Which to buy first, a lathe or a mill? It’s a tough question for the aspiring home machinist with limited funds to spend on machine tools, but of course the correct answer is a lathe.

[Makercise] is fast approaching the end of his lathe build. We’re not certain if he’ll move onto the Shaper, mill, drill press, brake, etc. after finishing the lathe, but we’re hopeful.

This project showcases basic 3D milling and lathe operations along with advanced processes such as multi axis milling and live tooling using the lathe. The design of this project is a more ...