The Taig Lathe

Nick Carter's Taig Lathe and Milling Machine Pages

Welcome to my pages devoted to the Taig Lathe and Taig Milling Machines! I have been using Taig equipment in my own shop for over fourteen years and I am an enthusiastic fan of the Taig Lathe and Milling Machines (both the manual and CNC versions), their economy, capability and over all style. The Taig Micro Lathe and Taig Micro Mill are especially good if you are a novice to metalworking, and seek to learn the basics without a large investment of money and space. These pages are a useful resource for all Taig Lathe and Milling Machine users, with technical support, project ideas, articles, pictures and links to all pages on the internet. 

Updated March 1st, 2024

Table of Contents

• Taig Lathe Taig Micro Lathe Information and Specifications.
• Taig Mill Taig Milling Machine Information and Specifications.
• Current Taig Price List   
  • Descriptive catalog with pictures
  • Spare Parts Price List
  • Some Package Options
  • "What do I Need" Questionnaire
  • Ordering, Contact and Shipping information.
• Pictures Pictures of the Taig lathe and Taig mill, projects and modifications by Taig users, pictures of my shop.
• Nick's Taig Lathe and Milling Machine Blog An annex of this website with news, pictures and projects that will also be posted here plus other odd stuff.
• Taig Articles Articles About the Taig lathe, Tips and Accessory Drawings.  
• Jose Rodriguez Articles on the Taig and 7x10 lathes by Jose Rodriguez.
• Taig Users Taig User Web Page Links.  
• Taig Links Links to other Taig related sites.
• Aftermarket Taig, Machine Shop Products and Books which I sell 
• Reviews Metalworking Product and Book Reviews
• General Links Other related metalworking links: 
  • Other Manufacturers Lathes, General Lathe Information 
  • CNC, CAD, CAM Links 
  • General Machining Information, Links and Instruction 
  • Machine Shop, Tool and Material Suppliers 
  • Mailing Lists, Web Based Discussion Groups, Usenet Groups 
  • Books and Magazines.  
• Links to our non-metalworking pages, blogs, email, etc.
• Our Jewelry on Etsy
• Search This Site With Google

Articles About the Taig, Tips, and Accessory Drawings

Articles on the Taig Lathe:

• Assembling the Taig Lathe Kit K1019, Latest Version (March 21st, 2012)
• Assembling and Lapping the Taig Lathe Kit K1019 Old Version (February 28th, 2005)  
• First year with a Taig Lathe I wrote an article after my first year with the Taig detailing all the changes and improvements I made in my first year of ownership.
  
• Motor Suppliers Here are some places to get cheap motors for the Taig lathe (February 24th, 2003)
• Took your 3 Jaw Chuck apart for cleaning and now you can't get it back together? (October 2nd, 2003)
• Truing work in the 1030 4 jaw independent chuck. (April 13th, 2004)
• Making a Universal Expanding Ring Mandrel from the 1132 blank arbor. (July 7th, 2005)
• Making a Replacement Dishwasher Basket Wheel on the Taig Lathe (January 14th, 2006)
• Keith Brooke's "A Thread Cutting Attachment for the Taig Lathe" (January 30th, 2006)
• Modifying the #1190 Steady Rest to Use Ball Bearings. (June 6th, 2006)
• Three Methods of Aligning the Taig Tailstock (September 21st, 2006)
• Turning Between Centers on the Taig Lathe. (September 21st, 2006)
• The Taig Toolbit Set, examples of use with notes. (November 9th, 2006)
• An Auxilliary Dead Center for the Taig Lathe, By Keith Brooke (January 8th, 2007)
• Zero Adjustable Dials with Rotating Handles for the Taig Lathe, By Keith Brooke (January 8th, 2007)
• Cross-Slide Table Modifications, By Keith Brooke (October 21st, 2007)
• Making a Replacement Breech Bolt Screw for a Crosman 150 CO2 Pistol (November 17th, 2007)
• An Index Plate for the Taig Lathe, By Keith Brooke (March 1st, 2008)
• Making Plastic Front Aperture Sight Inserts on the Taig Lathe (March 1st, 2008)
• Making a Barrel Band/Pivot Plug for a Custom Crosman 1377 Pistol (March 30th, 2008)
• Rob Kuhlman's Taig Lathe Jackshaft (April 2nd, 2009)
• Keith Brooke's PDF on Sharpening Toolbits (843K)(May 21st , 2009)
• A look at the Prototype Taig Power Feed. Now available as either a new lathe or retrofit kit, see the price list. (December 18th, 2009)
• Keith Brooke's PDF on his method of  "Free Hand Turning on the Taig Lathe"  (January 7th, 2010) 
• Use of the 1210 Radius Turner (May 5th, 2010)
• Using the Taig Lathe as a Cutoff Saw (October 26th, 2010)
• Cue Lathe FAQ (March 28th, 2011)
• 10 Minute Motor Mount (March 15th, 2012)
• An Analysis of Various Taig Lathe Motor Drives by Keith Brooke (March 21st, 2012)
• Using the 1022 Motor Mount to mount the 1021W motor to the 1023 mounting board. (March 21st, 2012)
• Kim Toll's Plans for a Dividing Head for the Taig Lathe (.pdf) (March 20th, 2013)

Articles on the Taig Manual and CNC Milling Machines:

• Some notes and pictures about setting up the Taig Milling Machine (July 1st, 2003)
• Some notes and pictures about setting up the Taig Milling Machine V2 (February 13th, 2006)
• Your ER Collet Nut is OK The little ring inside the ER collet nut is supposed to be eccentric. (September 19, 2013)
• About the CNC Stepper Motor Mounts (April 29th, 2004)
• Greg Miller sent this photographic article on adjusting the backlash in the Taig CNC Mill nuts. (December 1st, 2004)
• Faking a 4th axis on your 3 axis Taig CNC mill (June 8th, 2004)
• Some notes on my mill coolant system Frankenstein himself couldn't have put together a better system! (May 29th, 2003)
• An improved motor mount for the Taig milling machine. (July 27th, 2005)
• Some pictures and notes on The new ER spindle and new headstock housing (August 23rd, 2005)
• A Magnetic Spindle Stop for the ER16 Taig Milling Machine Spindle. (February 15th, 2005)
• 3D Toolpath Milling with the Taig CNC Milling Machine (March 10th, 2006)
• Tom Benedict Builds a Relay Box for His Taig CNC Mill (March 23rd, 2006)
• A Sherline Rotary Table to Taig Milling Machine Right Angle Adapter (April 8th, 2006)
• A Dado Jig for the Router (May 18th, 2006)
• Modifying a Taig handcrank to mount on a stepper shaft. (May 18th, 2006)
• Some Notes on Belt Alignment on the Taig Milling Machine (January 24th, 2007)
• Greg Miller shows how to disassemble the Taig Milling Machine leadscrew bearing assembly. (March 30th, 2007)
• The Involute Curve, Drafting a Gear in CAD and Applications (April 27th , 2007)
• Experiments in Machining Jewelry on the Taig CNC Milling Machine (June 12th, 2007)
• Making Model Engine Flywheels on a CNC Milling Machine (July 23rd, 2007)
• Digitizing Kanji for Milling (September 1st, 2007)
• Extending the Taig Y Axis, By Thomas Burgin. (April 22nd, 2008)
• Making a Dial Travel Indicator Mount for my 10K South Bend Lathe [I used my Taig mill] (January 17th, 2009)
• Cutting Steps in the Taig Vise Jaws (April 2nd, 2009)
• Keith Brooke's PDF on Making a Boring Head for the Taig Mill (5.52MB)(May 21st , 2009)
• The Taig 2035ER boring Head  (October 20th, 2009) 
• Taig Mill X Axis Travel Stops (April 1st, 2010) 
• An Adapter Plate that allows the use of a manual handcrank with the Sherline CNC ready rotary table. (Or any Nema23 mount...) (August 23rd, 2011)
• On Countersinking by Keith Brooke  (April 18th, 2014)
• Tuning The Toolmaker's Screwless Vise by Keith Brooke   (April 18th, 2014)
• Greg Miller's pictures of the y-axis mill extension as html page. (January 18th, 2018)
  

Tips on the Taig Lathe and Milling Machines and Accessory Drawings:

• Link to Taig Tips I hope that others will submit tips, tricks and lengthy how to articles for posting on these pages (April 6th, 2006)
  (a lot of tips are contained in the pictures section, as well.)
• Plans for holder Drawings for a simple boring bar holder for the Taig lathe
• Motor mount A crude sketch of a useful motor mount I use on the Taig lathe.
• 3 Pages of CAD Drawings of my Knurling Tool for the Taig lathe, and pictures all on one page now.(October 2nd, 2003)
• Richard Crook drew up the Taig lathe and some of his accessories in Rhino. (zip file of a .3dm rhino file and text)
• Richard Crook drew up the Taig Mill and some of his accessories in Rhino. (zip file of a .3dm rhino file)
• Dan Corrigan converted Rich's model of the Taig Lathe into a Sketchup file. (December 13,2014)

Taig User Web Page Links

New Sites Start Here

• Jose Rodriguez (Dead Link) has a site that keeps growing and growing, truly a master of small shop equipment!
  I also have a number of his articles here: Jose Rodriguez
• Bob Urso has a website of his miniature firearms, most are made with the help of Taig equipment.
• Alan Pinkus (Dead Link) now has a page about his Taig
• Jim Eckman (Dead Link) has a webpage about his Taig.
• Trever Talbert (Dead Link) has pages on his methods of pipe making with the Taig lathe.
• Tony Jeffree has written some of the best "how-to" articles on making accessories for the Taig, appearing in "Model Engineer's Workshop" and "Projects in Metal" magazines. On his page are articles on a "Comprehensive set of dividing accessories for use with the Peatol/Taig lathe and mill", "An earlier and simpler dividing head for the Peatol/Taig micro lathe", and "A Leadscrew for the Peatol/Taig lathe".
• Steven Noll (Wayback) has a great page on his glassblowing lathe made out of Taig parts. (Wayback machine link, his site now seems dead)
• Al Schoepp uses Gecko drivers on his CNC mill
• Rainnea Graphics has a great site on their Taig CNC conversions.
• Steve Blackmore's Taig Mill (Dead Link) His CNC mill in the UK.
• Tyler Lane Pipes has pictures of his shop, with Taig.
• Peter Homann has just started his informative Australian Taig site. He also sells an upgrade board for the Taig CNC Mill
• JAGWAL (Dead Link) (Just a Guy with a Lathe) uses a Taig for his pipes.
• Vlad Krupin's (Dead Link) Taig Lathe page (also see his blog)
• James Steven's (Dead Link) Company is Creative Modeling and Prototyping, and they use a Taig mill.
  
• Sheldon Stokes has a page about his CNC driver box. See also: pictures and movies of the Taig , and home alignment tools
  
• Ron Thompson has a site up about his CNC work (he will be adding Taig stuff soon I hope)
• Wil Heitritter has some good pictures of his Taig mill and projects
  
• Fred Wilder's friend, Fast Karl the Robot's pages (Dead Link) (Fast Karl was made with the Taig!)
  
• "Team Tier" uses a Taig mill for their robots.
  
• M.R. Field's Model Car scratchbuilding w/ Taig lathe pictures (Dead Link) (I just came across it using Google, I think it's Martin Field? he has 2 pics in the Pictures section.)
  
• Paul Breed's page on cutting balsa wing spars with the Taig mill.
  
• Michael Martin used a Taig to make parts for his locomotive.
• Steve's Pipe Smoking Page (Dead Link) has many pictures of his Taig lathe making pipes and his Taig lathe CNC conversion.
  
• Pancerney Custom Cues (Dead Link) has a picture of his Taig CNC mill used on cutting cue inlays.
  
• Per Tidemann's Taig Lathe pages (Dead Link) He uses his Taig for his wireless R/C video hobby.(check out his pages on that subject too!)
• Amateurrocket.net (Dead Link) uses an old Taig lathe.
  
• Frankie Flood's Pizza Cutters made with a Taig lathe.(also on the pictures page)  He now has a blog.
  
• Alex Holden's Taig Milling Machine Pictures (Dead Link)
• Chris Abbott's Model Railroad blog
• Dan Kautz's Hobbyists Machine Shop - (Dead Link) New pages on the Taig CNC Mill
  
• GarE Maxton prototyped very cool puzzles on his Taig.
• Peter Tucker (Dead Link) makes whole miniature rooms with the aid of his Taig lathe and milling machine
• Miche Meizner makes her fine jewelry with the aid of a Taig lathe.
• Glenn Greico at the Ship Model Shop (Dead Link) of the Nautical Archaeology Program Texas A&M uses a Taig CNC milling machine. (see his homepage here with more stuff)
• Jim Lewis has a new page up on his Taig Lathe Mods.
• Mike Estee has a photoset on Flickr showing his portable disco ball built with the aid of a Taig mill. (also see "Studio Pr0n")
• Aaron Toney (Dead Link) has a page on his Taig lathe.
• Ron Cole (Dead Link) bought a Taig CNC mill to build molds for his model caboose line.
• Peter Jensen makes these Nixie Tube Clocks with his Taig.
  
• Greg McFadden has Taig Mill reports on his blog.
  
• Zsolt Szekely makes rings with his Taig lathe.
• Carbotron (Dead Link) just bought a Taig mill to make Carbon Fiber Molds.
• Rob Tukham (Dead Link) does beautiful miniture turnings with his Taig lathe.
  
• Ballbots (Dead Link) converted a Harbor Freight Gear drive mini mill to Taig belt drive.
• Kyle Weems' Yo-yos, prototyping done on the Taig
• Forrest Atkinson (Dead Link) has videos of his projects on YouTube.
• Jenaro Rodriguez has a blog about his adventures with the Taig lathe.
• Ken Kelley (Dead Link) has tons of pictures (KMG folders) of his building a belt grinder with the Taig mill and lathe
• Brickarms just bought a Taig mill for mold prototypes of their aftermarket Lego weapons.
  
• Chris Ghent (Dead Link) makes his concertinas with the help of his Taig.
• Steve Ciciora's (Dead Link) Solder Dispenser and Pick and Place with the Taig
• New Rail Models (Dead Link) uses a Taig for making prototype injection molds, also see this fascinating forum thread.
  
• Jeremy Fix (Dead Link) uses his Taig for control knobs and such on his amplifiers and radios
• Dean Williams has a great page on his Taig lathe and mill and various projects.
  
• J.R. Bentley has a great set of pages on his models and his beautiful Taig Lathe with which he made the models.
  He has a new set of pages up here as well with his more recent projects.
  
• John Bear Ross has a page about using his Taig CNC mill to prototype his wargaming miniatures
• Niels Jalling (Dead Link) has a new page up about his Taig/Peatol lathe which he uses for his excellent miniture work.
• David Robertson (Dead Link) has a page up on converting a Taig Mill to variable speed
• Eugene   Sargent's (Dead Link) Orrery, made with a Taig CNC mill. Amazing!
  
• Peter Zicha's Taig Youtube Videos
  
• BlMartech's Taig Youtube Videos
  
• NJM Solutions (Dead Link) uses a Taig for their design and prototype work.
• Johnny's Taig Lathe (Dead Link)
• Frets on the Net uses a Taig Mill for their awesome custom guitar parts.
  
• Del Ogren's homepage
  
• Matt Shumaker's E-bike project built with his Taig Mills
• "Luke Vader" Flickr Set of his Taig Lathe
• Matt Wellhouser just got a Taig to work on his models.
• Michael Guslick has a blog now, some of his posts show his Taig projects. He also runs a paintball gun business.
• Patrick O'Keefe's Blog has Taig projects.
• Dennis Schissler's blog shows his awesome digital clock built with the help of the Taig CNC mill.
• Wei Terk Mok's CNC page shows off his Taig modifications, also check out the jewelry he makes with the mill.
• Precision Workshop has a nice picture of a heavily modified taig lathe.
  
• Ken Ferrell, (Dead Link) Woodchuck Tools, sells woodturning tools made on his Taig mill.
• John Devost's (Dead Link) puzzles and pens for sale.
• Athena Inlay (Dead Link) just got a Taig CNC mill.
• Adam Collins started a blog about his adventures with a Taig Mill.
• Andy Rawson has a blog about robotics and his Taig Mill.
• Inform Lightworks uses a Taig for prototyping
• Sonny Monicou's (Dead Link) Blog has many posts about his Taig mill
• Bob Smith (Dead Link) makes many different products for sale on his Taig Mill
• Des Bromilow's Blog often has ietms of Taig interest.
• Lewis Hein's (Dead Link) Taig and Machining Pages.
• ZenToolworks Forum post by Sparky (Dead Link) Inexpensive Taig Based 4th Axis.
• Leon Heller's Taig Lathe Page  (Dead Link)
• Rob Hopeless' Blog with many Taig mill projects.
• David Underwood's Taig Mill and Home Shop Machining pages.
• Ed Miller's Taig Lathe Modifications, including a duplicator modification.
• Matthew Baker's CNC Router with Taig Z-axis modification.
• D.M. Pipes (Dead Link) Pipemaking tutorial using the Taig lathe
• Megatastic Funatorium, (Dead Link) many projects made using a Taig mill.
• Metaltronics uses a Taig headstock as a mill 4th axis to make gears.
• Technitoys Taig Lathe Page.
• Justin Young (Dead Link) uses a Taig Lathe in his woodwind instrument repair business.
• Anni Shades (Dead Link) uses a Taig mill to make wooden eyewear (see this youtube video).
• Chalupy Acres Blog uses a Taig lathe.
• Ben Katz used found Taig parts to make a cool metal lathe.
• The Roller Coaster Project uses a Taig CNC Mill.
• Brian Huffaker powered his Taig lathe with a foot treadle.
• John Wall's (Dead Link) Photobucket and Flikr accounts have many pictures of his A10C Warthog cockpit that used the Taig mill extensively (50 pcbs, 30 panels, etc)
• Spencer Stromberg uses a Taig cnc mill every day for my side business cutting plastic house numbers.
• Douglas Jones projects with the Taig lathe
• 3D Printed Taig Lathe Threading Attachment on Thingiverse by "shane77m"
• Lewis Balentine's Taig Microlathe II drawings and projects.
• Andy Vickers Taig related blog posts, especially his limit switch post!
  

Other Taig Links

• Taig Tools Your source for official Taig information. Their CNC Division is Microproto.
• Taig has a new website showing how they make some of their parts as well as details on their new powerfeed design.
• Video on Youtube from Taig Tools showing adjustments and setup as well as some products in development.
• Taigtools groups.io, now that Yahoo is limiting their yahoogroups and deleting old files, we have moved the yahoogroup to groups.io A mailing list dedicated to the Taig.
  
• Peatol Need to buy a Taig lathe in the UK and Europe? The Taig is sold as the "Peatol" there. For the CNC mills, try the Model Engineer's Digital Workshop.
• The Taig Lathe Tony Jeffree's Taig Lathe Book, New Edition, for 2020! Available in softback or for Kindle (Amazon link).
• Supertech is the company that produces the Supercam software used on the Taig CNC mills. They have a series of web pages on their CNC conversions of the Taig and other machine tools as well.
• Lee Valley Tools Have a beautiful two page spread of the Taig in their latest catalog. They manufacture wood turning rests and spur centers for the Taig in their own shop. If you are thinking of freehand woodturning on the Taig, give their products a shot - or at least see how theirs are made before you make your own.
• Carter Index Plate Kits. I am now offering an index plate kit for the Taig.
• W.M. Berg sells 3M series belts (which are the series used on the Taig) in a variety of lengths from 180mm to 750mm, as well as bearings, gears and other precision mechanical components. They do have a minimum order of $50, so you can't just buy one belt, but you'll find something else in their catalog to fill out the order.
• OMW Metalcrafts sells a nifty ball turning tool (among other products) which will work on the Taig and other small lathes.
• KENBO is the company run by my good friend Kent Rudisill, who makes a line of quick change toolposts for the Taig, 6" Atlas and other small lathes, as well as doing general machining jobs in his incredibly well outfitted shop. He is always interested in taking on work, no matter how small or large. Also see:
• The Kenbo Dremel Holder made by Kenbo. (February 22nd, 2010) 
• Cue man cue turning lathes which are made from Taig parts - if you want cue lathe parts, buy them from him.
• Divisionmaster is Tony Jeffree's excellent CNC indexing system for constructing your own dividing fixture.
• The Taig Lathe A new book by Tony Jeffree available through me in the U.S. and Canada.
• Fisher Machine makes a 1/4" shank edge finder suitable for the Taig milling machine.
• CNC Zone has a forum for the Taig CNC Mill
• Andrew Werby's Computersculpture.com is an excellent site selling advanced CAD/CAM software and CNC machines.
• Peter Homann Designs sells an upgrade board for the Taig CNC mill controller that has a bunch of advanced features.
• EZ-Tram sells the "NanoTram" tool for tramming in the Taig and Sherline milling machines, as well as other useful products.
• High Tech Systems LLC makes a tooling plate for the Taig Milling machine and other small machine accessories
• Beall sells a collet chuck that can be adapted to the Taig Lathe.
• Deepgroove Steppers and Taig dealer.
• New England Brass and Tool offers a Bison 3/4"-16 chuck that should fit the Taig.

Aftermarket Taig Accssories and Related Machine Shop Products I Sell

In an attempt to fill some gaps in the small machine supply market, as well as showcase items made in the USA by small manufacturers I have started selling the items below. I have personally tested all items and stand behind them 100%.

• Carter Index Plate Kits. 60 Hole and 40-50-60 hole index plates for the Taig lathe.
• Replacement Tailstock Lever Arms. 8" long replacement lever arms for the Taig tailstock.
• Sherline Rotary Table Right Angle Adapter for the Taig Mill.
• Fisher Machine 1/4" Shank edge finders, other edge finders, micro tapping guide, PEE DEE thread wires, magnetic bases, sine bars and magnetic chuck accessories all made in the U.S.A.
• My Ebay auctions, usually odd stuff.

Aftermarket Product and Book Reviews

Product Reviews:

• FROG I have finished reviewing the FROG x-axis CNC powerfeed/threading unit for the Taig (Updated October 3rd, 2001) Sadly FROG is out of business.
  
• KENBO Here's a review of the KENBO quick change toolpost for the Taig
  
• SPILLAGE Spillage International makes many accessories (shell mill, clamping kit and grid plate, etc.) for the Taig and MaxNC Milling machines. Here are my experiences with their tools
• KNAELL-MINIMECH A review of the innovative Knaell (Minimech) threading accessory for the Taig (February 21st, 2002)
• Jim Shaulis Quick Change Toolpost A well made quick change toolpost for the Taig (Oct. 27th, 2003)
• The Divisionmaster A stand alone CNC rotary indexing attachment, made by Tony Jeffree (Nov. 4th, 2003)
• Robitek makes clamping kits, nuts and wrenches for the Taig milling machine, Here is a review of their clamping kit. (January 26th, 2005)
• The A2Z CNC Endmill Holder a screw on endmill holder for the Taig milling machine (April 8th, 2005)
• High Tech Systems LLC Taig Milling Machine Tooling Plate a tooling plate sub table for the Taig Milling Machine (May 3rd, 2005) They Have Changed the Design since the Review.
• The Beall Tool Company Collet Chuck an ER32 collet chuck for the Taig and other lathes. (May 29th, 2005)
• LittleMachineShop.com has a number of interesting accessories which work with the Taig lathe and milling machine. (July 6th, 2005)
• TS Engineering's Modular Vise for the Taig Milling Machine. An excellent and useful workholding solution. (July 27th, 2005)
• Review of the TurboTaig Step and Direction Upgrade Board Peter Homann's Upgrade Board for older Taig controllers (March 10th, 2006)
• Tom Benedict Reviews the TurboTaig Step and Direction Upgrade Board (March 23rd, 2006)
• LittleMachineShop.com Knurling Tool Review (April 28th, 2006)
• Review of the Nanotram for the Taig Milling Machine (May 5th, 2006)

Book Reviews:

• The Taig Lathe A guidebook by Tony Jeffree available through me. Every Taig Lathe owner should read it!
• Machine Shop Trade Secrets is a great new book full of helpful shop tips. (January 30th, 2005)
• Machine Shop Essentials: Questions and Answers, 2nd Edition is a basic text on machine shop operations. (June 9th, 2008)
• CNC Programming Handbook is an excellent and detailed book about programming CNC machine tools. (February 21st, 2005)
• Machinery's Handbook is the "bible" of the metalworking industry, here is my review. (March 2nd, 2005)
• Welding Fabrication and Repair: Questions and Answers, a good welding and fabrication book. (March 9th, 2005)
• Setup Reduction Through Effective Workholding, an advanced jig and fixture design book (April 8th, 2005)
• Make magazine, a new DIY magazine that straddles the mechanical and digital worlds. (April 8th, 2005)
• Welding Essentials: Questions and Answers, an excellent welding textbook. (April 8th, 2005)
• Easy CNC, A Beginner's Guide to CNC, programming a CNC benchtop mill, made easy. (October 1st, 2005)
• CNC Cookbook, a good text on designing and building your own CNC system. (July 1st, 2009)
• Machine Shop Know-How and Welding Know-How, the latest books by Frank Marlow. (July 2nd, 2012)

Want a product or book reviewed? Email me.

Other related metalworking links

Other Manufacturers Lathes, General Lathe Information

• Levin makes some of the best and most accurate small lathes available today, if you can afford them!
• Myford, the Cadillac of home shop lathes.
• Tony Griffiths maintains a web site with information about many different types of metal lathes, well worth looking at if one is shopping for a new or used lathe
• Mini-Lathe.com has tons of info on the 7x10 /12/xx series of imported lathes.
  
• Logan Actuator has information and parts for Logan lathes, as well as a useful tips section.
• Cowells Small Machine Tools

CNC, CAD, CAM Links

Instruction and Information

• CAD CAM EDM DRO Yahoogroup, if you have an interest in CNC machines, subscribe to the list!
• Linux CNC resources
• This is a good page on the G2 and G3 G-codes "The Dreaded G2 and G3"
  
• Control of Stepper Motors Tutorial
• Tauseef's CNC Machining and R/C Helicopter Pages. This is the best set of pages on a beginner starting out with home shop CNC, learning and sharing what he's learned. There are so many great pages on his site I can't believe it. You must visit his pages!
• Majosoft has a good set of pages on making a CNC engraving machine, also some software.
• Parallel Port Interfacing made Easy. A great little guide to the parallel port.
• MachineToolHelp.com CNC machine tool help and advice
• Dr. Matt Frank's CNC World (great stuff showing how to use an edge finder and find z-zero)
• Cutter Stop Rings, Great idea for tool presets with the new ER spindle, check out the rest of his site as well.
• Make plastic 3D models from CAD designs using an automated "milling machine"
• Tips on Designing Cost Effective Machined Parts
• David Morrow's Benchtop CNC site, with great clocks!
• Fourth Axis' Flip Flop Wax, a great way to fixture ring waxes! Excellent info. (also see their inside ring engraving calculator)
• Douglas Vogt wrote this tutorial on drawing parts (a clock wheel) with Bentley Microstation. 
• Guerrilla guide to CNC machining, mold making, and resin casting  

Software and Software Dealers

("*" means I use the software myself, "**" means recommended by other users, even though I don't have much experience with it myself) 

• CAD
  • Rhino is an excellent 3D NURBS surface modelling program, moderately expensive but extremely powerful, it is what I use for all my CAD work. *
    Available also from Andrew Werby
  • Blender, a free solid modelling program **
  • Delta CAD is inexpensive and a bunch of people tell me it's great. **
  • CADdepot.com has a lot of links to various software and downloads.
  • gCAD3d, free CAD software
  • Peter Eland's Free and Cheap CAD pages
  • Art of Illusion open source 3D modelling software.
  • Minos free 3D CAD
  • Google Sketch-Up 
  • Draftit Free 2D CAD
  • Solid Edge Free 2D Drafting
  • Hobbing.com's Gear CAD Library
  • FreeCad is a free open source CAD program, has integrated CAM called PATH. **
  • DoubleCAD is free.
  • Truespace 3D model software is free.
  • Draftsight is a free CAD program from Dassault.
  • Alibre is low cost 3D CAD
  • 123D is Autocad's free suite of 3D modelling programs. Modelling, 3D scanning with just a digital camera.
  • 3DTin is a browser based modelling program. (Firefox, Safari and Chrome only). 
  • OpenSCAD is programming based 3D Modeller 
  • LibreCAD, a free Open Source CAD application for Windows, Apple and Linux. 
  • Gear Generator online SVG generator.
  • Rayflectar Gear Generator (both RhinoScript and Python, scroll down to find it)
  • Involute Spur Gear Builder v2.0 Open source browser spur gear utility generates .svg files
  • RhinoGears is a plugin for Rhinoceros that can be used to generate custom gears.
  • KiCad Open Source PCB design software, can be used to generate .DXF files of PCBs for milling. Extremely useful software. *
• CAM and Code Creation/Editing
  • Meshcam and Meshcam Art, are great, inexpensive, programs for 3D milling, Meshcam Art also allows easy 3D model creation from bitmaps. *,**
  • MadCAM is a CAM plugin for Rhino. I have been using MadCAM in various versions for over 10 years. Great plugin. *
  • "ACEconverter" a great little DXF to G-code Converter **
  • Sheetcam is a low cost CAM program. **
  • Vectric offers a number of programs, VCarve is popular for Text and Image Milling and all CAM work, Cut 2D and Cut 3D are low cost CAM alternatives.**
  • GenGCode is freeware written by Mark Thomas, and provides a great conversational G code environment. Thanks Mark! *
  • Millwizard 3D CAM
  • Deskam is another low cost CAM program, They also have DeskEngrave software for Free!
  • Free Programs to Write G-Code by Jon Elson
  • Softsquad has a free G-code editor with a lot of great features called "Codeshark Lite", as well as other good programs.
  • Discriminator CNC Editor is another low cost program.
  • Blender CAM module.
  • Simple CNC seems to be heading to take the place of GenGCode, and the price is cheap, anyone used it?
  • G Zero Mill seems to have a free "home" version of their conversational CAM software
  • OpenCAM freeware CAM?
  • G Simple 3 Axis Free CAM
  • GCAM, GNU Computer Aided Manufacturing open source package
  • CamBam freeware CAM software
  • CNCWrapper converts linear axis G code to rotary axis G code. Looks handy! 
  • Gearotic Motion generates CAD files and produces G-code for gears.
  • Simple EMC Code Generators. 
  • Freemill from Vectric.
    FlatCAM is free PCB layout and CAM software.
  • Camotics CAM and Simulation. Open Source and Free.
    
  • GrblGru Free CAM and 3D-Simulation for mills and lathes
  • F-Engrave  G-code generator for engraving and carving
    
    
• CAD and CAM
  • FreeCad is a free open source CAD program, has integrated CAM called PATH.
  • BobCAD/CAM Marginal CAD and relatively good CAM, I used to use it but now use MadCam. Make sure you find a discounted price, company uses the "used car salesman" method of sales. *
  • Andrew Werby sells a number of CAD and CAM programs including Visualmill, RhinoCam and Deskproto at competitive prices, and a good price on Rhino. *
  • IMService is a great seller of various CAD CAM software including DeskCNC and Vector, he has demo downloads. **
  • Dolphin is CAD and CAM, and offers a free CAD program for 2D drawings (UK website)**
  • Northland Multisoft has some inexpensive CAD/CAM programs
• Control
  • Mach 2 and 3 control software. Runs in Windows XP/2000 and can be used with the latest Taig controller. An exceptional program.*
  • TurboCNC is a DOS machine control program that seems to be much better than the stock MPS2000 program. DAK Engineering has a lot of other fun stuff as well! *
  • KCam4 An inexpensive machine control program.
  • CNC Zeus is another control program.
  • GRBL is an open source CNC controller that runs on an Arduino. 
• CAD and/or CAM and Control
  • DanCad software
  • Master CNC Utilities a control and coding program
  • CAM-BAM Control and CAM
• Utilities, Verification, and Misc. Software
  
  • Online Raster to Vector File Conversion which is an implementation of:
  • Auto-Trace Bitmap to Vector conversion freeware
  • Marvin Klotz's Utilities are a collection of home shop oriented computer programs.
  • CNC simulator, while a little funky to get running, is a really good free NC code verification program
  • WinTopo a free bitmap to vector conversion program, that will output a .dxf file. *
  • Involute and Cycloidal Gear-Wheel GCode Generator Looks useful.
  • Scan2CNC which allows you to scan a line drawing and convert that to G-Code
  • Single Stroke Engraving Fonts *
  • NCPlot's Free Single Stroke Engraving Conversion.
  • Cutviewer is a powerful CAM toolpath verification program. 
  • David Scanner, desktop laser scanning with a line laser, alignment jig and webcam. Free demo that works ok.* 
  • Meshlab, useful for all sorts of mesh manipulation and conversion.* 
  • Inkscape, an open source vector drawing program, will output a dxf and has a great bitmap to vector function.* 
  • Intracad Grasp 3D Laser Scanning Alpha (free for now?). 
  • pstoedit is a Postscript and PDF conversion to other vector formats program. 
  • Hershey Text, An Inkscape extension for single line Hershey engraving fonts (which you'll have to export as PDF and bring into your CAD program...)
  • Hypr3D, A Cloud based 3D Scanning program 
  • My3dscanner, Another Cloud based 3D Scanning program 
  • FreeDOS, a free DOS-compatible operating system that can be used to play games, run legacy software, or support embedded systems (like TurboCNC)* 

Hardware

• Dan Mauch's Camtronics is a great source for DIY CAD-CAM
• Xylotex sells machine controllers and has excellent support, Jeff is a frequent contributor to the Taig yahoogroup. I used to use a Xylotex controller on one of my Taig mills and it performed flawlessly. *
• CNC on a Budget has some cool products for the DIY CNC machine
• IMService sells controllers and steppers and systems.
• CNC Electronics has parts for larger CNC mills.
• GeckoDrive CNC stepper drives, I now use G540 based controllers on both of my Taig mills.*
• Ohmikron Corp has Breakout Boards and a slew of excellent articles on CNC.
• Jameco Electronics, Xylotex kept sending me to their site for all the components I needed, so why not a link?*
• Newark electronics components.*
• Mouser electronics components.*
• Digikey electronics components.*
• Automation Technology, Inc. Stepper motors (used to be Keling).
• UC100 USB Motor Controller for those needing a USB option, this is the adapter Taig currently sells.
  

General Machining Information, Links and Instruction

Resources:

• The Metal Web News The ideal place to start searching for metalworking ideas and suppliers on the web.
• Nuts and Bits has a bunch of fun projects, the curtain rods are a great example of using form tools on a small lathe.
• eFunda has scads of engineering resources and links.
• Bioanalytical Chemistry Research at The Evergreen State College has a great page of technical notes, including a java based tap drill calculator.
• Long Island Indicator Service has an excellent site on repair and use of various indicators.
• Ernie's Massive Metal Links List has links to all sorts of metalworking pages.
• New England Model Engineering Society has excellent articles. Join them if you live in the area.
• Engineer's Edge has some great engineering data
• Carbide Depot has a good technical resource page
• The Horology Website is the source for information and links about horology, clocks, and tools.
• Watchmaking has some excellent information.
• Wikipedia Metalworking
• Pat's Metalworking Links
• The Shaper Book Page, great info for you shaper nuts.
• Projects in Metal Blog of Free Metalworking Plans
• Vocational Information  Center Machining Resources Massive Link Page
• Hobby-Machinist Forums.
• CNC Cookbook general resources page.

Instruction:

• Michigan Tech Manufacturing Education
• Virtual Machine Shop
• Franjo Metal Spinning has some great info on metal spinning.
• MIT Machine shop video

Miscellaneous Mechanical Links

• David Macmillan has web pages devoted to "Delightful Machines".  An intellectual-mechanical feast for the brain!
• Matt Keveney has a great page with animations of various steam engines
• The Gears Show is in Portland, Oregon.
• Varmint Al has wonderful pages on gunsmithing with his 7x10 mini lathe.
• The Society of Ornamental Turners is dedicated to the art of Ornamental Turning.
• Fuel Injection Enterprises Wouldn't you know, I have a motorhead neighbor next door who runs this fuel injection testing business as well as racing a nitromethane dragster...
• Make Square Holes in Aluminum Sheet Metal, an update and revision of an article I had published in Make Magazine years ago. 
• Nick's Airgun Tinkering Blog I put up a a whole bunch of projects here.
• 507 Mechanical Movements 

Machine Shop, Tool and Material Suppliers

• MSC has an enormous free catalog of metalworking supplies (an ideal place to buy toolbits etc. for the Taig) and they don't mind at all selling to the home machinist.
• Amazon Industrial and Scientific.  A good place to check prices against MSC and McMaster.
• Surplus Center has motors and other mechanical items.
• Reid Tool Supply is a great place for some hard to find machine shop supplies.
• If you are down in Roseburg, Oregon, HPS, my favorite used tool dealer is located near the airport. Tell them I sent you.
• Discount Tools seem to have good prices.
• American Carbide seems to have good prices, anyone have any experience with them?
• Bits & Bits makes engraving cutters, wax milling cutters, end mills and has diamond drag engraving bits. Paul is a great guy and runs an excellent company. A must for all wax carving and jewelry work on the Taig CNC mill.
• 2L Has some engraving tools.
• Stock Drive Products has an online store, with prices, useful products great for making small machines.
• Little Machine Shop sells small accessories for import Minilathes and Mills, some will fit the Taig products.
• US Shop Tools has low prices, haven't used them myself.
• Martin Model and Pattern sells models, castings and will make castings for you.
• Brownell's Gunsmithing Supplies (lots of hard to find tools even for non-gunsmithing...)
• Bal-Tec Precision Balls
• McMaster Carr has everything you need for machining and projects. Really.

Mailing Lists, Web Based Discussion Groups, Usenet Groups

Every day there are more and more machine shop related forums being created on the web. Here are a few of the longer lasting and busier ones. For specific machines it is always a good idea to check yahoogroups for dedicated forums.

• Taigtools Yahoogroup dedicated to the Taig.
  
• CAD CAM EDM DRO Yahoogroup, if you have an interest in CNC machines, subscribe to the list!
• 7x12 Yahoogroup for 7xXX import minilathe users.
• Atlas Craftsman Yahoogroup for users of Atlas and AA lathes, Mills and Shapers.
• 9x20 Lathe Yahoogroup for 9x20 lathe users.
• MaxNc Yahoogroup for users of MaxNc machines and software.
• Sherline Yahoogroup for Sherline users, lots of good info for Taig sized lathes and mills.
• The Modeleng List is a worldwide mailing list about model engineering.
• Ganoksin.com is the site for the excellent and useful Orchid mailing list, the best place to exchange information on jewelry making on the web
• Chaski.org has great message boards on machining topics
• Practical Machinist Machine Shop Forum is another good web based group
• CNC Zone is a forum for different CNC software and platforms.
• The Home Shop Machinist & Machinist's Workshop forum from the Home Shop Machinist magazine.
• Pipe Maker's Forums
• The Tinker's Guild Paintball Tech Forum 
• 3D Cad Jewelry Forum
  
  

Books and Magazines

• Powell's Bookstore has an incredible selection of new and used technical and metalworking books.
• Home Shop Machinist, Projects in Metal and Live Steam magazines.
• TEE publishing carries many excellent books on Model Engineering
• Guy Lautard publishes his own excellent books, including the "Machinist's Bedside Reader" series.
• Machining Books available through Amazon.com
• Machine Shop Essentials: Questions and Answers, a good basic machining text.

Links to my non-metalworking pages, email, etc.

• E-mail Me About This Page.
• Contact Information
• Who Is Nick Carter and Why Does He Sell Lathes?
• Nick And Felice's Homepage
• Nick And Felice's Jewelry on Etsy.com
• Nick's Blog
• Nick's Synthesizer Products
  
• Nick's Airgun Tinkering Blog
• Felice's Blog

All information contained on this page and all pages located on cartertools.com, or other server space used by Nicholas Carter, copyright Nicholas Carter* 1998-2024. No part or the entirety of these pages may be reproduced without the permission of Nicholas Carter. (*except works and pictures by other contributors who retain their copyright )