Which Least Expensive Bench Lathe ??

[ohiochuck]

I am interested in taking .22 Hornet new cases (WW) and turning the original rim thickness down on a lathe to 1.4 mm (.055") working from the chamber side not on the bottom side.
This would be for use in my 22 Vierling (5.6 X 35 rimmed) drilling.
Need an easy to use lathe, if there is such an animal
Thanks!
Jim

[country gent]

Ohio Chuck, the 7 x 10 Harbor freight mini would do the job and come with the tools to make the fixture and do it. But it will be a little more fiddling around. There is the sherline much smaller and more cost but a true accurate jewelers lathe ,

The easiest way I see to do what you want is to use a piece of .250 round stock turn a 1/4" under cut 120 back from the edge then set back to where the edge of the end boss is at the face of the chuck jaws Turn this end boss to primer dia and face back to where rim sits against jaws. Before making this make a dead center from 3/16" round 3 1/2 long. This will be held in the drill chuck to lock the case to the mandrel.

Will PM you with more info

[Scrounge]

I'd go with the HF 7x12 mini-lathe. They cost about the same, and sometimes less than the 7x10, and you actually get 7x14 if you turn between centers. The 7x12 is measured from the tailstock to the chuck. You can make a bunch of your tooling, and you can easily spend as much more as the lathe costs to get "properly" tooled up. Best to buy what you need, as you need it. A fairly basic setup would need the lathe itself, MT2 and MT3 Morse taper centers, a set of center drills, a 6" caliper, some 1/4" or 5/16" High Speed Steel lathe bits, a center punch, scribe, and hammer, permanent marker or layout dye, and a bench grinder or belt sander. Also a steel rule, or a combination square set, or both. Those will let you lay out parts, grind tooling to use in the lathe, measure stuff as you turn it, and get started. Drills, drill bits, a drill press, can come in handy, but for a lot of things, you can use the lathe as a drill press. If you already have a workshop, and tools for about any other hobby, you have already some of what you need, probably.
Get a copy of David Fenner's The Mini-Lathe, and Mini-Lathe Tools and Projects, Ted Hansen's The Complete Mini-Lathe Workshop, and/or Neil M. Wyatt's The Mini-Lathe. I have them in the order I got them. I like them all. :)

If you have a lathe, you can build just about anything else you need. The Brit model engineers have done some astonishing stuff with nothing but a lathe, though any tool freak like me will also tell you, you should also get a milling machine if you can... Frankly, it's an addiction. Just a lathe is a great start! "Try it! You'll LIKE it!"

The only problem with the lathes that Country Gent is telling you about is that they're small. And the Sherlines are a great deal more expensive, though they are very nice lathes. I'd get the HF. In fact, I did. Now I've got it, and an Atlas TH42 (10x24) lathe, and a Smithy CB-1220XL 3-in-1 lathe/mill/drill, and a restoration project South Bend Heavy 10L. Smallest is about 100lbs, largest is a bit over 1000lbs. A Sherline is smaller and lighter than the 7x HF lathes. For making tiny stuff, that isn't a problem. It can be for making larger stuff. Though I know a guy who made a Luger 9mm barrel on a Unimat, which tend to make the Sherlines look big. Once you have the tooling and experience, it won't really matter which one you get. It is easier to find info on running the 7x mini-lathes these days, because they have gotten really popular. But anything you can do on a small lathe you can do on a bigger lathe, and within their work envelope, the same in reverse. The major advantage to a bigger lathe is you can take deeper cuts, and take them faster. On a small lathe you need to take shallower cuts, and cut slower to get a good finish.

Just looked, the HF mini-lathes are both $699, I'd get the 7x12, you'll want the extra length, and the lathe weighs something over 100 pounds. The Sherline 8" basic lathe without a chuck is only $600, with a 2.5" chuck is $750ish. The whole lathe weighs about 25 pounds. The HF is cast iron, the Sherline is Aluminum. And really short. ;) The HF lathes come with a 3" chuck, and the basic tools you'll need to assemble and adjust the lathe, but no cutting tools. The Sherline basic lathe has no chuck at all. With a chuck, they're more expensive by a few $ than the HF. You could use that money to get some cutters.

Bill

[JimB..]

I probably wouldn’t drive it from the primer pocket, at least not on the first try. I’d cut a shallow rebate the size of the rim into a piece of stock that you’ve faced off, just enough to keep it from moving away from the cut. Then pin the case to that with a bar held in the tailstock chuck.

I’d also debur the inside of the primer pocket first.

That said, I’m a hack.

[rbuck351]

The 7x10 will do the job easily but If I were buying a new lathe I would go for the 7x14 as it will do a lot more for not a lot more money. Either should come with a live center for your tail stock. A 7x14 is part of my loading bench now and I wish I had bought one a lot earlier.

When I thin rims from the front I turn a 3" to 4" piece of round stock to just fit in the mouth of the case long enough to hit the inside base of the case. Then sharpen the end like a sharp screwdriver so it will turn the case without slipping. Deprime cases and slip one over the mandrel you have turned and push the live center into the primer pocket. Sharpen a tool and have at it.

[uscra112]

I probably wouldn’t drive it from the primer pocket, at least not on the first try. I’d cut a shallow rebate the size of the rim into a piece of stock that you’ve faced off, just enough to keep it from moving away from the cut. Then pin the case to that with a bar held in the tailstock chuck.

I’d also debur the inside of the primer pocket first.

That said, I’m a hack.

The "spud" with the primer-pocket nubbin will do it just fine. I also make a mandrel that Country Gent described, but with a center cut in the end so it can compressed with a live center in the tailstock. It's crucial that the tip of the mandrel have a "pin" formed to slip into the flash hole, to keep IT centered. I've done hundreds of cases this way. First it was .223 swaged down to .25-20 Single Shot, most recently .22 Hornet reduced to .25 Stevens rimfire dimensions. Lots of others in between. If you are holding the spud in a 3-jaw, recut it every time to make sure the nubbin is truly centered.

[uscra112]

As to choosing a lathe to buy. I'm not too sanguine about Harbor Freight. I'd look to see what Grizzly has. One thing about tools, "buy cheap. buy twice". Does Blue Ridge still have a small bench lathe? There's also LittleMachineShop: https://www.littlemachineshop.com/ where I often go for tooling and accessories. Quality stuff and fantastic support.

[8shot]

Some of those Chinese 750 watt units have 1.5" stock thru spindle diameter....which is nice for turning revolver blanks etc. Just a nice specification if you ever want to sell it. My 11" Rockwell lathe only has a 1-3/8" spindle bore....but comes in handy.

[Jedman]

One machine I own that I haven’t seen for sale used for years is a old Harbor Freight # 5980 multi-purpose machine that is a lathe, mill, and drill press all in one , the only thing it lacks for a hobbyist is power feed on the lathe carriage.
I bought mine new back around 2004-5 when it was on sale plus the 20 % off coupon and got it for under $ 400.
I have used it to make all sorts of gun parts and do things like turn case necks and rims similar to what the ohiochuck wants to do. I have 2 larger lathes now that I use for 90 % of my projects now but still use that old MP machine to do some things and it’s great for drilling and tapping barrels for scope mounts , and with the optional collets I have and end mills and a fly cutter you can do a lot of light milling jobs etc.
If you could find one of them used with some tooling for a reasonable price you would be far ahead of the small mini lathes unless you need to cut threads.

Jedman

[dverna]

Lathes are like tractors....not many say, “I wish I had bought a smaller one”

I got lucky and stumbled onto a one month old Jet 9x20 for half price. Although the smaller lathes do a good job for your current project, an older used lathe that has more capacity.

My first was a 6” Atlas....used it for a few years and made a bit of money when I sold it to upgrade.

Good luck!

[john.k]

If all thats needed is to trim the rims of cases,then a far cheaper device could be made to do that for a few dollars.....There is no need for a cross slide,as many early lathes used a pivoted cutter to advance the cut ,instead of expensive sliding mechanism.

[midnight]

I used Craigs list to find a lathe near my home since shipping a lathe can get expensive. I found an old Logan 10 x24 made in 1945 fifty miles from my house. A 10 x24 is not too big. There are times I wish it was even bigger. If you have a choice, always go bigger.

Bob

[Char-Gar]

To each their own, but cheap works like a cheap lathe and lasts like a cheap lathe. Once you have one, you will find uses for it, you never thought of before. It won't take to long before the cheap shows up.

I have a 9 X 18 Logan 400 made in 1947. It is still a very accurate lathe and will outwork and outlast any XXXX from China.

[uscra112]

To each their own, but cheap works like a cheap lathe and lasts like a cheap lathe. Once you have one, you will find uses for it, you never thought of before. It won't take to long before the cheap shows up..

Lathes are like tractors....not many say, “I wish I had bought a smaller one”

Good advice.

[porthos]

i would look around for a while and get a 9x20 or bigger if its in your budget. if you do go small, go with grizzly at least.

[Scrounge]

As to choosing a lathe to buy. I'm not too sanguine about Harbor Freight. I'd look to see what Grizzly has. One thing about tools, "buy cheap. buy twice". Does Blue Ridge still have a small bench lathe? There's also LittleMachineShop: https://www.littlemachineshop.com/ where I often go for tooling and accessories. Quality stuff and fantastic support.
LMS is a great source for tooling and accessories. If you have a bit more to spend, they're great for better set up and more powerful machines, but about double or more if the cost for the basic machine from HF. OP asked for least expensive, and LMS machines aren't that. HF is about the cheapest machine you can get some technical support and repair parts from the seller.

If you can afford the more expensive machines, you should also check out the MicroLux machines from MicroMark.com, another seller of high-end mini-lathes. They have a 7x16 Mini-Lathe on sale now for $1099, usually $1500. True inch dials, more powerful motor, and a pretty long bed for a mini-lathe. They aren't cheaper either, and IIRC LMS has competitive machines as well, plus an upgrade kit for the shorter 7x lathes like mine. Cheapest is the way I went because I literally couldn't afford any more. At the time, anyway. There are better options for folks who don't have to go cheapest available.

Nobody has mentioned Taig lathes, either. I looked hard at their machines too, but not the right choice for me.

Bill

[Scrounge]

i would look around for a while and get a 9x20 or bigger if its in your budget. if you do go small, go with grizzly at least.
Grizzly has about the same problem LMS & MicroMark have. Not cheap. That can be a benefit, if you've got the money. :)

I would have loved one of their 10x22 machines. Just couldn't scrape the coins together at the time. They are another decent source of tooling and accessories. My surface plate came from Grizzly, among other things.

Bill

[uscra112]

That $1099 MicroMark lathe has been backordered for many months. I've had a "notify me" set with them since forever. I don't think they intend for it ever to come back into stock, especially at that price.

A thing to know about Asian almost-anything: As a U.S.A. retailer you buy from "trading companies", not from a manufacturer directly. These trading companies have what we might call "quality grades". Harbor Freight will buy the lowest grade, so they can undersell everyone. Corners will be cut. They don't care because they don't intend to provide support. LMS/Grizzly/MicroMark will buy better, because their clientele expects support, and will get it. While I don't know from personal experience re: small lathes, I have played in that export/import sandbox, and seen how it works. The worst actors are Amazon/evilBay sellers. Buy one lot of xxxx cheap, sell until it's gone, then fold the tent and pop up as someone else.

[GregLaROCHE]

I found my mini lathe to be very useful for a lot of things.

[country gent]

Shars als as decent tooling but is geared to bigger machines. But they do have for the smaller too

[barrabruce]

Forget carbides and all that crap and just use good quality high speed steel.

M34 or colbalt comes to mind.
The cheap m2 stuff is passable if anything.

Get some good tool holders and a fine grinding wheel and have at it.
1/4" tool steel is all you should need for 90% of all the work you will ever do.


What you lack in linear feet per minute you can make up in depth of cut.

You can thank the old machinists later.

A few tool holders and you have about any thing you can imagine.

[bangerjim]

You will find machine tools ARE a real addiction. Buy a good lathe for around $1K and end up spending $6K of good tooling and accessories! Same with a mill. I have 5X the cost of my mill tied up in accessories, collets, indexers, etc.

I started out with an old Atlas metal lathe 40 years ago. A metal lathe CAN make most of it's own parts! Now I have 6 metal lathes and 3 milling machines! You can even do simple milling operations on a lathe with the correct adapter. I did it for years until I bought my 1st mill.

Choose wisely! Buy a bigger machine than you think you want/need at the current time, if you can afford it. You will never be sorry. I have never heard of any good machinist downsizing tools!!!!!!!!

banger

[Scrounge]

That $1099 MicroMark lathe has been backordered for many months. I've had a "notify me" set with them since forever. I don't think they intend for it ever to come back into stock, especially at that price.

A thing to know about Asian almost-anything: As a U.S.A. retailer you buy from "trading companies", not from a manufacturer directly. These trading companies have what we might call "quality grades". Harbor Freight will buy the lowest grade, so they can undersell everyone. Corners will be cut. They don't care because they don't intend to provide support. LMS/Grizzly/MicroMark will buy better, because their clientele expects support, and will get it. While I don't know from personal experience re: small lathes, I have played in that export/import sandbox, and seen how it works. The worst actors are Amazon/evilBay sellers. Buy one lot of xxxx cheap, sell until it's gone, then fold the tent and pop up as someone else.

Don't know about the others, but LMS actually goes to the factory where the mini-lathes and such are made, and works on getting the quality they want built into their machines. I've read some of the visit reports they posted after those trips. Harbor Freight doesn't buy the lowest quality machines, but they also don't buy the best quality machines, either. The very cheapest wind up on Ebay & Amazon as no-name lathes. I find it best to think of the HF lathes as a lathe kit. All the pieces are there, though there may be some problems with fit or finish. Though I must say, my 93212 model 7x10, bought in 2008, was quite useable out of the box. All the problems I had with it turned out to be me. I have to make very few modifications to get it to do what I want it to do, that it is capable of doing. 7" maximum swing, 10" useable bed length. They'll never be a Hardinge, or even a Logan or Atlas. Still quite usable in careful hands.

Inhales sharply about the MicroMark. I just added myself to their "notify me" just for giggles. I've been collecting stuff to help me modify my HF with 3/8-20 LH compound and cross-slide leadscrews, maybe proper inch dials. For several years. ;) It works well enough, and I've got several other lathes to play with, now, too, so it might never happen. Finding a new US made lathe under about $10K is flatly impossible. A grand for something decent isn't bad. And there are advantages to a lathe you can pick up and move by yourself. My dream lathe is a Monarch 10EE. I'd settle for a Clausing Colchester 13" lathe. Neither of them come close to $1000, so I'll be dreaming for a long time. ;)

Bill

[Scrounge]

You will find machine tools ARE a real addiction. Buy a good lathe for around $1K and end up spending $6K of good tooling and accessories! Same with a mill. I have 5X the cost of my mill tied up in accessories, collets, indexers, etc.

I started out with an old Atlas metal lathe 40 years ago. A metal lathe CAN make most of it's own parts! Now I have 6 metal lathes and 3 milling machines! You can even do simple milling operations on a lathe with the correct adapter. I did it for years until I bought my 1st mill.

Choose wisely! Buy a bigger machine than you think you want/need at the current time, if you can afford it. You will never be sorry. I have never heard of any good machinist downsizing tools!!!!!!!!

banger

I've known more than a couple who retired and downsized. And then regretted it. At least some of those have settled for a 7x mini-lathe as a replacement for the ones they downsized. Like anything else, they will not be perfect for everyone. There are people who legitimately need a 16" lathe with a 20' bed, after all. I'd LIKE one myself, after all. But I've got no space for such a thing, either. I've been collecting books on workshops, and workshop tips for several decades, too. One, Shop Savvy, by Roy Moungovan, had a section on the lathe he bought.

He mentioned that he'd thought he might make steam engines, and that sort of thing when he got his lathe, but that never happened. What did happen was that he used it to make and modify parts for many other sorts of projects. Custom screws, washer, and odd fittings for things he needed. He said despite not doing the engines and such, he found he used the lathe nearly every day for one project and another.

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/shop-savvy_roy-moungovan/438365/item/7522703/?mkwid=7MdyfP12%7cdc&pcrid=11558858575&pkw=&pmt=be&slid=&product=7522703&plc=&pgrid=3970769649&ptaid=pla-1101002864412&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Bing+Shopping+%7c+Science+&+Math&utm_term=&utm_content=7MdyfP12%7cdc%7cpcrid%7c11558858575%7c pkw%7c%7cpmt%7cbe%7cproduct%7c7522703%7cslid%7c%7c pgrid%7c3970769649%7cptaid%7cpla-1101002864412%7c#idiq=7522703&edition=4621376

There are also folks who make the lathe itself the hobby. Making tooling and modifications to the lathe. I may just have a dab of that myself. ;)

Bill

[Scrounge]

One of the advantages of the 7x mini-lathes is that a lot of clever people who have run into limitations of the mini-lathe, or a shop with only a mini-lathe, have come up with ways to extend that usefulness, and overcome some of those limitations. On the mini-lathe group I own, there is a discussion on how to make a pinion gear on a mini-lathe. Modern machine shops rarely make their own gears, these days. They usually buy them from a company that specializes in gears, and therefore has the special machines and/or CNC machines that make gear-making a trivial exercise. It's usually amateurs' and hobbyists that make their own gears. There's been a small discussion on how to make a pinion gear to repair a member's Craftsman router, and a bunch of good info has come out on that project. One of the other members has designed a spindle clamp to enable indexing in the mini-lathe spindle. That would allow the use to use the lathe as a shaper and to cut teeth in a gear on the mini-lathe. Anyone who plays with the 7x mini-lathes knows the name Ralph Patterson. That clamp he designed is his response to this particular problem, and the fact that most of the ways to lock the spindle also block the through hole in the spindle. This fixes that problem. Also, Ralph is known because he's designed and published quite a number of modifications and add-ons for the 7x Mini-lathes. And most of the rest of them are available in the group files sections with his explicit permission. Several styles of hand crank, for example, that help people who need to thread something without crashing the lathe. Lots of good stuff, and much of it was lost when the Tools and Mods website disappeared last year. Membership is free, access to the files and photos is free. This is a site to help people learn to use their mini-lathe better, and as long as I can, it will remain free to use.

And even if you don't have a 7x mini-lathe, you may be able to adapt the info to whatever you do have. Discussion is not limited to the 7x lathes, either. If you have an interest, check it out.

Bill

https://groups.io/g/Mini-Lathes/topic/82853340?p=Created,,,20,2,0,0::recentpostdate/sticky,,,20,2,0,82853340

[GONRA]

When GONRA sees "Sherline" think "No Lead Screw". VEEEERY BAD NEWS for all those $$$$.

At least HF & others mentioned above HAVE !@#$% LEAD SCREWS and CHANGE GEARS!
>>> ANY REAL METAL LATHE SHOULD BE "SCREW CUTTING". <<<

Wot do ya'll think? ???

Full Disclosure: Got all my best BASIC shop stuff in 1960's.
Factory Brand New: SB 10K Lathe with taper, 6 position bed turret.
ALORIS QC tooling, etc. etc.
Used: Clausing Vertical Mill #2 Morse TAPER, dividing head, etc
New: Tool Grinding Stuff: Factory new 1960's Cutter Master ..
Heat Treat: gas (harden) electric (temper)

[Scrounge]

When GONRA sees "Sherline" think "No Lead Screw". VEEEERY BAD NEWS for all those $$$$.

At least HF & others mentioned above HAVE !@#$% LEAD SCREWS and CHANGE GEARS!
>>> ANY REAL METAL LATHE SHOULD BE "SCREW CUTTING". <<<

Wot do ya'll think? ???

Full Disclosure: Got all my best BASIC shop stuff in 1960's.
Factory Brand New: SB 10K Lathe with taper, 6 position bed turret.
ALORIS QC tooling, etc. etc.
Used: Clausing Vertical Mill #2 Morse TAPER, dividing head, etc
New: Tool Grinding Stuff: Factory new 1960's Cutter Master ..
Heat Treat: gas (harden) electric (temper)

I won't argue with you on that, but I'll add that the lathe itself should also be made of cast iron. Which means the 7x lathes are a good start. Not the be-all or end-all, just a good start. I have 3 reasonably functional lathes, now. 7x10 HF, Atlas TH42, and Smithy CB-1220XL. There is also a SB Heavy 10L that is very much a restoration project. I won't call it a real lathe just yet, but it could be. Spindle through holes: 13/16th reamed from 19mm), 3/4", 1.03", and 1.375 for the once and future lathe. The first three are change gear lathes. The last is a single-tumbler quick-change gear box. I've also got an Atlas MF horizontal mill, an HF mini-mill, and a monster of a 900lb cast iron drill press that I wouldn't hesitate to do light milling on, plus the Smithy is a 3-in-1 machine, with a vertical mill head. Also a Lewis Shaper.

Remember, I said it was an addiction.

Hi! My name is Bill, and I'm a Toolohaulic!

I didn't get my first lathe until 2008, after a hs machine shop class in 1973. In the past 20 years, I think I've spend more on machine tools than guns, but not a lot on either. One of these days, I may be a good enough machinist to start building my own.

[bangerjim]

I've known more than a couple who retired and downsized. And then regretted it. At least some of those have settled for a 7x mini-lathe as a replacement for the ones they downsized. Like anything else, they will not be perfect for everyone. There are people who legitimately need a 16" lathe with a 20' bed, after all. I'd LIKE one myself, after all. But I've got no space for such a thing, either. I've been collecting books on workshops, and workshop tips for several decades, too. One, Shop Savvy, by Roy Moungovan, had a section on the lathe he bought.

He mentioned that he'd thought he might make steam engines, and that sort of thing when he got his lathe, but that never happened. What did happen was that he used it to make and modify parts for many other sorts of projects. Custom screws, washer, and odd fittings for things he needed. He said despite not doing the engines and such, he found he used the lathe nearly every day for one project and another.

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/shop-savvy_roy-moungovan/438365/item/7522703/?mkwid=7MdyfP12%7cdc&pcrid=11558858575&pkw=&pmt=be&slid=&product=7522703&plc=&pgrid=3970769649&ptaid=pla-1101002864412&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Bing+Shopping+%7c+Science+&+Math&utm_term=&utm_content=7MdyfP12%7cdc%7cpcrid%7c11558858575%7c pkw%7c%7cpmt%7cbe%7cproduct%7c7522703%7cslid%7c%7c pgrid%7c3970769649%7cptaid%7cpla-1101002864412%7c#idiq=7522703&edition=4621376

There are also folks who make the lathe itself the hobby. Making tooling and modifications to the lathe. I may just have a dab of that myself. ;)

Bill

I make a lot of custom carbide insert holders and rigs/jigs. ( I run across every design and shape of TIN coated insert in the books at local scrap yards for $5.00 a pound....just like new......all hardly ever used because the aircraft industry has codes they must adhere to). I have a vacuum furnace for complete heat-treating operations.

You really need a mill to go with the lathe!!!! I have never made a single gun-related part on my many metalworking machines. They keep too busy with tons of other projects and items!! Once you own a lathe (and mill), the world opens up to do and build just about anything for everything.

[bangerjim]

When GONRA sees "Sherline" think "No Lead Screw". VEEEERY BAD NEWS for all those $$$$.

At least HF & others mentioned above HAVE !@#$% LEAD SCREWS and CHANGE GEARS!
>>> ANY REAL METAL LATHE SHOULD BE "SCREW CUTTING". <<<

Wot do ya'll think? ???

Full Disclosure: Got all my best BASIC shop stuff in 1960's.
Factory Brand New: SB 10K Lathe with taper, 6 position bed turret.
ALORIS QC tooling, etc. etc.
Used: Clausing Vertical Mill #2 Morse TAPER, dividing head, etc
New: Tool Grinding Stuff: Factory new 1960's Cutter Master ..
Heat Treat: gas (harden) electric (temper)

Change gears???????????????? That is last century! I have all quick-change gear boxes on mine and it is a dream to be able to switch feeds and speeds and thread with just the flip of 2 levers! Spend the extra $$$ and get a quick-change lathe.

[Scrounge]

I make a lot of custom carbide insert holders and rigs/jigs. ( I run across every design and shape of TIN coated insert in the books at local scrap yards for $5.00 a pound....just like new......all hardly ever used because the aircraft industry has codes they must adhere to). I have a vacuum furnace for complete heat-treating operations.

You really need a mill to go with the lathe!!!! I have never made a single gun-related part on my many metalworking machines. They keep too busy with tons of other projects and items!! Once you own a lathe (and mill), the world opens up to do and build just about anything for everything.

Lathe, shaper, and mill. Surface grinder is my next machine wanna. Shapers are slow, but you can get a surface finish as good as a grinder, and they use cheap single-point cutters similar to those in a lathe, and shapers can do things mills cannot, like internal splines. With those cheap cutters, unlike broaches, which are anything but cheap for all but the simplest shapes. Though they're slow. And mentioning how slow they are is not a mistake. It's just a fact. Old saying about shapers was "You can make anything on a shaper except money."

I have a half-pound or so of carbide cutters I scrounged at my former job. It was an industrial laundry, and we did shop aprons and towels for machine shops, among other things. I've also got a half-dozen or more Starrett & other brands of 6" rules that folks left in their pockets when they sent uniforms and shop aprons, and even shop towels in for cleaning. Some of the stuff is chipped, some not. Haven't made any of my own cutters except hand-ground lathe tools yet, but that will be coming along.

[Scrounge]

Change gears???????????????? That is last century! I have all quick-change gear boxes on mine and it is a dream to be able to switch feeds and speeds and thread with just the flip of 2 levers! Spend the extra $$$ and get a quick-change lathe.

Change gears have their advantages. If you have a QCGB that doesn't have a thread you need, it's not really easy to fix that. On a change gear lathe, you just need some more change gears. I've 3D printed a 127-tooth gear for my HF 7x10 so I can do metric threading on it with zero error. I kinda want a much faster printer before I do such gears for the larger lathes. The 127-tooth gear for my Atlas TH42 is a bit over 9" in diameter, and will take more than 24 hours to print on the printer I have. I did find a 3" tailstock for a dividing head or rotary table on Ebay for about $25 a few weeks ago. I can make a spacer block for the 3" rotary table, or a set of dividing centers. I've got blueprints for a set of those that were designed for the Lewis Shaper. But a bit more tooling bought or made would let me cut all the gearing I need for the 4 lathes I'll have running, one of these days. I also have plans for QCGB's for the Atlas & HF lathes. An Atlas QCGB is currently not available by itself on Ebay, though they do come up once in a while. An Atlas 10" lathe with the QCGB is more than double the cost of one without. If I were a professional machinist, working in a professional shop, I might be able to justify the expense. I'm not. I can't.

Bill

[bangerjim]

If I need an "Odd" thread, I just calculate the needed teeth an cut it on my CNC mill gear cutter. Have done that for several needs. For light and occasional use, a good aircraft grade of aluminum barstock works great and will last for years!

Gold (and tools) are where you find them! I picked up a South Bend tool room grade QCGB 220V 3 phase lathe several years ago for $600 (complete with 4" and 6" 3 jaw chucks, collet set with collet chuck, follow rest, and steady rest, and all the HSS speed tool I would ever want (I only use carbide now) Dirty and filthy, it took a lot of cleaning and scrubbing to get it back into spec but the grease saved everything from rust! But after a good clean and a coat of machinery gray enamel, it looks like new and runs the same.
Added a 220 1p to 220 3p A/B VFD to it and I am tool hog heaven!

Ya' just gotta keep your ear to the ground!!!!!! This acquisition was B4 Craig's list or modern ebay.

[Scrounge]

If I need an "Odd" thread, I just calculate the needed teeth an cut it on my CNC mill gear cutter. Have done that for several needs. For light and occasional use, a good aircraft grade of aluminum barstock works great and will last for years!

Gold (and tools) are where you find them! I picked up a South Bend tool room grade QCGB 220V 3 phase lathe several years ago for $600 (complete with 4" and 6" 3 jaw chucks, collet set with collet chuck, follow rest, and steady rest, and all the HSS speed tool I would ever want (I only use carbide now) Dirty and filthy, it took a lot of cleaning and scrubbing to get it back into spec but the grease saved everything from rust! But after a good clean and a coat of machinery gray enamel, it looks like new and runs the same.
Added a 220 1p to 220 3p A/B VFD to it and I am tool hog heaven!

Ya' just gotta keep your ear to the ground!!!!!! This acquisition was B4 Craig's list or modern ebay.

I've been in something of a machinery desert for the past 25 years. Unless you're looking for large lathe and mills suitable for oilfield piping. I spent from the summer 1973 until the fall of 2008 looking for a lathe I could afford. Woke up one morning from a terrible dream, and went to Harbor Freight, and bought my little 7x10. Had a couple of near misses in the years before I bought the HF lathe. I was TDY to Germany from Turkey in 1984 for a surgery, and found a nice little lathe in one of the German department stores in Wiesbaden, where the major medical center was at the time. It would have been about $350, US, or 1500DM. Unfortunately the largest check I could cash was $25 per day. I was there for 3 days. Wound up back there again in late 1991, and it was still about 1500DM, but the exchange rate was a lot worse, 1.30DM/$, where it had been 3.5DM/$ in 1984. For the next 4 years, I'd wander through the store and drool over the lathe, but couldn't afford it. My son was born in February 1992, and my daughter in February 1994. SWMBO said NO! Something about diapers and such. Got back to the states in 1996, and put hobbies behind me. (I thought.) Finished my last tour in the USAF, and retired, and went back to school to be a teacher. Ten years, and an unexpected illness crashed that. Got involved in the local hobby machinist groups, and online at Yahoo. That kept me as sane as I've ever been while dealing with my illnesses. Obstructive sleep apnea and a worn out hip joint. Bought the HF lathe while trying to figure out what to do next, and I spent another 4 years trying to rescue the teaching career, but it was wasted time. Had lots of troubles with the lathe, and eventually, SWMBO told me I should take another class. So I did. Started in early 2015, and late that year I found a Atlas TH42 on Craigslist, for money I could afford. No QCGB, though. ;) One thing the class taught me was the the HF lathe wasn't the problem. It was me. I needed skills I had completely lost since high school. So I've been learning them and practicing them ever since. And acquiring machine tools as and when I can. Trying to shoehorn them into a fairly small space didn't work well at first, but eventually the two daughters moved out, and I stole some of their space, too. I'm still juggling, and need to go fix some breakfast, and then get back to work on the shop and yard.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Myford Lathes. They are about as good a small lathe as you can get. Made in the UK.

Plenty here in the US and most are used by the Live Steam Loco builders. http://www.myford-lathes.com/

Randy

[Scrounge]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Myford Lathes. They are about as good a small lathe as you can get. Made in the UK.

Plenty here in the US and most are used by the Live Steam Loco builders. http://www.myford-lathes.com/

Randy

Randy, he said he was looking for the least expensive lathe. Myford lathes are really nice lathes, but they are not by any stretch of the imagination "least expensive" even used. Neither are the EMCO Maximats. They're another fine import lathe. I think they were what was in the department store in Wiesbaden all the times I looked there. Again, not the least expensive lathes. They were made in Austria at one time, and I spent much time drooling over them, too.

AFAIK, there is not one lathe made in the US that is comparable to the HF 7x10 mini-lathes. The last time I found anything even close was probably 7 or 8 years ago, and they were right at $10K. Every now and then, I look at what it costs to get a Monarch 10EE lathe. Last quote was about a year ago, and that was $102K. Truly, they are not really comparable to the 7x lathes. Nor to the Atlas and 9" & 10" South Bend lathes from Indiana. Much heavier, considerably better precision. I've discussed them with a guy who has one built in 1917. Awesome machines, then and now. I look to torture myself, as if I'd gone for machinist training when I retired, I'd probably have my own real machine shop by now. I spent easily $100K on becoming a teacher, and every dime of that wasted.
The current South Bend name brand 10" lathe sold by Grizzly is made in Taiwan, IIRC, and it's list price was $10K at the beginning of this year. They've recently been on sale for $7500. Right now, they're listing at $8999.00, +$199 for shipping. They weigh 645lbs, which is about 350-400lbs lighter than the vintage 1941 Heavy 10L I have sitting here is supposed to be. It's listed as 1067lbs. Probably be a really nice lathe even so, but.

There are several US-made lathes between $20K and $120K, but I can't afford any of them. ;)

Oh! I found a new Myford Super 7 Connoisseur lathe for only £11,425+VAT. I think it's closing on $2/£, so...

https://www.myford.co.uk/acatalog/NEW-SUPER-7-LATHE-FITTED-TO-DRO.html Spiffy lathe, but not what I'd call "least expensive" either. Sorry, I'm back to the 7x10 for least expensive. Particularly for someone who doesn't know if he'll make a whole lot of use of it. They are a great small hobby lathe.

[Nueces]

I have the space for them, but also wanted machines that could be moved by myself alone. So, I have a Myford Super 7B long bed, on factory stand and a Clausing 8530 vertical mill, along with a WWII Walker Turner drill press and assorted other small tools. The Myford is a work of art, but the original company closed shop 10 years ago, so new support is not really available. The successor company is an importer of cheap junk and I do not consider them really to have carried on with the Myford brand. I haunt ebay.co.uk for parts and accessories; the US market for Myford stuff is nearly dead.

For a low end machine that will have ongoing support, I don't think you can do better than Little Machine Shop. I have none of their machines, but a good bit of their tooling and it's clear that they like to ship good quality, no matter from whence it's sourced. They answer the phone and will help with any issues. All that, along with the initial higher quality and inspection rigor of a new machine is worth much more than the price difference with HF.

[country gent]

The reason I suggest using the primer pocket is the rim is out in the open and after facing the corner can be broken easily with fine file while set up.

[GONRA]

GONRA agrees with bangerjim.
Quick Change Gear Box is a helleva lot better that change gears!

BUT decades ago was able to cut 30 threads / inch with my boyhood Sears 6"x12"
(I guess) lathe using the original die cast zamak change gears.

[Drm50]

I got a big old South Bend, I got it from a school that got 3 of them on govt. surplus deal. They couldn’t use them because they couldn’t be brought under safety codes. I gathered up all kinds of tooling, “surplus” when mines & mills around here were going under.
I have been looking for a deal on a good small lathe, bench top. They are hard to find used, they are snapped up quick. The low end Chinese stuff is a waste of money. You fool yourself if you think you are going to turn any precision parts on them. Not even brass or alumilum.

[Scrounge]

I have the space for them, but also wanted machines that could be moved by myself alone. So, I have a Myford Super 7B long bed, on factory stand and a Clausing 8530 vertical mill, along with a WWII Walker Turner drill press and assorted other small tools. The Myford is a work of art, but the original company closed shop 10 years ago, so new support is not really available. The successor company is an importer of cheap junk and I do not consider them really to have carried on with the Myford brand. I haunt ebay.co.uk for parts and accessories; the US market for Myford stuff is nearly dead.

For a low end machine that will have ongoing support, I don't think you can do better than Little Machine Shop. I have none of their machines, but a good bit of their tooling and it's clear that they like to ship good quality, no matter from whence it's sourced. They answer the phone and will help with any issues. All that, along with the initial higher quality and inspection rigor of a new machine is worth much more than the price difference with HF.

Yes, if you can afford the extra price. If you can, you should, too. I bought the absolutely cheapest small lathe I could get that came close to what I thought I needed simply because I absolutely could not afford to spend any more at that time. I had just lost my job under circumstances that led me to feel that I might never be able to get another. Wasn't true, but I didn't know it at the time. It did take several years learn that it wasn't true, too.

All my machines are sized so that I can move them myself. I do have an adult son who lives with us who can help, but currently he's got no medical insurance, and cannot afford to get hurt. I do have a 1-ton engine hoist, a good stout prybar, and several of the little wooden furniture carts from HF, and a couple of kinds of hand truck. Also a bad back, two artificial hips, and bad knees. So I have to be careful myself, too.

Bill

[Scrounge]

I got a big old South Bend, I got it from a school that got 3 of them on govt. surplus deal. They couldn’t use them because they couldn’t be brought under safety codes. I gathered up all kinds of tooling, “surplus” when mines & mills around here were going under.
I have been looking for a deal on a good small lathe, bench top. They are hard to find used, they are snapped up quick. The low end Chinese stuff is a waste of money. You fool yourself if you think you are going to turn any precision parts on them. Not even brass or alumilum.

We're going to have to disagree on that. I know people who've made parts with .0001" tolerances on the chinese import lathes. Standard tolerance for most machined parts is +/- .005". I can hold .001" easily. What you can't do on these lathes is work as fast, and cut as deep. You have to take it slower, and with shallower cuts. Sharper tools work better, too. Carbide tooling can be used, but it is still limited. Depending on the lathe you get, you can do some work on the lathe itself, that will make it work better. I didn't find I needed to do that on mine. What I needed was to learn how to measure better, and not be in so much of a hurry. If I can do it, anyone can.

This gentleman bought one of the earlier versions of the HF lathe. He thinks they're a fine tool: http://www.varmintal.com/alath.htm

[bangerjim]

Thread is wandering a bit.............. back to OP's question:

Right now the "least expensive" functional metal lathe you can buy (new) is the HF unit. I have one and know all the goods and bads of it! After some serious tweaking and adjusting and swearing, I got it hone in to an accurate little machine. Adding a zero-set chuck and an Aloris-style tool post helped! I never change the gears on it....in fact I don't even know where the gear set is in my hobby shop! Variable speed control takes care of my needs on that little hobby lathe.

He is not trying for production speed and output and not making fine Swiss watches, so the accuracy of the little HF machine as-purchased will probably fill his needs.....for now! Later, by keeping a sharp eye out, a used quality lathe could/will show up. And sell the HF thing on here! Enough people on here are hungry for small inexpensive lathes, well-maintained, one-owner, and not mistreated, it would move rapidly.

I started out old, used, and small, on all my many metal and wood working machines as you can read in my above threads. But I finally got the tools of my dreams by watching and waiting (and saving $$).

Good luck to the OP in his choices!

banger

[Scrounge]

Thread is wandering a bit.............. back to OP's question:

Right now the "least expensive" functional metal lathe you can buy (new) is the HF unit. I have one and know all the goods and bads of it! After some serious tweaking and adjusting and swearing, I got it hone in to an accurate little machine. Adding a zero-set chuck and an Aloris-style tool post helped! I never change the gears on it....in fact I don't even know where the gear set is in my hobby shop! Variable speed control takes care of my needs on that little hobby lathe.

He is not trying for production speed and output and not making fine Swiss watches, so the accuracy of the little HF machine as-purchased will probably fill his needs.....for now! Later, by keeping a sharp eye out, a used quality lathe could/will show up. And sell the HF thing on here! Enough people on here are hungry for small inexpensive lathes, well-maintained, one-owner, and not mistreated, it would move rapidly.

I started out old, used, and small, on all my many metal and wood working machines as you can read in my above threads. But I finally got the tools of my dreams by watching and waiting (and saving $$).

Good luck to the OP in his choices!

banger

Exactly right. On all counts. Or he can keep the HF once he finds a bigger better lathe, if he ever decides he needs one, and use it for small parts-pins, screws, etc. Just depends on how addicted to machine tools he gets.

7x12 is the same price as the 7x10, but my local store has the 7x10 in stock. https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q=metal%20lathe So then it depends on how much of a hurry he's in.

There is another mini-lathes group that is a good resource, if you can stand a bit of political stuff. https://groups.io/g/7x12MiniLathe I am no longer an member there, since they don't like the signatures I've used in my emails to the group. Still a lot of good info. Kind of funny, the were formed after the original 7x10 Yahoo group went way to political and way off-topic.

Bill

[country gent]

I do fine precision work on my HF 7 x 10 ( +/- .001) but like most small light machines you have to "sneak" up on it, On mine the dials read movement nit cut ( on cross slide and compound this means that every .001 movement gives .002 cut). I seldom use the power feed on this size machine but feed by hand. a well honed sharp HSS cobalt tool performs better for me than carbide. The big drawback to these machines is the lack of stops on cross feed. Setting the gibs is also touchier than on the heavier machines as it is a simple set screw adjustment not the tapered slides.

Hardringe made a very basic tool room lathe with a cam locked carriage no lead screw. you couldnt thread but it was a very accurate precise machine. you set the compound parallel and used it to turn or face.

Like a lot of things its not so much the lathe but the operator using it. Learning the machine and taking a little time makes a big difference.

I have 3 lathes currently A nardinni a clausing style and the harbor freight 7 X 10. For a few years it was only the HF. For bigger parts and short runs the nardinni is great turn to the numbers and its right there, the clasusing style is good for one offs threads and work as you go. Its a lighter machine so easier on the operator. The HF is good for those small parts where yo just want to do it quick and dirty or turning a second part when the others are set up. Now here is an idea of these three machines The nardinni is 3500 lbs the clausing style is 2000 lbs and the HF is 75 lbs. You can expect the 75 lb machine to perform with the 3500 lb one

The biggest thing I dont like with the HF is the compounds lock screws are under the compound it has to be backed out almost all the way to get to them to set the angle.

Buy what you can afford and have room for then learn to use it. Thats one of the pluses to the HF mini, when not in use it can be set on shelf out of the way not taking up room

[ulav8r]

The 7 inch lathes are small enough for the loading bench but big enough to make repair parts for a much bigger lathe. A small lathe can also make parts when the larger lathe has a setup you don't want to tear down, so an emergency part can be made without disrupting a job in progress.

Another thing to consider is that is is often easier to find a machine for sale if you already have a machine in the shop. I looked for an affordable lathe for years. Finally went to a school auction and got two lathes the same day(10 inch Rockwells, about $650 for both). Traded one of them for an engine worth $500 about a year later. About 3 years later got a South Bend Heavy 10 on a sealed bid auction at work($199). Then about 6 yrs ago got a 6 inch Dalton Pattern lathe at a yard sale for $50, it is about the same size as an Atlas 6x18 but heavier. The Rockwell and SB both have quick change gear boxes, but the Dalton can not do threads. Had the opportunity to bid on a 17 inch SB at the same job where I got the Heavy 10 but it was bigger than the space I had, about 10-12 feet long and the ways had a bit of wear in the first foot from the chuck.

[bangerjim]

ulav8r

You bring up a great point! Excessive ways wear in the 1st foot or so of bed space is critical and should be checked out B4 ever purchasing the used lathe. Older well-used lathes that are not of high quality (hardened ways) will exhibit this wear and it will cause problems - if you plan on turning/finishing very long pieces. Up close short work will not suffer.

I do not believe the little HF units have fully hardened ways. Someone please speak up if they have documentation that says otherwise. Not much on the web on that subject. I guess people in that low-end segment of the lathe market do no know the advantages of fully hardened, ground, an lapped ways are.

[uscra112]

If they HF beds are hardened at all it's just flame-hardening. Many years ago the company I worked for was, among other rackets, an importer of a Taiwanese lathe which hsd flame-hardened ways, They didn't last long, and they were un-rebuildable. Ditto a lot of the cheap Japanese machining centers that flooded the market in the '80s. Those machines were essentially throwaways. They sold based on their "shop-floor" CNCs, (i.e. Fanuc) which the American builders of higher-quality machines had no counter for.

[Scrounge]

If they HF beds are hardened at all it's just flame-hardening. Many years ago the company I worked for was, among other rackets, an importer of a Taiwanese lathe which hsd flame-hardened ways, They didn't last long, and they were un-rebuildable. Ditto a lot of the cheap Japanese machining centers that flooded the market in the '80s. Those machines were essentially throwaways. They sold based on their "shop-floor" CNCs, (i.e. Fanuc) which the American builders of higher-quality machines had no counter for.

Most if perhaps not all the 7x imports do not have hardened beds. For a hobby machine, that is not a necessity. If you plan on having someone operating the lathe all day every day, as in a production shop, it would become a problem. On a hobby lathe, it's a benefit. If you do wear out the bed, you can buy a replacement of the same or a longer size for relatively small money. Or you can learn to scrape lathe beds on a small lathe, and make it work again. Or you could upgrade to a larger & more powerful machine.

https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=5000&category=1687114045 is a 16" bed with the extended leadscrew and rack to convert the shorter 7x mini-lathes to a 16" lathe.

They also have a hi-torque 16" lathe on sale for $1199: https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=5100
It has a more powerful motor than the HF and similar lathes. It's not the cheapest, but it's pretty cheap for a 16" mini-lathe, and it shows as in stock. A little more than the MicroMark, and probably doesn't have true inch dials, but still a pretty good price.

https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_category.php?category=1271799306 shows the 7x & 8X lathes they have now, including the two I mentioned above, and a 7x14" for $749.95, and the Deluxe version of the 7x16 Hi-Torque, which has a QCTP & DRO included for $1599.

Again, not the cheapest, but a fine starting point for someone who is pretty sure they're going to be doing this stuff for a while as a learning machine that will remain capable. Though you can add a DRO & QCTP yourself for probably under $400, when you get to the point you need it. That was & is my plan. I've got the QCTP, haven't gotten the DRO yet, as I'm considering the 16" bed. Though if I do that, I need another rolling tool cabinet to mount it on. Right now I have the 7x10" lathe and the mini-mill on one 46" tool cabinet, and it's a little tight. The 7x16" mini-lathes weigh about 125lbs, my 7x10 is about 98lbs.

Bill

[country gent]

Just received the Grizzly summer sale flyer in e-mail today. They have a nice looking 4" X 6" table top lathe on sale Its $525.00. This would cover case mods, firing pins and small parts nicely. Has a feed wheel at the end of the bed like tags do.You would need to look and see what tooling it comes with.

[Scrounge]

Just received the Grizzly summer sale flyer in e-mail today. They have a nice looking 4" X 6" table top lathe on sale Its $525.00. This would cover case mods, firing pins and small parts nicely. Has a feed wheel at the end of the bed like tags do.You would need to look and see what tooling it comes with.

It is cheap, but also very limited. Not a threading lathe, only a 10mm/.39 spindle through hole, and a very limited number of accessories. Not at all expandable, either. Very similar, size-wise, and the 14mmx1 thread on the spindle will let you use some of the later Unimat accessories. But it isn't a Unimat. I am sure it would be better than nothing, but for another $175, you could get a much more capable 7x10 or 7x12 mini-lathe. Which takes MT2 tailstock taper accessories, and MT3 spindle accessories. I share mine between my 7x10 mini-lathe and the 10x24 Atlas TH42, and the tailstock of the Smithy CB-1220XL, which uses MT3 taper accessories, too. Yes, I guess it is the cheapest, but not as compatible.

Bill

[uscra112]

I would not want any lathe that doesn't have power feed to the carriage.

That Grizzly 7 x 12 looks like a good choice. For one thing it comes with a steady rest. For another it has 2-1/2" of quill travel in the tailstock. I'd pull the compound slide off and mount a Little Machine Shop quick-change toolpost on an adapter plate, if it were mine. Which it might be. My ancient Prazi has about had it, and there's no support for them here anymore.

[bangerjim]

When buying a lathe (or other machine tool) like a mill, be sure the head stock threads are standard and use a standard Morris taper. All my equipment uses MT2 or MT3 along with C3, C5, and r8 collets. That way you can interchange tooling among the various current (and future!) machines! And the ER style collets are really nice when you have the right fit-up to the spindle.

Power cross-feed and threading are nice features to have on a lathe. Unfortunately you are getting into some rather pricey machines with those features. One can always buy a FULL set of good taps and dies for threading the turned product from the lathe.

[uscra112]

LOL! You DID mean Morse, of course.

[Scrounge]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHajnIraFQM Another guy who shares my opinion on the 7x mini-lathes.

Bill

[bangerjim]

LOL! You DID mean Morse, of course.

Don't ya just love those spell checkers!

[Scrounge]

That $1099 MicroMark lathe has been backordered for many months. I've had a "notify me" set with them since forever. I don't think they intend for it ever to come back into stock, especially at that price.

A thing to know about Asian almost-anything: As a U.S.A. retailer you buy from "trading companies", not from a manufacturer directly. These trading companies have what we might call "quality grades". Harbor Freight will buy the lowest grade, so they can undersell everyone. Corners will be cut. They don't care because they don't intend to provide support. LMS/Grizzly/MicroMark will buy better, because their clientele expects support, and will get it. While I don't know from personal experience re: small lathes, I have played in that export/import sandbox, and seen how it works. The worst actors are Amazon/evilBay sellers. Buy one lot of xxxx cheap, sell until it's gone, then fold the tent and pop up as someone else.

Got an email today that says they're back in stock. If anyone is interested...

Bill

[8shot]

Would be interested in a mini lathe like this unit, they come in 750 and 850 watt...the feature I like is the 38mm (1-1/2") spindle bore...really handy for working on 1+" barrel stock.

As mentioned in an earlier post...not to sure if this ebay seller would be a credible "warranty tool seller" specifically machine tools ...check out the sellers "other items/tools" for sale:-)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264467115634?epid=3023718196&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item3d9377ee72:g:dtIAAOSwznZdkX79&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAACkPYe5NmHp%252B2JMhMi7yxGiTJkP rKr5t53CooMSQt2orsStdebXPz4ZTXCT8FI9kPBh0aUerlT6Qt rDE13eQif%252FCmCe18AYfWlxT%252B4XTGKT%252F83WMEcB uxu0vstOkp5ARZaKeTpgDDjY2eo6Q4W6wmsGU88u3avq3uHxao bHd%252BonMygrC39%252BlA8t15oCrl8md9SZplcXEaWRN1ud RYix42iDHwntQHzThERaL30nmZjoMfwt337LyeLN67AG0ZQ18J nf7Muf8z6VmGDrwwLupBCQJUL1lPpoqglxZ3CL8th2BibWAx9N 5XB5SnryZNrkkP%252FOCoNREI7wJzrk2J1OziJ%252FyGKG1Y EFNLwSK3IJQkXDIN9AeVopDHp42Ns7t3OAnfUwUW91X1T7JCSO GpGNRV5J8oEwzUA1bsLuTqBjjgwPFQVwqafXt%252BCaqrNpD6 1aRhfkLsTAi%252Fn6X96YobH3lgMUY0vD%252BOkpMb05U0%2 52F64kXP1DbHgM5dy1CkO2%252FTH6OTsZKHj1reCVhfUHQgC% 252BhBlM91o80Ibcn6HjukL7J%252FgntaxqIhKeXOFPQayFOG MiXmvAXxzjxS1cADGT8xFYsXWc%252F2ylt8AM0a4U51hUxlme TsBH5nBaIqg%252FKlV6MbXfqXQZe274wcrm5pvdfgnlxpFSbH pqQyhmO5g624iNXvJXtExeRohi12VPHekCMadOFg%252B6PJWG EQvNIIJclR6ff1mW7jlvgKpvIzRx1zVR61xeuNfupAZcXfPPaV t9dXiYp6guLueZrKmfRMIyhVW2qeZP42spXZXdSQCbNhFYIsBm odv6%252BrCD3RYgBm6RWV1JqNKPoHX6tfnliUrCSoxFqlVjRn wVFeYfa4jqf5nuoXKnmAlnP%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2 334524

[john.k]

If buying a tiny lathe ,ignore all the silly machines with with huge centre heights.......a small machine should only have 3 or 4" centre height ,otherwise it loses all rigidity.......i reckon these machines are value for doing stuff like small brass work,aluminium,but generally struggle with steel......Once upon a time ,a guy I owed a favour too was having problems with a small ,very old lathe he was making fountain pens on.......anyhoo,he bought a real Chinese cheapie with ball bearings.....then he wanted me to grind a tapered pen adapter from his old lathe to fit his new one ........with the adaptor made and fitted ,i checked for runout......the little Chinese lathe had zero runout on a tenths gauge.......I checked it twice ,first time ,I thought maybe my gauge was stuck,but no ,it had zero runout.

[Drm50]

I could kick myself for not buying a German jewelers lathe at auction. It was so small it was in wooden case with carrying handle. Had lots of stuff in drawers. It ended up going for $80. I knew nothing about them at the time. I think it was 220volt, which is not uncommon in parts of Europe.
That’s why it went so cheap. It still only under 15amp.

[country gent]

A lot of those little jeweler lathes were very accurate machines. Most were hand feed and small. in the 3" swing and 7-14" between centers. Always wanted one to use. A guy in the last shop I worked in had one in his tool box for small bushings pins and odds and ends.

[Scrounge]

Would be interested in a mini lathe like this unit, they come in 750 and 850 watt...the feature I like is the 38mm (1-1/2") spindle bore...really handy for working on 1+" barrel stock.

As mentioned in an earlier post...not to sure if this ebay seller would be a credible "warranty tool seller" specifically machine tools ...check out the sellers "other items/tools" for sale:-)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264467115634?epid=3023718196&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item3d9377ee72:g:dtIAAOSwznZdkX79&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAACkPYe5NmHp%252B2JMhMi7yxGiTJkP rKr5t53CooMSQt2orsStdebXPz4ZTXCT8FI9kPBh0aUerlT6Qt rDE13eQif%252FCmCe18AYfWlxT%252B4XTGKT%252F83WMEcB uxu0vstOkp5ARZaKeTpgDDjY2eo6Q4W6wmsGU88u3avq3uHxao bHd%252BonMygrC39%252BlA8t15oCrl8md9SZplcXEaWRN1ud RYix42iDHwntQHzThERaL30nmZjoMfwt337LyeLN67AG0ZQ18J nf7Muf8z6VmGDrwwLupBCQJUL1lPpoqglxZ3CL8th2BibWAx9N 5XB5SnryZNrkkP%252FOCoNREI7wJzrk2J1OziJ%252FyGKG1Y EFNLwSK3IJQkXDIN9AeVopDHp42Ns7t3OAnfUwUW91X1T7JCSO GpGNRV5J8oEwzUA1bsLuTqBjjgwPFQVwqafXt%252BCaqrNpD6 1aRhfkLsTAi%252Fn6X96YobH3lgMUY0vD%252BOkpMb05U0%2 52F64kXP1DbHgM5dy1CkO2%252FTH6OTsZKHj1reCVhfUHQgC% 252BhBlM91o80Ibcn6HjukL7J%252FgntaxqIhKeXOFPQayFOG MiXmvAXxzjxS1cADGT8xFYsXWc%252F2ylt8AM0a4U51hUxlme TsBH5nBaIqg%252FKlV6MbXfqXQZe274wcrm5pvdfgnlxpFSbH pqQyhmO5g624iNXvJXtExeRohi12VPHekCMadOFg%252B6PJWG EQvNIIJclR6ff1mW7jlvgKpvIzRx1zVR61xeuNfupAZcXfPPaV t9dXiYp6guLueZrKmfRMIyhVW2qeZP42spXZXdSQCbNhFYIsBm odv6%252BrCD3RYgBm6RWV1JqNKPoHX6tfnliUrCSoxFqlVjRn wVFeYfa4jqf5nuoXKnmAlnP%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2 334524

I hope I'm never desperate enough to buy some of his "products." My understanding of the old 8" Chinese mini-lathes was that they were not as good as the 7" mini-lathes, or the 9" mini-lathes. Too tall, not wide enough to be stable. Fit and finish were not as good, either, but that was over a decade ago. Maybe they've fixed those problems. I have enough lathes now that I'm not going to buy one and see. If anyone does buy one, I'd like to hear about it!

Bill

[bangerjim]

I could kick myself for not buying a German jewelers lathe at auction. It was so small it was in wooden case with carrying handle. Had lots of stuff in drawers. It ended up going for $80. I knew nothing about them at the time. I think it was 220volt, which is not uncommon in parts of Europe.
That’s why it went so cheap. It still only under 15amp.

I have 3 of those jeweler's lathes (one fits neatly in a box! And I DID buy it for $80 several years ago at a clock convention) that I use for tiny clock parts.......when needed. They are really made for fine tiny watch work. I have a compound rest that fits all of them. But none have power feed!!!!! Most times I do everything on the mid-lathes and the big South Bend tool room lathe I have. I do not see much use in the firearms venue for a jeweler's lathe.