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Buying a lathe.
- Thread starter Kasse
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2016
- Messages
- 7,021
Acra, Eisen, Sharp, plus others may be in stock, your choice is not when I checked. I'm not proficient at recommendations. Other gurus will be along, but Taiwan machines are better than made in China. Mine is an ACRA 1440TVS, I had the1340GT, but I did not like the 100% waste oiling system, even though it is a top of the line Norton gear box.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2023
- Messages
- 40
I just received the 1440-2V about a month ago. The 2V replaced the BV. Keep in mind my only other lathe experience is with the 1022.
1. In my limited experience the lathe is great. It runs well and is more than enough lathe for my experience level. (I'm not sure what you're experience levels are) With just a quick level of the ways, the taper when turning is only about 2 tenths over 4 inches or so. I still have to go through aligning the headstock. I've just been running it slowly to break it in, and doing some test cuts.
2. The 2V comes with a lot of extras that the 1440GT does not. So the difference in price is way more than the base price differences that were on the website. The VFD is built in, it comes with both chucks, etc.
3. My biggest gripe would be the lack of a good user manual. It came with a very basic manual that doesn't really show me anything I need to know as a new user of a lathe of this size and type. With that said, their tech support has been phenomenal. Every question I have asked has been answered within a business day. I have been using the downloadable manual on the website for the 1440-BV, but there are a few significant differences.
If I could've afforded the GT I would've done it, but I feel this lathe will be well suited to what I need it for for a few years. I'm still working one job to get my rifle building up and running so the price outweighed all other factors. Hope this helps.
1. In my limited experience the lathe is great. It runs well and is more than enough lathe for my experience level. (I'm not sure what you're experience levels are) With just a quick level of the ways, the taper when turning is only about 2 tenths over 4 inches or so. I still have to go through aligning the headstock. I've just been running it slowly to break it in, and doing some test cuts.
2. The 2V comes with a lot of extras that the 1440GT does not. So the difference in price is way more than the base price differences that were on the website. The VFD is built in, it comes with both chucks, etc.
3. My biggest gripe would be the lack of a good user manual. It came with a very basic manual that doesn't really show me anything I need to know as a new user of a lathe of this size and type. With that said, their tech support has been phenomenal. Every question I have asked has been answered within a business day. I have been using the downloadable manual on the website for the 1440-BV, but there are a few significant differences.
If I could've afforded the GT I would've done it, but I feel this lathe will be well suited to what I need it for for a few years. I'm still working one job to get my rifle building up and running so the price outweighed all other factors. Hope this helps.