New To Machining And Looking For An Opinion On A Lathe

[Flathead red]

I am new to machining and want to get my first lathe. I was looking at one on eBay that is local to me. The item number is 321689023707. I passed on it as it had no tooling with it. I'm looking for opinions if anyone is able. Thanks

Red


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[Flathead red]

I want to add that there are no change gears and one three jaw chuck. He was asking $550 or best offer. I offered $425 but declined his counter as the research I had done tells me for that amount there should be more there.

Red


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[Flathead red]

Here is a link. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=321689023707&ssPageName=ADME:B:BOEO:US:1


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[Flathead red]

Anyone?


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[great white]

I'm not sure what you are asking opinions on?

You didn't buy the lathe in the auction so.......

I probably would have also passed on that one if that's what you're asking. Too much for what you were getting IMHO. Not too much by a lot, but still too much.

A lot depends on your intended useage and the market local to your area.

I recently spend 1000 on an Atlas TH42 (10x42) but it came with a decent amount of tooling, was big enough to cover my uses and my local market is pretty "thin" for used lathes....

 

[Andre]

That lathe looks like an Atlas 6x18, for a hair over that price and shipping you could get a new grizzly 7x14. It comes with a 3 jaw, faceplate, toolpost, centers, and steady rest. Besides the plastic change gears (Which might be a great project, making aluminum ones!) I think it would be a good deal. Sometimes those older small lathes can really be trouble, if you can't spend a lot of time tuning them up. (If in fact they need it)

Might be worth taking a look at, even if you do go for an older Atlas. http://www.grizzly.com/products/7-X-14-Variable-Speed-Benchtop-Lathe/G0765

 

[rafe]

The 618 is a good lathe to learn on

 

[hermetic]

Generally speaking, the price of a machine does not relate too much to the machine itself, but more to the tooling that is with it. As a minimum you should expect a 3 jaw chuck, 4 jaw chuck, faceplate, tailstock chuck, some cutting tools and a couple of fixed centres. Also the machine should have a full set of basic screwcutting gears if it does not have a gearbox for screwcutting. If you don't get these, you are buying a machine with missing parts, and it should be priced lower according to the missing parts value, or cost of replacement. Screwcutting gears can be expensive, and also difficult to get hold of. New chucks are very expensive, and used 3 jaws are often worn. You will find that you can spend much more money, even buying used tooling, than the machine cost in the first place. I paid £180 for my Colchester( 20 years ago) but have spent probably twice that on tooling, and have recently looked at a taper turning attachment, which is selling today for £ 795-00, about the same as a complete lathe!!
I think you did the right thing!
Phil
UK

 

[Flathead red]

Thanks for the inputs. I didn't buy the lathe and was looking for opinions on what others would do. If the decision seemed sound. I have done a bit of research and seen that the tooling is the key when buying a used lathe. I am new and would be learning on this so I want something along this line as I had heard this was a good first lathe for that purpose. I appreciate everyone's opinion and I will keep looking as lathes in my part of the country seem few and far between.

Red


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[randyc]

I completely agree with Hermetic except for one thing: the need for a full set of change gears. Generally small lathes are not required to cut large threads and single-pointing small threads is a huge PITA and may not produce acceptable threads without spending inordinate amounts of time.

Die chasing threads is quick and accurate; dies are inexpensive and making a chasing head is a simple task. The photos below show a piece of pipe with a couple of suitable scraps welded to it.

One end is turned with the compound to produce the correct morse taper to fit the tailstock. The other end is bored for common dies (both round and hexagonal dies can be accommodated by the same bore diameter). Three set screws, equally spaced around the diameter, secure the dies. A rod is welded near the tailstock to prevent rotation.





If the lathe is configured with the appropriate gears to produce a relatively fine feed and with the basic tooling that Hermetic suggested - in my personal opinion - it's adequate. A full set of change gears isn't required.