Metal Lathes Look Cool!

[Joe S.]

I got a Grizzly catalog earlier, and noticed the new micro metal lathe. I started to think that it would be nice for penmaking. Now, after a short run around the internet, I'm getting really interested in metal lathes and machining! I've seen plans for cotton candy machines, small canons, and all kinds of similar fun! Now I'm left with deciding if I should just do small things with the micro, or save my pennies and get the much larger mini lathe...

 

[Pitoon]

my bit of advice.....buy the best and biggest lathe you can afford when it's time to buy.

Pitoon

 

[jimjam66]

I'll second that, Joe. I have a 7x14 and for most of what I do making pens I would struggle with anything less ...

 

[Joe S.]

Ooooooooooh!
https://littlemachineshop.com/4100

 

[skiprat]

Ooooooooooh!
https://littlemachineshop.com/4100

Far too small !!! :wink:

Here's a thread that I posted almost a year ago. Hopefully you'll want to use your lathe for more than just it's basic use. If you get inventive or just playful, then you will need the space to do it.
My lathe is a 10 x 21.5 and I often wish I got the next size up.

Do yourself a favour when checking out lathes......

Fit a half inch keyless chuck with a half inch drill in it and then see how much space you have left........not much at all.

I really think you can get a proper sized machine for similar money. :wink:

 

[SteveG]

Listen to Steven (Skiprat)...size matters.

 

[mredburn]

Your not compensating with a bigger lathe you're over achieving.:biggrin:

 

[Joe S.]

I know... The problem is even that lathe would be really pushing it cost-wise.

 

[Joe S.]

Big enough?
Grizzly.com
I would need to save for awhile to get this one. Maybe a used metal lathe would be better for the first?

 

[skiprat]

Your not compensating with a bigger lathe you're over achieving.:biggrin:

I think that statement is more confusing than Smitty's current 'reality' thread !!:biggrin: Is it USA National Drug Eating Day or something over there???:tongue:

 

[Displaced Canadian]

I think that statement is more confusing than Smitty's current 'reality' thread !!:biggrin: Is it USA National Drug Eating Day or something over there???:tongue:

Wow, look at all the pretty lights man.

 

[Joe S.]

Will I like this one? Grizzly.com

or is this a better style? Grizzly.com

or do I forget getting a mill on it and go for the biggest "plain" metal lathe I can?

 

[BigShed]

A lathe with a mill on it will always be a compromise. The mill will be very limited in its' capabilities and the lathe will be more awkward to use.

As said above, get a good size lathe (9x20 miniumum) and a separate mill.

 

[dgscott]

I'm currently on my third, a 1947 South Bend Model A 9x36. I started with a 7x10, thought it would be all I would need, quickly modified it to a 7x14, then sold it and moved to a 9x20. I learned a lot each step along the way (including what I wanted to do and wasn't able to). There's no reason not to start small but realize that you will soon want to step up.

Start used -- scour Craig's list, eBay, etc. and wait for the right lathe at the right price. I guarantee that buying the lathe is only the first expense in a long list of purchases that you will make to enhance/upgrade/feed your new toy.

I have to say that I got a lot out of my Chinese imports, but having spent two months rebuilding the South Bend, I'm convinced there's nothing like American iron (my $0.02).

Doug

 

[randyrls]

Big enough?
Grizzly.com
I would need to save for awhile to get this one. Maybe a used metal lathe would be better for the first?

Joe; I have the G4000 and it is a nice lathe. The compound slide mounting isn't stiff enough. You can make a stiffer one and there are designs on the net for this.

 

[frank123]

Unless you intend to confine yourself to making miniature models, bigger is better.

I'd look at a 7x12 as the minimum size you will be at all happy with after using it for a while.

Of course, the amount of space available is also a consideration. One for use on the kitchen table in between other uses of the table will have to be of a sufficiently small size and weight to lend itself to that purpose, while one for use in a permanent position in a shop gives much more flexibility as to size.

For machine tools of reasonably equal quality, in general bigger is better than smaller and more horsepower is better than less horsepower.

 

[frank123]

Big enough?
Grizzly.com
I would need to save for awhile to get this one. Maybe a used metal lathe would be better for the first?

You might look at the HF version of that, as near as I can tell it is pretty much the same machine and costs less.

I think the 9 x machines are all pretty much the same with one brand (I forget which) seeming to have been reworked to make it quite a bit better off the shelf (but nothing you can't do for yourself, there are quite a few Internet sites that discuss modding and improving them).

I've seen them occasionally go on Craigslist with tooling for around 500 or so. Whatever, get as much tooling with the initial lathe as you can, seems like you can never have enough of it for some reason.

 

[Joe S.]

Big enough?
Grizzly.com
I would need to save for awhile to get this one. Maybe a used metal lathe would be better for the first?

You might look at the HF version of that, as near as I can tell it is pretty much the same machine and costs less.

I think the 9 x machines are all pretty much the same with one brand (I forget which) seeming to have been reworked to make it quite a bit better off the shelf (but nothing you can't do for yourself, there are quite a few Internet sites that discuss modding and improving them).

I've seen them occasionally go on Craigslist with tooling for around 500 or so. Whatever, get as much tooling with the initial lathe as you can, seems like you can never have enough of it for some reason.

HF makes me nervous, but it would be nice to save a few dollars. I'll look into it...

 

[hard hat]

I have a LMS 7x12 and it sure is tiny. I will eventually have a large engine lathe but that won't be for years to come. You can do small work on a big lathe bu not the other way. Go big or buy multiple lathes. Either way you'll be broke.