MetalShopCalc is a reference site for people who run a small metal shop at home: a mini lathe on a bench, maybe a drill press and a bandsaw, and eventually a benchtop mill. It covers the math those machines need every day (surface speed, feed, tap drills, thread pitch, change gears, tapers, stock weight) and the tools that do the work.
What makes it different?
Hobby machines are not small industrial machines. They flex, they top out near 2,500 RPM, and they have a fraction of the power a handbook table assumes. Every starting speed here is chosen for that reality, and every calculator says whether its figure is a published standard or a shop starting point.
How are tools chosen?
Tool picks are researched from published manufacturer specifications, listing details and patterns in verified owner reviews, and weighted by what hobbyists actually buy. We do not claim hands-on testing. See how we research.
How does the site make money?
Links to Amazon are affiliate links: if you buy through one, the site earns a small commission at no cost to you. That never changes which product is recommended, and pages regularly tell readers to skip a purchase.
Questions or corrections: contact us.