I'd like to buy a small lathe

Hi all, I had a Harbor freight lathe that I bought used. While I got some utility from it, it was rusted after a hurricane damaged my shed roof. I sold it cheap letting someone else do the clean up. So, I want another lathe, I don't want anther HF unit, not even sure I want one of the larger Grizzly Lathes. Might be convinced though. I have looked at Bolton Lathes and they interest me, But I'm really stretching what I want to spend at $2,000 by the time I buy some accessories. I have looked for a used lathe, but I don't want to start with other people problems. Any suggestions what to look at?

Mikek

Reply to
amdx
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They come with dead centers, would you add $35 for a live center? What other accessories would you add?

Mikek

Reply to
amdx

Ask Mark Wieber for one. He has dozens that mysteriously "appeared" in his "shop."

Reply to
Michael Terrell

On 4/12/2020 11:51 AM, amdx wrote: > Hi all, > I had a Harbor freight lathe that I bought used. > While I got some utility from it, it was rusted after a hurricane > damaged my shed roof. I sold it cheap letting someone else do the clean up. > So, I want another lathe, I don't want anther HF unit, not even sure I > want one of the larger Grizzly Lathes. Might be convinced though. > I have looked at Bolton Lathes and they interest me, But I'm really > stretching what I want to spend at $2,000 by the time I buy some > accessories. > I have looked for a used lathe, but I don't want to start with > other people problems. > Any suggestions what to look at? >

I guess it depends on what you want to do with it. Any lathe similar to the HF lathes is going to need work to be passable. That being said I made parts with my little HF lathe.

Little Machines Shop has lathes from $699 to 2349. IN that small lathe category. Chris tends to have better stuff than Harbor Freight. They are in California so I don't know if they are shipping right now.

Grizzly also has low price smaller lathes, but they also sell bigger heavier beasts. They even have a smaller one at 4x6 for only $427. Their 7x14 is almost $100 more than Little machine shop, but they have lots of options to look at.

Personally I like Precision Mathews, but my PM lathe is a 14x40 that weighs in at 2K lbs and $5K. It came with a ton of options, better specs, and marginally better price than a similar size Grizzly or Bolton. Harbor Freight, and Little Machine Shop don't have anything that size. I have heard negative reports on some of the smaller PM machines, but Precision Mathews will stand behind what they sell and send you anything you need to make it right if you have a problem.

I can't really recomend anybody or any machine unconditionally in the smaller size. They all have need to be gone through to be decent. If you know that upfront and expect it then you are fine.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

I like my little Myford Super 7. Not a cheap lathe by any standard - but very handy. I'd go for a B series (power crossfeed) if I was looking tofay - but they are pretty hard to find.

Reply to
Clare Snyder

I've been very happy with my Wards PowerKraft  (Logan Lathe) 10x31 ... but the OP ain't going to find one new these days . The good thing is that Scott Logan is still in business and selling parts for these . Mine is nearly 70 years old and I can still buy most of the wear items from them .

Reply to
Terry Coombs

Hi all, I had a Harbor freight lathe that I bought used. While I got some utility from it, it was rusted after a hurricane damaged my shed roof. I sold it cheap letting someone else do the clean up. So, I want another lathe, I don't want anther HF unit, not even sure I want one of the larger Grizzly Lathes. Might be convinced though. I have looked at Bolton Lathes and they interest me, But I'm really stretching what I want to spend at $2,000 by the time I buy some accessories. I have looked for a used lathe, but I don't want to start with other people problems. Any suggestions what to look at?

Mikek ================================================= What do you want to do with it? If it's to make model engines etc you can size the model to the lathe, but for repair parts and prototypes of your bright ideas you may need a larger capacity, perhaps 8", 9" or 10" diameter.

Mine is a 10" and I make machinery I designed and repair parts for old equipment. I mostly could have managed with an 8" lathe, maybe a 7", but probably not smaller. When I was building custom electronics I had a little Prazi clone which had enough capacity though I didn't appreciate the lack of half nuts to disengage the carriage from the leadscrew.

I turn enough 1" shafting and drill rod to appreciate my lathe's 1-3/8" spindle bore. A bore that won't take 1/2" rod would limit the load capacity of axles you could make. 3/4" is a decent size for loads of several hundred pounds and 5HP motor pulley shafts.

Welcome to 2020. Now go home.

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

... I have looked at Bolton Lathes and they interest me, But I'm really stretching what I want to spend at $2,000 by the time I buy some accessories. ... Mikek

===========================

I used a Smithy lathe/mill when the CNC lathe was busy, which was most of the time. Though I sorely missed my 10" South Bend's smoother controls and better ergonomics it was quite adequate to turn robot parts. The mill section's drive was broken so I can't comment on how useful it is.

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

My Myford is over 40 years old and all parts are still available too.

- OOPS - they went out of buisinessrecently- so now it's either an orphan or a collector piece -- and what's available is available from Blueridge equipment in west verginia

Reply to
Clare Snyder

amdx snipped-for-privacy@knology.net on Sun, 12 Apr 2020 13:51:33 -0500 typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

I'm assuming you want a metal turning lathe? (I have various plans for wood turning lathes which can be as simple or as elaborate as you can imagine. "Some day ....")

Reply to
pyotr filipivich

Maybe smaller than you have in mind, but I'm pretty happy with my Grizzly G0602, decent quality and has done most I needed to do so far. I added a live center (like this one, but MT3

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and a bunch of other tooling including an AXA quick change tool post and carbide insert tooling. Even got some CBN inserts last year that I've not tried out yet.

25mm is listed as the spindle bore, but mine will take 1" (25.4) easy.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Reply to
speff

What's THAT say about Chinese precision, eh?? I suppose that allows for tolerance of 500 thou - at worst case 1 " will fit? <BG>

Reply to
Clare Snyder
25mm is listed as the spindle bore, but mine will take 1" (25.4) easy.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany ==================================

Good, we need more positive reviews of decent-sized machines that are currently available. It seems quite well equipped for the price.

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Yawn...........................

Reply to
Michael Terrell

I don't think that so much reflects on precision, as it does an accommodation to the American market and Imperial units. Mikek

Reply to
amdx

Thanks Spehro, that is useful.

Mikek

Reply to
amdx

Maybe smaller than you have in mind, but I'm pretty happy with my Grizzly G0602, decent quality and has done most I needed to do so far. I added a live center (like this one, but MT3

formatting link
and a bunch of other tooling including an AXA quick change tool post and carbide insert tooling. Even got some CBN inserts last year that I've not tried out yet.

25mm is listed as the spindle bore, but mine will take 1" (25.4) easy.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

==================================================

Do you regret not buying the DRO version?

( I bought a 6 jaw chuck for less than the price difference.)

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Ya didn't see the <Big Grin> at the end eh???

Reply to
Clare Snyder
[snipppp]

Misread as "buy a small latte..."

Reply to
danny burstein

I didn't, but there is a bit of truth in questioning precision on many Chinese products.

Reply to
amdx

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