Bringing you tool making techniques from the 1830s to the 1960s

The MultiMachine is an accurate all-purpose machine tool that can be used as a metal or wood lathe, end mill, horizontal mill, drill press, wood or metal saw or sander, surface grinder and sheet metal "spinner". It can be built by a mechanic using just common hand tools. For machine construction, electricity can be replaced with "elbow grease" and all the necessary material can come from discarded vehicle parts and steel bar.

How can one machine do all this?

In almost every kind of machining operation, either the work piece or the cutting tool turns. If enough flexibility is built into these functions, the resulting machine can do almost every kind of metal working operation that will physically fit.

How can it be accurate?
MultiMachines are built around vehicle engine blocks. Accuracy begins at the factory where the engine block is produced. This precision is maintained during construction with simple cylinder re-boring of the #3 cylinder to the size of the roller bearing or cast bushing outside diameter.

The "ways" and carriage can be built up from bar stock and "scraped" in for accuracy.

The spindle can be as simple as a piece of pipe machined to fit the inner diameter of the bearings.

Need to learn more about metal work? Try the best training on the web.
http://techtv.mit.edu/genres/24-how-to/videos

BE SURE TO READ the "How to Build a MultiMachine" booklet at the top of the list in the "Files" folder.

See a 75 minute long (but very amateurish!) video of the machine at http://opensourcemachine.org/the-multimachine/multimachine-video

The video is a little obsolete but may help you to better understand the "How To Build a Multimachine" book.

We have plans here for a wooden drill that will make a 1" hole in hardened steel and also links to a site with ideas for a 250 amp multi alternator based welder along with Benjamin Bot's homemade welding rods.

DON'T MISS OUR VITAL LINKS SECTION!