opinions - worth it?

[NotURMailman]

Habor Freight 7" x 10" Metal Lathe

I think it's a bit high considering the missing bracket.
Not worried about a cracked fuse cover.
But, on sale right now used for 499.99, with 20% coupon is 399.99.
Anybody ever try to get replacement parts for one of these?
Thinking of offering $275.
Opinions?

 

[mredburn]

if your handy and have a mill or a friend with a mill that bracket is not hard to make. However I think 275 is still to high. How did that bracket break? That could tell how much abuse the lathe took.

 

[NotURMailman]

I have messaged him and asked how the bracket ended up missing. I thought maybe he removed the lead screw for some reason and lost it. I also noticed the guards on not in place in the pictures.

I do not currently have a metal lathe or a mill, and no access to either since I moved. So, I would have to purchase the parts.

If he answers me I think I'll offer $250, if he doesn't take it I'll move on.

 

[BRobbins629]

I would wait for a deal on a 7 x 12. The 7 x 10's get very short and you run out of room when you want to use a collet chuck or put a drill chuck in the tail stock.

 

[NotURMailman]

I've been periodically searching the local Craigslist for almost a year. This is the first metal lathe I've come across for under $1,000 that isn't just a glorified boat anchor. Usually all I can find are huge uber expensive industrial machines or antiques that I wouldn't know where to begin trying to get functional. I don't mind paying $250 for something even if I may want someting bigger after I learn it well. $250 is well worth the training aid in my eyes (unless the lathe just truly isn't worth $250). We'll see if I even get an answer, Craigslist is so hit or miss sometimes...

I haven't used a metal lathe in years. I mostly have used brake lathes and a few times on a CNC machine.

 

[randyrls]

You are going to find that lathe is a very short bed.

 

[CHARLES STOPCZYNSKI]

Harbor Freight replacement parts...

It's almost bizarre how Harbor Freight goes about ordering parts.

You call them, give them the full information. Plus all contact information, they then order the parts from China. Several months (many) later they call you or e-mail you to contact them. Must use what was referred to in my pre retirement days as a slow boat (takes a few weeks longer to make voyage).

Your parts are in. You then do the credit card thing and in a week or so your parts are at your door.

If you have the luxury of lots of time to do without what you need, you will get your parts later this year. If your order now.

I have shopped there many times, some of their stuff is pretty good, some isn't.

Been there done that.

Charlie
30043

 

[NotURMailman]

Well, I bit the bullet.

He doesn't have the change gears. Can get those from LMS for $39

He found the bracket for the lead screw, just not the bolts. It's not broken, it was removed and he couldn't find it.

So, I offered him $200.

We settled on $225 and he's going to deliver it to me.

I figured that was fair, since he's almost 20 miles away and my truck gets 12MPG on diesel.

Hopefully it works out. I just want it to learn on. If I decide it's something I want to pursue further I can always get something bigger later. If not, I'm not out much.

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

To clean up the surface rust, use some WD40 and scotch pads, they will clean up a treat. Not a bad buy, as others have said it is short, particularly if you want to mount a drill bit in the drill chuck. Somewhere I read that a way around that is to get/make Morse tapered blanks and drill them to suit the bit required, grind a flat on the bit and use a grub screw to hold them in place.
If you want to make your own Morse blanks, a taper turning attachment is reasonably easy to make. I don't know if Model Engineers Workshop magazine is available in the States, they had an article on making one over 2 issues. If you can't get hold of a plan for it, let me know and will send you a copy of it, if you want to make the turning attachment.
Once you have one, it can be easily fitted onto another small lathe if and when you upgrade:biggrin:.
Regards
Kryn

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

To clean up the surface rust, use some WD40 and scotch pads, they will clean up a treat. Not a bad buy, as others have said it is short, particularly if you want to mount a drill bit in the drill chuck. Somewhere I read that a way around that is to get/make Morse tapered blanks and drill them to suit the bit required, grind a flat on the bit and use a grub screw to hold them in place.
If you want to make your own Morse blanks, a taper turning attachment is reasonably easy to make. I don't know if Model Engineers Workshop magazine is available in the States, they had an article on making one over 2 issues. If you can't get hold of a plan for it, let me know and will send you a copy of it:snail:mail, if you want to make the turning attachment.
Once you have one, it can be easily fitted onto another small lathe if and when you upgrade:biggrin:.
Regards
Kryn

 

[NotURMailman]

Thanks for the tips!

I'm sure I will have plenty of questions.

 

[NotURMailman]

Well, it showed up.

The kid found the lead screw bracket and screws and installed it.

No live center, but I can get one.
No chuck key, but I can figure that out pretty easily.

The only bad thing is that the power feed doesn't work. The lead screw turns, but the feed doesn't move the carriage. Something must be wrong in the carriage gear drive. When you engage it it feels like it's engaging. But when you disengage it, the handle doesn't go all the way vertical like it should.

It will probably be tomorrow before I get to disassemble to investigate. Anybody with one of these have any ideas of what I should be looking for?

 

[NotURMailman]

After a closer look at the parts breakdown, there are no gears involved with the power feed other than the change gears, and those are good or the lead screw wouldn't be turning. So, it.s a problem with the half nut mechanism. Easy enough, LMS has all of those parts. Can't wait to disassemble this thing tomorrow for some cleaning and investigating.

 

[NotURMailman]

Well, I didn't get to it on Saturday. But I did on Sunday. I broke it all down to inspect and clean it. Turns out that was all it needed. There was so much gunk and letal chips in the half nut that it couldn't engage the threads on the lead screw. Everything works now, except for the threading dial. I'm not in a bug hurry with the threading dial until I get change gears. The gear box is really hard to shift between F-N-and R, I think that is due to a bent handle. So, all in all is it up and running. I know it is short, but I figure I can do all of my drilling in my wood lathe. I can't wait to get a chancxe to use it!

 

[randyrls]

Everything works now, except for the threading dial.

The threading dial isn't necessary for threading. (Go figure!) Many people just leave the threading lever engaged from start to finish. This is MANDATORY if you are threading metric with an imperial lead screw, or imperial with a metric lead screw!

 

[cwolfs69]

little machine shop has all of the parts you could ever need. they also have many add ons for this little machine. carriage lock, short Morse tapers for the tailstock, almost any thing you can think of they will have. they are also great for their service and help. Chris is available to talk to if you need some personal advice. they are at little machine shop website check them out.