Taig Lathe Question

HI All: I'm thinking of getting a Taig based on recommendations from clock repairers. It seems like a good tool but looks to be limited as opposed to the Chineese Lathes like Micro Mark, etc. Anyone have any experience with Taig?

Reply to
Finite Guy
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My friend has a Taig cnc mill. The only limitation is size. Chinese machines are limited in accuracy, longevity and quality. For the price, Taigs are hard to beat.

Ron Thompson Was On the Beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast, Now On the Beautiful Florida Space Coast, right beside the Kennedy Space Center, USA

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'If you're standing in a puddle, don't touch anything that hums' From the Red Green show

Reply to
Ron Thompson

I own a taig and love it. For a realistic discussion on this topic, go to the yahoo group, and check out Nick Carter's website

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Reply to
Des Bromilow

Depends on what you want to do with it. The Taig is limited in size, has no power feeds or threading capability, and without making a countershaft, will not give low enough rpm for a lot of stuff. Deadly accurate once set up, and repeat beautifully. Carriage rack is mounted teeth up, means you have to keep picking the small chips out of it or you'll damage either the rack or the pinion. CHuck jaws from them are aluminum, you have to bore them, excellent if you're looking for good concentricity. 4 jaw is pretty good, nice little chuck. Collet set is pretty good, works well if kept clean. Other than limited size, good little machine for the bucks.

Chinese 7 X 12 has better capacity, threading and power carriage feed, but needs almost as much setting up as the Taig. I don't have any complaints with either machine.

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has the best price on the 7 X 12, but they don't pay shipping.

Reply to
Lennie the Lurker

apparently the new taigs come out with a shield covering the rack, so the mentione dissue is't a problem. (I made a shield myself out of a offcut ceiling extrusion) The softjaws on the 3 jaw chuck are nice, and I've never had significant problems with holding after i drilled a second tommy bar hole in the chuck. The replaceable jaws are a godsend when it comes to working on weird projects (My current jaws can hold in three different configurations depending on what I'm trying to do) The lack of a leadscrew is a major difference, BUT there are some aftermarket kits available to add one (check the minimech attachment reveiwed at

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I'd love a bigger lathe such as a 14x60 etc, but I'd always keep the Taig for minor and small work. Most taig owners view the taig as "industrial lego" and will make and add accessories to suit the task at hand, or the mood of the moment (I've built Steadies, a dividing head, knurler, mill holders, and will be doing a leadscrew and taper turning attachment during my next major holiday.

HTH, Des "Lennie the Lurker" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com...

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Reply to
Des Bromilow

I started my machining hobby with a sherline. I kept the sherline even though I have owned as many as 6 lathes at one time. I now have a myford super 7 and a 11 inch rockwell. I have not used the sherline lathe for 2 years. The myford can do anything the sherline could do and in 1/3 the time.

chuck

Reply to
Charles A. Sherwood

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