- Joined
- Nov 23, 2014
- Messages
- 2,577
I have a Grizzly 14 x 40 G0709 and love the machine; have a fondness towards my experiences with Grizzly. However, I'd go with the Baleigh. The Baleigh has a speed range of 70 - 2000 RPM, the 4003G has a range of 70 to just 1400 RPM. The Baleigh has a D1-4 spindle, the 4003G a D1-5 with a slightly larger (1.57" vs. 1.5") spindle bore.
The 4003G has a Norton style QCGB which is good and bad. Good is you get through the 4-112 threading range with no gear changes on the quadrant . Down side is you'll have oil on the chip pan from lubing the gear box, it's louder and open on the bottom so chips can get up and in the gear box. Down side on the Baleigh is you have to change gears on the quadrant to get to all of your threads per inch. It probably has a similar gearbox to the G0782 which uses a 48, 46 or 52 tooth gear in the quadrant. The 46 is used for 5 3/4, 11 1/2, 23 and 46 tpi. The 52 is used for 6 1/2, 13, 26 and 52. So if you do a lot of 1/2 - 13 threading, you'll probably leave the 52 tooth gear in the quadrant and get whatever feed rates that yields on the longitudinal and cross feeds (not a big deal).
There are lots of posts here about guys' experience with the 4003G. In general, they like them - after all of the bugs were worked out. With the Baleigh you are getting a turn key lathe.
Another thing to look over is the rest of his shop. If things are a mess, I'd question how well he's cared for the lathe. If things are organized and clean to the point of being anal, the machine has likely been well cared for. You'll like having the DRO too. I added one to the G0709 for under $400 from TPACtools.com, works great! However, it took me around 5 or 6 hours to install it.
Good luck with the hunt!
Bruce
The 4003G has a Norton style QCGB which is good and bad. Good is you get through the 4-112 threading range with no gear changes on the quadrant . Down side is you'll have oil on the chip pan from lubing the gear box, it's louder and open on the bottom so chips can get up and in the gear box. Down side on the Baleigh is you have to change gears on the quadrant to get to all of your threads per inch. It probably has a similar gearbox to the G0782 which uses a 48, 46 or 52 tooth gear in the quadrant. The 46 is used for 5 3/4, 11 1/2, 23 and 46 tpi. The 52 is used for 6 1/2, 13, 26 and 52. So if you do a lot of 1/2 - 13 threading, you'll probably leave the 52 tooth gear in the quadrant and get whatever feed rates that yields on the longitudinal and cross feeds (not a big deal).
There are lots of posts here about guys' experience with the 4003G. In general, they like them - after all of the bugs were worked out. With the Baleigh you are getting a turn key lathe.
Another thing to look over is the rest of his shop. If things are a mess, I'd question how well he's cared for the lathe. If things are organized and clean to the point of being anal, the machine has likely been well cared for. You'll like having the DRO too. I added one to the G0709 for under $400 from TPACtools.com, works great! However, it took me around 5 or 6 hours to install it.
Good luck with the hunt!
Bruce