Lathes??????

[WHY]

Wasn't sure whether to put this under "other components" or "builders corner" so I just picked this one.

Am considering purchasing a lathe, size will be around 12 x36 or 13 x 36. I find that both Grizzley Tools and Harbor Frieght have lathes in the category with Harbor Frieght being the least expensive, Also I think that "JET" makes one in the size.

I have found that many of these import power machine tools will often bear the same "foundry marks" although carry different names.

The Grizzley tools carry thier name but Harbor frieght uses the name of "Central Machinery", both look to be nice equipment. Anyone have any comments, good or bad about these lathes ???????

Tony

 

[scottessex]

Also try Smithy They have been around for a while and at least you will have some support,
The 1220 is about 1K the lathe is fine but the mill is a little weak, I have had mine for about 8 years.
http://www.smithy.com/product_home.php?cid=23&scid=24&pid=1014

I know that it is extremely difficult to buy something not made in China, but with the harbor freight I think would be the cheapest of the cheap and if something broke you would be out of luck.

 

[giro5]

Looking at the harbor freight stuff in their Albuquerque store, I found the lathes and mills to have a lot of slop in the tables and fixtures. I just do not think there is any quality there. Personally I think the best inexpensive stuff is from ENCO as far as a lathe.
Mills are a bit pricey if you buy one with much capacity. For a small bench top lathe there is a german one I think the brand is TAIG but you are getting close to an ENCO large one when you buy the accessories the enco comes with.

 

[tyc]

Also try Smithy ... I have had mine for about 8 years.

http://www.smithy.com/product_home.php?cid=23&scid=24&pid=1014

Thanks for the tip re "Smithy".

tyc

 

[animal]

3-in 1 mill lathe combo

3-in 1 mill lathe combo

I have a cheap 3-in 1 mill lathe combo. mine was $1,300 and had power cross feed. I think mine is a 30 or 36 inch bed. I will go out later and get the info and update the post. I did a lot of research, and found out even the high dollar smitthy, the frames and beds are made in china, they just have better US electrics.. I have already burned up the startering capitorss on 1 of my motors. I will say I am very please with the smoothness if the lathe. it works better then the mill.

mine came from a company called western tools, came with the stand, steady rest and follow rest. which are all extras to buy from harbor freight or smitty. I just wish it had bigger size chuck. I may try and make an adapter sometime for a bigger chuck.

but for the price I am very happy with it. btw mine has 2 motors, one for the lathe and one for the mill. I think Smitthy has a single motos with a gear drive to the mill head.

if I can find the link to western tool I will post it.

 

[variezn34gm@gma]

Lathes

Lathes

I have one of the Harbor Freight lathes and I woul not get another one.
EJLima

 

[Racer]

If you look around some you can find good deals on name brand used lathes for a very good price. Personally I would rather have a used name brand lathe than a new Chinese one. However I do know someone who has built an entire machine shop with Enco brand equipment and has had good luck with it.

 

[scottessex]

I would love to have a Bridgeport mill, and a South Bend lathe.....Oh to keep dreaming....

 

[JEFF TIPTON]

The old flat belt or the newer Southbend modes?

 

[WHY]

Really liked the old Atlas, Southbend , and Craftsman lathes myself, but the main draw back to them was that most of the smaller lathes like I would be looking for had such small bore in the head stock, usually less than 1 inch.

Also, can't really go very far to carry one home because it is so rough on the macnine even when you tie it down well, unless of course you go to all of the trouble to crate and cushion it.

Tony

 

[gyroplanes]

When I bought "Wunderlich's Inc" I got Dick's ENCO lathe. Dick used it every day since he bought it new in 1993 and it still runs fine.

I also got a South Bend lathe.. a flat belt model....made in 1906, I guess it outlasted the Chinese models. We use it, the ENCO and the Logan turret lathe for different operations, each has it's unique strong point.

 

[dimwit]

If it were me I'd look on ebay. you can find some real nice older machine sometime that will still hold a good tolorance.
And there not always toexpensive. It's worth a look.

 

[Racer]

When I had a regular Towing company I got a call to move a decent sized Bridgeport Vertical end mill, As I was loading it the guy was telling me what a pain this mill was for him. "I seem to move at least twice a year and every time I do I have to hire someone to move this heavy frickin thing, I should have never bought it" I asked him what it would cost to remedy his problem, He kinda looked at me funny and I said what would it cost me to just tow it to my house instead that way he would never have to worry about it again..... $600.00 later I was headed to my house with a very nice end mill with very little use on it, All the ways still very tight and look new. Even the table is in good shape, Only one small drill divot in it. I will agree those deals do not come along everyday but they do come along, I am now keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a Lathe, I will find one someday, until then I have one I can borrow anytime I need.

 

[Mike Schallmann]

Ive been using an ENCO 13x40 lathe since 1993 --it has never missed a beat --but it did take a couple of days to set it up properly. I also purchased an ENCO Drill/Mill at the same time it also has performed flawlessly. Though it does take some time to setup a project in order to get the accuracy you need. I have built half a dozen or so rotorheads with this set up as well as a COMPLETE rotorhead for an RC Helicopter-- Im sure with a little patience you could set up almost any chinese tools to make accurate parts--both of these tools have more than paid for themselves and I have no regrets in purchasing them. I also have a Chinese Floor drill that I purchased in 1979 -it runs perfectly -and thats with a Chinese motor that is a big as a small car and just as heavy---everybody tells me that Chinese stuff is CRAP -- I dont agree --some is some isnt, just like any manufacturer--Id like to get a good bridgeport knee mill --but even used the cost is prohibitive--

My Website though outdated shows some of the projects Ive made with these tools---

 

[giro5]

God, I wish I had taken notes and pictures. A friend took me to the KNIGHT foundry somewhere in the gold region on the '49 highway. They had lathes that were 20 feet long, one lathe was just a wheel with slots ( for mounting the work piece) that was over 6 feet in dia with a seperate tool post mounted in the ground (I forget the name of this type of lathe) all run off overhead flat belts driven by one 4 ft dia pelton water wheel (this town has over 200 feet of water head plumbed all over it dating back to the early 1800's. ( I am not talking about what we had in WWII but in the gold rush times of the middle 1800's) If I remember correctly some lathes dated back to the middle seventeen hundreds. The machine shop was about half and the foundry was the other half.

They still have the wooden pattern for most things the foundry made. The machine shop was in working order, they were trying to get the foundry back in working order and trying to get enough community or state support to make this back into a working musem or state park. Any machinists would drool over this place.

 

[JEFF TIPTON]

I believe the first lathe was just a couple of forked trees with a log turning between them.