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Robert LaLonde
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I've read several places where people think they can make small parts easier or better on a small lathe compared to a larger lathe. I say bull pucky.
Sure a really big lathe with a huge swing that's setup to machine parts you can only load with a crane may not be setup to machine or even hold small parts.
Sure a precision watchmaker's lathe may be much better to machine case threads.
Neither of those is similar really as lathes go and neither is in the same class of engine lathe most folks are talking about when this topic comes up.
But that's not usually what they are comparing. They are comparing a 7,8,9 x 10,16,20 to a 13x36 or 14x40. They are basically the same lathe. Just a difference in scale. Neither is going to be perfect with a 3 jaw chuck. Both can be dialed in with a 4 jaw. Either can use collets or be setup with a collet chuck. Both can use solid, custom ground, or insert tooling. Either can be available or not with various gearing options or tool post options.
Really. One might feel more comfortable or less threatened by a small lathe, but a 2000lb 14x40 is going to move less, be more rigid, and have less vibration. It might take a little more muscle, but you can even do hand assisted operations on either machine. The bigger machine would be better for that too because you won't have to bolt it to a work bench to keep it from moving when you put some muscle into it.
Sure you can't compare a Southbend to a Harbor Freight, but that's a function of quality. Not size.
In my opinion the smaller lathe only edges out the bigger machine for price, foot print, and maybe in the smallest cases ease of moving it out of the way and putting it on a shelf when not in use.
Sure a really big lathe with a huge swing that's setup to machine parts you can only load with a crane may not be setup to machine or even hold small parts.
Sure a precision watchmaker's lathe may be much better to machine case threads.
Neither of those is similar really as lathes go and neither is in the same class of engine lathe most folks are talking about when this topic comes up.
But that's not usually what they are comparing. They are comparing a 7,8,9 x 10,16,20 to a 13x36 or 14x40. They are basically the same lathe. Just a difference in scale. Neither is going to be perfect with a 3 jaw chuck. Both can be dialed in with a 4 jaw. Either can use collets or be setup with a collet chuck. Both can use solid, custom ground, or insert tooling. Either can be available or not with various gearing options or tool post options.
Really. One might feel more comfortable or less threatened by a small lathe, but a 2000lb 14x40 is going to move less, be more rigid, and have less vibration. It might take a little more muscle, but you can even do hand assisted operations on either machine. The bigger machine would be better for that too because you won't have to bolt it to a work bench to keep it from moving when you put some muscle into it.
Sure you can't compare a Southbend to a Harbor Freight, but that's a function of quality. Not size.
In my opinion the smaller lathe only edges out the bigger machine for price, foot print, and maybe in the smallest cases ease of moving it out of the way and putting it on a shelf when not in use.
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