Ready to purchase a lathe

I have to admit kind thinking too that the 1440gs is a hidden gem with the upgraded Japanese spindle bearings and such. A really sweet looking machine with it's unique chip tray and what a feed/thread box! There I go again!
 
I am bouncing a bit back and forth and still wonder about the pm1236. Seen some pretty good work on them and some Videos. Impressive. Any pm 1236 users out there with a three phase and vfd that use it quite often
I will try to not annoy you out there but I find myself going back and forth with the question of just how much I should spend. A catch 22. Save some for a roof for the garage, Tooling a Mill Drill, Windows in the house. The list goes on and then I go back in circles. I know many have gone through this so bare with me.
 
Having used my PM-1440GT for a while now I could not do without the 2" spindle bore and the foot brake. The D1-5 spindle is a big step up over the D1-4 that I had on my old lathe. Food for thought.
 
If money is no object buy new. But the best way to stretch a budget is to buy a used machine, in excellent condition, with a comprehensive set of tooling.
 
Some really good thoughts here! Thanks for all of you to take the time to post and to be genuine and interested for me.
I do think of used machines but they will be generally way heavier and with moving in a few years dollars add up quick. I live in a very small town in Atlantic Canada. Moved out here after a holiday as a Machinist. Going to be in a Metropolis in a few years where there will be plenty of great Machine Tools I'll be able to actually see. Right now I want to work on setup. Get the shop together and if someone comes great but I can't afford to buy everything so I plan to just work on things and make the tooling and go play. Even looking forward to just having a lathe for sometime with no mill. I kind of want to revisit my apprentiship old school. I think those guys were crafty. They had solutions out of brilliance. Not CAD.
I think after a few months you know what you have generally. If the lathe is a lemon you'll see that early enough so a guarantee at this stage is paramount.
 
Its sad how I go back and forth. Really hard to spend this kind of money and not be able to see it or put my hands on it.
Have a good day all!
 
Do I just completely blow my budget by the 1340 gt and be done with it for good and not consider another lathe and move on? Or save a bit of money and buy lath that I really like. Gs That give you quite a bit of lathe with a reputable company with a three year warantee. With some good chucks along with a vfd 3phase setup. I think would be a great machine especially with it's eight speed box. I got a call last night about my second bike a klr 650 well setup for adventure travel. Just sold a ktm 950 adventure for this lathe. If no one buys the klr by Monday it's the Gs and work towards that machine. If it's gone I going to buy the pm 1340gt.
In the end I have to make a decision and we all think different for different reasons but I would like to thank you all for your time thoughts and good nature.
Looking forward to this new adventure.
 
I'm sure either of those lathes will be a good trade for what you're giving up to get them, hopefully you got a good price for your 950 as they are still quite sort after.

Just checked the pricing, aren't the 1340Gt and the 1440GS similar in price for the base machine, within $500 right?

As far as a 1236 versus 1440GS, both Chinese COO, but the GS is so much more lathe for not a lot more money.

Good luck on the KLR sale.

I've got 6 bikes in the garage including a Suzuki DR650 and Suzuki VStrom 650 both setup for travel.

David.
 
List price of those machines seem close until you add in what you get with the GS and what you don't with the GT. Add the Canadian Dollar into it then our wonderful GST tax and your almost up to 2000$ more in Monopoly money.
One thing I really consider valuable is the foot brake on the Gs. Ya I know you can get decent braking with a vfd but if the situation ever arises your foot will be better than trying to reach for the emergency stop. I will be alone so it a big consideration.
My battle is that I really like the Gs. Even love the look of it with the Handle on the chip pan and red foot brake. Wanted a 1440 from the get go. It's just that I am not a rich guy and don't really know what is ahead of me trying to get myself going. It takes huge amounts of money to be a full rounded shop. That 1340 GT has only been praised and know it is of good enough quality that it would be there for me down the rd. It takes most of my cash and then I am stagnate for some time. A small mill drill probably an rf 31. Ya I know a round column but I have a solution for that. A tormak precision grinder with some jigs and then I could at least do a bit of work and start to put some money back in.
The pm 1236 saves me a tonne of cash and I think it looks like a great machine. Some of the forums members do great work with it and have seen pro shops using them and some for over a decade and still going.
In the end I would like to have a manual and a cnc of each a lathe and mill. The pm 1236 would be a good candidate for that down the rd. A modern day Standard Modern would be my dream lathe.
Too many thoughts going on in my head. Come to the conclusion nothing is perfect.
I read some thing some time ago. A Machinist asked a forum how to get going to set up shop and one quote from a fellow who goes by the name of Wigitmaster has stuck with me. " Don't worry about perfection. Worry about progress or you'll never get off the ground" It was like a light went off. Going to put that saying in my shop so I can read it every time I walk in.
Here I am with this exact scenario.
I apologize for not proof reading a few times and you all getting more then one email. I'll be better. I just get so caught up in this and I guess a little too excited.
I am going to give myself the wkend and Monday buying a lathe.
Anyone want to buy a Klr 650 LOL
 
Sounds like there is a GS in your future. :)

I agree 100% about the foot brake. I use mine all the time and not just for emergencies. I have electronic braking and think it is fantastic but I have had it fault and when it does it freewheels.

The pull out chip tray is also very nice to have. Makes machine cleanup easier and there is more room for swarf.

I also recently started using the coolant system. When I bought my lathe that was one of the features I wanted but when I got the lathe I was hesitant to use it thinking it would bee to much work to deal with he coolant. I have a CNC mill that uses flood coolant so I'm well versed in using it and the good and bad that can go along with it.. Well a lathe isn't nearly as messy as a mill where the spindle speeds and coolant pressure are much higher. I now find myself using a lot for certain jobs that benefit from it.

If your goal is to start doing work for pay then I think it makes sense to get a machine that has the most capability within your budget.

I struggled with spending 7K on a base model lathe and then another 3K adding a DRO, upgraded chucks and a VFD conversion. I do customer work on the side to help pay for my hobbies. The features and extended capabilities of the PM-1440GT over my old lathe that was smaller have allowed me to take on jobs I would have previously had to turn down. The lathe has essentially paid for itself at this point.

Good luck on your decision.
 
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