Is this a good deal?

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Looks like a 7x10. There's plenty of information out there on what you will need to do to bring it up to snuff -- the Yahoo 7x12 group is a good place to start. The biggest issue you will face is the size. Pretty soon, you'll wish it was longer, and you may wind up getting the Little Machine Shop 14" upgrade kit (as I did) for $150. You will also probably spend a fair amount on tooling -- $100 on a quick change toolpost, then maybe another $50 on a cam lock for the tailstock and a Jacobs chuck so you can drill. Then bits and boring bars and...well, the list goes on and on. It's another way to get rid of excess cash you have lying around.

Think about what you want to do with it, and ask the hard question of whether you can accomplish all you want to do on a machine that only has 10" between centers. I found it wasn't long enough or precise enough to do the things I wanted (which is why I've just bought a 9x20).

Good lathe to learn on, but expect to upgrade or retrofit very soon.

BTW, I'm going to be listing a QCTP and a four jaw chuck for the 7x in the next few days if you go forward and are interested.
Doug
 
Maybe - - -

Central Machinery is the Harbor Freight house brand. You can get a new Central Machinery minilathe for less than $125. The new lathes don't have the speed control box mounted on the front - so this may be a fairly old model.

From the picture and description, it seems to come with a chuck - that would set you back another $100 or so.

The pictures seems to suggest that this lathe is reversible - that's an attractive feature that most modern minilathes don't offer.

So - Pricewise, its probably competitive with a new HF minilathe. It has some attractive features. But it appears to be old, and one has to wonder about what kind of treatment it has received.
 
monophoto said:
Maybe - - -

Central Machinery is the Harbor Freight house brand. You can get a new Central Machinery minilathe for less than $125. The new lathes don't have the speed control box mounted on the front - so this may be a fairly old model.

From the picture and description, it seems to come with a chuck - that would set you back another $100 or so.

The pictures seems to suggest that this lathe is reversible - that's an attractive feature that most modern minilathes don't offer.

So - Pricewise, its probably competitive with a new HF minilathe. It has some attractive features. But it appears to be old, and one has to wonder about what kind of treatment it has received.
Click to expand...


This is a 7x10 metal lathe and not a wood lathe.
They run $499 on sale and all have reverse and a chuck.


For $225 I would pass.

I got the 7x12 shipped to me for less than the 7x10 is on sale for.
You will regret a 7x10 I think, because mine is pretty tight between centers when you start adding the attachments like the drill chuck w/a bit.
You will definitely want a QCTP. The stock one is a pain in the butt to adjust and you have to do it every time you change bits.

It might be a good deal for you depending on what you want to do with it.

Here is a link to the new one...
http://www.harborfreight.com/garage...nch-x-10-inch-precision-mini-lathe-93212.html
 
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