Subject: Re: Buying a lathe

From: [email-masked] (James Kirkpatrick)
Date: 23 Jan 95 12:35:13 MST

Dan asks about 12-14 inch lathes.

Dan, if you can afford it, jump up right now and call Alley Supply.
They sell Jet lathes, and have a special on a 14x40 geared-head
bench lathe for $3125.  Normally $4000.  Mine should be here by
about the end of the week.  I saw one in Denver (didn't get to play
with it, though) and it looked good.  Sorry I can't yet talk about
it from experience.  Model GHB-1340.

Why the hurry?  Alley has to have your order, including payment,
in hand, to ship the lathe from the Washington warehouse, by the
end of this month or the price goes back up.  Also get a stand unless
you have a bench that can solidly hold 1300 pounds.

I don't have their number handy (it's not in the FAQ!!), but they
are in Gardnerville, Nevada.  Directory assistance should have it.

Usual disclaimer:  no affiliation other than hoping to be a satisfied
customer :-).

Jim

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From: [email-masked] (Greg Lewis)
Date: Mon, 23 Jan 1995 20:27:02 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Dan Canfield) writes:
>I've read the faq and have read just about every article I can find on
>lathes and now I would like some personal input from anyone who would
>like to comment.
>
>I'm looking at buying a lathe for use in my home shop.

[snip]

 Tell me what
>you think I should do.
>Dan Canfield
>[email-masked]

Two things come to mind. First, you will always need more swing than
you have. I have been sitting around here for about four years with
facial expressions ranging somewhere between the Cheshire cat and
Garfield because I have a 12" lathe with which I am building a 1 1/2'
scale live steamer. The drivers for that engine are 8" in diameter. I
just found out last weekend on an aluminum test casting for the driver
pattern that just because you have a 12" lathe, that does not mean you
can take cuts anywhere on a 12" diameter piece. My 8" diameter driver
required considerable fiddling with the tool holder, compound and
cross slide to get all faces machined--I don't think I could have
handled anything larger. So if you are going to do frequent work of a
certain diameter, it would be worth your while to take a sample
somewhere and try it on a machine of whatever swing you think you'll
need.

Second... I'm having second thoughts about all the various mail-order
dealers. The reason is not that there is a problem with them, but
rather that you can probably get the same deal locally with the
benefit of local setup and service. For example, I was just visiting a
local machine tool rebuilder. He sells Taiwaneese-made lathes at
competitive prices, and he claims that he sets up each machine in his
shop and test runs it for a day before he brings it out and sets it up
in your shop. This is an outfit that has been in business for a
generation, so they are likely to stand behind their sales. I bought
my used, American-made, mill from a dealer (although I hauled it home)
and am satisfied. By asking the pros in your town about the reputation
of any delaer you plan to do business with, you'll soon know who is
OK.

I am also finding that almost everything I see in the mail order
catalogs is available locally at similar (albeit not exactly equal)
prices.  I'm beginning to think that it will be worthwhile to
establish a relationship with a local dealer and that the small
percentage I might save by dealing by mail may not be worth it when
there is a problem. Although this is a hobby with me, my hobby time is
worth something. A local call to a guy who knows me by name gets me
the stuff in about a week, and if it isn't right, I can talk to him
face-to-face and solve it right away.

Finally, a common answer to your question is to check for good used
American-made equipment as it is generally better than some of the
import stuff at the same price. Again, a reputable used equipment
dealer is a good place to try.

___________________________________________________________________
[email-masked]
Photojournalism sequence
Department of Mass Communication and Journalism
CSU Fresno, Fresno, CA 93740-0010

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From: [email-masked] (James Kirkpatrick)
Date: 23 Jan 95 13:52:38 MST

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (James Kirkpatrick) writes:
|>
|>Dan asks about 12-14 inch lathes.
|>
|>Dan, if you can afford it, jump up right now and call Alley Supply.
|>They sell Jet lathes, and have a special on a 14x40 geared-head
                                                ^^
|>bench lathe ...
|>

Oops, that should be 13-inch swing, not 14.  However, it does have
a removable gap; also a camlock spindle.

Jim

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From: [email-masked] (Dan Canfield)
Date: Mon, 23 Jan 1995 17:25:09 GMT

I'm looking at buying a lathe for use in my home shop.  I'm not going
to do huge amounts of work with it, but I do have some basic requirements
that it has to meet.  I have to be able to put a snowmobile clutch
assembly on it which means it has to be able to accept atleast 12" pieces
(that's the diameter of the clutch).  I need to be able to turn threads,
both metric and SAE and I would like as big as possible hole through the
headstock.  Geared head is also prefered.

Now for you opinion, price is definitely an issue to me.  I have looked
at the Grissly 14" unit and have also looked into what Harbor Freight has
to offer.  Your ideas/opinions/experiences are welcome.  Tell me what
you think I should do.

Dan Canfield
[email-masked]

89 Indy 707
89 FJ1200
RP90

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From: [email-masked] (J. Kimberlin)
Date: 23 Jan 1995 18:29:16 -0800

>a removable gap; also a camlock spindle.

I have one and from what I can see you will never get anything 12" in dia 
in the thing and do anything to the outer circumference.  A good 16" SB 
lathe (and there are many from WWII, school shops etc.,) should cost less 
than $2000.  I have turned the OD on 16" traction engine wheel castings 
on one of these (just barely).

Camlock is great however, and a removable gap is a definite asset (mine 
does not have either - different model, same brand and swing).  But you 
can't get the saddle manipulated sufficiently to turn the outside of a 
workpiece in the gap, I'll bet.

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From: Carl C. Carlsen <[email-masked]>
Date: 25 Jan 1995 06:07:53 GMT

I'll make it simple and agree with Greg, especially his last 
paragraph.   My first lathe was a Taiwan piece of junk - call 'em 
by the name Jet, or whatever they are called, most of the ones I 
have seen come off the same mold.  If you buy used, you have to 
buy carefully - take an "expert" with you, but there are 
excellent used machines out there.    Carl

-- 
Carl C. Carlsen