G0768 Or G4000?

The G4000 is a pretty good machine after some upgrades. Does the one you're looking at have any upgrades done to it? The QCTP and 4 bolt compound made the machine great. It has plenty of power for the projects I did in Delrin, aluminum, brass, and even tool steel.

The disappointment/surprise side of my purchase was in the tool post. It's junk. Upgrade to a Phase II. Also, no reverse feed. If you plan on doing left hand threading, don't buy this machine.

If you're considering this against another machine such as the 0768, this machine is heavier and bigger, which in the end is better for most things. Right hand threading is great with the quick change gear box, but speed changes do require shifting the belt and having clearance on the left side of your machine to open the door.

If you have more specific questions, ask away! Would I buy it again? Probably so.
 
Well, I was just going to write about a couple issues with the G4000. But I kept looking deeper into the G0768 as well, and ended up with a pretty long post. Hope it's of use to you!

I've happily owned two different G4000 lathes (two workshops in two states), for a total of 10 years now. Sold one when I got a larger (12x24) lathe. +1 on armytbone's comments about the 4-bolt compound and the tool post. The 0768 looks like it has a more substantial compound mount, though according to the manual, you have to back the compound slide almost all the way off to get to the angle lock screws - could end up being inconvenient. The tool post is the same POS on both lathes.

And yes, the 4000 does suffer a bit from a not having a "reverse tumbler" (which the 0768 has - "reverse feed" on the photo). But there are lots of articles on the interweb about how to add one. I'd added one to the lathe I later sold. It's a fun project. I suppose I'll be adding one to my current lathe "one of these days."

A few more minor irritations on the G4000 (and their solutions) -
• The lathe is a bit low to the chip pan for my taste. Placed 1 ½" hardwood blocks between the lathe and pan. Also extended the bottom of the back panel, to help control swarf. The QCGB gear selector is now easier to use and cleanup under the lathe is easier. The 0768 doesn't have a QCGB, so this probably won't be an issue.
• The back panel has a gap where it goes around the motor (near the chuck, where a good deal of swarf is generated). No big deal, but unless you raise the lathe it can be a chore to keep the motor clean. I was able to kludge a closure. No idea what the 0768 is like in this respect, but I'd guess it's abut the same.
• The tailstock lock is just a nut, which requires you to keep a wrench handy. There are several articles on the web about adding a lever lock. I found a simple way to retain the wrench. Check the thread, http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/lathe-tail-stock-lock-mod.57492/ My post, with photos, is at the end. According to the manual, the 0768 has a locking lever on the back.
• The 4-jaw chuck that comes with the G4000 is kinda crummy. You can buy a good one, but that's an added expense. The 0768 has what looks like a nice 4-jaw
• The spindle of the 4000 has a somewhat uncommon thread - 39mm x 4mm pitch. LMS sells threaded backplates. I haven't found anybody else who sells backplates with this thread pattern. With a threaded spindle, you have to be careful when running in reverse. The 0768 holds chucks and faceplate to a fixed backplate with three fixed studs, nuts and washers. This is good when running in reverse. But finding aftermarket chucks might be quite a challenge!

Some possibly negative aspects of the G0768 -
• There's no QCGB on the G0768. So you have to keep changing gears in the headstock ("end gears" in the manual). Might not be an issue if you don't plan to do a lot of threading.
• There's no 127 tooth gear. So all of the metric thread pitches will be inexact. Might not be an issue for short threaded parts, and wouldn't be an issue at all if you don't plan to do any metric threading.
• There's no separate power feed, as there is on the G4000. You have to reset the "end gears." This would be an important issue for me. I don't do very much threading, but I use the power feed very frequently.
• The G0768 is smaller (8" swing, as opposed to 9" swing), so it won't have quite as much capability/capacity (or power, for that matter). You'll have to decide how important this factor is.

Finally, you might want to check this thread on the G0768 (if you haven't already!):
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/grizzly-g0768-8-x-16-lathe.36042/
.. might even want to PM one or more owners for their opinions, now that they've owned and used their lathes for a while.
 
Tbone, h man, thank you both for two informative and extremely helpful replies, I'm so glad you both took the time to reply because all I could find online is biased opinions and lots of fake praises, you two gave me a lot to read and absorb before I commit to a used or a new model of G4000, the used one I found doesn't have any upgrades or a whole lot of accessories so for the asking price of $1200 (CDN $) it may not be such a great deal after all.
I bookmarked this thread and will be coming back to it again .
Here's the ad:Craftex CT039 is identical to G4000:
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-tool-other/ottawa/lathe-metal/1252418009?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

Craftex 9"x19" metal lathe, 3/4 HP, power longitudinal feed and quick change gear box, 4" - 3-jaw chuck with two sets of jaws, 7 1\4" four-jaw chuck with reversible jaws, face plate, steady rest, follow rest, MT2 live centre, 4-way tool post, complete with stand, used very little, very good condition




$_35 (3).JPG
 
I just did a quick lookup on a currency converter. Best I can tell is that 1200 CDN ≈ $900 US. That's not a bad price for a used 9x20. Seems to be clean and in very good shape, and includes all the "original" items as well as a stand. When I sold my used G4000 in 2014, it went for $900. But that included a QCTP, Z axis DRO, and some tool bits.

Obviously, I have no insight into what a G0768 might cost you, or what the current used market looks like in your area.
 
Ask far as i know (i did a little research on the internet), they are come from the same company in China (I think). So ...
 
It's been over a year since I bought the G4000. It works great. I decided to upgrade my A2Z QCTP from LMS to an AXA Bostar. I don't have the money or a precision lathe to be dropping hundreds on an Aloris or Dorian. PhaseII+ caught my eye, and as far as I could find, Bostar is a comparable QCTP. I got it from CDCO.com along with an adapter mounting bolt from LMS.

Like others who have gone this route, I knew ahead of time that an AXA size is a tad big for a 9x19 and the tool holders would basically be bottomed out on the tool post. That turned out to be true. To get to centerline, I needed some more clearance from the top of the compound. I ended up milling a .25 relief in from the edges, level with the lower part of the compound. That relief gives me clearance from all angles and will allow me to go below centerline if I end up with negative rake tools or knurling tools.

A test spin on a chunk of brass gave me a MUCH improved surface finish and allowed me to take a deeper cut. Overall, that extra mass seems to have helped, and the steel dovetail Bostar will hold up a lot better than the aluminum piston A2Z.

You can see in the third picture the relief cuts below the QCTP.

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