Looking at a Vevor Lathe Have Questions

I suspect you will find it limiting but not being a gunsmith I'm not sure how much my opinion matters. However, for ~$1300 you're into the range of a fairly decent used machine if you're willing to look for a while.

John
 
The half nuts are used to engage the carriage to the lead screw. Yes, you need them to make threads, No, they cannot be added aftermarket, they are part of the machine. However the lathe in the link appears to have threading capability and the leaver to engage the half nuts is there. What makes you think the machine doesn't have them?
I don't personally have any experience with that lathe but I have liked everything I've purchased from Vevor, so far. As with any Chinese machine it's a bit of a gamble, could be decent could be junk...
 
cnctruckeic said:
I am looking at a Vevor lathe 8.3 x 29.5
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...le_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1#customerReviews

So my questions are:
I know this is a chinese lathe but I like this price range is this an OK lathe to do some gunsmith work with?
Do i need a half nut for this to make threads? If so where do you get one?
Click to expand...
I have a similar mini lathe, and while it is possible to do gunsmithing on it, it is not enough to do a good job. I turn and thread barrels using my G0709 gunsmithing lathe.
 
I see the spindle bore is rated at 1.49 inches. That's more than my South Bend heavy 10, which has a tad over 1.375 inches. That's interesting. I know there are people who do gunsmithing on the heavy 10.

But of course there's more to it than spindle bore size. The build quality and suitability for precision work would be unknown until you get to using it and developing your skills. The lighter weight will mean less rigidity which makes it harder to do nice work unless you're taking very light cuts.

There are some features that this doesn't have and that I like to have, but would put a new lathe in a much higher price range. Power longitudinal & cross feeds, lead screw reverse, quick change gearbox. You'd be doing good to get all that in a used lathe near that price, but it has happened. But a likely similar lathe on the used market would be something like the South Bend 9A or 9B, usually bench lathes, but with a much smaller spindle bore, maybe not so suitable for gunsmithing.
 
I had a similar lathe, but with a shorter bed. It was a POS. No way, never, would I recommend that machine at that cost. For $650, if you like a project, maybe.
 
Pay close attention to the threading capabilities....... it doesn't have all the "normal" imperial thread pitches listed on the cover.

I don't see 13, as in 1/2 nc. Does that say 19?
 
Yeah, I don't see 16, 18, 24 or 32 either! That would be a hard pass for me.
 
Not having a 28 pitch is a deal breaker for me. My mini doesn't do 28 whick is why I have the big mini ^.^
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top