[Newbie] 13" Lathes--recommendations?

OK. I didn't know that ES&S was their name. I've checked a number of their posts on Craigs, especially when I've been in Oregon. Anyway, it looks like you're way ahead of me, both in having made contact with them and in your familiarity with the various Jet model numbers. Best wishes!!!
 
DO NOT BUY A KENT LATHE!!!!!!!!!! The ones I have seen are pathetic.
 
If I were looking for a lathe I'd search for an older well made lathe. There has to be some out there . Monarchs ,leblonds ,keep looking we need to keep the better ones working . Good luck I know you'll be able to find a good one. New is nice but remember new is go as cheap as possible to make the most profit. Plus used most time there are lots of extras with it. It's not nice but old machinist die every day , there machines need to be used . the scrappers don't care they only see a quick money exchange. You can find very well matained machines out there. It wasn't three days after I ordered my mill that I found an older enco mill they had listed for over $2,500 , soon as I ordered they relished for $1,500 , and I had been in contact with them the week before. Always happens that way it seems .
 
If you buy 2 tools from Grizzly you can apply for a discount ( little known fact). The Taiwan made G0670 1640 I bought a few months back is pretty nice, 3000 lbs, VS to 2500 in 2 ranges, CSS, power oil pump to headstock gears, its triple v ways like the southbends, likely made in same factory, Tasakawa FD, 5HP. Its not a Monarch or Pacemaker but it will do what I need it to and can remove a lot of metal in hurry with either positive or negative rake tooling. I can hold 1 to 2 tenths on small diameters. I bought a cheap woodworking sander to fill the 2 tool quota, worked out the sander was free plus saved a hundred or so on lathe. I would do it again.

michael
 
Ok so I looked at the Kent lathe at work and it is a KLS model. It's just this side of a POS. I would like to see the $11K version to see the difference.
 
The "POS factor" is hard to judge online. The PRC vs Taiwan distinction and the advertised "Economy" vs "Precision" is very fuzzy. The difference in the specs are mostly about how beefy the lathe is:

Code: 
SPEC\MODEL                    KLS-1340A                     TRL-1340
Swing Over Bed:               13”                           13-3/8”
Swing Over Cross slide:       7–1/4”                        8-1/4”
Swing Over Gap:               18–3/4”                       20”
Width of Bed:                 7–3/8″                        9”
Distance Between Centers:     40”                           40”
Cross Slide Travel:           6–1/2”                        7”
Top Slide Travel:             3”                            4”
Spindle Speeds:               8                             16
Spindle Speed Range:          70–2000 RPM                   50-2570 RPM
Through Hole Diameter:        1–1/2”                        1-9/16”
Spindle Nose:                 D1–4 Camlock                  D1-4 Camlock
Spindle Bore Taper:           MT#5                          MT#5
Standard (Whit-Worth):        32 (4–56) TPI                 45 (2-72) TPI
Metric Pitch:                 32 (0.4–7) mm                 39 (0.2-14) mm
Longitudinal Feeds:           0.0032”-0.1067” in/rev        0.002”–0.067”
Cross Feeds:                  0.00086”-0.0367” in/rev       0.001”–0.0375”
Leadscrew Diameter:           7/8”                          1-1/8”
Thread Pitch:                 8 TPI                         4 TPI
Quill Travel:                 3-5/8”                        4”
Quill Diameter:               1-1/2”                        2”
Quill Bore Taper:             MT#3                          MT#3
Main Motor:                   2 HP (110V or 220V, 1-phase)  5 HP
Coolant Pump Motor:           N/A                           1/8 HP
Overall Dimension:            76 x 29 x 47”                 81.5 x 32 x 56”
Packing Dimension:            80 x 35 x 61”                 90 x 37 x 60”
Net Weight:                   1100 LBS                      2200 LBS
Gross Weight:                 1310 LBS                      2440 LBS
 
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With 3 more HP and over 1000# more mass, I'm sure they are quite different machines. The Kent on you list might very well be a nice machine.
 
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