I Just Got Lathed For The First Time!

[fordf150]

Buying a Lathe or Milling machine is a little like buying a farm tractor. You can get a great deal on the Lathe with basic equipment. Then you start buying three jaw chucks, independent chucks, drill chucks, and other accessories and discover you spent nearly as much for the items as the Lathe.
Try to find a Lathe with lots of accessories/tooling. Even a lot of tool bits is nice.

thats my problem with justifying the cost of a lathe. i have found a few nice ones but they came with very little tooling and buying new gets you basic tooling with a chinese lathe for a reasonable amount but i figure the tooling that comes with one is cheap and will need replaced fairly quickly.

 

[Giles]

Being a retired Tool&Die Maker, I heave operated hundreds of Lathes and milling machines. It is my personal opinion that China made machinery is OK as far a design and operation. The problem comes from inferior manufacturing materials.
One company I worked for, bought a new Taiwan built lathe, I think a Grizzly, and a handle broke the third day!
Again--It is my opinion that China has the poorest grade of materials in the world! I have read that the vast majority of materials, come from "back yard foundries"---- what kind of quality control can be in existence???

 

[jar944]

thats my problem with justifying the cost of a lathe. i have found a few nice ones but they came with very little tooling and buying new gets you basic tooling with a chinese lathe for a reasonable amount but i figure the tooling that comes with one is cheap and will need replaced fairly quickly.

I have a 12x36 Asian (China) lathe. I paid $1400 new (it was a really good deal about 12 years ago). Its done everything Ive asked of it and if I do my part will hold all the tolerances I need. I have more than what i paid for it in tooling (which isn't hard if you buy quality where it counts). It came with the typical setup (3 & 4 jaw chucks, steady and follower rests etc.)

Ive made (or saved) far more $ than the cost of the machine and tooling.

 

[Philbert]

So the trick seems to be to buy a used lathe with lots of tooling, and base your purchase price on the value of the lathe, with 'all that other stuff' thrown in.

Philbert

 

[Bullvi22]

Sweet lookin little rig there OP, congrats. I'm a machinist myself, mostly stuff just a tad bigger, turbine rotors and such for the power company.

 

[nmurph]

The thing with buying used is knowing what is worn out and what is useable. If you are getting into machining, you probably aren't set up or know how to rebuild lathes. There are lots used American lathes out there, but most are either priced higher than the average beginner is willing (able) to afford and are more than a comparable Asian unit, or they are clapped-out money pits. The 9x and larger Asian units are capable of decent work with a minimal fuss. When you get to the 13-14X machines, they are some really nice units coming from the Far East. Cutting squish bands doesn't require the same degree of accuracy as turning a part for a helicopter turbine. Another thing to consider is that not all of the Asian lathes are the same. There are some importers that spec their units to closer tolerances and then go through them when they are received. They are pretty much uncrate and run machines. I have my eye on a 11x30 variable speed Asian piece from such a seller. Other Asian machines need a good cleaning and adjustment to make good cuts. As has been mentioned, plan to spend as much on tools as you spend on the lathe.

 

[woodeneye]

It's true, right now my tool budget is close to on par with the machine cost, plus a little extra. I hope their will be members here willing to chime in on my work once I receive my materials and get this thing trued up.

 

[woodeneye]

One question: this unit reportedly is supposed to come with a dead center. But mine definitely turns. I wonder what gives? I mean, I'll need a dead center right?

 

[strtspdlx]

I bought an atlas th54 lathe last summer for something like 230$ it needed a good cleaning and some adjustments but I'm getting close to being comfortable with it. I've read a lot and have "some" hands on experience before I purchased but I'm very limited on knowledge. I desperately want a 4 jaw chuck. I can't bring myself to spend more on a chuck then I did on the whole machine. The 3 jaw it came with is junk. I can't center anything and on larger items it has a tendency to loosen up on deep cuts


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Giles]

Four common sense suggestions---
NEVER leave chuck key in chuck, and walk away!
NEVER grab a chip with bare hands!
NEVER wear gloves, jewelry, or loose clothing--Long hair could be included LOL!
ALWAYS run too bit on center or slightly below!

 

[old-cat]

One question: this unit reportedly is supposed to come with a dead center. But mine definitely turns. I wonder what gives? I mean, I'll need a dead center right?

Live center is better IF it runs true.

 

[woodeneye]

I really liked the chuck key that came with the machine. It has a spring attached around the shaft so it automatically pushes the key out of the chuck when you let go. Nice safety feature. Unfortunately the one that came with the four jaw chuck doesn't have this feature, though I could always fix that.

 

[Bullvi22]

I really liked the chuck key that came with the machine. It has a spring attached around the shaft so it automatically pushes the key out of the chuck when you let go. Nice safety feature. Unfortunately the one that came with the four jaw chuck doesn't have this feature, though I could always fix that.

Aye, but I predict you'll get tired of it quickly and remove it sooner or later. Haha. Guys in trade school learn really quick that wrench never leaves your hand while its in that chuck. Ever watch that youtube video of the silly teenager that tries to stall the lathe out by hangin on to the chuck wrench? Makes me cringe every time, that kid got really lucky! I'm sure there are bunches of 'chinists on this forum, ask any questions you can think of!

A live center has bearings in it that allow the piece to turn freely and run true, like running a shaft that has centers drilled on either end. A "dead" center is used in the chuck with a lathe dog (google it) and the live center is used in the tailstock. Most accurate way to turn a shaft. If you have any electric tool motors laying around or any place to look at pump shafts, motor shafts, crank/cam shafts, etc, you'll notice the drilled center in the ends. Thats why its there. Chucking and indicating is ok most times, but running between centers is the way to go to make something run dead nuts.

 

[Giles]

Lots of people don't realize that the tiny hole on the end of most quality taps also serves the purpose of using a lathe center to tap holes straight when the piece is still in the chuck. The same can be done by chucking a pointed shaft or tool bit in a drill press, and tap a hole straight while holding in a mounted vise.

 

[Philbert]

Just got an Enco catalog in the mail. How do the Enco lathes compare to the HF ones?

Philbert

 

[Jim Timber]

I hear you on that and there is a lot more to making GOOD parts than what lathe you've got to do it on. Most of the Chinese lathe bashers on PM probably couldn't make a bushing driver on a freshly rebuilt Monarch EE.

Actually, the guy who owns the site is a machinery dealer and he's the main objector to the Chinese stuff (because he refuses to sell it). I'm not a fan of his, and have left PM for that reason. Why make an a-hole more money with my content?

This was mine back when I had a lot more empty space in the shop.

 

[lewis16]

Get safety glasses. Watched a 45 year old toolmaker get driven to A and E with a piece of tso1 hanging out of his eye. I've never heard screaming like that before

 

[Jim Timber]

And NO long sleeves or hair! The little bench top lathes will still scalp you, or at least give it a college try... Big ones can kill you.

No gloves either.

 

[lewis16]

No necklaces either.

 

[firebrick43]

I have restored this old 1945 Craftsman Atlas lathe, 12 x 18. This was made back when the US made quality tools.
View attachment 392109 I use it all the time.

Can I see a close pic of your motor control box? Is it a dc motor from a treadmill or something?

I operate 20 million dollar mazaks, stamas, landis, and dehoff at work but have an atlas 12"x36" as well as an atlas mfc milling machine at home. All most done restoring the mfc and I installed a vfd and 3 phase motor on it for variable speed. Need to do the lathe next.