# Contemplating a small lathe...



## Tremelune (Jan 18, 2010)

I've used a lathe exactly once in my life, and I'm not sure what to look for in one. I would like a lathe mainly to make small motorcycle parts. Bushings, spacers, brackets, adapters.

I just plan to stick this on a table in my garage...What are the maintenance requirement of these machines? If one sits in storage for years, what could go bad on it? It's just metal and an electric motor, right? Simple cover? Rust-proofing oil?

This thing will probably make a few dozen small parts per year...but I'd like for it to do it for years and years and years. I'm comfortable buying used equipment (cars, bikes, laptops, cameras, etc), but I really don't know what to look for (good vs bad) in machining equipment. Since it is my first, I feel like it would be wise to buy new so that I know it operates properly and safely, to get a feel for a proper machine. I'm starting from scratch, though, so I need chucks, tools, live/dead centers...Everything.

List of desires, as far as I can see:

- Metric and standard measurements
- Sturdy, accurate (thousandths? hundredths?), and reliable (serviceable?)
- Small (Maybe 4' long?)
- Threading--Metric and standard
- I would like to be able to use it for simple mill work as well--plates, adapters, brackets, mounts, braces. I understand there is a vertical axis adapter you can use...
- Power feeding (?)
- 110V
- Presumably any metal lathe can do wood as well?
- The cheaper the better! It would be hard to justify $1000 for a hobby tool

I've thought about a 3-in-1, but I've read they're not such a great investment, bang for buck. That said, I don't have a lathe, mill, or drill press at this point. I'm also wondering about CNC. Versatility is key, but perhaps a simple lathe and a simple mill would be better than whiz-bang all-in-wonder? I'm seeing some Sherlines and Harbor Freights, but I can't sniff out quality from web photos.

I'm just researching at this point, but any input would be appreciated.


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## wquiles (Jan 18, 2010)

I would recommend a 12x lathe as I now consider my 12x to be a small lathe devil, but I think that to start, you can't beat a good 7x lathe. The 8x lathe (like the 8x14) is larger/heavier/stiffer, but the built-in speed control makes the 7x much user friendly. Here is an old post of mine when I got my used one:
Cummings 7x12 lathe ...


There is also a very active, and very knowledgeable group in yahoo that concentrates on the 7x and 8x lathes:
7x12 mini lathe Yahoo Group

And of course, this sub-forum is also a good place to learn as well 

Keep in mind that you will typically spend "at least" the same amount or more on tooling than the lathe itself. This is not a joke - tooling is what makes the hobby expensive 

Will


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## old4570 (Jan 18, 2010)

Yeah , me too ! 

http://www.machines4u.com.au/view/?...id=2&category_id=36&subcategory_id=678&page=1
http://www.machines4u.com.au/view/?...id=2&category_id=36&subcategory_id=678&page=1

http://www.machines4u.com.au/view/?...id=2&category_id=36&subcategory_id=678&page=1 This is the one I really want .... 

http://www.machines4u.com.au/view/?...id=2&category_id=36&subcategory_id=678&page=2 ot maybe this a one . 

Money is a little tight ATM , so I was thinking around a grand ....


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## StrikerDown (Jan 18, 2010)

wquiles said:


> Keep in mind that you will typically spend "at least" the same amount or more on tooling than the lathe itself. This is not a joke - tooling is what makes the hobby expensive
> 
> Will



No joke at all. With an inexpensive lathe like the 7X it is easy to out spend lathe cost on tooling. 

Just be very cautious buying Chinese tooling (like harbor freight) It often is pure junk. But the price is attractive. 

Check eBay for great pricing on "often" top quality tooling, you just have to have patience.

One suggestion I often hear is buy the biggest heaviest machine you can budget and have space for and you won't have to replace it as soon. Buy small and you will out grow it before you plug it in!


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## mototraxtech (Jan 18, 2010)

wquiles said:


> Keep in mind that you will typically spend "at least" the same amount or more on tooling than the lathe itself. This is not a joke - tooling is what makes the hobby expensive
> 
> Will



Ya by the time I get my lathe I will have about $700 in tooling. And of course much more to go.:naughty:

Oh and the two bottom machines you listed are the same as my PM 1127 VF only mine has the vari speed and the power cross feed. I looked for a titan dealer in the the states to compare prices but never found one.

Good luck:twothumbs


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## wquiles (Jan 18, 2010)

StrikerDown said:


> ...buy small and you will out grow it before you plug it in...


That is why I was saying that to me a 12x is now a "small" lathe  

I now feel that the PM1340T is the "right" size for this hobby :devil:


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## Tremelune (Jan 18, 2010)

The tooling I hadn't considered. Is there, like, a "starter" set somewhere? Tooling costs don't terrify me, because they can be picked up as time allows, and as a particular project necessitates. Do all lathes use standard, interchangeable tools? It would be incredibly annoying to save $200 on a lathe and find out that it doesn't use the same tools as 80% of the other lathes in use.

As far as size is concerned, well, a 52" TV will always be a 52" TV, even when 10' TV's are $100. It doesn't make the viewing experience any worse. As long as it is durable, versatile and accurate, I think a small lathe will do me for a decade--Which is probably how long it will take for $1000 in lathes to actually save me money as opposed to just going to a shop and having parts made over that time. Also, I'll probably move five times in as many years, so this thing has to be man-movable.

Can anyone name a few quality domestic brands? I've had good stuff from Harbor Freight and I've had crap. I'd like to know what I'm getting into beforehand. Does anyone have first-hand experience with their lathes/machinery? They have several sizes, and they all look the same to me:

4x5
7x10
7x12
8x12

I don't think I'll be making anything much bigger than 4x5", but I'm guessing the bigger machines are simply better at doing everything. I'd rather buy a machine that was overkill that lasts than one that'll work but is crappy at what it does and then falls apart.

Are there standard lathe dimensions that the various manufacturers compete on? I see "7x12" batted around a lot, presumably that's the common size of most mini lathes? Does an 8x12" buy you much more than an inch in swing?

I'll check out the Yahoo group...I didn't know they still had those...I live in the Bay Area of California, if it makes a difference. I'm unaware of any suppliers out here, and the used market seems to be pretty slow.


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## wquiles (Jan 18, 2010)

Tremelune said:


> Do all lathes use standard, interchangeable tools?


Not exactly. They are "scaled" to match the size of the lathe.

A 7x, 8x, 9x, 10x use AXA size tool holders, although the 7x can use the sub-AXA size as well. My 12x for example uses the BXA size toolholder.




Tremelune said:


> Is there, like, a "starter" set somewhere?


Yes, and in fact, the little machine shop should be your "first" stop for anything/everything related to the 7x lathes:
http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=3486&category=


This site is a great one to get more familiar with the 7x lathe and its "many" accessories:
http://www.mini-lathe.com/




Tremelune said:


> Can anyone name a few quality domestic brands?


Not new, not for $1000, not even close. At this price range of $500-1000, all of the new machines "will" be imports. They are all very similar, differences being mainly the bundled accessories, but I still feel that given your goals/budget, a 7x12 or 7x14 will be your best option.


Will


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## Tremelune (Jan 18, 2010)

Dang, well. Thanks for the info. I'm gonna poke around these sites for a while.


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## Tremelune (Jan 18, 2010)

Those are excellent resources. At this point, I think I have it narrowed down to these options (all made by Sieg). It sounds like, with a bit of tuning and modification, you can get these things in very good shape:

Grizzly 7x12
Harbor Freight 7x12
Cummin 7x12
Micro-Mark 7x14
Big Dog 7x14

I wonder if the extra 2" is worth the money for the 7x14, as well as the relatively rarity of the model when compared to the ubiquitous Sieg 7x12 machines...They're all Sieg, but I wonder how many parts are shared between the 7x12 and the 7x14.

I'll need cutting tools, and an arbor and chuck for the tailstock.


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## Tremelune (Jan 18, 2010)

One thing I'm unclear on: Thread pitch. The Micro-Mark advertises a "True Inch" thread pitch. If I most often work in millimeters, do I _want_ a true inch thread pitch?


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## stinky (Jan 18, 2010)

You may want to wait a little while.

The new Sieg SC2 lathe will be available from http://littlemachineshop.com in April. Expected price between $7-800 (I asked them). It looks to be a significant step up from the others (more power, brushless sealed motor), and will be from a good vendor.

Review here:

http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe/Reviews/Sieg SC2/SC2.htm


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## gadget_lover (Jan 19, 2010)

Tremelune said:


> One thing I'm unclear on: Thread pitch. The Micro-Mark advertises a "True Inch" thread pitch. If I most often work in millimeters, do I _want_ a true inch thread pitch?




They come in 3 flavors; 
Metric leadscrew and dials;
Metric leadscrews and dials that are marked in inches (most common)
Imperial (TPI) leadscrews and dials. 

If you work a lot in inches, the TPI works best simply because a full turn of the handles will be some even fraction of an inch.

Using a metric leadscrew with Inch dials will result in odd amounts like . 0393 inches per revolution.

If you primarily use metric, then by all means look for a metric lathe. That keeps you from doing things in 2.54mm increments.  

BTW, I have a 5 year old 7x12 cummins and have gotten a lot of use out of it. I'd like a bigger one with a quick change gearbox and room for a DRO (digital read outs) but that has not stopped me from being able to make whatever I've wanted.

I'd suggest getting a separate mill. Unless you go for a machine like a Emco Maximat 7 you will not have a really workable mill. Even then, you have a small lathe with a mini mill in a configuration that is not optimal.

Welcome to CPF!

Daniel


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## Tremelune (Jan 19, 2010)

This might be a dumb question, but if the dials are marked in inches, how do I make a 0.01mm cut? Mashematics?


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## will (Jan 19, 2010)

One important thing about lathe size is the diameter of the stock you plan on cutting. I have an ENCO 7x10 lathe that I have used for a few years now. The diameter of the tube through the headstock is only 3/4 inch, any stock larger will not fit through. The original chuck had a smaller bore. I bored it out so I could fit 3/4 inch stock. 

The length of the bed is important. If you use a tailstock with a drill chuck, the machine gets real small with very little space between the end of the drill bit and the stock you are are drilling into. Also - if you are boring out a piece, you need the room for the boring bar. 

I only cut aluminum and wood on this lathe, on occasion some brass. I have tried stainless steel and regular steel. This machine does not do a real good job with harder metals. The import machines all seem to be made by the same Chinese manufacturer. Most ( maybe all ) use plastic gears in the headstock, mine has plastic feed gears as well. 

I have been very happy with my lathe. It does what I want and what I purchased it for. 

You should figure out what type of material you will be cutting, and the sizes of the objects you will be cutting. As many have said, buy the biggest machine you can afford.


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## gadget_lover (Jan 19, 2010)

> This might be a dumb question, but if the dials are marked in inches, how do I make a 0.01mm cut? Mashematics?



Yep, though some dials are marked for both. It's a 'feature'. You'd have to double check.

Daniel


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## Geir68 (Jan 19, 2010)

Tremelune said:


> I wonder if the extra 2" is worth the money for the 7x14



Your not paying for the 2" extra bed, but for camlock tailstock, digital readout of the spindle speed, more rigid etc. After you have searched you entire workshop for that spanner a number of times, that extra $100 looks like a bargin.


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## StrikerDown (Jan 19, 2010)

Geir68 said:


> Your not paying for the 2" extra bed, but for camlock tailstock, digital readout of the spindle speed, more rigid etc. After you have searched you entire workshop for that spanner a number of times, that extra $100 looks like a bargin.



+1.

Also with a machine that small 2" is a huge increase in length. It also looks like the spindle through hole is larger.

All good reasons to buy up!


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## wquiles (Jan 19, 2010)

Geir68 said:


> Your not paying for the 2" extra bed, but for camlock tailstock, digital readout of the spindle speed, more rigid etc. After you have searched you entire workshop for that spanner a number of times, that extra $100 looks like a bargin.



+2

If I were buying a small lathe, I would rather wait until I can buy that one for sure


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## Tremelune (Jan 19, 2010)

Makes sense. That leaves me looking at the Micro-Mark, Big Dog, or waiting a few months for the new Sieg motor...


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## will (Jan 20, 2010)

I converted my tailstock to a cam locking system, using a wrench every time to lock it down was truly a royal pain....


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## gadget_lover (Jan 20, 2010)

will said:


> I converted my tailstock to a cam locking system, using a wrench every time to lock it down was truly a royal pain....



It's an easy upgrade, and you can even buy a kit to make it easy for just a few ($30) bucks. Turning an eccentric cam is not hard to do. 

Daniel


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## will (Jan 20, 2010)

gadget_lover said:


> It's an easy upgrade, and you can even buy a kit to make it easy for just a few ($30) bucks. Turning an eccentric cam is not hard to do.
> 
> Daniel



I bought the kit from the Little Machine Shop. I did add an extension to the lever to make it a little longer. And, I put a spring on the bottom plate to keep it aligned when I take the tailstock off the bed. I even painted the outside edge on the bottom plate so I l know which way it goes back on the bed.


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## gadget_lover (Jan 20, 2010)

will said:


> I converted my tailstock to a cam locking system, using a wrench every time to lock it down was truly a royal pain....





will said:


> I bought the kit from the Little Machine Shop. I did add an extension to the lever to make it a little longer. And, I put a spring on the bottom plate to keep it aligned when I take the tailstock off the bed. I even painted the outside edge on the bottom plate so I l know which way it goes back on the bed.



I put a stop next to the bottom plate so that it could not rotate. It was fun to machine the little block that I secured with a screw. Now that I'm more experienced, I realize I could have simply put a small post through a hole in the bottom plate and into the base of the tailstock.


There are many 'improvements' you can make to the small lathes. They are not required, but make life easier.

Daniel


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## Tremelune (Jan 21, 2010)

*Big Dog 7x14* - $690 shipped
- 550W motor
- Tailstock lever lockdown
- Tach
- Steady rest
- Follow rest
- Tail stock chuck
- Live center

This one seems like the way to go. My only hesitance is that it isn't one of the ubiquitous Sieg models that are very well known and documented on the net. According to this review, it's made by Yangzhou Real Bull Machinery. It's not easy tweaking and maintaining a machine with manual.

*Micro-Mark 7x14* - $705 shipped
- 350W motor
- True inch
- Cam lock tail stock

True inch doesn't thrill me, as I will mainly be working in metric.


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## Tremelune (Jan 21, 2010)

I'll need a quick change, tools, and whatever you use to start drilling...Anything else to get started?

Can anyone explain the difference between drilling, boring, reaming, routing, etc?


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## gadget_lover (Jan 21, 2010)

Several of those terms are easily found. Drilling, for instance, can be found on wikipedia.

Drilling makes holes that are roughly circular and uniform.

Boring, on the other hand, is harder to figure out. Boring is the process of enlarging a hole using a tool that places the cutting edge on the front corner of a tool. The part you are boring rotates and the tool is slowly forced against the edge of the hole, taking a small bite as it moves in towards the chuck. Boring leaves pretty nice, concentric holes.

Reaming takes a long hole that was drilled or bored and makes it very even and round. Reaming takes off very small amounts of metal.

Routing makes complex grooves. You can find info on wiki for routing.


Hope that helps.

Daniel


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## Tremelune (Jan 24, 2010)

Well. I ended up buying the Big Dog 7x14. $715 shipped to "Residential lift gate."

I'm pretty excited.


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## gadget_lover (Jan 24, 2010)

Good for you.  Let us know how you like it.

Dan


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## StrikerDown (Jan 25, 2010)

Congratultions!

Pictures are always nice!


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## Tom Anderson (Jan 25, 2010)

Congratulations on your new lathe.

You'll probably find out that you'll be working with it more than just a few hours a week. In fact, lathe work can be addicting.


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## stinky (Jan 25, 2010)

Tremelune said:


> Well. I ended up buying the Big Dog 7x14. $715 shipped to "Residential lift gate."
> 
> I'm pretty excited.



DEFINITELY give us a review and your impressions. with pics please.


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## Pawan2010 (Jan 29, 2010)

Dear Seniors, i have a query, i have a experience of around 2-3 years working on big lathes like 6 foots etc, in my father's factory, now when i stay away from him, this ;passion of working on lathe in me is growing more and more, so i am planning to buy a lathe for myself, but do not want to buy a very small lathe, that will make me regret later, tht i shd have bought a bigger one in the first place, but it should not be too big tht my wife throws me out of the house with my lathe, so i am thinking of a 9*30 mini lathe, but i read a lot of bad reviews on 8*20 lathes, due to design flaws etc, i simply do not want to waste my money, will appreciate if the gents here could help me decide, i will be using the lathe for normal turning, cutting, threading, and shaping things, but don't want to buy too small a lathe, that could be unusable if i plan to start working on bigger objects, as of now i have checked minilathes.com website from where i have found bigdog machinery tools have nice lathes, and i chkd one of their lathe size 9*30, avbl, 
does anybody has a review for a lathe of that size here, if someone could tell me what wud the actual dimension be of the lathe and how can i take it back to my country india thru the cheapest mode of shipping, thanks in advance and will appreciate any help, if possible pls reply on [email protected], thx again


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## mototraxtech (Jan 29, 2010)

My 11 by 27 lathe has a post on here with lots of pics and hopefully by next weekend I will have it setup and cutting something. Its not to big and actually is located in the house as I don't have a garage. You might check in on it and see if it is right for you. I would agree with most people though get as big as you can afford and and room for. I couldn't have fit a bigger one in the house:naughty: so that's mostly what made my decision.


oh and :welcome:


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## Tremelune (Feb 3, 2010)

So...I'm looking at a week or two later and I haven't heard word from Big Dog. Do these guys exist? I sent an email through the Contact Me link on their website _and_ by asking a question through eBay.


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## gadget_lover (Feb 4, 2010)

I hope it works out OK Tremelune. 

They appear to be a startup on eBay, since they have only two feedbacks as a seller, and those are in the last two months. Both were for similar lathes and both were satisfied.

Did you have any direct contact with them before paying? Sometimes sellers are just a bit lax on letting you know when they are going to ship. The web site was somewhat murkey about the actual commitment on shipping.

From the auction:


> UPS Ground
> 
> 6-11 business days after seller receives cleared payment
> *The estimated delivery time is based on the seller's handling time, the shipping service selected, and when the seller receives cleared payment. Sellers are not responsible for shipping service transit times. Transit times may vary, particularly during peak periods.



Daniel
dislaimer; I mentioned ebay, so I'm required to say that they pay me so I can buy my toys. I don't speak for them and they do not listen to me.


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## stinky (Feb 5, 2010)

google is your friend :wave:

website

http://www.bigdogmetalworks.com/


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## Tremelune (Feb 5, 2010)

Yeah, that's where I bought the lathe from. I've heard nothing from these guys, and there's no phone number to speak of.


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## gadget_lover (Feb 5, 2010)

Probably will not help much, but the address they use for teh google maps on their web page is 1887 N Bayshore DR. Googling that comes up with 

Bayshore Auto
1887 N Bayshore DR
Coos Bay, OR 97420

Tel : (541) 269-2700
Fax : (541) 267-0909

It's worth a phone call, no?



Daniel


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## stinky (Feb 8, 2010)

google is still your friend --->

_Patrick Elliott

_co-owner with three partners Five Guys from Oregon, DBA Syil America mill and lather importer; and DBA Big Dog works, both mail-order companies.

------------

http://www.syilamerica.com/contact-2520us.asp

Syil America
1887 N. Bayshore Dr.
Coos Bay, Or. 97420 Tel: 1 888 594 1097 Fax: 1 541 267 0909 Email: [email protected]
[email protected]

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forum - 

http://www.syil.com/community/


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## Tremelune (Feb 11, 2010)

Actually, that was all very helpful.

"Jeff" and "Rod" at Bayshore Auto are two of the guys from Big Dog. I spoke with Rod today. Everyone I spoke with seemed very friendly.

They ran out of lathes, but there are more coming in "on the boat" that should be here by the end of the month. Rod told me they would ship them out the next day.

This hasn't been an unpleasant experienced, but I think I've been more lenient than most. Nice guys, but they need to get their poop together if they expect the business to be sustainable. I guess time will tell along with the overall fit and finish of the machine.


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## reptiles (Feb 11, 2010)

*Any thought on wood?*

Greetings, 

I've been watching this thread with interest. 

I just have one question... would these lathes also turn wood? 

I hate to spend $400-600 on a wood lathe (1/2 or 3/4HP 12x20 Jet or similar) then also buy a metal lathe if I need one later. 

Regards, 

Mark


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## will (Feb 11, 2010)

*Re: Any thought on wood?*



reptiles said:


> Greetings,
> 
> I've been watching this thread with interest.
> 
> ...



You can turn wood on any metal lathe, but, you can't turn metal on a wood lathe ( under most circumstances ) If you are going to use wood chisels, you have to get a tool rest for the chisels. I turn all my wood on a metal lathe, I just use it like it was very soft metal. I use the carriage to hold my tools. There are places that will sell the wood tool rest for a lot of metal lathes.

You will get a much bigger wood lathe than a metal lathe for the same money. The wood lathe does not have a carriage, and a lot of other items that a metal lathe will have. 

Check out Grizzly for comparisons of metal and wood lathes.


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## Clark (Feb 16, 2010)

I have paid for 5 metal lathes.

Lathes are like boat, guns, and lots of other things.
When buying, transporting, or storing, the smaller the better.
When using, the bigger the better.


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## StrikerDown (Feb 16, 2010)

My 1440 is quite easily moved by one person(ME):


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## mototraxtech (Feb 16, 2010)

StrikerDown said:


> My 1440 is quite easily moved by one person(ME):




Thats really cool and when I get a shop I would like to do that but how do you level it.


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## Clark (Feb 16, 2010)

The machines in my shop that I have on wheels:
Delta 14" Bandsaw
Delta 10" table saw
Delta 6" jointer
Lincoln 200Amp TIG welder
Welding table
Precision Matthews 1236 lathe
Altas 12x36 lathe
Rockwell 21-100 vertical mill
[Boeing surplus] elevator table
5' tall antique bank safe

I had a girl friend 35 years ago that weighed 90 pounds. She came from a small family that had to reach consensus before they could move furniture.
I came from a family that each male could pick up and throw a sofa, but I can't throw a lathe, so I need wheels so I won't need help.


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## Databyter (Feb 16, 2010)

I used to run lathes in several aerospace manufacturing companies years ago. Actually I went to school for it(It was called machine tool technology I think).

If you have never used one before I think it's important to really think about safety. Lathes don't look very dangerous, but actually they can be.

I'd recommend looking for some kind of a basic lathing tutorial to show you the techniques.

When you use it make sure to keep hair and sleeves well cuffed and tied up out of the way. It only takes one to mistake wrap you up and mangle you. The smaller lathes will probably stop before they mangle you too bad, but it will definitely ruin your day.

Also when your changing tooling etc, make sure your in neutral and preferably power off. Check your setup before you start it up, if you have tooling in the way of the chuck, a common mistake, the chuck won't know it and you'l have a broken tool, and possibly shrapnel.

Also, a really common mistake is leaving the chuck key in the chuck. It sounds stupid, like something you would never do, but trust me you will do it, so always have the habit to check for it before you power up. I don't know how far a small lathe can throw a key but I've seen some holes in aircraft hanger roofs from some of the mid sized ones, it can really dent your face too.

Not trying to preach at ya too much, but it's worth thinking about, also I wouldn't let your kids near it (assuming you have any) until you check em out on it.

If you have a buddy who knows lathes more than you do invite him over to check out your new machine and give you a few tips. Otherwise take it slow and just focus on not injuring yourself.

I know your a mechanicaly inclined guy or you wouldn't be interested so I know you'll have alot of fun and it is addicting! 

In fact although it's been years, I'm aching to get back on board one of these machines!

BTW can you do threading on these smaller machines posted on the thread? I scanned through and didn't see anything specific.?


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## StrikerDown (Feb 16, 2010)

mototraxtech said:


> Thats really cool and when I get a shop I would like to do that but how do you level it.


But if I level it I can't take it for a walk around the block! 

Sorry, Here is the thread that shows the whole lathe set up:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/230731&page=3


Mike,

Good post. We don't talk about safety with these beasts much when we are at the keyboard. Safety is always good to be reminded about, thanks.

I have a rule that I will never take my hand off the chuck key until it is returned to its storage spot. in other words if it is in the chuck my hand is on it and if I need the hand for something else the key comes out of the chuck! period. 

Note to self, this applies to the four jaw also! 

I don't use the 4 jaw often and the other day the rule was violated! Fortunately I was turning a short taper on the back side of the work piece to keep the compound away from the chuck and thus the rotation was in reverse. Judging by the dent in the back splash it would have gone through the Honda windshield! 

My father used to say that familiarity breeds contempt... he was right!


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## stinky (Feb 17, 2010)

This is great info for dumb newbs like me. I'm hoping to scrounge up the $ for an SC-2 http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe/Reviews/Sieg SC/SC2.htm in the spring or summer. Then I'll have to buy tooling. argh.

Regarding your question, I don't know about the other lathes, but with the high-torque brushless motor I sure the SC-2 should be able to do threading without any trouble.





Databyter said:


> I used to run lathes in several aerospace manufacturing companies years ago. Actually I went to school for it(It was called machine tool technology I think).
> 
> If you have never used one before I think it's important to really think about safety. Lathes don't look very dangerous, but actually they can be.
> 
> ...


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## 65535 (Feb 17, 2010)

stinky said:


> This is great info for dumb newbs like me. I'm hoping to scrounge up the $ for an SC-2 http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe/Reviews/Sieg SC/SC2.htm in the spring or summer. Then I'll have to buy tooling. argh.
> 
> Regarding your question, I don't know about the other lathes, but with the high-torque brushless motor I sure the SC-2 should be able to do threading without any trouble.




Threading doesn't require a whole heck of a lot of torque, the insert or bits used remove very little material in a pass, I wouldn't worry too much about it.


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## darkzero (Feb 17, 2010)

StrikerDown said:


> I have a rule that I will never take my hand off the chuck key until it is returned to its storage spot. in other words if it is in the chuck my hand is on it and if I need the hand for something else the key comes out of the chuck! period.


 
Good practice Ray, I like that! BTW, reviewed your thread again, awesome lathe & I like your set up!

On my 8x14 I luckily only once had the key fly. Don't remember what exactly happened but luckily the key was on the side of the chuck facing the front rather than sitting on top so the key didn't fly across the garage. It only bounced off the chip pan leaving a big dent but that was still planty of impact to scare me into learning my lesson. Sometimes bad experiences are the best ways to learn. 

Then I got the Bison & the Bison key has the nice feature of self ejecting but I could never get used to using it with the spring so I removed it from the key. I did the same thing when I got the bigger Bison for the new lathe. One good thing about the new lathe is the chuck guard, can't turn on the spindle without letting the chuck guard down which automatically forces me to take the key out even if I do forget.

The keys in shop class are huge (long & heavy) & there has been plenty of times where I've seen the instructor scold someone about leaving the key in the chuck. I'd really don't want to see one of those fly!


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## Databyter (Feb 17, 2010)

65535 said:


> Threading doesn't require a whole heck of a lot of torque, the insert or bits used remove very little material in a pass, I wouldn't worry too much about it.



What I'm wondering about isn't so much the power, as you say you only bite what you need to, or can.

I was wondering if the smaller lathes usually come with the worm gears for threading. They add alot of weight and some complexity, and require some kind of auto feeding, so I wasn't sure if this was a standard option for sub size lathes. Frankly I never did much threading in Industry, but for my current interests I would need one that can do the job.


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## StrikerDown (Feb 17, 2010)

Databyter said:


> What I'm wondering about isn't so much the power, as you say you only bite what you need to, or can.
> 
> I was wondering if the smaller lathes usually come with the worm gears for threading. They add alot of weight and some complexity, and require some kind of auto feeding, so I wasn't sure if this was a standard option for sub size lathes. Frankly I never did much threading in Industry, but for my current interests I would need one that can do the job.



I can't speak to all small lathes, but some do come with change gears that you manually swap out to cut different threads. Look at their spec sheet before purchase to determine if the one you are interested is capable of the thread pitch you need.


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## danreetz (Feb 22, 2010)

I learned most of my machining skills from old books and the videos you can rent at http://smartflix.com/ -- they have everything you need to get started. Highly recommended.


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## 65535 (Feb 23, 2010)

Usually unlike a mill with precision ballscrews the lathe's Y axis. Is driven by a threaded rod that is powered by a takeoff gear from the spindle and can be geared the the required ratio to the spindle for different thread pitches. Then a half nut is used to engage the carriage on the rotating rod.

Not all work that way but most do.

It's not that common to find them used on small lathes, but they are available around 8x and up.


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## gadget_lover (Feb 23, 2010)

All the 7x10 (heck, 7x anything) based on the Seig lathe have change gears, a lead screw and halfnuts. I've cut lots of threads on mine.

Daniel


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## 65535 (Feb 24, 2010)

You're right meant to say 7x. All these lathes seem huge to the one I have in my room. Little unloved taig still needs a motor.


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## will (Feb 25, 2010)

My little ENCO 7x10 does threading very nicely..


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## Tremelune (Mar 19, 2010)

Finally.


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## Davo J (Mar 20, 2010)

Nice lathe you have there. The only trouble is, it's addictive and you will now want more machinery. Have you made any chips with it yet?
Davo


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## precisionworks (Mar 20, 2010)

> it should not be too big that my wife throws me out of the house with my lathe


Simple ... make sure the lathe cannot be easily lifted by any human, so she will realize that the lathe has to stay even if you are ejected. 1100# (500kg) is a good starting point. After you're gone, she'll get so tired of looking at the lathe that she'll ask you to come back.

A win-win :nana:


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## will (Mar 20, 2010)

One initial purchase for the new lathe - Invest in a quick change post for the tools. I still have the original on mine, it works fine, just slow when when you start to change tools around. 

That is a nice looking lathe...

( one other thing I did on mine, I set the compound slide to dead '0' . I checked the setting with a dial indicator. I then took it off the lathe, and drilled a 1/8 inch hole in the degree plate, through to the steel underneath. Now, whenever I have to change the degree setting, getting back to '0' is easy. I just put a 1/8 inch pin in the hole and it is back to dead '0' )
the carriage is moved over about 1 inch to the right, this made the cutting much better, less chatter.


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## 65535 (Mar 20, 2010)

That's pretty clever, it's commonly done on tools such as radial arms saws and others with mitering capabilities. You may be able to find a pre made plunger than bolts on with a .125" dowel that is on a spring so to retract you pull and it's normally pushed down and automatically engages the hole.


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## will (Mar 20, 2010)

I do some tapered cutting and I was changing the angle a lot. It just makes it easier.


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