What Is This Lathe Worth!?

I'd agree with wawoodman's description of the price point (BB is about as low as you can get). That is a pretty modest machine (very thin on features) - but better than nothing. If your intent with buying that lathe is that you will be able to make those shock tube from your earlier post - that will be quite a trick. It is a very small lathe for what you said you wanted to build.

When ever anybody here asks if they ought to purchase more equipment - I always respond that they should. The reason is that it will be good for something. You want to do a specific project. I encourage you to discuss the steps to complete that project with that machinist fellow you know (the one you got the mill from). The shock tube will not fit down the spindle, so you will be working over the bed, with the material supported in the steady rest. Will the steady open up to just over 2"? I assume you will be boring from each end - about 7" deep, you'll need a good bar.

I encourage you to give it a try. When you are successful, there is a tremendous feeling of satisfaction. However, if the parts are critical and your time is worth anything - then the $600 to get them made is certainly the lowest cost option.

Chinese made products are not necessarily poor quality. I have quite a few "Made in China" items (tools or machines) - and they are fine - usually with a little tweaking. Like everything else in life - buyer beware.

Let us know how it works out.
 
Izzy said:
I think I've decided that if I can get the lathe with all the tooling and material for the price of what it would cost me to have someone else make me these parts its worth it for me. I can get the parts made for 600 minus 150 for material and 50 for tooling (only need an inside grooving tool) that leaves me with 400 so if I can get it for 400 or less I'll still be ahead I think. I appreciate the Input guys I know it's a China lathe so I didn't wana bid too much! Lol
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Congratulations Izzy. A well reasoned plan:encourage:
 
@Chipper the part is 335mm in overall length I made a typo in the last thread its only about 12" of thread the lathe is 18" between chuck and tail stock it might be a little tight but I think it should be ok. As far as my time goes I'm always down for a learning experience I'd rather pay and learn something then pay someone else to do it and get nothing out of it I like doing things for myself! I won't have to do any boring as I've got material that's close enough on the I.D. I'll just have to turn down the o.d. put 300mm of external thread and 15mm internal thread a snap ring groove in the bottom and mill some wrench slots and that's it. I think its pretty simple but then again I'm.just starting out so maybe I just don't know what I'm getting myself into? Either way I appreciate any advice I can get!
 
Sounds do-able. But if I were you, I'd make the internal thread first. That way, you have a smooth external surface to grab in the chuck ... and be sure to use a steady rest! That's a pretty long part.

Good luck getting winning the auction!!!
 
Lathe size? Actually the BB web site describes the lathe as being 18" between centers - the chuck will consume about 4" (?) of that. The hole in the chuck will accept larger material than the hole in the spindle, but probably not quite 2" diameter.

If you take the tailstock off, you may be able to gain an extra inch of carriage travel?
 
Yes that sounds about right, 10" swing by 18" center to center and I believe 5" over the bed. If 4" fit in the chuck and its 18" between centers I think I should be more than fine I never even took into consideration the 4" inside the chuck
 
This lathe just recently came up for sale in a local tool swap and sell page only issue is it looks like it can only do imperial threads, its gear driven could I make a set of gears for it to do metric threads?FB_IMG_1476808954828.jpg FB_IMG_1476808945829.jpg FB_IMG_1476808941661.jpg
 
Izzy said:
it looks like it can only do imperial threads, its gear driven could I make a set of gears for it to do metric threads?
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Hi Izzy,

It is likely possible to outfit any imperial lathe with the change gears required to cut metric threads. Of course, it all depends on having the gears to do it, the space to run them in and a "banjo" arm to mount them to. Some of this may require making your own parts, but I know from your posts that won't scare you off. Southbend did sell metric change-gear sets for a number of their lathes, they are not cheap (currently ~$300 for a set), but really those kits are just a banjo and a bunch of spur gears.

I have been meaning to do a more formal write-up of the chicken scratches I made when figuring out my lathe threading/feed chart and (purchased) metric change gear set. The beauty of working it all out for yourself is that:
  1. you end up with a more complete threading/feed chart, although some are odd-ball configurations you may never need
  2. once you know how, you can figure out any gear train you might need
Good luck on getting a lathe.
Please let us know how it works out.

-brino
 
I haven't made any offers on this lathe that just popped up but he's saying he's a "motivated seller" this one isn't an auction lol so maybe I'll try my hand at offering 200 bucks or so? Lol which do you think would be a better overall machine? The one at the auction is a little more expensive but it already does metric threads.
 
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