Big or small lathe, my head can't decide yet!

Coolant? Most of my machines are set up for coolant. I don't use it. Coolant is another maintenance item and makes a heck of a mess and you can get most of the benefit with various squirts & sprays, or slow down a bit.

I have a heavy duty power hacksaw and I run coolant on it. The coolant system is well set up to drain back into the sump (not all over the floor) and even operating on the lowest speed (6 speed machine) it seems to really benefit from coolant.

For starters, I recommend you try working without coolant (just squirts & sprays as needed) and see how it goes.
 
Yeah, I doubt I would need coolant on the lathe for what I plan on. I looked at some of that stuff and they sure don't give it away.

I picked out my spot to put the lathe in, I'll be busy moving stuff around for a while. I think its time to clean out some "household" items, amazing how much "good" stuff you can accumulate.
 
Knowing the location is the first big step
Congrats on the lathe, sounds like a great machine!!!

Rich
 
started with a6" atlas went to a 12x36 frejoth and now have a 16x60 enco whatever size you start with you don't have to stay there bill
 
Hopefully I won't have that size issue, I know what I'll be making and it will consume my time too much for bigger things anyway. Most of my recent parts were made on a Logan 840, a well worn Logan of a backyard machinist. Time to get my own lathe. He retired and sold off his shop, I was tempted to buy it all. But, I have enough projects, I want something that doesn't need restoring.
 
I put an order/deposit in for the PM-1236 with the preferred package.

Good move. Going with at least a 12x36 lathe gets you the following:
1. Cam-lock spindle. A huge deal in my opinion.
2. A real QCGB. The smaller lathe QCGB is so gimped that it might as well be non-existent.
3. Power cross feed (of course the 1127 you were considering does have cross feed, but most small lathes don't).

Coolant on a manual lathe is a PIA, and you can easily get by without it. Just have to be careful parting large diameter aluminum.
 
Another thing I like about the 1236 is that it's a gap bed lathe!! So your swing over gap is 17 11/16"!! You may never need it but the added capacity is just a few bolts away...

Congratulations on your choice!! I want one too...It seems to be the most practical machine for my needs...Sure the 1340gt is pretty dang sweet but a lot more money!! I really can't justify (afford) it...The 1236 is an awfully nice lathe and after looking at "darkzero's" thread plenty capable of some nice work!!

Darkzero's Thread: http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/my-pm1236.11475/
 
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Another thing I like about the 1236 is that it's a gap bed lathe!! So your swing over gap is 17 11/16"!! You may never need it but the added capacity is just a few bolts away...

Congratulations on your choice!! I want one too...It seems to be the most practical machine for my needs...Sure the 1340gt is pretty dang sweet but a lot more money!! I really can't justify (afford) it...The 1236 is an awfully nice lathe and after looking at "darkzero's" thread plenty capable of some nice work!!

Darkzero's Thread: http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/my-pm1236.11475/

You gotta' watch that @darkzero guy or you'll be buying more tools than you thought you would. Covet, that's the word I'm looking for ... :)
 
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