My experience so far has been very positive with the new lathe. My old lathe is a HF 8 1/2" X 18" that I bought new around 25 years back so to compare the two would not be fair. I have made and repaired many things with the old lathe but was limited by the throw, the spindle bore, all the change gears, and the bed length. I had been looking for a larger used lathe when a few months back I came upon a 9 X20 that was almost new. I made a stand for it and set up the machine to cut straight and true as the previous owner didn't have a clue. I was quite surprised to see that skinny drive belt and the plastic gear in the gear train. (there were spares with the machine) The gear box was an open type with a line of oil caps over the gears. I decided my old lathe was probably more robust and I wasn't gaining much so I resold the 9X20 a week later.
I got an email from Enco with a 25% off coupon and free shipping so I went to the web site and looked around at the lathes. Falcon67 a member here had gotten a 12 X 36 Enco lathe in August of 2014 and that lathe looked like what I wanted. the number on the machine is 411-0105 but when you search for that at Enco web site you get the old model and that wasn't what I wanted. I did want a stand with it so I typed in 411-0126 and got a different lathe altogether the one I wanted. The price was $4036.95 and then reduced to $3195.95 on web sale. Well with a 25% off and free shipping including lift gate service the total was just under $2400. Even though it says it comes with a 4 way tool post it does not it has a quick change tool post and my Phase 2 holders fit it. It also comes with a light but not much of one. (kind of cheap)
I have a better light that I use. It also comes with a back splash that isn't shown in the pictures. I called Enco and told them about all the extras this lathe comes with but their answer was we are going to get some new pictures soon.
Specs
Spindle run out 0.0006
Three jaw chuck run out 0.0015
Head alignment to the bed measured at 18" from the spindle was 0.0055
I have adjust the tail stock to be true at 20" from the chuck.
As far as the hand wheels the carriage has 0.003 backlash, the cross slide has 0.004 backlash, and the compound slide handle has 0.005 backlash. I have adjusted the gibs on all slides but not any of the screw nuts.
I made a MT2 to MT3 adapter and some other test cuts and was amazed at how much of a mess this lathe makes. It was throwing spirals and chips over ten feet away so the next project is to make a chip guard.
More later.
Ray