[Newbie] Lathe getting started

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jonathan01

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Hello everyone, I found this forum to be very helpful in my past questions. I would like some more suggestions. I would like to get my first lathe with the next 6 moths, perfer earlier though. I would like a old american lathe with very few hours and very little wear, for less than $4k, and within 2 hours of me, which probably won't happen. So, what I am looking at getting is the pm 1236 lathe. No matter what lathe I get, the basic questions I have are about what to buy when I buy a lathe. If I get the pm1236 I will get the perferred package. It comes with a qctp and 5 holders, a tailstock drill chuck, coolant system, foot brake, light, 3 and 4 jaw chuck, etc. How many toolholders do yall think I should get? It comes with 5 holders, should I get extra ones when I buy the lathe? I will be doing the basic oprations on the lathe, like facing, turning down dia., making steps, tapers, internal and extrenal threads, drilling holes, etc.

I also would like to get a dro, but do not have to money to get one when I buy the lathe. Is this something that I can add fairly easy later on?.

What tools do I need to get going, center drill sets, drill sets, different cutters knurl,etc?

I really would like to keep the costs of the lathe under $3,500, and the basic tools to keep me going for a while under $2,000.

PS. Looking at 220v 12x36 lathe, with atleast 1800rpms, and low enough rpms to do threads easily, single or three phase. I need to be able to turn something as small as 0.25" in diameter. Be able to cut AL , steel, SS, etc. Also, as for the tool costs I don't want to save 20 bucks on a tool buy by buying a cheaper made tool, than it break in a week and I have to buy the one I should have got in the first place.

Thanks in advance for the help that I know will come.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Get some HSS toolings, and a set of boring bars, and drill bits (if you don't have that already) - get quality bits, not economy versions. these should let you face, turn, and bore to size and do most basic operations.

I find that 3 QC toolhoders (double ended) is the minimum I'd like to have (although I have 1 dedicated to a centering tool). I'd probably get 2 more at some point, +1 for boring.

If you are planning on doing knurling obviously get that, if not, you can always get it when the need calls for it which in the short run keep your expenses slightly lower.

Other than that , don't forget oils and lubrications, sharpening setup (grinder), and dial indicators with bases (magnetic, toolpost). The rest I would get per project according to project requirements.

Good luck
 
jonathan01 said:
Hello everyone, I found this forum to be very helpful in my past questions. I would like some more suggestions. I would like to get my first lathe with the next 6 moths, perfer earlier though. I would like a old american lathe with very few hours and very little wear, for less than $4k, and within 2 hours of me, which probably won't happen. So, what I am looking at getting is the pm 1236 lathe. No matter what lathe I get, the basic questions I have are about what to buy when I buy a lathe. If I get the pm1236 I will get the perferred package. It comes with a qctp and 5 holders, a tailstock drill chuck, coolant system, foot brake, light, 3 and 4 jaw chuck, etc. How many toolholders do yall think I should get? It comes with 5 holders, should I get extra ones when I buy the lathe? I will be doing the basic oprations on the lathe, like facing, turning down dia., making steps, tapers, internal and extrenal threads, drilling holes, etc.

I also would like to get a dro, but do not have to money to get one when I buy the lathe. Is this something that I can add fairly easy later on?.

What tools do I need to get going, center drill sets, drill sets, different cutters knurl,etc?

I really would like to keep the costs of the lathe under $3,500, and the basic tools to keep me going for a while under $2,000.

PS. Looking at 220v 12x36 lathe, with atleast 1800rpms, and low enough rpms to do threads easily, single or three phase. I need to be able to turn something as small as 0.25" in diameter. Be able to cut AL , steel, SS, etc. Also, as for the tool costs I don't want to save 20 bucks on a tool buy by buying a cheaper made tool, than it break in a week and I have to buy the one I should have got in the first place.

Thanks in advance for the help that I know will come.
Click to expand...

My PM 1236 got delivered late last year. I'm almost done with the electrical upgrades in my house, so I hope to have the lathe up and running by the end of this month. Once it's running, I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about it.
 
I have a few sets of drill bits already, but I am missing a few that got broken and lost over the years. I can probably get by with the drill bits I have if I spend too much on other tooling. I could wait to get the knurling tool later on, so what I am looking at is one or two more qc holders, HSS tools,center drills, magnetic measuring devices, and boring set? What is a good place to buy these tools from?
 
brt said:
My PM 1236 got delivered late last year. I'm almost done with the electrical upgrades in my house, so I hope to have the lathe up and running by the end of this month. Once it's running, I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about it.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I will be interested in what you find out about the lathe.
 
John,
I dont think it will be necessarily easier, unless you get the same DRO that is fitted by the company. But at $695 it would want to be a goodie:thinking:
You should be able to pick up a couple of suitable units for under a $100, and do a pretty good job yourself. The fact that they charge $100 just to fit it means they are allowing a couple of hours and I bet they sure as heck dont take the care with the job that an owner would. My couple of hours included thinking time and planning positions, looking for problems to occur, modifying brackets....
They are just going to bolt it on where they have been told to fit it, and still hit you up for a couple of hours work.

Cheers Phil
 
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