moke
Member
I know this question has been asked over and over again, but I am seeking some advice from the metal lathe crowd....
I have been close to buying a metal lathe several times and something else comes along and I get it...last time the Laguana Revo went on sale and just like my wife with something tiny and shiny....I went for it (although a Revo is anything but tiny and shiny). Now in a little under 6 months I am retiring from one of my jobs and my income will go down...so this might be a good chance at least for a while to get my Metal Lathe. So if you could please help a guy with very limited knowledge of metal lathes get the best one for him.
Why and what do I intend to do with it?
-I want to do a few tools for myself and other lathes friends in our club.
-Mostly I want to do kitless pens
-My late Father was a machinist, I have all his tools (though they are at least 30 or 40 years old) and I have always wanted to be a little more like him, this may draw me a little closer.
-Some of his talented co workers are very old now and we are starting to loose them. While this site is great, I feel I could be benefited by their "hands-on" knowledge.
I have it narrowed down to two lathes. I have seen the 8x22 little Machine shop be recommended here a lot.....I have researched it and the power x and Y look awesome....but it has gears for threading.
I am also considering the Grizzly 10x22 variable speed. As you know it does not use the gear threading system but only has power x feed. No power cross.
So is the power cross feed ok to loose for the convenience of not having to change gears? Is this a good trade off, or not that big of a deal. Both are between 1700 and 1800.
Second question: My older machinist friends hate metric threading...I have some doubt if they want to show me how.....they explained to me it is way harder than SAE...is that true? Something about throwing the power feed in and out of gear instantly???? And pens kit parts are metric so I have no choice, right? I am wondering if this is due to the era they are from?
Thank you in advance for your help.
I have been close to buying a metal lathe several times and something else comes along and I get it...last time the Laguana Revo went on sale and just like my wife with something tiny and shiny....I went for it (although a Revo is anything but tiny and shiny). Now in a little under 6 months I am retiring from one of my jobs and my income will go down...so this might be a good chance at least for a while to get my Metal Lathe. So if you could please help a guy with very limited knowledge of metal lathes get the best one for him.
Why and what do I intend to do with it?
-I want to do a few tools for myself and other lathes friends in our club.
-Mostly I want to do kitless pens
-My late Father was a machinist, I have all his tools (though they are at least 30 or 40 years old) and I have always wanted to be a little more like him, this may draw me a little closer.
-Some of his talented co workers are very old now and we are starting to loose them. While this site is great, I feel I could be benefited by their "hands-on" knowledge.
I have it narrowed down to two lathes. I have seen the 8x22 little Machine shop be recommended here a lot.....I have researched it and the power x and Y look awesome....but it has gears for threading.
I am also considering the Grizzly 10x22 variable speed. As you know it does not use the gear threading system but only has power x feed. No power cross.
So is the power cross feed ok to loose for the convenience of not having to change gears? Is this a good trade off, or not that big of a deal. Both are between 1700 and 1800.
Second question: My older machinist friends hate metric threading...I have some doubt if they want to show me how.....they explained to me it is way harder than SAE...is that true? Something about throwing the power feed in and out of gear instantly???? And pens kit parts are metric so I have no choice, right? I am wondering if this is due to the era they are from?
Thank you in advance for your help.