Lathe suggestions

[vakmere]

Looking to replace my inexpensive starter kit Shop Fox lathe with something of a better quality. I'll probably get lots of different brand suggestions however I want to keep it under $400. Has to be variable speed (I dont want to keep moving a belt), has to have dead on smooth rotation. Also I would like to find a superior quality #1 morse taper mandrel.
Presently my lathe has too much vibration while turning and is getting anoying and makes turning difficult. It has some miles on it to. The vibration is not from over tightening or to much pressure from the live center. Maybe the alignment of the tail stock however it's a cheapie lathe and didnt expect it to last long anyway. I also hear the motor rpms go up and down ever so slightly, not radically. I turned over 130 pens on it. That says something right there. Should get a lot more out of it.

Either way, your quality lathe suggestions are welcome.

 

[Swagopenturner]

I have always liked and had very good luck with my Rikon. Their customer service is great, too. The lathe was dead on right out of the box, very smooth running, no matter what the speed. Even when turning a 12" diameter lamp base out of Mesquite it has plenty of power. The extension was reasonably priced, but took some tinkering to properly align it. I think it has very close tolerances, where it meets the lathe bed.

 

[monophoto]

I was in exactly the same situation last Fall. The options I considered were the Nova Comet II, the Delta 46-460, the Jet 1221VS, and the 12" Turncrafter Commander.

Note that all four options involved moving up from the 3/4-16/MT1 spindle size of the ShopFox 1704 to a 1-8"/MT2 spindle. Also, all four carry a price that exceeds your $400 limit.

After a detailed comparison of the four options, and also a lot of thought about my needs, I opted for the Turncrafter. The rationale for my decision applies to my situation - YMMV. But I will say that I've used the Turncrafter for about 6 months and have been happy with it.

I see that you are in the Philly area - Turncrafter is the PSI house brand, so buying a Turncrafter could save you the cost of shipping. And there is a 10" variable speed version of the Turncrafter that may meet your price threshold.