Is This What A Machined Surface Should Look Like?

TommyD said:
It might make a dandy boat anchor.
Click to expand...

I've already got a boat anchor and it was a LOT cheaper than this one. But thanks for the suggestion, lol.

Some of you have noted that the cost is outrageous but it is comparable to the Grizzly G0602 price when the $CAD is converted into $US. So the price may not be that bad, if the quality was the same.

I think I could get my money back if I pushed it but not sure I want to yet. Still thinking about this issue. I would like to see another one of these lathes on display or in use so that I could see if my lathe is from a bad batch or if they are all like this. If they are all like this then I would prefer to get my money back and find something else. I would still prefer to buy something from the local dealer (1 hr drive) if possible. They are the only show in town. Next closest is 5 hrs away and may not be any better. I couldn't imagine how bad this would be if I had the same issue with a lathe I bought from a dealer that is 5 hrs away and not cooperative. I could spend more in shipping costs or transportation costs going back and forth than the lathe cost.

I called several dealers today to see if I could find a display model somewhere reasonably close by, to look at but the closest one is at least 5 hrs away. I am considering calling the dealer I got my lathe from and asking if he would put me in touch with one of his other customers that have purchased this machine. I would tell him that I could look at their machine and see if mine is just a one off mistake or the norm. If mine is one of a kind error then he could get another machine in for me. But if these machines are all like this he could refund my money and avoid me pestering him for the next 2 years while the warranty is still in place. I might do that tomorow.

Jim Dawson; I took another look at the gib and as you suggested, the grub screws appear to be too high. I can see the wear marks very high on the backside of the gib. I didn't take measurements but it looks like it may be the same height as the top of the dovetail or maybe higher. That would definitely explain why the gib doesn't sit flush on the dovetail.

Stupoty; I looked at your 9x20 pics and see the underside of the tailstock had much better machining than the underside of my saddle.

Reeltor; the website states "Guideway and gears in headstock are all hardened and precision ground". Nothing about the saddle, cross slide or compound though.

Man this is frustrating.:disspirited:
 
Hbilly1022,
I certainly don't blame you for your frustration. Montana is a bit of a desert when it comes to good used machines as well. Last week I saw a heavy 10 selling for $5k, US$. I understand also the desire to have a lathe. Working with one is therapeutic. So is working on one, if you can be sure it will result in a machine you enjoy using.
As someone who was once in retail sales I appreciate also your desire to buy locally. It's too bad more people don't, but the problems you are having would probably not be occurring if you had purchased your lathe directly from the Canadian version of Enco or Precision Matthews.
It may be that your best course of action might be to repair and replace only those parts that are subpar, but to do so you will need someone with a lot more knowledge than you or I have to advise you on what needs to be done. When I see how Stefan Gotteswinter on YouTube improved his lathe I am inspired to learn those techniques. You may be in a similar situation.
I wish you luck. As I recall its only the saddle and tailstock that have the very poor finish, so maybe you want to just have those replaced. If the bed is good, keep it, but don't hesitate to return parts until you get good parts. Don't just settle out of frustration; you'll never be happy.



Steve Shannon
 
That Logan must have just been posted because I haven't seen it before and I've been checking every day for the last week or so. It does look like a MUCH better lathe. However if it hasn't been sold yet it could be by the time I got to see it. That lathe is a 6 1/2 hr drive plus 2 hr ferry crossing plus another 2 1/2 drive from me. A long way to go and find out is sold before I get there. But I will call in the morning to see if there's been any interest. I just remembered that before I got this lathe I missed out on a used Southbend by 2 hrs. There was one for sale in Kamloops (1 hr away) and I called the guy within 2 hrs of the ad being posted and he said someone was on their way to check it out and if he didn't take it I would be next in line. The seller was doing a favor for his aunt, whose husband (the lathe owner) had passed away and he was helping her dispose of tools that the husband had in the garage. I called the guy back later that day and he said the lathe was taken. You'll love this part. The buyers offered him $500 but since there was no motor they said it was useless so he just gave them the lathe because they wanted to clear out the garage and that thing was too heavy for them to move.

Steve, the tailstock doesn't concern me much because it won't be moved back and forth as much as the saddle. But there are other issues too. When the half nuts are engaged they lift the main leadscrew and push it towards the lathe. Can't imagine that being good for the leadscrew or the half nuts. The bed ways have some minor dings in them that were there when I got the lathe. I'm sure the dealer or King rep will say I did it. However those dings are not in locations that are contacted by the saddle ways and would rarely, if ever contact the tailstock ways.

Got to sleep on this and give it some more thought tomorrow.
 
How about advertising on CL and local websites/newspapers for a lathe? I've done it on my local CL and have had a couple of good results.

I may have missed this but ARE the ways hardened and straight? The first indication would be wear lines on the angled way which would result in a square being worn at the top of the way.

I have to hand it to you, I'd be dropping it off at the dealer and demanding my money back, I would be very worried about the quality of the other components, if gears are hardened properly, lead and feed screws, BEARINGS, things that would be giving the grunt to the spindle and carriage.
 
TommyD said:
How about advertising on CL and local websites/newspapers for a lathe? I've done it on my local CL and have had a couple of good results.

I may have missed this but ARE the ways hardened and straight? The first indication would be wear lines on the angled way which would result in a square being worn at the top of the way.

I have to hand it to you, I'd be dropping it off at the dealer and demanding my money back, I would be very worried about the quality of the other components, if gears are hardened properly, lead and feed screws, BEARINGS, things that would be giving the grunt to the spindle and carriage.
Click to expand...

Good idea. I might go that route, depending on what I decide to do with this lathe. There are some wear lines on the angled bed way but I can't feel any scratches there. They are more like marks being caused by the saddle way, where it contacts the bed way. There are limited contact points. I can see the wear marks on the saddle way. What appears to be happening is that the saddle way is lapping itself onto the bed way.

I emailed the Logan lathe owner and am waiting for a reply to my questions. Not sure if I want to take the chance to go and see it though. It will cost me about$600 in fuel, ferry fees and motel just to go there and back plus 2 days of travel time. I read the link to the old ad and like the specs. I also like the price $200. It might have gone up a little since that ad was posted lol.

I'm waiting for the dealers store to open and I will call him about seeing another machine in the area. I'll see what he has to say about that.
 
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