Lathe eye candy

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Hey all,thanks to those that posted in Steelmans thread regarding which lathe to buy.  I know there's other forums that are more applicable to the question, but I know there's alot of knowledge here also.Anyways, that's my quest (I think).  A smaller lathe mostly for threading and bushings.  Largest project I can envision right now would be a brake drum or rotor, but that may change as experience is learned.And now.....the moment you've been waiting for......http://bend.craigslist.org/tls/3603841363.htmlSorry, I don't know how to post other than a link.Now, I didn't buy this but am considering it.  My target price is less than $1k.  So what do you think?  I know 'carbide said to basically stay away from older machines (I think he was referring to this type when mentioning "lineshaft machines with car trannys"), but pricewise that's not really an option.Thanks again for your time, interest, and help.Tom.Lincoln SA 200Esab Caddy 160Thermal Arc 201TSMiller Dialarc HFI don't like making plans for the day because then the word "premeditated" gets thrown around the courtroom....
Reply:if your intention is to do much threading,  i would not get something with change gears.  I also would look for something with separate feed and lead screws.for really good threading,  look for something with a threading stop built into the cross feed .  my sidney has this and it really speeds up threading.XMT 350 MPa, w/D52-DTA 185 TSWHarris of
Reply:That machine is too small for most brake drums or rotors only having a 10" swing. You'll either need a brake lathe or a pretty good size lathe to let you swing a rotor/drum.As far as threading I'd agree not having to swap actual gears to do this would be very nice. That said, chances are you probably will be running the same couple of gears all the time unless you are doing strange thread pitches.I was in roughly the same boat you are in a few years ago, only I wanted a larger thru hole in the head stock. Weight and cost were my biggest limiting factors. It will take a bit of practice before you are able to use a lathe. You can at least get started with something like this. I managed to locate a deal on a slightly larger Clausing 12x36" with the quick change gear box thru a friend. This at least lets me practice and do some projects even if it won't let me do everything.I will admit a  stop on the cross slide is a nice option. Tubalcain on Youtube did a good vid on building a cross slide stop for threading, and it's on my build list for my lathe. He uses a mill, but you can also do the same thing on the lathe if you fab up a simple cross slide vise for it to mill with the lathe.Price seems reasonable and the unit looks clean from what little I can see in the picts. I'd have been real tempted to jump on that to get started 2 years ago. I'd bet that you can get most of your money back if you later choose to upgrade. Any tooling you pickup can probably stay with you for your new machine, and any that won't, will just help the sale price..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:For when the link (inevitably) disappears ...When I want to keep a CL post, I print it to .pdf under the "File" heading upper left.This was 491kb - too big to post, so I converted it to .jpg with Gimp at 261kb. WW's file size reducer took it to 28k and reduced the focus ... Attached Images
Reply:Good little starter lathe to learn on. As said, probably get as much for it down the road if you decide you want more features/size. Make sure it has a full set of change gears. Also, realize that there is only power feed on the longitudinal axis via the lead screw and half nuts.Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:Any lathe is better than no lathe at all but in this case no much better.I have the same lathe and was happy as a pig in $hi! when I found my South Bend Fourteen.To me the Zamac gears are the deal killer.
Reply:i would go for something more like this:http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/tld/3596650246.htmlalso-there are some sleepers to look for :Hendey Pratt and WhitneyReed-PrenticeRockford Standard-Moderni see 12-14 inch hendeys all the time for $500-$1000 have to be patient !Miller S60 feederCobramatic push/pull feederMiller CP-252tsLincoln Tig250/Tig250Lincoln weldpak 100 -italianC-H 90A- italianHarris & Victor O\Afull manual & CNC machine shop
Reply:I love my little 12x36 Atlas lathe and it really is very useful....but you will find things that you want to do but cant on that size lathe. If you have the money and space a good meduim sized lathe like the Leblond pictured above would be much more ideal, trust me after using mine then using a good rigid lathe, it will make the Atlas seam like a toy. You can still make some pretty small parts but also have the power/space available for the bigger jobs.Lincoln pro mig 180Lincoln Square Wave Tig 300/wp 20/home built water cooler Victor, Purox, Harris, O/A welding/cutting setupsVintage Craftsman drill pressVintage Craftsman/Atlas 12"x 36'' lathe7''x 12'' w/c band saw Everlast 140 st
Reply:Brake rotors are a pain in the a$$ on a engine lathe unless you make a arbor to fit where the spindle goes in.
Reply:Where I live it costs 8 bucks to have a rotor turned on both sides.  I can't set up one for that, and they are really hard to get them exactly the same thickness all around.  Mac
Reply:Lathe?What Lathe? Attached Images
Reply:not to the original post ..but  i hope nobody's looking to turn brakes on a smallish engine lathe. the mount on a brake lathe is... of all things a freakin'  car's wheel hub ! ...i hope not to be too sarcastic.... but realistic.  don't buy an engine lathe if that's whatyou intend to turn .  a Brake Lathe is made to turn rotors and drums , and has adaptors and hubsto fit a freakin' car wheel!but won't be anything but a brake lathe when the job is over.Miller S60 feederCobramatic push/pull feederMiller CP-252tsLincoln Tig250/Tig250Lincoln weldpak 100 -italianC-H 90A- italianHarris & Victor O\Afull manual & CNC machine shop
Reply:Originally Posted by InkydoggyLathe?What Lathe?
Reply:dambit 'dog,I didn't want this thread to go pornaholic!!Seriously though, thanks for the input everybody.  The HF by my house is displaying their "7x10", and man! I had no idea how small 7" is!!!........that didn't really sound right did it.....Anyways, the only lathe I'd ever seen personally was my grandfather's, and it had around a 10' bed which for my purposes is too big, so I just thought "yea, 6"-9" would be fine."  But looks like a little bigger would be better.Regarding turning rotors and drums, yea I don't know.  In reality I was trying to justify why I need a lathe.  I know there's "always" bushings or spacers I'm hunting for, and a few odd threads I'd like to match, maybe a custom collar to use a hydraulic cylinder from a porta power in a press, and other assorted oddities. So I don't know, for now I'll just keep studying.  Besides, I just (finally) ordered a Thermal Arc 201TSAnd yea 'carbide, that Leblond is nice, but I'm jsut gonna save up for inkydogs, especially if it comes with the helper Last edited by dubl_t; 03-02-2013 at 12:40 AM.Lincoln SA 200Esab Caddy 160Thermal Arc 201TSMiller Dialarc HFI don't like making plans for the day because then the word "premeditated" gets thrown around the courtroom....
Reply:great hound dog .Last edited by tnmgcarbide; 03-02-2013 at 02:09 AM.Miller S60 feederCobramatic push/pull feederMiller CP-252tsLincoln Tig250/Tig250Lincoln weldpak 100 -italianC-H 90A- italianHarris & Victor O\Afull manual & CNC machine shop
Reply:i wouldn't buy that particular  leblond  ,  just thats something to reference to .i 've seen your avatar is a hound dog  . mine was my 2 year old treeing walker's face superimposed on Goober Pyle's , sitting with one of the FUN GIRLS , ready to say: JUDYJUDYJUDY........Last edited by tnmgcarbide; 03-02-2013 at 02:02 AM.Miller S60 feederCobramatic push/pull feederMiller CP-252tsLincoln Tig250/Tig250Lincoln weldpak 100 -italianC-H 90A- italianHarris & Victor O\Afull manual & CNC machine shop
Reply:Originally Posted by tnmgcarbidemine was my 2 year old treeing walker's face......
Reply:Originally Posted by tnmgcarbidei've been drooling over her for years ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,she's  about  850mm uptop.  7.5hp. down low,    tapers nicely ,   DRO and  sexy ....!  that lathe is of the best/last manual    h/ whacheons / mori seikis .~ to $30-40 k new .
Reply:Yes she is the helper and gauges your shaft for you before you start to work.