any input from you metal guys?

[GoodTurns]

Special of the Week - LittleMachineShop.com

anyone have this one? worth the $$$$? Is this a "final" lathe or a starter that I will need to upgrade/replace?

Any input appreciated!

 

[frank123]

For the price I'd go to a somewhat larger lathe for just a little more unless you are certain you won't want to be turning any larger (meaning longer) stuff.

The extra low speed torque is a big plus over the standard mini lathe, but probably not important if it is for pen or similar sized projects and materials. The included tooling is a big plus if that is the size you are sure you will be happy with and the machine is a good machine within its limits. Little Machine Shop has a very good reputation as a business.

 

[GoodTurns]

Thanks, Frank. I am planning to use it for manufacturing my own pen parts, so size is fine. I know LMS is good, have bought from them several times, but nothing at this level! If I'm gonna jump in, want to make sure I don't hit the bottom of the pool!

 

[Dalecamino]

Jon, I feel this is a good deal with the tooling considered. However, I personally feel that anything under 14" is just too cramped for me. I like to finish my work before I part it off. Having 4 more inches of space is a plus for me. I got the 7x16 for $749 on sale, and found tools on ebay very reasonable. Tough call, but I'm glad I decided on the longer bed. JMO

 

[IPD_Mr]

Jon - Chuck is spot on. The killer is if you have a Jacob's chuck in the tail stock and and then have a 4"-5" drill bit in that, you have very little room to work.

The tool package with the QCTP makes the LMS a great deal if you can work around the short bed length.

 

[GoodTurns]

that's what I'm looking for...hadn't considered that the chucks would eat into the bed length!

 

[BRobbins629]

Yes, 14" is better, but I have used the 12" for about 5 years for pens and more. Haven't found one I couldn't make on it. Drill chuck does eat into space, but even with the 12" it does work.

 

[skiprat]

I'm a sucker for this question every time it gets asked, even when I get shot down. :biggrin:
A Jacobs chuck has been mentioned but a Key-less chuck is substantially longer. :biggrin:
If I was at home now, I'd measure a 13mm ( 1/2 inch ) keyless chuck with a 1/2 drill bit in it and a scroll chuck on the headstock and you'd be shocked at just how little space is left.

I've ALWAYS advocated getting the biggest baddest heaviest longest lathe you can afford at the time. You've seen what I attach to mine and perhaps you'll never want to do that. But with a smaller lathe you won't EVER be able to do it either.
There are many many members here that get by with a mini lathe and most often they can come up with resonable good justification for getting it, and to be fair, have made some wonderful items on them.

But hey, Jon, you have a spare bob or two and seem to be inquisitive enough to want to play later on, so splash out and get a 9 x 20:biggrin:

 

[NotURMailman]

I'm a sucker for this question every time it gets asked, even when I get shot down. :biggrin:
A Jacobs chuck has been mentioned but a Key-less chuck is substantially longer. :biggrin:
If I was at home now, I'd measure a 13mm ( 1/2 inch ) keyless chuck with a 1/2 drill bit in it and a scroll chuck on the headstock and you'd be shocked at just how little space is left.

I've ALWAYS advocated getting the biggest baddest heaviest longest lathe you can afford at the time. You've seen what I attach to mine and perhaps you'll never want to do that. But with a smaller lathe you won't EVER be able to do it either.
There are many many members here that get by with a mini lathe and most often they can come up with resonable good justification for getting it, and to be fair, have made some wonderful items on them.

But hey, Jon, you have a spare bob or two and seem to be inquisitive enough to want to play later on, so splash out and get a 9 x 20:biggrin:

While you're on the subject, would you still recommend the the 9x20 to someone who had been eyeballing the 8.5x16?

 

[GoodTurns]

Ok, so size does matter...guess I have to go shopping....any recommendations, or more importantly, ones to avoid?

 

[Dalecamino]

Jon, I suppose I am biased toward the MicroLux 7x16. I really like this lathe. I won't pretend to be an expert on lathes, but having owned both the 7x & 9x I can tell you, if you go with the larger one, you will want VS and convert the tail stock to a cam lock, because we move them often when making pens. They are still a good lathe, and Steve makes a good case for them. Good luck, and happy hunting.

 

[azamiryou]

Count me in the 7x12 is acceptable group. Of course longer is better, but I, too, have found that I can do everything I need to on my 12" bed. There may come a day when I want to do bigger projects, but in the meantime I'm getting a metric ton of use out of my money spent.

If your budget allows you to get a 16" with the same features and tooling, then go for it. But if you have to look at budget trade-offs, I think the low-end torque, tailstock cam lock, QCTP, and tooling offer way more value than the extra 4".

 

[creativewriting]

I had the Grizzly 7X12 and just recently upgraded to the 7X14 Big Dog Metal Works lathe. It is almost identical to the one you have have in the post above, but the tailstock on the BDMW is a little more substantial and comes with a camlock. the extra inches are great and I don't know how I functioned without the camlock before. If they had a 7X16 I would have gone up, but this was the best machine for me and it has worked great so far.

 

[randyrls]

one thing to add to the thread; The measurements of these lathe are not always apples to apples. Some lathes measure the distance from the nose to the tail stock quill, some from a dead center to dead center. Read the specs carefully to see how the length is determined.

Oh; added later. The thru hole in the headstock is important because you can put a blank into the hole and it will not stick out while drilling.