Hi, I would like to get started in making objects out of metal and have decided that a mini-lathe would be a good place to start. Although I am not rolling in money, I do have about 1500$can set aside for a mini-lathe and later, a mini-mill. I was looking around a bit and the Microlux 7x14 lathe has been my choice so far. I have also considered simply getting a very high quality mini-lathe with most of the money and waiting for a mill later however it seems that with both a mill and a lathe, you can make parts and have the tools upgrade themselves. Any thoughts?
I would disagree with this statement. Here in the Pacific Northwest, lower end Harbor Freight machine tools have low resale value. The sole exception seems to be mill drills.
Based on my own personal experience as a novice metalworker, I would STRONGLY reccomend you go and do a "short course" on how to run a lathe.
I am doing a Cert II course, and from what I have learnt about the mechanics of lathes, have been busy trying to get my Chinese 9 by 20 set up a LOT better than when it arrived here.
Would now, with hindsight, and armed with basic knowledge, look around for a good secondhand one (preferably bigger of course)
I think that used things, in general, have a much better resale/buying cost ratio, often greater than one, compared to buying new and selling used. So, I would look for a used lathe, Harbor Freight or not. A HF lathe owned by a amateur is unlikely to see much use. The old iron style lathes are often quite heavy to handle. Go from your needs and determine what you want and just how much "quality" is worth paying for.
====================== Good to see another person interested in the metals trade -- welcome to the group.
If you are near a community or junior college see what kinds of introductory machining classes they offer. When I was in Canada [Ontario] the government was quite good about educational reimbursement. but that was some time ago.
In any event, a intro to machining class will get you started off on the right foot, and will give you hands on time with a number of different machines and tools. This will allow you to make a better decision, and if something breaks you don't have to fix it.....
Really, Andrew's advice is excellent. I suggest you skip trying to buy one, and start looking for a class. In the class, you will meet 15 or 20 people all of whom are learning, many of whom will know about machines, and you will meet 1 to
3 instructors. And *any* of them could have a lathe for sale.
I should know , i sold 4 7 by 10 HF lathes . I got $150 , but to friends , so $200 is probable .
Price is so much lower than anything , but the quality is very low also .
You will strip it and rebuild it before you can use it . The nylon gears are bone dry , moly disulphide works . My chuck was beat on with a hammer and the face was not finished so i'll true that . The bed is not very hard . I cut the saddle a bit for longer cross slide travel and shim the center screw on the block slides to give plenty clearance , then shim the end screws to give less gap . Tighten the center screw , then use end screws to bend the plate up into the bed . On far side , i put a handle on one screw to use as a carriage lock . Only one hlf nut , put a tiny ball bearing on top .
My saddle is not touching but on 5% of V slide . So i will calc where to start scraping to end up true and without taking out too much metal ( "scrape straight down" ) . . On one older lathe , i cut slots in the C rest and put 12 point 1/4"
20 screws to lock down the rotation . This one gets a vert hole cut straight down into the rest , between the 4-way and the crank to have easy access to one screw .
I'll cut down R-8 collets to about .925" to fit the head , bore head out from .912" to .928" . I dont want to thin the spindle down too much .
The China 12 and 13" Gear head probably still has the 1/2" wide bull gear , ( must be 1" ) !!!
The 12" belt drive still has the wrong worm gear for power feed . It can not be Fixed . Notice the distance is to little to put the worm gear in between the lead screw and feed rod . ENCO returned $700 to me for this and other mistakes . But the bed is very good . Its hard and true , it dont flex vertically .
The China mill/drill is a good drill press ONLY . The saddle needs trueing , it is never square . Mills can't use tapered rollers , they use angular contact ball bearings . My HF M/D had the Roller bearing cage locked up against the quill . I turn away that ledge and it spun OK .
Grizzly is best place on west coast , HF is not good .
HF has good elect hand tools . But every 8th tool is sabotaged . Chineese prison labor . There will be no tools from China in less than 10 years . Labor problem in US , complaints .. China reverts to 200 years ago , loses its factories ...
Europe is not taking china tools , its ONLY the US . Even mexico taxes China stuff high . We do not tax China imports .
That's what I have, and some things have been nice, but other parts I have had to re-machine. The tailstock cam lock just broke on mine. I've had it for a year.
One thing to consider - the Microlux has a 3 month warranty. You can buy an extended warantee for the HF.
Funny, that's exactly what happened to me -- after looking on Craig's List for months, I ended up taking a machine shop course at the Crucible in Oakland, CA where one of my classmates had an ancient Seneca Star lathe with a quick change gearbox he was selling. I ended up getting a great deal on it and learned a lot in the class.
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