Buying A New Lathe - Need Advice

[Tozguy]

Definitely agree with getting enough lathe for your ultimate goal right from the start. G4003G lathe is good for hobby gunsmithing.
Movers can tell you if they can get it into your basement. If not then plan a different location.
Tooling is expensive so any plans to upgrade later will likely mean different tooling which leaves you with obsolete stuff to sell.
If you are new to lathes get a new lathe.

 

[Chipper5783]

I don't know how to verify the wear on ways, so it makes me nervous going for something that's five decades old.

I think that for getting started on learning about machining, Tozguy is right (buy new).

If/When you are looking at used machines - don't fuss about when it was made (I have 3 machines that are 5 decades+ old). I've looked at 10 year old machines and quickly walked away.
There are good reasons why an older machine may be better suited for what you want to do, than a much newer machine.

Look at what features the machine has (the original build, the attachments) and are you good with them - for example, perhaps you want rolling element bearings in the spindle, or a hardened bed - the list could go on and on. For someone else, that may be no big deal - heck it is your hobby, make up your own guidelines. Machinists were making incredible products 10+ decades ago - all that has really changed is that the machines are a lot cheaper (relatively speaking) and with the right operator, able to remove metal faster.

 

[krprice84]

Definitely agree with getting enough lathe for your ultimate goal right from the start. G4003G lathe is good for hobby gunsmithing.
Movers can tell you if they can get it into your basement. If not then plan a different location.
Tooling is expensive so any plans to upgrade later will likely mean different tooling which leaves you with obsolete stuff to sell.
If you are new to lathes get a new

There is no other location

The ONLY place for a lathe where I am living is in the basement. I don't even have a garage, so disassembly would be on a non rainy day out front, and all parts brought down that day.

But yea, I'm leaning towards new. The 4003 may be a bit expensive for me still, especially with the exchange rate. Might have to settle for the ct089 or cx701

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I just don't understand how you can rug up lifting equipment.... I mean, there's only so much room, and there's no where to attach or anchor to?

That's why they're the professionals. They know how to do all that.

There may not be any lifting equipment involved in the actual move to the basement. Think Egyptian pyramid building. Ramps, rollers, ropes, and pulleys.

 

[krprice84]

I don't know how the pyramids were built

But fair enough, I guess that's why they get paid to do it.

Would you be looking up moving companies, or rigging companies? In alberta, I figure rigging companies would be doing oilfield stuff, not moving machinery, but then I don't really know for sure. I will look around and see what I can find out.

 

[joshua43214]

The problem with gun smithing is that you need to either be able to get the barrel into the head stock, or get it between centers. I would make this my first priority, you must be able to get a barrel mounted in the lathe somehow.

The QC gear box is a big deal for me. If I have to change gears between rough and finish cuts, I will avoid doing one or the other.

As for moving it, you would be amazed what can be moved. Unless your basement stairs make a sharp turn, there should be no issue getting a heavy machine down there. Even then, the lathe can be stood on its end and taken down that way.
In general, "lifting equipment" like cranes are not used, just dollies, pry bars, and come-alongs. A foldable engine hoist is a good idea for getting the machine onto the base.
Do not cringe away from doing things like drilling through a wall to the other side to make a drag line anchor - just patch and paint when done, no harm will come to your house doing this. If your basement stairs have a tight turn, consider just removing them and lowering the machine with a winch. Around here, most basements are almost after thoughts, and the stairs are just nailed at the top and bottom. They can be removed and replaced pretty easily. Lastly, you can rent a buddy with a back hoe and dig a walk out. You can justify this by saying that it will help keep metal chips from migrating from the basement shop to the living area (it can be a real issue with home shops).
In my experience, wives tend to get fussy about stuff like this. Priorities are important. I found getting rid of the wife gave me some extra space to store my guns, and I can buy all the machines I can afford

 

[tomh]

Here is a easy way to see if you can do it.
The 4003g is 24" tall 28" wide 62' long. get some cardbord and make a box 24t x30w x 60L and see how much trouble is to get through the door and down the stairs that will give you the information you need to see how much trouble it is size wise you might surprised. many people have done this so look on youtube and search the net for putting a lathe in the basement and get some ideas.
I know this is beating a dead horse but get the biggest lathe you can such a 12x36 even if you have to sell or save up for it. Don't get in a hurry as that is when people get in trouble and frustrated, often making big mistakes money wise.

 

[epanzella]

Barrel blanks come in 1.25 and 1.5 inch OD. Having a spindle bore smaller than 1.5 inches is areal handicap for gunsmithing. I change speeds and feeds constantly between shrinking diameters and roughing/finishing handoffs. Not having a QC gearbox would definitely be a deal breaker for me. I bought my Grizzly G4003G gunsmith lathe 2 years ago and it's perfect for my gunsmithing and fabricating chores. Cover your basement stairs with planks and slide the lathe down using a block and tackle, chain fall, or a vehicle. I put wheels on the crate it came in to get it near it's permanent location. Before it's mounted on the lathe stand it has a low CG and is not hard to move.

 

[samthedog]

I would urge you to read the guide I wrote for selecting a lathe in the stickies section.

In my opinion, a QC gearbox is a must. You will get tired of changing gears real quick. If you plan to use carbide tooling and HSS, then you will want a lathe that can reach about 2000 rpm and with sufficient grunt.

I was in a similar situation to you however I already had the lathe, just nowhere to put it after the sale of our house. I went with a shipping container as a workshop since it will allow me to move the entire workshop on a truck when we move on. There are plenty of insulated containers about that you could convert quite easily.

Paul.