compact/mini lathe

ViktorF said:
Ive been looking for a half decent mini lathe and mini mill for a while now, and saw a couple entry level ones in Princess auto Yesterday. You can buy them stateside for 4-500 so I expected them to be priced accordingly, but they wanted almost 1G :eek:for each!!!! Busy bee has a new digital Mini Mill in their flier for the same price. Anybody know a supplier I can find one like they sell at Harbour Freight in the states? I want to be able to look at the thing before I buy it.
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Check out kijiji Winnipeg there is a small lathe in the tools section
 
Np Victor,enjoy it and pass the deal onto the next guy who's looking to get into machining when you get a bigger one! :)
 
lee valley lathe (taig) is more like $300, but the $200 can be dropped on extras in a second. The really neat thing about the taig is that it the whole thing is modular, adding risers and extensions it can do all kinds of things, milling slides, flu cutters, saws, all kinds of stuff out of the box, you can't really do anything without adding at least a chuck.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=43104&cat=1,330,50260

oh yeah it, it is really mini.
 
I have a mini Sherline right now, a 4400, and they are Minis as well, a bit bigger than the Taig, but still, a Mini.

I'm looking at upgrading, going with a bigger Mill first I think, as I have access to a Lathe through a family member, so buying one of those would be.....tough....to convince the wife to allow.

Don't waste your money on a Taig, unless you're just working on mini model steam engines or such, as you will just end up spending the money again on a bigger machine.

Am there. Doing that. Save your money, go bigger.

NS
 
Actually mini lathes come in very handy for trimming brass and turning down case necks. They are also great for turning off rims when makeing up wildcat cases or converting cases to impossible to find cartridge cases. They also work well if you have to make up a round fireing pin and other small jobs that larger lathes are just to big for.
A mini lathe will also fit in a box and be stored on a shelf when not in use if space is a problem. You can also turn very small screw threads for those hard to get pieces missing from a collectible rifle, until you can find an original.
I started out with a mini lathe/mill Unimat that was used about 30 uears ago and find it just to handy to get rid of. The newer/bigger/better lathe is great, but it's out in the unheated shop and the Unimat is in the loading room where its warm. Just to darn useful to get rid of. bearhunter
 
I have one of each, small bench style Atlas that's in the house shop and a large JET that is out in an unheated shop. With the weather we get in January and February, I don't use the big one much.
If I had the room, I'd move the big one into the house and sell the Atlas.
 
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