As I slowly replace all my woodworking tools, I’ve learned the value of the buy once, cry once motto. Wish I had learned it sooner.
Used lathe opinions
- Thread starter nbmonte
- Start date
As I slowly replace all my woodworking tools, I’ve learned the value of the buy once, cry once motto. Wish I had learned it sooner.
Ontario seems to have a good selection at decent prices, something I ascribe to the industrial history and manufacturing of that province. Another vote for that book, used copies can be had reasonably.
Grizz
Grizzly sells a wide range, from barely useful lathe shaped objects, all the way up to reasonably industrial. Priced the full range too, which should tell you a fair bit about what you should expect from them, depending on where in the spectrum you are looking.
It amounts to stuff that just does not get much cheaper, when you are building stuff with fairly cheap labor. Quality bearings and quality castings, all done right, are expensive world wide!
If those are the going rates for that kind of rusted up junk, out there, shop somewhere else. Trucking is pretty cheap.
A good source of data, if you are not already familiar with it, is www.lathes.co.uk Lists of names, with descriptions, some statements about expected quality, and general information, about hundreds of different makes. Great resource.
Of the three machines in the OP, I think the only one I would drive across town to look at (if the price wasn't so out of line as to make me think a deal was not possible) is the Standard Modern, as it at least has a Cam-Lock spindle. But it would have to look awfully shiny and unused, to make me figure looking at it was worth the gas money to get there, I figure. It has a taper attachment, though it may not be complete (cannot see the locking mechanism for it in the pic)
The Harrison, among other things, has a very long headstock, and that will make through the spindle work harder to set up. Great for getting precision out of it for other purposes, provided it's not beat, but not a great choice if you intend barrel work, etc., I think.
The Hendey is for someone that wants the experience of running an old slow lathe like was used to make Model T parts... Good Farm lathe if cheap. Like, really really cheap. Ten percent or less of the ask, cheap.
At some point, you have to ask yourself, if you wish to have a hobby of rebuilding old lathes, or using them.
In all seriousness, you are a LOT closer to the East Coast Rust Belt portion of the States than I am, and that is truly, the home of the mantra that "Old American Iron is Best!", and they have some cause to believe that, with as much small scale manufacturing as went on there. The fellows out that way have been spoiled for choices, of good quality, old machine tools that are not all beat to hell and back.
It may be worth you while to have a good look at what is available from as far away as south of New York or even further.
Start looking at machine tool dealer's sites, and see what is out there. They often get in smaller machines that they really do not normally handle, and sometimes they sell them for pretty darn fair prices.
On that note, it does pay to understand exactly WHO you are dealing with. There is a character out on the Eastern Seaboard name of Al Babin, who is worth doing some reading about... LOL! Not to be mistaken for Babin Machine Tools or Works, IIRC, who is not related, and has an actual 'good' reputation!
Thanks for the info.
I’m looking for a machine I can use out of the box, or close to it. I did the rebuilding thing with a wood lathe and bandsaw, and don’t really want to go down that road again. Turns out I don’t really enjoy rebuilding old machines.
Really starting to consider new, or from a reputable dealer. Time to revisit the budget.
I’m looking for a machine I can use out of the box, or close to it. I did the rebuilding thing with a wood lathe and bandsaw, and don’t really want to go down that road again. Turns out I don’t really enjoy rebuilding old machines.
Really starting to consider new, or from a reputable dealer. Time to revisit the budget.
One thing to watch for is you don't get too big of a lathe. If the head stock is too long you can't get a barrel through it and hold it. Also see if the outboard end of the head stock is configured so you can use a lathe barrel spider. My Standard Modern 1554 lathe is too long and would take a minimum of a 32" barrel but the way the outboard end is built, I can't use a spider to hold that end of a barrel.
one thing regarding used a good machine is never cheap but you may get some decent tooling thrown in, as for the spider thing to keep barrel centered in the spindle I turn up a plastic or aluminum bushing just under the spindle bore and have a spigot the bors size of the barrel, cut a O ring groove in the spigot and it works to hold it in, usually a pain cleaning the spindle bore out but it works
Yes, just outside Fredericton
price is still out to lunch, a flight to Rustbelt Ontario and a Uhaul truck rental back can get you two machines like that for the same price.
Once everyone’s government dole finally starts tapering off, those will still be there at a lower price. At the start of the pandemic there was a brief but impressive firesale before cerb was rolled out, it will happen again.
Once everyone’s government dole finally starts tapering off, those will still be there at a lower price. At the start of the pandemic there was a brief but impressive firesale before cerb was rolled out, it will happen again.
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Standard modern are a nice machine for gun work.
That machine is priced a bit high in my opinion.
I have a slightly newer 13/34 and with spiders on back and front can work with a barrel 19 or 20 inches easily.
Spindle bore is 1 3/8 " so anything larger needs a bigger machine.
That machine is priced a bit high in my opinion.
I have a slightly newer 13/34 and with spiders on back and front can work with a barrel 19 or 20 inches easily.
Spindle bore is 1 3/8 " so anything larger needs a bigger machine.
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fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
Lots of hunters head out into the bush with high expectations of "bagging the big one" but few do...All of the lathe vendors shown here fit that mindset...wishful thinking to an extreme. At best that Modern is worth less than half wanted and the others should be 1/3-1/4 what is asked.
"New" Taiwanese lathes will equal and probably better the quality of those offered at lower prices.
"New" Taiwanese lathes will equal and probably better the quality of those offered at lower prices.
That Hendey lathe belongs on the scrap pile..And the other tool room lathes (of questionable condition) are way too big and heavy for your needs, a 24" lathe from Busy Bee like the CX709 would be a good lathe to start your learning curve on the lathe with.
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Those craftex lathes are conveniently sized and they have power cross feed (very nice). I find their gear head to be pretty primitive, hard to engage and of questionable rigidity......seriously my myford ml7 chatters less under a heavier cut. It might have been a lemon.
If you're going to get one of those, be sure to go to a dealer and see how it shifts.
If you're going to get one of those, be sure to go to a dealer and see how it shifts.
Brassman66
CGN frequent flyer
I am no Professional Machinist just a Guy which has Fun repairing most anything and occasional inventing/making specialized Tooling. Most of my Tools and Machines get regularly used and show it. I have bought a good amount of Tools and Tooling from Grizzly Tools in Bellingham and also from Bussy Bee in Vancouver. Most of there Stuff is made in South east Asia in a quality satisfactory to me. My Lathe/Milling Combo can hold +/- 2th. tolerances and has been since new 16 years ago. Would I do it all over again, you bet I would.
Cheers
Goodlord, 2th, I have a full size first at home and use TW-40L at work and a bridgeport mill, not one of those can keep that tolerance. I know I used the shadow-graph to prove it.
Can't hold +/- 2 thou?
Really?
Might be a lack of sharpness. Tools and operator both! LOL!
Did not see the 'h' +-2 thou yes ; +-2th (+-2 tenths ) hell no ; Operator I will give you, I chase .001 all day long like a dog on his tail. The cnc's change fast as the temperature does, .0002 is very had to keep. I still want a lathe at home.
