Dan Gelbart
2 HN recommenders · recommended in 5 months, 2019–2025
10:35 · 646K views · Mar 6, 2015
Dan Gelbart shows his home-built air bearing CNC lathe and grinder, which reaches about 1 micron accuracy. He demonstrates the machine and its parts.
Cited as a marvel of absurd precision in home-built machine tools, and a pointer to Gelbart's other videos.
5 comments from Hacker News
It's interesting to get more precise and accurate machines out of the ones came before. These days, if you want to get milling and grinding down to 1 micron without lapping using only your own expertise and some parts from eBay (air bearings and precision-ground slabs): this video The creator (Dan Gelbart) demonstrates nitrogen-tight parts without bearings, and claims zero wear or lubrication needs. #AvEclub
If you enjoy absurd precision and accuracy, have a look at Dan Gelbart's older videos where he fabricobbles together a custom milling machine and grinder with air bearings that can work parts down to 1 micron. No lapping needed. this video PS: More power to the professors who go into business and reach "F everyone money". [LINK]
Nanotech Systems (Moore's current name) make a high-precision drum lathe with 1nm positioning precision, with a 2600mm working area [1]. 1 part in 2,600,000,000. Dan Gelbart built his own lathe with <1µm final part tolerance [2]. Within a few thousandths of an inch isn't very impressive. I can hold 1 thou on a cheap manual lathe (Grizzly G0602 10"x22" working area), with a decent amount of care. Holding to tenths (1/10000") is impossible with the equipment I can afford though. [1] [LINK] [2] this video
Most do not understand how difficult these machines are to handle, but there are some completed specialty CNC builds around. "High precision air bearing CNC lathe and grinder" (Dan Gelbart) this video Cylo's Garage spent a lot of time exploring these designs. =3
For a slightly more accurate CNC lathe and grinding machine (1 micron) that can be made "at home": this video