This idea has potential. A PTO, some threaded rod and other bits and pieces and it could work for aluminum.
Interesting, but I was disappointed at how poorly the project came out.
Not for metal without a proper tool rest. You cannot hand-hold it.
Don, I gotta agree. Definitely not a project or method for metals.
Why the interest though? Are there many teams with no access to a lathe currently? Is size a cost the limiting factor?
I get the feeling that this post was meant as a joke.
Most definitely. Although with a vehicle with a PTO, some threaded rod and other bits and pieces, you might be able to come up with power feeds 
My team has no lathe.
We do not have the money, nor the space for it. On top of that, we would not know how to use one to its full potential, as out robots are mostly COTS and aluminum extrusion, so we do not feel the need to get a lathe, we prefer to spend the money we do have on other tools.
We actually do have a cheapo chinese CNC mill/lathe combo that we bought several years ago, but is currently inoperable.
I don’t think we’ve really run into a situation where we would need the lathe though. Besides maybe the occasional end-drilling of some round stock, which can be done on a drill press accurately enough too.
The Beachbot’s lathe might still be a little more practical:
Circa 2005
Circa 2009
Circa 2011
Slightly less powerful, but still gets the job done
It’s funny, you can instantly tell who viewed the video in the OP and who did not.
A lathe is one tool that can be used to make itself.
This is another good one. My cousin’s comment: “Geez, someone has to show that guy craigslist!”
The snowplow as the tool rest definitely makes the video.
Yes, I’m aware it has been used, but that drilling could have been done on a drill press too 
I’ve heard the last part before as "A lathe is the only tool that can make itself, and I’d like to challenge that. In the same way that you can attach a third axis to a lathe, and use it like a mill, you can attach a chuck and lathe cutters to a mill, and use it like a lathe.
I think here the limiting factor is the car, only 150hp? I think a more practical thing to do is too hook up a ZR1 or Viper::ouch:: :yikes:
My team was in your boat for many years. We picked up an old Atlas-Craftsman 618 this year, restored it, and bought some modern tooling for under $200. Completely and totally revolutionized our build process. It’s one of those tools that you don’t realize how useful it is until you have it. From being able to move to hex shafting, to adding retaining rings to our robot, to custom boring gears and taking advantage of timing belt pulley stock, to precise spacers, to being able to correct oversize round stock rather than buying it new, this cheap little lathe did incredible things for our team this season, and we don’t know what we’d do without it now.