{"id":3441,"date":"2026-10-14T10:52:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T02:52:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.purepusty.com\/blog\/?p=3441"},"modified":"2026-10-14T10:52:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T02:52:20","slug":"can-a-cnc-turning-machine-be-used-for-drilling-425c-4a1deb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.purepusty.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/14\/can-a-cnc-turning-machine-be-used-for-drilling-425c-4a1deb\/","title":{"rendered":"Can a CNC turning machine be used for drilling?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alright, let\u2019s cut through the noise\u2014if you\u2019re a CNC turning machine owner or someone shopping for one, you\u2019ve probably stared at a part drawing thinking: \u201cWait, can I drill holes on this thing without hauling it to a mill or renting time at a shop?\u201d As a CNC turning machine supplier, I get this question all the time<\/em>. Not just from new operators confused about their machine\u2019s full bag of tricks, but from old hands who\u2019ve been turning parts for decades and haven\u2019t bothered to unlock every feature their machine has. Let\u2019s break this down straight, no corporate jargon, no fancy fluff. CNC Turning Machine<\/a><\/p>\n

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First off, let\u2019s ground this: a basic CNC turning machine\u2019s main gig is spinning a bar of metal (or plastic, brass, whatever) while a cutting tool moves along the X and Z axes to turn cylinders, tapers, grooves, that classic lathe stuff. Drilling is usually associated with mills\u2014moving a spinning drill bit vertically or horizontally into a stationary workpiece, right? But here\u2019s the thing: most modern CNC turning machines (especially the ones we supply) don\u2019t work like your old manual lathe. They have what\u2019s called a live tool attachment<\/em> (or live tooling, for short) and a C-axis. Wait, what\u2019s that? Let\u2019s dumb it down: the C-axis lets you lock the spindle that\u2019s spinning your workpiece so it doesn\u2019t rotate\u2014like freezing a top mid-spin. And live tooling? That\u2019s small, motorized tools held in the turret (the part where you swap cutting tools) that spin on their own, separate from the workpiece. So instead of only turning the workpiece, the turret can bring over a drill bit, spin it up, and push it straight into the stationary workpiece. That\u2019s drilling\u2014on a lathe<\/em>.<\/p>\n

But hold up, I don\u2019t want to mislead anyone\u2014you can\u2019t drill every hole like this, and it\u2019s not the same as a dedicated drill press. Let\u2019s get into the limits first, because if you skip that, you\u2019ll end up with broken bits, messed up parts, and a grudge against your machine. First, the size of the drill bit. Most live tooling setups on standard turning machines handle bits up to\u2026 let\u2019s say 12mm (half an inch) max. If you need a 25mm (1-inch) hole, that\u2019s not going to happen with live tooling\u2014you\u2019d have to do that on a mill first, then bring it to the lathe for secondary operations. Then there\u2019s the hole position. Live tool drilling on a lathe works best for holes that are perpendicular<\/em> to the main turning axis\u2014so holes going straight through the side of a cylinder, right? Want a hole that\u2019s at a 45-degree angle? Sure, if you have a Y-axis (some premium turning machines have that, not just X and Z), but that\u2019s an upgrade, not standard. And holes along the centerline of the workpiece? Wait, you can<\/em> drill there on a lathe\u2014usually called \u201ccenter drilling\u201d or \u201caxial drilling\u201d\u2014but you\u2019re not using live tooling for that. You use a drill that\u2019s mounted in the tailstock, like you did on your old manual lathe. Oh, right\u2014tailstock drilling is another thing people forget about! I\u2019ve seen guys with brand new CNC lathes ditch the tailstock entirely, thinking live tooling does everything, but no\u2014axial drilling (holes along the length of the bar) is way easier with a tailstock-mounted drill, no live tool setup needed.<\/p>\n

Now, why would you even want to drill on a turning machine instead of a separate drill or mill? That\u2019s the big question. Let\u2019s talk efficiency. When you\u2019re making a part that needs both turned features and<\/em> drilled holes, you don\u2019t have to move it between machines. Moving a part means more setup time, more chance of human error (like clamping it wrong and getting misaligned holes), more floor space taken up by two machines, and longer lead times for you. For example, if I\u2019m making a small automotive part: a cylindrical housing that needs a turned outer diameter, a groove on the inside, and two 8mm holes drilled through the side. If I send it to a mill, that\u2019s 20 minutes of setup, clamping, checking alignment, then another 10 minutes drilling. On our CNC turning machine, I load the bar once, turn the OD, cut the groove, swap to a live drill in the turret, drill both holes, unload the part\u2014total time, 12 minutes. That\u2019s 18 minutes saved per part, and no risk of misalignment because the workpiece never moves. Small stuff like that adds up fast. I have a customer who makes bicycle parts\u2014they used to run 10 different parts through a mill and a lathe, now they run all of them on one of our 8-axis turning centers, and their production time dropped 40% in the first month. That\u2019s not a marketing line\u2014that\u2019s a real call I got last week.<\/p>\n

But wait, let\u2019s talk about the times it doesn\u2019t<\/em> make sense. If you\u2019re making a single custom part, and you only need one tiny hole, renting time at a local drill press is way cheaper than buying live tooling for your lathe. Live tooling adds cost to the machine upfront\u2014we\u2019re talking 15-25% more for a machine with full live tooling, so if you\u2019re only doing 10 drilled parts a year, it\u2019s not worth it. Also, if you need deep holes\u2014like a hole that\u2019s 5x the diameter of the drill bit (a 10mm drill going 50mm deep)\u2014live tooling on a lathe can have issues with rigidity. The turret isn\u2019t as rigid as a mill\u2019s spindle, so the drill can wander, or you\u2019ll get a wobbly hole. For deep holes, a dedicated gun drill on a mill is better. And if you need multiple holes at weird angles, a mill with 5 axes is still your best bet\u2014don\u2019t try to force that on a lathe, you\u2019ll regret it.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s get into the nitty-gritty of how it actually works, because a lot of new operators hear \u201clive tooling\u201d and panic like it\u2019s rocket science. It\u2019s not. Let\u2019s walk through a simple setup. First, you program the part in your CNC software (we work with all the big ones: Mastercam, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, whatever you use). For axial drilling (holes along the center): you use the tailstock, input the drill size, the depth, and the program tells the tailstock to advance the drill exactly to that depth, no guesswork. For radial drilling (holes through the side): you switch the spindle to C-axis mode, so it locks the workpiece in place, indexes it to the exact angle you need (like 0 degrees for horizontal, 90 for vertical), then the turret moves the live drill bit to the X position where the hole is, spins the drill, and feeds it into the workpiece. The only catch is you have to make sure the turret has enough clearance\u2014you don\u2019t want the drill hitting the chuck or the workpiece. That\u2019s why our machines come with 3D simulation software that shows you exactly where the tools will move, so you can avoid crashes before they happen. We\u2019ve had too many customers blow a $500 drill bit and scratch a $1000 workpiece because they skipped the simulation\u2014we include that software for free, no extra charge, because we don\u2019t want you making that mistake.<\/p>\n

I should also mention a common misconception: people think drilling on a lathe will ruin the surface finish, but that\u2019s only if you\u2019re using a bad drill or not paying attention to feeds and speeds. Our technical team trains every customer on the right feeds and speeds for drilling with live tooling\u2014for example, drilling aluminum is way different than drilling steel, and if you crank the feed too high, the bit will grab and break. But once you get the settings right, the hole finish is actually pretty good\u2014no need for a lot of secondary deburring, though you might want to run a countersink on the edge of the hole to clean it up.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s throw in a real example from our shop, since I\u2019m a supplier and I see this every day. A customer came to us last quarter, he was making small medical implants\u2014tiny titanium parts that needed turned threads and two 3mm holes. He had a basic turning machine, no live tooling, so he was sending all the parts to a local machine shop for the drilling. That was adding 2 days to his lead time, and he was paying $15 per part for the drilling. He upgraded to one of our mid-range turning machines with live tooling, programmed the drilling himself (we walked him through it in a 2-hour training session), and now he does the drilling in-house for 50 cents per part, same quality, same day turnaround. He just placed a reorder for 3 more machines because he\u2019s picked up two new contracts since making the switch. That\u2019s the value of knowing your machine can do more than just turning.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s address the elephant in the room: can any<\/em> CNC turning machine do this? No. A basic, entry-level CNC lathe without a C-axis and no live tool attachment? Nah, you\u2019re stuck with turning and tailstock center drilling. But almost all mid-range and premium turning machines that we supply come standard with at least basic live tooling and a C-axis, because that\u2019s what most small to medium manufacturers need. If you\u2019re shopping for a new turning machine, don\u2019t just ask \u201cdoes it have live tooling?\u201d\u2014ask \u201chow many live tool stations does it have?\u201d (more stations mean you can do more operations without swapping tools), \u201ccan it do Y-axis moves?\u201d (that\u2019s for angled holes), and \u201cwhat\u2019s the maximum speed for live tools?\u201d (higher speed is better for hard materials like stainless steel).<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing I always tell customers: your CNC turning machine isn\u2019t just a lathe. It\u2019s a multi-tasking machining center that can handle turning, milling, drilling, tapping, even part marking\u2014all in one setup. But you don\u2019t have to use every feature, but it\u2019s good to know what\u2019s possible, because when you have a tight deadline or a part that\u2019s giving you trouble, unlocking those extra functions can save you hours, money, and headaches.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s circle back to the original question: Can a CNC turning machine be used for drilling? The short answer is: Yes, if it has the right add-ons<\/em> (C-axis and live tooling for radial drilling, tailstock for axial drilling), and it works best for smaller holes, perpendicular holes, and parts where you need to minimize setup. It\u2019s not a replacement for a dedicated drill press or mill, but it\u2019s a powerful secondary function that makes your shop more efficient.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Now, if you\u2019re someone who\u2019s got questions about your current turning machine, or you\u2019re in the market for a new one and want to know if drilling capabilities fit your workflow, don\u2019t overthink it. The worst thing you can do is buy a machine that\u2019s too basic and then realize you need live tooling down the line\u2014upgrading later is way more expensive than getting it upfront. Our team is here to help you figure out exactly what you need, no pressure, no salesy nonsense. We don\u2019t care if you end up buying one of our machines or not\u2014we just want you to make a smart investment that works for your parts.<\/p>\n

CNC Drilling Machine<\/a> If you\u2019re tired of moving parts between machines, paying for outside drilling, or dealing with misaligned holes, reach out to us to chat through your needs. We\u2019ll walk you through options, show you how drilling works on our machines, and make sure you get exactly what you need for your production. Don\u2019t guess\u2014let\u2019s talk.<\/p>\n

References<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. \u201cCNC Turning Centers: Multi-Tasking Capabilities and Applications,\u201d Modern Machine Shop, 2022.<\/li>\n
  2. \u201cLive Tooling 101: What It Is and How It Works,\u201d CNC Machining Journal, 2023.<\/li>\n
  3. \u201cDrilling on CNC Lathes: Best Practices for Accuracy and Efficiency,\u201d Manufacturing Engineering, 2021.<\/li>\n
  4. \u201cKey Considerations When Choosing a CNC Turning Machine for Small Batch Production,\u201d Industry Week, 2022.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Jiangsu Xuanman Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    We’re well-known as one of the leading CNC turning machine manufacturers in China, featured by quality products and low price. Please rest assured to buy discount CNC turning machine made in China here from our factory. We also accept customized orders.
    Address: No. 1-1, Weier Road, Jieji Equipment Manufacturing Industrial Park, Sihong County, Suqian City, Jiangsu Province, China
    E-mail: jsxmzn@163.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.xm-cnc.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Alright, let\u2019s cut through the noise\u2014if you\u2019re a CNC turning machine owner or someone shopping for … Can a CNC turning machine be used for drilling?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":3441,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3404],"class_list":["post-3441","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-cnc-turning-machine-48d3-4a5d45"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.purepusty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3441","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.purepusty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.purepusty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.purepusty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.purepusty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3441"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.purepusty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3441\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.purepusty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3441"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.purepusty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3441"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.purepusty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3441"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.purepusty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}