Ready to purchase a lathe

MarkM

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Good day all, fairly new member here and have been impressed with the mindset of this forum. No puffed chests and just people that want to get along and help each other.
Well it is time to buy a lathe. It is all I think about these days. I want to work towards a full rounded shop.
I will try to not ramble on too much but I should let you all know my intentions. I spent 14 years in the industry with a general machinist ticket having spent time in Screw Machine shops and Jobbing shops. I took a job on the east coast of Canada after a holiday. Things were swell for some time and then I had a bad accident and returned to work a year later and work was so slow I ended up taking another job on and ended up driving a Zamboni for a living for over a decade.
Been a hard year with my mother and a close friend passing away. It changed things for me and realized I want a change in my life and miss machining dearly. I am planning on moving back to the Toronto area in a few years and hope to have enough equipment to run a shop.
I don't want to borrow any money and have sold a motorcycle to help get me started with another to sell.
My plans are to get my hands back in machining and also to improve my skills over the next few years to be able to find work as a machinist if I need to. Not many arena jobs out there. Having my own equipment would enable me to challenge myself and not worry about time for a customer to improve my skills.
I am worried about retirement having spent time over seas and not paying into my pension for quite a few years. So even if it takes me ten years that's ok. It's to be a hobby shop to help out down the rd. financially and take a shot at running a shop.
I can't afford to buy pure industrial machines but feel quality can still be delivered with my budget. It is going to be a hobby for some time. Work on just setting things up over the next few years.
So I have come to ask for help on choosing a lathe. There a a few machines I am interested in. Three from Precision Matthews the pm 1236 pm 1340 gt, and the 1440gs and one from Eisen the 1440E.
Two machines from China and two from Taiwan. I believe Matts machines are better than most other imports.
I wanted a Taiwanese Machine from the start but the 1440gs has my attention with the ability to cut worms with DP and Modular threading available. Japanese NSK Spindle Bearings and some great specs with the PM name on it which to me adds some quality from what I have read.
Nothing needs to be said about the 1340gt as we all know it is a fantastic machine for what it is. Then there is the pm 1236. Ok a bit on the small side but it really does seem like a good machine that has a great reputation over the years and with 3 phase a vfd and good tooling it should be a great machine. The Eisen is another great Taiwanese machine which stretches my budget a bit. Too many things to buy.
I understand there may be some quality differences but I would be ok if the machines needed tuning. I plan to go just single phase now as my wiring to my garage is taking a fair chunk of change using Ocean Tech. cable and over building it to make sure it comes with me when I make the move. Hopefully when I do move back all I need is four walls a roof and an electrician to get me going.
The Canadian Dollar is terrible and not too concerned about using single phase now. Even if the motors went on the Chinese machines I'd be ok with that. As long as I can get there one day. Tuning it and good tooling to make them better is no problem. I just don't want a casting flaw or something terrible down the rd.
So any thoughts on these machines for my choices. The 1440gs is my first choice. I hope to order this week.
This is a huge decision for me at 49 years old. Can't go backwards at this stage.


I think in this day and age there is a niche market for a crafty machinist!
 
Mark, welcome to the site, you sound like you are more qualified than a lot of us to know what you want, which is a blessing and a curse at the same time I guess.

I just bought a Lathe (PM1340GT) and Mill (PM935) from PM and am very satisfied with the machines and Matt was awesome to deal with.

Having a low CAD $ sure makes it a bit of a stretch and hard to tell if it's better to wait for the rate to improve or just go for it, I just committed and paid whatever it cost once I choose which machines I was going to buy.

I looked at a few China made machines and decided to go with the Taiwanese made ones because I was concerned about fit and finish and my budget could handle the extra 25%.

I will be using my machines for work related tasks mostly but hope to do the same as you and one day have a paying hobby once I finish up with my day job.

Good luck and let us know what you choose.

David.
 
I bet there are quite a few machinist around here that would make me look silly even though they may not have earned a dollar from it and when I say or think inferior with the Chinese machines I catch myself realizing its on an open forum and should make myself clear. I am sure they make high quality as well it just seems like a gamble, and Holy Cow that 1440 GS is a whole lot of lathe for the asking price. Like real good Value. Been Following these forums for years and I know Matt and the Pm Folks work hard for there product and customers.
The story of how the name evolved has been etched in my head for some time. Apparently The People from the factory nicknamed Matt Precision Matt for his quest for better machines thinking he was a pain and wouldn't let up. You here lots of folks happy with Grizzly as well. I believe the importer is crucial and the standard they establish over time with the factories is what counts. This is only my Opinion!
Yes that 1340gt keeps calling. I have spoke to Matt once already and he went right to it. I don't think the Gs was part of our conversation at the time. The 1440HD was and decided I don't want to deal with the weight.
 
I've not looked at the choices you listed, but if you want DP and modular threading aren't you really down to just the 1440gs? If not, I'll throw in a vote for the 1340GT just because I love mine. :D

And welcome to the forums!
 
Thank you Jpigg55 for taking the time to look for me. I just sent them an email. I really kind of want to start new with the two principle machines of the Lathe an Mill. You never know what kind of an adventure a used machine may be. Not worried about size with a swing no less than 12. They all are pretty much even in bed width. Lean more towards a 1440 since it may do with the little more mass and capabilities.
 
Worms are something that fascinates me and something I just want to do. If they don't have specific worm gearboxes most lathes will have some pitches that match a few leads worms require. You could always make your own dimensions and work it all out to what you may have to work with. My math is terrible right now. Trig and such. Having a specific box would be so much slicker and it threads a whole lot of threads. Over forty metric as well as Imperial threads.
 
Mark, welcome to the forums.

I was in your shoes a year and a half a go or so. I really wanted a RML-1440 but it was just too far out of my budget. After much consideration I got down to between the PM-1440GT and the Griz G0709. The PM-1440GS was not on my radar at the time (or not yet available). Had it been it would have been my second choice over the G0709. It appears to be a solid choice and good value for the cost.

I went with the PM-1440GT due to the overall better quality, fit & finish of the Taiwan machines vs the Chinese machines. I approached my purchase as this may be the last lathe I buy so I got the best I could afford at the time. I also do some customer work part time and I have been extremely pleased with my decision.
 
Well, if you do get the pm1440gs, please start a thread about it. I am very interested in it. I keep waffling back and forth over the pm1440hd, the pm1340gt and now the pm1440gs. All fine machines for different reasons.

Rich
 
Well, finally able to have a chat with Matt. A very busy man. Seems like all arrows seem to head towards that 1340gt. Too bad it was not a few years ago with an even dollar. For a lifetime machine it's hard not to bite the bullet now. Probably learn a lot suffering through setups with milling on the lathe. Going to ponder the Cdn.$ for a day or two and get it over with. I need to sleep. Pills aren't working either.
 
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