PM 1022 or 1030?

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As they say...you can turn small things on a big lathe, but you can't turn big things on a small lathe. What's a $100.00 ? :biggrin: But, consider what things you may ever turn THAT large. :wink: Everything on the lathes are the same except the length of the bed, and for making pens and such, 22 inches is PLENTY.
 
for another $700, I get the 11 by 27, comes with additional tooling and a lot more standard sized "stuff". So far I made one bushing on Ben Kelley's lathe - not exactly splitting atoms. In the meantime, I have lights, and Jet airfilter - that my wife bought me in late November for Christmas that are still in their sealed boxes. I could flip a coin and buy it or do without it. I guess that means i don't need it which is how I like to buy things in the hopes of striking a great bargain. However, that is not going to happen with PM.
 
The only difference betwee the 1022 and the 1030 is the bed length, as far as I see.

I say get the 1022. . Put your $100 towards the quick change tool post. . Nice machine, IMO.

As for the 11x27 ... is it this one ?

PM1127VF Lathe

They don't tell you the spindle taper for that one, but it's probably MT4 like the others or might be MT5. . With it, they include the quick change t.p.

Other than that it's just bigger all over. It *might* be nice to have the 1.5" spindle bore, but I doubt you'd need it.

The max RPM is 10% lower than the 1022/1030.
 
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I hope you get one Tony but if you wait a while you may find a great deal on a Grizzly just up GA400 if I don't learn to play with the one I get haha. Seriously hope you do get one, I still need to come down and do a finial one day so that would get me there for sure!
 
I am also in the market and looking at the Little Machine Shop 5200.

With some extras that I want it comes out close to 1700 plus shipping. Any thoughts?

That's an ideal size for pen making ... I like the fact that its only 130 lb so you can move it around fairly easily.

What extras are you planning on ? . Be sure to get a 4-jaw self-centering chuck. . I use it all the time ... nice for gripping and drilling "square" pen blanks.
 
The only difference betwee the 1022 and the 1030 is the bed length, as far as I see.

I say get the 1022. . Put your $100 towards the quick change tool post. . Nice machine, IMO.

As for the 11x27 ... is it this one ?

PM1127VF Lathe

They don't tell you the spindle taper for that one, but it's probably MT4 like the others or might be MT5. . With it, they include the quick change t.p.

Other than that it's just bigger all over. It *might* be nice to have the 1.5" spindle bore, but I doubt you'd need it.

The max RPM is 10% lower than the 1022/1030.


Thanks for the advice. Yes, that is the 1127.

Maybe the shorter bed of the 1022 will be more rigid than the 1030?
 
I am also in the market and looking at the Little Machine Shop 5200.
\

With some extras that I want it comes out close to 1700 plus shipping. Any thoughts?


I spoke to Chris (of LMS) about this lathe. That lathe will cut SS, but not as fast as their 8.5 x 20. I also really like the size, but I want it to make short work out of SS.

Frank Hoose has a ton of youtubes on the LMS lathes.

I like the brushless motor of the LMS lathes, but I prefer the hardened steel ways of the PM. T

I have spoken to the folks at LMS, PM, Sherline, and Taig (all very nice people), and they all appeared honest about their lines' capabilities when asked. Of course, I know so little about any of this stuff that is difficulat for me to validate what I was told.

PM with a number if you want me to tell you what I learned (what I was told). Too much to type - when you can't type well like me :).
 
I was wrong!

I am also in the market and looking at the Little Machine Shop 5200.
\

With some extras that I want it comes out close to 1700 plus shipping. Any thoughts?


I spoke to Chris (of LMS) about this lathe. That lathe will cut SS, but not as fast as their 8.5 x 20. I also really like the size, but I want it to make short work out of SS.

Frank Hoose has a ton of youtubes on the LMS lathes.

I like the brushless motor of the LMS lathes, but I prefer the hardened steel ways of the PM. T

I have spoken to the folks at LMS, PM, Sherline, and Taig (all very nice people), and they all appeared honest about their lines' capabilities when asked. Of course, I know so little about any of this stuff that is difficulat for me to validate what I was told.

PM with a number if you want me to tell you what I learned (what I was told). Too much to type - when you can't type well like me :).

Matt of PM just informed me that the ways are hard cast iron; not hardened steel. I am sorry, if I unintentionally misled anyone.
 
Sounds like you are approaching the point where a precision decision aid is called for.

If you do not have a pair of dice, I can send you a couple.

Or you can step up to a magic 8 ball.
 
Your ears may have been ringing. I need you badly. I will even pay you for it...gift certificate or whatever.

PM 1022, PM1030 or LMS 8.5 x 20 (or something like that). I am so lost, I am thinking about making taking up needlepoint!
 
I'm still strongly leaning towards the PM and I personally can't see needing bigger than the 1022 and I'd put the money towards the quick change as was already mentioned.

Consider will you ever need two and a half feet of spindle length or can you get by with just under 2 feet? Otherwise they are identical from what I've seen.
 
Tony, if you are buying a lathe to do stainless, I strongly suggest that you talk to Skiprat and BradG.

Stainless requires specialized skills, as well as the right equipment.

I don't believe there is any way of making "quick work of stainless".

If you feel lost in the decision-making process it is time to take a break and do some unhurried research. You can't rush it !
 
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So I am...but with the tooling, the net bed is much shorter. I also just learned that the PM is not hardened steel. The LMS has a brushless motor, shrounded lead screw cover, and 33% more HP. I am curious as to KenV's pinon. Not that I don't value all.
 
SS

Tony, if you are buying a lathe to do stainless, I strongly suggest that you talk to Skiprat and BradG.

Stainless requires specialized skills, as well as the right equipment.

I don't believe there is any way of making "quick work of stainless".

Thank you for the direction Mal; they are excellent resources and I have consulted one of the two. I also consulted 3 family members who are all full-time machinists.

Thanks again!
 
Tony

You have 3 lathes that are essentially the same starting cost (about 10% difference).

You want to machine stainless. Many are nasty grabby work hardening but there are a couple of machinable varieties like 416 that should be workable with the right cutting fluid/coolant. Note that the fluid of choice is different for steel bits and carbide bits.

Not sure what performance you are seeking from the stainless, but the tough ones with better wearability are the one that are the most difficult to machine to a nice surface.

Stainless likes stiffness and power for machining. In general, the longer the bed the more flex. The bigger the watts (or lower gear ratios) the more applied torque.

I would not be especially concerned about cast iron ways. Good maintenance and cleaning will keep it going 30-40 years.

If you stay with machinable stainless, any of those will do common machinable steels, as well as aluminium and brass.

There is an awesome learning curve ahead, because your objective is to work with a challenging steel. I am pretty sure you have the ability to kick butt with stainless.

I suspect you might get suckered into making fountain pens from scratch If you are not careful.
 
HF mini lathe will cut SS

I've made pens from SS my little 7x10 mini lathe without issue including single point threading. Used cutting fluid for turning and drilling.
 

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Thank you Ken and Dan. I am giving the purchase a rest until I make myself more familiar with the processes. I have picked-up the phone more than once to order one lathe only to change my mind while phone rang. I guess not being really ready to make a decision is not a good foundation for making a decision. Thank you for all of the feedback and advice.
 
Excellent choice!!!!

Start making lists of the other stuff you need to acquire and learn. Learning to grind and polish tool bits can take a while and adds new concepts and vocabulary.

Be careful that you do not get sidetracked to grinding and tuning nibs.

Get a copy of the machinist handbook. Used but recent is good. Last 5-10 years is good for learning.

Keep talking to the relatives who know how to deal with apprentices.

Yup -- Apprentice Tony- sounds good to me
 
Excellent choice!!!!

Start making lists of the other stuff you need to acquire and learn. Learning to grind and polish tool bits can take a while and adds new concepts and vocabulary.

Be careful that you do not get sidetracked to grinding and tuning nibs.

Get a copy of the machinist handbook. Used but recent is good. Last 5-10 years is good for learning.

Keep talking to the relatives who know how to deal with apprentices.

Yup -- Apprentice Tony- sounds good to me

In life's journey, I am always an apprentice - happy to be always learning :)
 
The size of you work will eventually grow to fit the size of your lathe.

Bigger is always better, IMO.

Shop space and machine weight might be a consideration.
 
Thank you Ken and Dan. I am giving the purchase a rest until I make myself more familiar with the processes. I have picked-up the phone more than once to order one lathe only to change my mind while phone rang. I guess not being really ready to make a decision is not a good foundation for making a decision. Thank you for all of the feedback and advice.

I picked up my lathe on sale and on a whim and now wished it was bigger. Had I gone for the bigger lathe I would still be trying to justify the expenditure instead of making chips. I've been researching a mill for over a year now. I've worked my wants up in size to a point I can't justify the $$ and I start over again. And for over a year I've not made that automatic folding knife design I have because I don't have a mill I need to make it work. Sometime you just need to pull the trigger and go to work. This weekend I started building a pattern adapter for my little lathe requiring me to drill the saddle frame. Had it been a better more expensive one I'd be hesitant to modify it. I probably wouldn't be turning wood and acrylics on it either.
 
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