Choosing Between a Big Swing Lathe and a Standard Lathe: Which Is Right for Your Shop

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Have you been looking for a lathe selection guide? At Summit, we’re here to help. Here is an industrial lathe comparison to help you make the best choice for your needs. When you’re looking for a lathe for your shop, there are some questions to ask yourself before you commit to a specific one. The first being, what kind of work will you be doing, and how big are the pieces you will be turning? This one question will tell you if you need a big swing lathe vs a standard lathe. Lucky for you, at Summit we have both and a knowledgeable staff to help you find just what you’re looking for. 

In order to understand big swing lathes vs standard lathes, you first have to understand swing. All lathes have a swing measurement. Big swing lathes have a larger than average swing so understanding the size swing you need is vital to choosing the right lathe.

Swing:

When talking about lathes, the term “swing” refers to the maximum diameter of material that can be turned in the spindle without hitting the bed of the lathe or being obstructed by the lathe carriage, and the distance between centers. This diameter determines the size of lathe you need.

Big swing lathes:

Big swing lathes are heavy-duty industrial lathes built to handle large, heavy workpieces. Industries like mining, oil, shipbuilding, and power utilities use these types of lathes for their rigidity and heavy-duty construction. 

This is an image of a big swing lathe, and for those that are familiar with standard lathes, you can tell just by looking at the image that this lathe has a huge amount of swing. For those that are less familiar, if you look where the material will be turned, this big swing lathe has a larger than average distance from that point to the bed of the lathe. Some of the key factors of a big swing lathe can make all the difference when comparing it with a standard lathe. 

Heavy construction:

Big swing lathes are built and designed to be rock solid. With cast iron bases that are heavily ribbed for rigidity and vibration dampening.

High accuracy:

Extra-wide bed ways are hardened and precision-ground to provide high accuracy and long life. The bed is also constructed from high-grade alloyed cast iron, normalized and aged to achieve maximum stability.

Heavy-duty components:

Big swing lathes have more powerful spindle drives, larger, more robust spindle bearings, and heavy-duty headstocks. Giving them the ability to handle the stress of making larger parts.

Large spindle bore:

Many big swing lathes feature large hollow passageways through the spindle to allow for longer workpieces to be fed through the headstock. 

Now that you know the key elements of a big swing lathe, let’s go over some of the different categories of big swing lathes. 

Big swing lathes are categorized by their construction, control type, and specific applications. The two most common big swing lathes are horizontal and vertical lathes, referring to the direction the material is loaded into the machine. We won’t spend much time on vertical lathes because they are very specialized lathes. Horizontal big swing lathes are extremely versatile and can perform many different operations in small shops and bigger shops alike.

Horizontal big swing lathes:

Horizontal big swing lathes are available in manual control and computer numerical control (CNC). With a manual control, a human machinist can create workpieces for smaller-scale operations. 

With a CNC control, high-precision and automated operations for a wide range of tasks are available. When it comes to CNC controls, operations like contouring are simple to program and can make calculating cycle times more exact. The difference between this type of big swing lathe and a full CNC machine is the open construction, and it is usually not equipped with a rotating tool turret. 

Just a step above the big swing lathe with a CNC control is the CNC turning center. Turning centers are advanced and have several different configurations, and include a turret for holding multiple tools. These machines provide multiple automated operations on a single workpiece. 

Standard lathes:

If you have ever been in a woodworking shop or a metalworking shop, chances are you have seen some sort of standard lathe. Standard lathes come in several different sizes and swings and are very versatile in the work they can do. Some examples of industries that use standard lathes are aerospace, automotive, and general manufacturing.

This is an image of a standard lathe. When looking at standard lathes, keep in mind the diameter and length of the workpieces you will be turning in the spindle. The size of the lathe is determined by the swing and the distance between centers. We have already talked about swing, but the distance between centers is the distance between the headstock and the tailstock. This distance will tell you the maximum length your workpiece can stick out of the spindle. 

For example, a standard lathe that is 12”×36” has a 12-inch maximum diameter or swing and a 36-inch distance between centers or maximum length. 

The term “standard lathe” refers to any lathe smaller than the big swing lathes that we have already mentioned above. Big swing lathes typically have a swing of over 36 inches and a distance between centers up to several meters. So standard metalworking lathe types can be separated into these three categories:

Mini or Benchtop Lathes: 

The mini or benchtop size lathe typically has a swing of 6 to 12 inches and a distance between centers of 12 to 24 inches. This size lathe is optimal for small parts, educational purposes, and hobbyists. This lightweight lathe can be mounted on top of a workbench or put on a stand.

Engine Lathes or General-Purpose Lathes:

The engine or general-purpose lathe has a swing of 12 to 20 inches and a distance between centers of 36 to 72 inches. These types of lathes are common in machine shops and small metalworking shops. Engine lathes can handle a wide range of small to medium-sized parts. 

Medium to Large Lathes:

Medium to large lathes have a swing of 20 to 36 inches and a distance between centers of 60 to 120 inches. Medium and large lathes are used for heavier or larger diameter parts in the industrial, automotive, and aerospace industries. 

Big swing lathe vs Standard lathe:

Now that we have gone over these different metalworking lathe types, we can do a side-by-side industrial lathe comparison to see what is better for your shop.

Big swing lathes are the heavy-duty industrial machines that have a big work envelope and can accommodate massive workpieces. These lathes are extremely rigid in their construction and are capable of doing delicate work on large parts. 

Standard lathes come in several different sizes and are extremely versatile in the different jobs they can do. The swing of a standard lathe may vary, but as long as you know the typical size of material you will be working with, a standard size lathe may just be what you’re looking for. 

With all that said, when considering a big swing lathe vs standard lathe, the people here at Summit are your lathe selection guides to get you what you’re looking for. No matter the lathe you need, Summit Machine Tool has the information and products to help you feel confident you’re getting the best lathe for what you need.