Hi all. New to the home machinist world. I recently purchased a used Central Machine 7x10 (SKU 33684) and I am really enjoying the process, but already finding myself wanting a larger lathe setup. I have ordered a number of parts from LMS to get setup including; Tormach QCTP/ tool holders, tail stock jacobs chuck, various tooling/ drills/ center drills/ boring bars, 4" 4 jaw chuck with adapter plate, and most recently the LMS metal gear kit. While i was placing that order I noticed they make an aftermarket extended bed kit which looks to be compatible with my machine.
So this got me thinking of 2 choices. I can purchase the bed extension kit and the extended cross slide kit then swap all the existing parts over (ultimately saving money this route and having a lathe bigger in both axis). Or I can sell the current Central Machine lathe and use that money towards the largest lathe that all the equipment I already purchased is compatible with (Grizzly 8688, maybe the Grizzly 7x14)
Honestly the more I think about it the more I want to swap parts over to the bed extension. I would get a longer bed and more cross slide travel and save money this way, assuming that all the existing machinery (mainly tail stock and carriage) are compatible with the bed extension (i.e. they all have the compatible front way track that is semi triangular).
Just in case it makes a difference I am using this mostly for fun to learn a new skill, simple DIY projects, and home gun smithing. Eventually my wife and I are going to get acreage so I imagine at some point I may end up with a larger one yet but the bed extension should hold me over till I move out of a garage and into a shop.
So this got me thinking of 2 choices. I can purchase the bed extension kit and the extended cross slide kit then swap all the existing parts over (ultimately saving money this route and having a lathe bigger in both axis). Or I can sell the current Central Machine lathe and use that money towards the largest lathe that all the equipment I already purchased is compatible with (Grizzly 8688, maybe the Grizzly 7x14)
Honestly the more I think about it the more I want to swap parts over to the bed extension. I would get a longer bed and more cross slide travel and save money this way, assuming that all the existing machinery (mainly tail stock and carriage) are compatible with the bed extension (i.e. they all have the compatible front way track that is semi triangular).
Just in case it makes a difference I am using this mostly for fun to learn a new skill, simple DIY projects, and home gun smithing. Eventually my wife and I are going to get acreage so I imagine at some point I may end up with a larger one yet but the bed extension should hold me over till I move out of a garage and into a shop.