micro lathe

[glycerine]

I've been asking about lathes and accessories lately because I will be making a purchase soon. Eventually I would like to do some metal turning as well so that I can make my own compenents.
Found this online. The cheap price is for the base unit with no motor, chuck, tailstock, etc. But If I already have a motor and some of the othe items, it might not be a bad deal. Have any of you seen this before? What's your opinion?
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/microlathe.php

 

[NewLondon88]

Looks like a Taig to me. I've got one in the shop, It's a neat little
machine.

If it comes with no motor ,no chuck, no tailstock .. hmm.. doesn't seem
like you'd want to buy it. You can probably find them for less than that
price on CraigsList or ebay.. and that would likely include a 3 or 4 jaw
chuck, tailstock, cutter bits, motor. You can get accessories for short
money for this lathe, too. I think my compound was about $25, live
center (needle bearing) was about $8. I think the Jacobs chuck was $1.

 

[bitshird]

It's a Taig, and while I don't own a Taig lathe, I do own a Taig CNC milling machine, their quality is superb, given their price and the fact they just started making power feed kits for the lathe, I'd rather have a Taig than a Sherline, particularly given the cost.

 

[glycerine]

It's a Taig, and while I don't own a Taig lathe, I do own a Taig CNC milling machine, their quality is superb, given their price and the fact they just started making power feed kits for the lathe, I'd rather have a Taig than a Sherline, particularly given the cost.

Do you know if Taig also has a CNC lathe or just the mill?

 

[bitshird]

Do you know if Taig also has a CNC lathe or just the mill?

Check with Nick Carter http://www.cartertools.com/, I know Taig doesn't make one but I've seen them and Sherline's converted, nick runs one of the most informative sites around for Taig machinery, also check his prices, The kit that you showed is pretty standard, Nick has complete packages. Taig is funny about the way they market their lathes, Watch out, prices on eBay usually wind up higher than most dealer.

 

[workinforwood]

It looks to me like there are adaptations out there to convert this machine to a CNC. I don't like the way this machine has no motorized lead screw and any accessorizing you might want to do to it looks aweful limited. I don't see how you take out the drill chuck and replace it with a live center. Doesn't mean you can't though. I just think this particular machine looks like it has quite a few limitations. I'm sure if I am wrong I will be corrected quickly enough!:biggrin:

How about this lathe? It is bigger, the components look to be more standard and it is a CNC lathe. It is supposedly affordable, but It doesn't show me the price

http://www.syilamerica.com/product_C6.asp

 

[glycerine]

It looks to me like there are adaptations out there to convert this machine to a CNC. I don't like the way this machine has no motorized lead screw and any accessorizing you might want to do to it looks aweful limited. I don't see how you take out the drill chuck and replace it with a live center. Doesn't mean you can't though. I just think this particular machine looks like it has quite a few limitations. I'm sure if I am wrong I will be corrected quickly enough!:biggrin:

How about this lathe? It is bigger, the components look to be more standard and it is a CNC lathe. It is supposedly affordable, but It doesn't show me the price

http://www.syilamerica.com/product_C6.asp

I found the price, $4500 - http://www.syilamerica.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=24&osCsid=pdkq4t45mdmb4kb2gmp6n4sie5

Is the lead screw always in front of the bedways? There's a Shirline CNC lathe that looks nice, but I don't see the lead screw. It does still have the little ball crank, but it looks like the lead screw may run underneath the bedways. Is that how some of them work?

 

[workinforwood]

Oops, Sorry about that...When I spend your money, this is what you get! :rotfl: Say whatever you want about a Taig..a Taig might as well be lego's next to this baby.
http://www.mazakusa.com/productpage.asp?lngEquipID=7

No idea about the possible different lead screw locations. I've only seen them in the front.

 

[NewLondon88]

I don't see how you take out the drill chuck and replace it with a live center.

There's a small nut and bolt.. remove that and put in the center, put the
nut and bolt back. takes about three times as long as removing the live
center and replacing it with a drill chuck on a regular lathe... not long.

All you need is a screwdriver .. and the nut only stops you from losing the
bolt. You don't even tighten it.. it holds the handle and serves as a pivot
point so you can extend the center.

 

[mredburn]

I have had both the Taig lathe and the Sherline lathes. The Taig is good for a lot of things, THe ability to thread is not one of them. The taig has the lead screw in the front, the Sherline underneath, You can easily change frome the dead or live center shaft on the Taig. The Sherline is a better Machine for me. I use the 4400 long bed. The taigs accessories are cheaper. Some of the Taig accessories will fit the sherline headstock They both use 3/4 x 16 threads but the centers are different tapers, I found the Taig adequate for turning pens and the drilling tailstock feature was nice. I like my sherline better. I quickly ran into the Taigs limitations, you cant drill or bore accurately with the taig (by the thousandths) like the sherline without making up a jig using a dial indicator to follow the tool. The Taig chucks will fit the SHerline and are cheaper. I have both, I like the Taigs 3 jaw soft chuck to cut into to use for turning washers. I do have the Taig mill, not the cnc but the standard unit. It works great. Im not going to replace it with a sherline unit but I use several of the sherline acc for the mill. The 4in rotary table, the indexing attachment. I recomend the Sherline lathe over the taig any day. Mike

 

[bitshird]

Oops, Sorry about that...When I spend your money, this is what you get! :rotfl: Say whatever you want about a Taig..a Taig might as well be lego's next to this baby.
http://www.mazakusa.com/productpage.asp?lngEquipID=7

No idea about the possible different lead screw locations. I've only seen them in the front.

Jeff you got an extra couple hundred grand laying around for that Mazak, if you do I'd like one of the 300 series, heck I could squeeze by with a piddly little 200 IV-T you know If I had too.
I just like getting to play with a Haas SL-10 wish I could get it in my VW, LOL

 

[workinforwood]

Is it only a couple hundred grand for that Mazak ? I was expecting it would at least half a million and then another half million or more for add-ons. I read it was the most expensive lathe on the market, but they don't show the price. When your ankle gets better Ken, we'll just back my semi truck into their building one night and lift a couple of those babies on board! Surely they take IOU's.

 

[workinforwood]

Here's a good deal to consider. It's a good all around lathe with plenty of room for growth and the price is totally reasonable in my opinion anyhow. This is what my income level would afford..after several months of saving of course.
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?...MKANO=236&PMKBNO=2036&PMPAGE=33&PARTPG=INLMPI

 

[titan2]

I've been asking about lathes and accessories lately because I will be making a purchase soon. Eventually I would like to do some metal turning as well so that I can make my own compenents.
Found this online. The cheap price is for the base unit with no motor, chuck, tailstock, etc. But If I already have a motor and some of the othe items, it might not be a bad deal. Have any of you seen this before? What's your opinion?
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/microlathe.php

Well, by the time you get that thing up and running with all the extras you'll need for doing wood turning........you'd be money ahead to go on out and buy a nice midi lathe......ie. Rikon, Jet, Delta & etc....

Barney