CNC Lathes or machines are highly sophisticated pieces of woodwork equipment. The lathes can be used to bore, grind, drill and make screw threads. In addition, some modifications can be made on a lathe to convert it into a milling machine or a shaper with the ability to produce flat surfaces. Also, the CNC lathe can be used to make the most precise circular wooden components required in a workshop.

Buying CNC Lathes in Australia
In the 1980s, it was very hard to find lathes especially on the Australian market. If you got lucky and found one, the prices were likely to be prohibitive. Fortunately, it is much easier to find lathes of all sizes on the Australian market today. Although the prices are high in relation to the earning generated by the lathes, the cost is still lower than before.

Considerations Before Buying
Size: Lathes come in different sizes. The lathes are measured using the centre height. Ideally the bigger the lathe, the better it is.

Lathe Capacity: You should consider the production demand in your workshop before buying a lathe. Using a midgrade CNC router to perform commercial grade production will only lead to a premature “death” of the machine. Conversely, under-utilizing a high performance lathe amounts to wastage of resources.

Best Deals: You should shop around for the best deals. You can shop on the Internet since most of the stores have established web portals to sell their products.
New Machine vs Used Machine
You need to decide on whether to buy a new machine or a used one. Buying a new machine comes with its own perks and warranties. However, you may also find it worthwhile to invest in a used lathe. A used lathe offers buyers with a cheaper way of getting to own lathes in Australia. Ideally before finally making the purchase of a used Lathe, the buyer should get as much documentation on the machine as possible.

To Make vs to Buy
Buying a lathe costs a good sum of money. If you happen to have the money readily available with you, buying would be the best option. However, if you have the time and patience to learn and to make your own low-cost CNC machine, you can do it as well. The home-made CNC machine can be made using pieces of equipment found in most households. To make this machine, you will have to dedicate your time to acquire the necessary machinery skills and use these skills to complete the project at hand.