# Choosing a Lathe to machine a yoyo
**URL:** https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/choosing-a-lathe-to-machine-a-yoyo/370338
**Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance
**Created:** [February 18, 2023, 3:48am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/choosing-a-lathe-to-machine-a-yoyo/370338 "2023-02-18T03:48:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@mable](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/mable)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2023, 6:54pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/choosing-a-lathe-to-machine-a-yoyo/370338/21 "2023-02-20T18:54:17Z")
My partner finally landed their first real job as a lathe operator and they’ve been going to trade school/working internships in shops for the past three years.
That’s not to discourage you from trying or moving into this as a field you might be interested in studying. I’m fairly ignorant on the subject, but operating a CNC lathe is a heck of a lot more complicated than hitting “print” on a CAD file.
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### Author:  [@Uknown](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Uknown)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2023, 8:41pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/choosing-a-lathe-to-machine-a-yoyo/370338/22 "2023-02-20T20:41:27Z")
There’s a program (Mastercam) I can run the cad through and it translates it to something the lathe can work with. I wouldn’t be running personally as students aren’t allowed to run it themselves. There’s a guy who does the actual programming and such.
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### Author:  [@da5id](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/da5id)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/choosing-a-lathe-to-machine-a-yoyo/370338/23 "2023-02-20T20:59:45Z")
That’s called CAM (computer assisted manufacturing) which helps generate the code. BUT, it’s still not automatic. The programmer has to design a machining process (which tools, in which order). In order to do this, you have to have mastered manual machining because CNC machining is still machining. The machines are “dumb” - they just do what you tell them to do.
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### Author:  [@kyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/kyo)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2023, 4:35am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/choosing-a-lathe-to-machine-a-yoyo/370338/24 "2023-02-21T04:35:39Z")
> [@da5id](#):
>
> CNCs don’t automatically take your CAD and push out your part. There is a skill set that takes years and is a career and that is programing and setting up a CNC machine. I’ve been part of our shop for 20 years and I can’t do it
Tbf you have Shawn who’s beyond excellent at it so you don’t really need to learn 🙂
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### Author:  [@MarkD](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/MarkD)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2023, 2:27pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/choosing-a-lathe-to-machine-a-yoyo/370338/25 "2023-02-21T14:27:07Z")
New thread title: “Choosing a Shawn to machine a yoyo”
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### Author:  [@da5id](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/da5id)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/choosing-a-lathe-to-machine-a-yoyo/370338/26 "2023-02-21T19:26:58Z")
That is true. Shawn is amazing.
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