compact/mini lathe

ViktorF

ViktorF

Regular
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Location
Mid Ontario
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.
 
Check any of CanAm's posts - he has a small lathe with milling attachment for sale for about $1000.
Harbour Freight's tools have a mixed reputation; you would want to be cautious about any machine tool in that sort of price range. You can visit a Busy Bee store, and have a look at their products. They are an established business, and would be in a position to provide some followup service.
Don't know what you are planing on doing with these tools, but "mini" tools really restrict the sort of work you can do.
 
The one at Busybee is waiting for csa approval and should be in the shops by the end of the month, it has a digital display on the elevation and will take MT2 collets.
 
The difference in prices of machine tools reflects the enormous difference in the size of the market between the U.S. and here. The real pricey stuff isn't the machine themselves. It's the tooling. Chucks, tool heads, etc.
 
I just sold mine. I need abigger machine. If the US price is much lower why not buy it down there? Busy Bee sometimes has them on sale.
Crazy idea for some, but I generally buy my big stuff direct from the factory. I just bought a CO2 laser engraver. $6K in the US, $2500 direct from the manufacturer in China. For a lathe I would buy in Taiwan direct. Check the various machining forums to see who makes the best ones. Shipping is cheap via sea.
 
I have a 7x8" mini lathe i don't use anymore..you can have it for $200
Needs a $2 gib as i lost one
it's a Craftex B1979,it's oily and dirty,but clean it up and you get a mini lathe cheap
I have a drive plate,change gears and some other special attachments for it you can have too

The gib and any other part for it can be found here: http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_category.php?category=5&First=G&Last=G
Picture002.jpg


*VictorF grabbed it*
 
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I cant figure out the sizing on these things, some places list them as 7" x 8" and others list it as 10-11" IM actually thinking of
using it for a couple smithing projects and building a battle bot (http://www.battlebot.com/) for the kids to enjoy, so Im leaning towards something like Busybees 10x18. Ill do some more research and pm you if It turns out that is the lathe I should be looking at. Either way its a good deal. I have a link for a guy who makes special Gibs for them. Ill pm it to you if you like.
 
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For $200 I'll take it if you don't.

I've got a Sherline 4400, and in truth, it's not big, or powerful enough to do what I'm trying to accomplish, at least not in any kind of timely manner.

Taking .003-.005 thou passes on regular mild steel makes things go....VERY....slowly.

I'm leaning towards picking up one of the Smithy machines, 3-in-1, but am open to other options.

NS
 
VictorF just left here with it 5 minutes ago,sorry

I'd look into the BusyBee combo machine Navyshooter,an excellent machine for the money
It's a lathe first(power feeds only on lathe setting),but small manual milling jobs can be done on it
 
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NavyShooter said:
For $200 I'll take it if you don't.

I've got a Sherline 4400, and in truth, it's not big, or powerful enough to do what I'm trying to accomplish, at least not in any kind of timely manner.

Taking .003-.005 thou passes on regular mild steel makes things go....VERY....slowly.

I'm leaning towards picking up one of the Smithy machines, 3-in-1, but am open to other options.

NS
Click to expand...

.003 - .005

Holy S&*T man thats crazy. I can take .250 off a diameter at a time with the lathe at work, with tool steel. I dont want to troll the thread but you might as well go to a good machinery auction and pick up something a little bigger if you have room.
 
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