Do any of you know were I can get free plans for a table top machining tool? I want to start learning the trade but dont want to spend a lot of money on the tool.

What kind of machining tool are you looking for? Lathe, mill. Do you want to learn CNC?
I have two brothers in the trade for years.

Sorry, Im looking for a metal lathe.

I'm with Ken. What are you after? I supervise a whole pattern shop. As far as it goes I have access to all of the machine tools you could imagine and rarely use them for modeling.

Shaun

I want to learn how to turn gun barrels for tanks and stuff like that. So I need a small metal lathe to turn it on. Am I making sense?

Matrix, speaking from experience here: By the time you bought the lathe, bought the aluminum round stock, scaled down the measurments and set up the the lathe to turn your barrel (turning a taper takes a while to set up) I think you would be money ahead to just buy one. Unless you are getting a CNC lathe and plan on producing them to sell...

Just my 2 cents...

Shaun

I have been looking for something so I can reply to this. Micro-Mark has an expensive one that would work great for $629.00, but they have a cheaper one that might work with plastic stock for for $160.00. Check out http://www.micromark.com for details.

Rob