# Please help me pick my first lathe.



## jhanko (May 27, 2008)

I'm interested in learning how to use a lathe, and the 20% Enco discount is almost too good to pass up. I was thinking of buying this lathe, this starter cutter set and this tool holder. Seems like a great deal for $400 shipped. For starters, I would use it only for soft metals up to 1". Does this seem like a worthy setup to learn on, or is it throwing money away? I want to produce high quality parts, even if it's at the expense of slow speed. I'd really like to get it, but don't want to be disappointed in a month. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks,

Jeff


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## Mirage_Man (May 28, 2008)

I'd give this thread a read.


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## jhanko (May 28, 2008)

Mirage_Man said:


> I'd give this thread a read.



Yes, I read that thread before posting. Everything discussed in that thread is out of my price range right now...


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## Mirage_Man (May 28, 2008)

OK. If your budget allows a mini lathe then that's alright. I think most of them are pretty much the same so just pick one and go for it. You'll be saving for a bigger badder lathe in no time .


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## wquiles (May 28, 2008)

For starting, that is a great small lathe. My first lathe was a Cummins 7x12 (same basic lathe) and you will love the built-in variable speed controller. You can do some pretty cool projects, and not just restricted to 1". In fact I do my 1D and 1C re-threads on this machine easily. 

Now that I also have the much heavier HF 8x14, and now that I have converted it to variable-speed DC motor, I honestly feel the HF 8x14 is a much better machine. That being said, you can get up and going on the 7x10 machines quicker and without the work/time needed to get it to where I got mine now. 

Never worry about the "small" lathe: you can do custom parts for custom flashlights:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/192304

work on custom Mags, the 1C being one of my all-time Mag favorites:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/134339
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/189119
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/136176

custom parts not available anywhere:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/149742
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/147652

custom prototypes/mods:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/115724
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/131690
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=2496892&postcount=71


So don't worry about the "small" lathe 

Will


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## jhanko (May 28, 2008)

Mirage_Man said:


> OK. If your budget allows a mini lathe then that's alright. I think most of them are pretty much the same so just pick one and go for it. You'll be saving for a bigger badder lathe in no time .



Good to know they're all pretty much the same. Makes choosing much easier. I figured that all these low cost mini's originate in China. The price of this one with tooling & quick change post is just too good to pass up. Hopefully my skills will warrant the purchase of a better machine soon. :thumbsup:



wquiles said:


> For starting, that is a great small lathe. You can do some pretty cool projects, and not just restricted to 1". So don't worry about the "small" lathe
> 
> Will



This is exactly what I was hoping to hear. Thanks for the links. Very interesting read. Nice work, BTW. I guess I'll order it right now! 

Jeff


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## wquiles (May 28, 2008)

JHanko said:


> This is exactly what I was hoping to hear. Thanks for the links. Very interesting read. Nice work, BTW. I guess I'll order it right now!
> 
> Jeff



We are glad we can "help" you spend "your" money :twothumbs

Will


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## FredM (May 28, 2008)

I would get this one instead

http://www.toolsnow.com/browse.cfm/4,876.html


comes with some stuff and is 4 inches longer and heavier.


I just checked and for me the difference is 40 dollars shipped.


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## Fulgeo (May 28, 2008)

Hey guyz interesting tread,

Wquiles or anyone has it been determined that you can cut inside threading on a cut down 2D Mag to say 1D or 1.5D size on a 7x10 or 7x12 lathe? Will mentioned that he does his 1D and 1C re-thread on the Cummins 7x12 but pardon my newbie freshness you do mean inside threads yes? :candle:



wquiles said:


> For starting, that is a great small lathe. My first lathe was a Cummins 7x12 (same basic lathe) and you will love the built-in variable speed controller. You can do some pretty cool projects, and not just restricted to 1". In fact I do my 1D and 1C re-threads on this machine easily.
> 
> Will


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## jhanko (May 28, 2008)

FredM said:


> I would get this one instead
> 
> http://www.toolsnow.com/browse.cfm/4,876.html
> 
> ...



Thanks for the tip. That one appears to be a better machine, but there's nothing listed in the specs to indicate if it's variable speed or just a belt changer. Also, any idea on the weight of it? The first one i was interested is only 88 lbs. That worries me. 88lbs. of cast iron is not very much. The only other downside is ToolsNow.com has a location in Illinois, so I'll get hit with sales tax also. If this machine has variable speed and is significantly heavier, it's a pretty easy decision. Any more info on this unit would be appreciated. Thanks,

Jeff


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## wquiles (May 28, 2008)

JHanko said:


> Thanks for the tip. That one appears to be a better machine, but there's nothing listed in the specs to indicate if it's variable speed or just a belt changer.



Remember - these are all the same machine. That one also has a variable speed 

Just buy the one with the most accessories - the more free stuff the better, but in the end it will not matter. You will spend far more on tooling and other accessories 

Will


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## FredM (May 28, 2008)

JHanko said:


> Thanks for the tip. That one appears to be a better machine, but there's nothing listed in the specs to indicate if it's variable speed or just a belt changer. Also, any idea on the weight of it? The first one i was interested is only 88 lbs. That worries me. 88lbs. of cast iron is not very much. The only other downside is ToolsNow.com has a location in Illinois, so I'll get hit with sales tax also. If this machine has variable speed and is significantly heavier, it's a pretty easy decision. Any more info on this unit would be appreciated. Thanks,
> 
> Jeff



yeah it is almost the same thing except it is 4 inches longer. If you are going to do any drilling or boring those 4 inches are really nice. I guess tax puts it at 80 bucks more or so rather than 40? Personally I would still go with the 7x12 since like wquiles says it comes with the extra stuff.


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## wquiles (May 28, 2008)

Fulgeo said:


> Hey guyz interesting tread,
> 
> Wquiles or anyone has it been determined that you can cut inside threading on a cut down 2D Mag to say 1D or 1.5D size on a 7x10 or 7x12 lathe? Will mentioned that he does his 1D and 1C re-thread on the Cummins 7x12 but pardon my newbie freshness you do mean inside threads yes? :candle:



Yes, absolutely. Both inside and outside threading on 1D and 1C's  And yes, the longer (7x14 better than 7x10) the easier it is to do stuff.

I would not try anything longer than a 1D/1C unless you have a way to support the body while threading, or unless your chuck were big enough to hold more of the body inside the chuck. 

The good thing is that threading is a very slow operation, so things are not moving very fast. Threading on this small lathe is very easy given how easy is to engage the carriage, reverse direction, built-in thread dial, etc.. 

Just go slow - I typically stop the lathe prior to the end of the thread cutting operation and do the last turn or so by hand (moving the chuck/piece towards the cutting tool), but, always consider safety on any power tool :thumbsup:

Will


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## jhanko (May 28, 2008)

I was just looking at the 7X12 that Fred linked to and it appears that it does not come with a chuck. It's not shown in the list of included items like their larger lathe shows. Why would they leave that out? If it came with a chuck, people would want to know it's capacity. Sorry, just covering all my bases before I hit the "submit order" box.

Jeff


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## white light (May 28, 2008)

Here is a link to another very good quality import.Check it out and if you have any questions just ask me.I gave away a HF and got one of these,a very big improvement all around in quality,fit and finish.Before clicking on the link copy this and past it in the search box ( MicroLux 7 x 14 Lathe )

http://www.micro-mark.com:80/


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## LuxLuthor (May 29, 2008)

Why did I have to read this thread, and have it appear so easy to move to a whole other stage?


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## gadget_lover (May 29, 2008)

JHanko said:


> I was just looking at the 7X12 that Fred linked to and it appears that it does not come with a chuck. It's not shown in the list of included items like their larger lathe shows. Why would they leave that out? If it came with a chuck, people would want to know it's capacity. Sorry, just covering all my bases before I hit the "submit order" box.
> 
> Jeff



It does come with a 3 jaw chuck, they just don't list it, since it comes mounted on the machine. They do list the extra 3 jaws for holding things internally.

I have the 7x12 cummings too. At around 100 pounds, it's not as stiff as a heavy lathe like the 9x20 class or one of the toolroom lathes, but that has not kept a lot of us from cutting steel, cast iron and aluminum on it. It just means that instead of taking a single .25 inch deep pass to reduce the diameter by 1/2 inch we take 4 or more shallower cuts.

Even so, I can make a 5 inch long 1 inch diameter thin-wall tube from a 7 inch long 1.25 diameter rod in less than 30 minutes. It's amazing to see the chips fly from a .050 cut in 6061 aluminum. 

If you can afford bigger and have room for it, by all means do so. If money or space is at a premium, the smaller machines can do some really nice work with a bit of patience.

Daniel


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## gadget_lover (May 29, 2008)

LuxLuthor said:


> Why did I have to read this thread, and have it appear so easy to move to a whole other stage?



It's really a satisfying thing to do. The learning process is not so bad. Heck, I taught myself and have not had a single disaster.

So come on. Join in.

Daniel


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## jhanko (May 29, 2008)

white light said:


> Here is a link to another very good quality import.http://www.micro-mark.com:80/



Thanks for the link. Looks good, but way out of my price range at the moment.



gadget_lover said:


> It does come with a 3 jaw chuck, they just don't list it, since it comes mounted on the machine. They do list the extra 3 jaws for holding things internally.
> Daniel



Thanks! I was really hoping someone would chime in and confirm this. It was the only thing holding me back.
Well, I just ordered it. Now I have to find something to do to keep my mind off waiting for the truck to arrive. I also ordered material for my first project. 2.5" copper 101 round. Need to make a heatsink for a KT4 head. I have read that copper is not very good for machining. Probably not a good choice for a beginner. I guess I better order a tourniquet and plenty of gauze...

Jeff


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## wquiles (May 29, 2008)

gadget_lover said:


> It's really a satisfying thing to do. The learning process is not so bad. Heck, I taught myself and have not had a single disaster.
> 
> So come on. Join in.
> 
> Daniel



And I should add that you have been an incredibly generous person in sharing what you have learned, with me and others here in the forums - thank you :thumbsup:

Will
("still" in learning mode)


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## gadget_lover (May 29, 2008)

Thank you Will, I'm always happy to share both the knowledge and the obsession.

I'm pretty sure we will all be learning for a long time. There's so many ways to do things, and it seems there's always a new trick that makes a particular operation easier. And then there's the specialty tools that let you make things in ways you never dreamed of.

Jeff, I hope you have fun with it. While there's no reason that you can't start with a copper disk, I recommend that you get some scrap rod to start with. My local hardware store carries short sections of small aluminum rod of un-specified composition for only a few bucks.

The tools that come with your lathe will be enough for a start. You will want to learn how to sharpen them to match the type of material that you are cutting. That's one of the advantages to starting with aluminum. The tool geometry is not as critical as it is for some other metals.

Let us know when your lathe arrives, and don't forget to post pictures of your work.

Daniel


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## jhanko (Jun 2, 2008)

Well, I'm right back where I started. I ordered the lathe that Fred suggested. Two days later I received an email stating that they are out of stock/backordered. They said I could wait (no backorder estimate given), or cancel the order. I cancelled as I don't want to wait. I just checked their website again and noticed it is now $50 more. I bet it's in stock at that price. 

It would have worked out perfectly if Will had put his lathe up for sale 2 days earlier. :mecry:

Anyone have anymore suggestions on where to get a good deal on one. Thanks,

Jeff


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## modamag (Jun 3, 2008)

Use the 20% off coupon *STP58* from www.use-enco.com, then you'll negate that $50 plus some.



IMHO I like the 8x14 more than the 7x10


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## wquiles (Jun 3, 2008)

modamag said:


> IMHO I like the 8x14 more than the 7x10



My 8x14 now has a premium 2HP DC Motor and a very nice fully adjustable electronics controller (which replaced the changing of belts to change speeds), and I now have a chuck that by itself is as expensive as the original lathe, so it is not a complete apples to apples comparison, but now that I had both, side by side, and used them both for the last several weeks, including threading for the first time on the 8x14 this past weekend, yes, without question, the 8x14 is a MUCH better machine: stronger, heavier, stiffer, wider ways, hardened ways, has built-in oil ports on most all moving parts, etc.. Still, for a first lathe, the 8x14 is not as easy to use/setup as the 7x10 machines 

Will


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## SafetyBob (Jun 3, 2008)

Don't give up yet. Start calling around to everyone you know and they know. I promise you someone has a small lathe like you want in the Chicago area. You are in a very, very good area to find some good used stuff with alot of junk mixed in. Milwaukee has stuff too. If you want to go bigger you could probably even find a small one that was in a "real" shop. However, being used, you need to have a machinist buddy come with you for an evaluation of an older lathe. 

I was looking for a medium sized lathe 15 years ago and ended up with 4000 pounds of iron in the garage instead and have not been sorry for it yet, other than I should have really sucked it up and purchased a new, full sized lathe (mill too). And yes, I almost came up to Chicago to get a Bridgeport a few years ago but found a really, really good deal on a seriously used one here in Oklahoma. 

The key here is what are you going to do. I do most stuff on my big lathe but use the nieghbor's Sherline for the small stuff....two lathes are better than one you know....

Bob E.


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