Importing a Chinese lathe

AndySomogyi said:
Thanks, but I absolutely never want the nightmare of another used lathe. I've wasted 6 months of my life that I will never get back repairing my last one, when I should have been making parts. And I don't truck, don't have a lift, so have no way of moving a used lathe. And I need metric threading at least. I know there's a lot of people here into vintage machinery, I respect that, but I just want a tool that I can use to make prototype parts, not rebuild tools.

I don't know, maybe I'll just shell out a little more and get a Precision Matthews, and have something ready to go.
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fair enough. I've also read of people that have wasted 6 mths of their lives fixing problems with new imports, so I guess it just depends. The requirement for native metric threading is a serious challenge though, even new Far East imports are imperial. It'll be interesting to see if Precision Matthews can source you a native metric lathe and how much it would cost. I'm guessing you've tried metric threading on your existing lathe and don't like having to leave the half nuts shut?
 
I'm not 100% sure, but I read they're assembled in China, with Chinese castings, but use German bearings.


Aaron_W said:
ith both inch and metric dials. It is unclear whether of not they have inch or metric lead screw, but I know a complaint with the 9x19 is that it has a metric lead screw with inch dials.

Grizzly does have an 11x26 lathe for a few hundred more than the 10x22 but you would have to put a DRO on it yourself. Unclear if it is a metric with inch dials or inch with inch dials.

I've used Grizzly to get parts for my Enco 9x20 (same as their G4000) and
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kb58 said:
While I agree with this completely, I know that Grizzly sells South Bend lathes... where are they manufactured?
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I could never find change gears for my last lathe, I finally ended up selling it, just had too much bed wear for the parts I was trying to make.

I originally thought about converting it to an electronic lead screw, but I just decided to sell it.

With a DRO, it's not a complete show-stopper, but still be nice to have native metric dials.

mattthemuppet2 said:
fair enough. I've also read of people that have wasted 6 mths of their lives fixing problems with new imports, so I guess it just depends. The requirement for native metric threading is a serious challenge though, even new Far East imports are imperial. It'll be interesting to see if Precision Matthews can source you a native metric lathe and how much it would cost. I'm guessing you've tried metric threading on your existing lathe and don't like having to leave the half nuts shut?
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I like the idea of ordering a machine to your chosen spec especially if well tooled. However, I'd look deeper into the company supplying the machine and making sure one of the competing American-based sellers are actually able to supply exact repair parts as needed.
China is pretty far away for warranty service...
I'd do it but I'm a thrill seeker. :)
 
Crossing threads a bit (so to speak), I built the electronic lead screw that has a bunch of threads on this site. I really like the ability to dial up any thread, US or metric, but also very much understand someone wanting to buy a tool, not a project.
 
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Easy to say when you have unlimited funds. I however have to live within budget, I only have my own money, and unfortunately don't have other people's money to spend. I have about $3000 saved for a lathe, that's it.

So, for $3000, I can

(a) buy a smaller and lighter duty lathe from Precision Mathews
(b) buy a higher spec machine, import it myself, and take a chance.
(c) steal someone else's money, and buy a high-spec already imported machine.
(d) spend all my money on lottery tickets, hoping to win.

I've thought about inheriting money, but sadly my parents are already dead, and they didn't have any money either.

Used lathe is out of the question, because I don't want another project, and I don't have a truck.


matthewsx said:
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I fully understand limited budgets, and I have two used lathes which I did repairs on to get them where I wanted.

Like many others I've browsed alibaba and the other sites wondering if it would be worth trying to import a machine myself, if you go that route please continue to document it here as I'm sure many of us would like to acquire decent machines for a lower price than the known suppliers offer.

I've also read many threads here and elsewhere from folks trying to commission a new machine. As has been well documented, buying a brand new mainland China lathe is often just a starting point with many hours of cleaning and adjustment needed before it performs properly.

I've also had several businesses and one spectacularly bad experience with buying a machine (not a machine tool but a packaging machine) directly from a Chinese supplier. If I were in your position I would probably buy a known machine from either PM or Grizzly because stateside support could make the difference between making money or not, assuming a smaller lathe will do the work needed. If the business is successful you can upgrade with profits (kinda like option "c" above except earning the money rather than stealing). If the business isn't successful then you have a quality machine for yourself or much better resale possibilities than if you have an orphan or something with a poor reputation like Bolton.

Ultimately it's your choice but since you asked I think importing stuff from China without any experience in the field is a cr*pshoot at best. If the deal goes south you'll be out your money and without the tool you thought you paid for. In my case the purchase was made through eBay so I did get a partial refund but the machine never performed anywhere near what the supplier promised. If I'd done it direct I doubt I would have gotten anything except the box that's still taking up space.

JMHO, YMMV


Cheers,

John Matthews (no relation ;))
 
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