Can I use a drum/rotor lathe to shave my rim faces?
So I have 2 piece welded rims I am taking apart and converting into a 3 piece. The problem is, the back of the surface isn’t smooth enough to mount on my innr barrel. Therefore, I have a decent fairly expensive looking rotor cutting machine/lathe at my shop that I was wondering if I could use to shave my faces down to create a flat surface? Would I just need to change the cutting blades? My faces, I believe are aluminum.
I have done it before but I went to a machinest to have him shave down my faces, but he’s hard to get in contact with and pretty unreliable sometimes.
@mindbomb, i don’t know if your being sarcastic, what would break?
by the way, of course i searched google. my question is very rare which is why i posted here.
ive worked a lathe and cut a rotor before, just wondering if it would cut threw my rim face since its aluminum.
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Comments
well, you could look it up on google, but if you have the right mechanics, and you know how to use it, then go ahead. as long as you don’t mind too much about replacing any damaged pieces.
If the lathe was big enough, it would work.
Sounds like you have never operated the machine, so basically don’t touch it. It is easy to screw up if you don’t know what you are doing. If you damage the machine badly enough or hurt yourself, expect to be out of a job very quickly.
Just keep chasing after a machinist. There must be more than one where you live.
Using a machine tool like a lathe can be very dangerous if you dont know what you are doing. I would be more concerned that you would hurt yourself than you would damage the lathe, although either is a likely result. Also, you want to move on with your rim project.
One of four solutions:
1. Learn how to use the lathe correctly and then do it. People go to school for a long time to learn to be machinists. Might take too long.
2. Find someone who knows how to use the lathe in your shop correctly, and give them your lathe and the wheels to machine. Maybe they could show you how to work it correctly? Might have to buy them a little gift.
3. Go to your local auto parts stores and see what they will charge you to do the job. Most of them have to turn rotors and drums on a regular basis.
4. Call up other local machine shops and see what they will charge you to do the job.