1725RPM � Number of speeds 8 � Range of speeds 70-2000RPM
- Spindle bore 1-9/16" � Spindle nose taper MT#5 � Spindle nose D1-5 Camlock � D1-5 spindle nose (6 pin) � 1-9/16" spindle bore
- Swing over bed 14" � Swing over gap 19-3/4" � Swing over cross slide 8-3/4"
- Hi-power motor is adopted with all drive axes, maximum speed up to 12000 rpm, motor power supply is 144W;Input voltage/Current /Power: 12V/5A/60W;Input Voltage of Switch Power Supply:110V-240V
- The largest diameter of processed material: 50 mm. Adding intermediate blocks, it will enlarge the machining rotary diameter to 150mm;The length of processed material: 150mm;The chuck and collets is 1 to 6mm;X-axis slider travels: 150mm;Center height-75mm,center distance-150mm.
- Machine size:330mm*130mm*200mm;Bottom plate size:315mm*200mm*17mm;Machine Weight:4.22KG
- The motor case and headstock of all-metal machine tools is jointed completely. Main parts configure with metal structure and no plastic components in the whole machine body, such as motor box, headstock, hand wheels, slider, 3-jaw chunk/4-jaw chunk, turning tools clamping jaw, machine bed, gear, side cover, working table, connection piece, tailstock, countershaft, drive belt cover etc.
- Fan built-in motor is featured with Ultra-quiet & high rotary speed. That's special customized option for motor cooling & effective work.The most parts of machine tools are dealt with two surface treatment methods of electroplating and ink-jet anodized to make appearance more cleaning & glorious, lasting rust-proof. Machine bed is made of Europe standard T-type aluminum material, moving more precisely &smoothly.
- High-quality Accessories: Headstock, tailstock, long base, slider, motor fan blades, gears and connecting blocks are made of high-quality materials, with belt cover.
- POWERFUL MOTOR: Adopts motor with more powerful horsepower, and the motor box and the headstock are connected in structure.
- HIGH ACCURACY: The handwheel has 0.02mm accuracy scale line, which increases the accuracy of the lathe processing workpiece.
- HIGH EFFICIENCY: This motor speed is 12000rpm, and the lathe speed is reduced to 2000rpm when turning metal, efficient and .
- APPLICABLE MATERIALS: Suitable for processing wood, plastic, soft metal (gold, silver, copper, aluminum, etc.), organic glass, etc.
- 60W Powerful Motor: The micro lathe adopts a higher horsepower motor, which effectively improves work efficiency; The connection structure between the motor box and the spindle box is more stable, and the motor speed is 12000rpm; When turning metal, the lathe speed usually drops to 2000rpm/min;Fan built-in motor is featured with ultra-quiet
- Advantages: Most parts of the machine tool are treated with electroplating to make the appearance cleaner and more beautiful; The transformer has overcurrent,overvoltage,and overheating protection functions; The machine tool bed is made of Standard T-shaped aluminum material, which moves more accurately; The handwheel has 0.02mm accuracy scale line, which increases the accuracy of the lathe processing workpiece
- High-quality Accessories: Headstock, tailstock, long base, slider, motor fan blades, gears and connecting blocks are made of high-quality materials, with belt cover; The machine tool is equipped with 4x4mm lathe cutting tools made of high-quality high-speed steel material, which can process soft metals, non-ferrous metals, and precious metals
- Maximum Working Material Diameter: Approx. 100mm / 3.93inch; Z Axis Maximum Processing Material Length: Approx. 135mm / 5.3inch; Accuracy of process: 0.05mm; Z Axes Travel: Approx. 145mm / 5.7inch; X Axes Travel: Approx. 32mm / 1.3inch; Center Height: Approx. 50mm / 1.97inch; Center Distance: Approx. 135mm / 5.3 inch
- Suitable working material: Cutting and processing of soft wood, hard wood, integrated circuit boards, organic glass, plastic, soft metals like gold, silver, copper, aluminum, etc; and acrylic, foam materials EVA, and other materials
- Sturdy Iron Construction: The mini metal lathe bed is made of high grade iron. Equipped with nylon gears, this lathe machine is wear-resistant, durable, more accurate rotation and professional. Mini metal lathe power of motor: 550W. The full-length splashguard provides maximum protection.
- Infinitely Variable Speeds: Power metal lathes has large center distance 350mm(13.78") and swing over bed:180mm (7.09"),spindle bore: 21mm(0.82"). Variable speed from 50-2500 RPM. Forward and reverse in all speeds. Operate either manually or with the adjustable auto feed rate. Emergency stop buttom included.
- Accurate 3-Jaw Chuck: Mini metal lathe chuck, 3-jaw self-centering chuck, for setting cylindrical materials steadily. Backsplash guard included. Spindle is supported by precision tapered roller bearings, spindle accuracy within 0.01mm. A free lamp is included.
- Professional Compound Rest: The mini metal lathe quick change tool post can achieve positions of internal cutting, face cutting and bevel cutting by changing the tool post angle and adjusting the compound rest. Professional cross slide is designed with abrasive resistance, moving blades freely with feed rod.
- Wide Application: Driven by DC motor, this mini metal lathe cut off tool can be used in areas such as mini precision parts processing, sample processing and modeling works.
Best Power Metal Lathes Buying Guide
Before choosing the best power metal lathe you should consider following options:
1. Power Source: The first step in choosing a metal lathe is to determine the power source you want. Electric, diesel and gas are the three most common options.
Electric models typically have a maximum speed of 800-1,500 RPM, and are more affordable than other options. But they are also the noisiest and produce the most vibration.
Diesel models are the most powerful and have a maximum speed of 2,000-3,000 RPM. They also produce the least amount of vibration and noise. However, they are the most expensive option.
Gas-powered models typically have a maximum speed of 1,800-3,000 RPM and produce the least amount of vibration.
But you will have to buy gas and oil for them. They are also the second most expensive option. The first step in choosing the right power source is determining what your job requirements are.
If you will be cutting a lot of steel, then a diesel or gas model will be a better option. If you will mostly be woodworking, then an electric model will be a better option.
2. Tonnage: Tonnage refers to the mass that the lathe can hold while cutting. It also gives an idea of the maximum cutting diameter that the machine can hold.
A lathe with a higher tonnage will be more stable and can hold a larger work piece. A higher tonnage also means that the cutting tools will have to travel a shorter distance while cutting.
This leads to a lesser amount of heat being produced, which in turn leads to a longer tool life. The first step in determining the tonnage of a lathe is to calculate the mass of the largest work piece that you will be cutting.
You can then calculate the tonnage based on the mass and maximum cutting diameter. A common rule of thumb is to get a lathe with a tonnage that is at least 2-3 times the mass that you will be cutting.
3. Horsepower: Horsepower is the measurement of the torque or twisting force of a lathe. It is measured in kilo-newton meter (kNm) and is calculated by multiplying the RPM by the belt ratio.
A higher horsepower indicates that the machine will have a higher cutting capacity. It also indicates that the lathe will have a higher speed.
A higher horsepower also means that the cutting tools will have to travel a shorter distance while cutting, which leads to a lesser amount of heat being produced, and in turn a longer tool life.
A higher horsepower also indicates that the machine will be more powerful and can support longer work pieces. The first step in determining the horsepower of a lathe is to calculate the mass of the largest work piece that you will be cutting.
You can then calculate the horsepower based on the mass and maximum cutting diameter. A common rule of thumb is to get a lathe with a horsepower that is at least 2-3 times the mass that you will be cutting.
4. Spindle Speed: The speed at which the cutting tools rotate is called spindle speed. It is measured in RPM.
A higher spindle speed indicates a higher cutting capacity. It also leads to a lesser amount of heat being produced, and in turn a longer tool life.
A higher spindle speed also indicates that the machine will have a higher horsepower. The first step in determining the speed of the lathe is to calculate the mass of the largest work piece that you will be cutting
What else you should know about power metal lathes
1. What are the best power metal lathes?
The best power metal lathes are those that offer the most features and versatility. Some of the best power metal lathes on the market include the Jet JWL-1221VS, the Delta Industrial 46-460, and the Grizzly G0602. These lathes offer a variety of features that make them ideal for a variety of different applications.
2. What are the features of the best power metal lathes?
There is no definitive answer to this question as the best power metal lathes vary depending on the specific needs and preferences of the user. However, some of the features that are commonly considered to be important in a power metal lathe include a strong motor, a sturdy build, a large spindle bore, and a wide range of speed settings.
3. What are the benefits of using a power metal lathe?
Some benefits of using a power metal lathe include the ability to work with harder metals, greater precision, and increased speed and efficiency.
4. How do I choose the best power metal lathe for my needs?
There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on a variety of factors, including the specific needs of the user and the budget. However, some tips on choosing the best power metal lathe for your needs include considering the lathe’s capabilities (such as its maximum speed, power, and size), as well as its features (such as its chuck size and type, tool rest, and spindle). It is also important to read reviews of power metal lathes before making a purchase.
5. What are the top power metal lathe manufacturers?
The top power metal lathe manufacturers are Willis, Bolton, and Grizzly.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best power metal lathes. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best power metal lathes will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.