Tormach 8L
Image: tormach.com, Tormach
Key Specifications
Max Spindle
Table Size
Spindle Power
swing over bed
swing over carriage
x axis travel
How much does the Tormach 8L cost?
Price estimate
We do not have a price for the Tormach 8L that we can stand behind, so we show no number. Configuration, options and installation move the final price a long way: a quote is the reliable figure.
Overview
The Tormach 8L is a small enclosed CNC lathe with an 8 in (200 mm) swing over the bed, a 5C spindle nose and a tailstock. X travel is 4.5 in (114 mm) and Z travel is 10 in (254 mm) with the tailstock in place. The spindle is rated 1.5 hp (1.11 kW) and covers 180 to 5,000 rpm.
Read the swing figures with care. The 8 in (200 mm) is over the bed. Over the carriage the maximum swing is 4 in (100 mm), and that is the number that governs anything longer than a short chucked part. The through spindle bore is listed as 1 in (26 mm), so bar work is limited to stock that passes through a 5C collet. For work between centres the tailstock has an MT2 taper, a diameter of 0.9 in (22 mm) and 2.2 in (55 mm) of travel.
Tooling is changed by hand. A quick change tool post and the full enclosure are standard; the automatic collet closer, machine stand and coolant are optional, and no turret appears in the accessory list. The control side is stronger than the size suggests. Rigid tapping and single point threading are standard features, and PathPilot offers conversational programming at the machine.
Both axes are stepper driven, with a maximum feed rate of 150 ipm (3.8 m/min). The supply is single-phase 115 Vac on a 15A breaker with a NEMA 5-15P plug. Tormach quotes a machine footprint of 50 in × 26 in (1.2 m × 0.7 m), an overall system height of 52 in (1.3 m) and a typical system weight of 838 lb (380 kg), and says the lathe comes fully assembled in its base model enclosure. The step up in Tormach's range is the 15LX, with a 15 in (381 mm) swing over the bed and a 6 hp (4.5 kW) continuous spindle.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Swing Over Bed | 8 in (200 mm) |
| Swing Over Carriage | 4 in (100 mm) |
| X Axis Travel | 4.5 in (114 mm) |
| Z Axis Travel | 10 in (254 mm) with tailstock |
| Spindle Motor Power | 1.5 hp (1.11 kW) |
| Max Spindle Speed | 5,000 rpm |
| Spindle Speed Range | 180 to 5,000 rpm |
| Spindle Bore | 1 in (26 mm) |
| Spindle Nose | 5C |
| Threading | Rigid Tapping and Single Point Threading (standard features) |
| Tailstock Taper | MT2 |
| Tailstock Diameter | 0.9 in (22 mm) |
| Tailstock Travel | 2.2 in (55 mm) |
| Table Size | 7.5 in × 4 in (191 mm × 102 mm) (length × width) |
| Max Feed Rate Xz | 150 ipm (3.8 m/min) |
| Axis Drives | High-performance polyphase stepper motors with Leadshine microstepping drivers |
| CNC Control | PathPilot |
| Power Requirement | Single-Phase 115 Vac, 50/60 Hz, 15A breaker |
| Plug Type | NEMA 5-15P plug; requires NEMA 5-15R receptacle |
| Floor Space Required | 50 in × 26 in (1.2 m × 0.7 m) |
| Machine Height | 52 in (1.3 m) |
| Machine Weight | 838 lb (380 kg) (typical system) |
Specifications sourced from tormach.com — verified 2026-10-04
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Spindle speed range of 180 to 5,000 rpm on a 5C spindle nose
- Rigid tapping and single point threading are standard features
- Tailstock with MT2 taper and 2.2 in (55 mm) of travel
- Full enclosure and quick change tool post are standard
- Runs on single-phase 115 Vac with a 15A breaker, and a typical system weighs 838 lb (380 kg)
Limitations
- Maximum swing over the carriage is 4 in (100 mm)
- Through spindle bore is 1 in (26 mm), which limits bar stock diameter
- Spindle power is 1.5 hp (1.11 kW), a quarter of the 6 hp (4.5 kW) continuous rating of the 15LX
- No turret is listed, and the automatic collet closer, stand and coolant are optional
- Z travel is 10 in (254 mm) with the tailstock
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
Maximum swing over the bed is 8 in (200 mm) and maximum swing over the carriage is 4 in (100 mm). X travel is 4.5 in (114 mm) and Z travel is 10 in (254 mm) with the tailstock. The through spindle bore is listed as 1 in (26 mm) and the spindle nose is 5C, so collet work and short chucked parts are the natural fit.
02
Tormach's accessory list for this lathe names a quick change tool post and a full enclosure as standard, and an automatic collet closer, machine stand and coolant as optional. No turret or gang tooling appears in that list. In Tormach's lathe range a turret and a gang tooling system are listed as options for the 15LX.
03
Yes. Rigid tapping and single point threading are both listed as standard features of the control. The spindle runs from 180 to 5,000 rpm, and the tailstock, with its MT2 taper and 2.2 in (55 mm) of travel, is there to support longer work or hold a drill.
04
A single-phase 115 Vac, 50/60 Hz supply on a 15A breaker; the machine comes with a NEMA 5-15P plug and needs a NEMA 5-15R receptacle. The machine footprint is 50 in × 26 in (1.2 m × 0.7 m), overall system height is 52 in (1.3 m) and the typical system weight is 838 lb (380 kg). Tormach says the lathe comes fully assembled in its base model enclosure. The machine stand is optional.
05
Tormach lists high-performance polyphase stepper motors with Leadshine microstepping drivers on X and Z, and a maximum feed rate of 150 ipm (3.8 m/min) for both axes. The 15LX, by comparison, uses EtherCAT servos and feeds at 360 ipm (9.14 m/min).
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