Thanks for the response Ray,
A little background. I migrated to the US from Australia about 15 years ago. Back in Australia I had done a machining course using Colchester lathes and had an old Keighley Lifts lathe I never had much time to use and never really set up. Later on I bought a 3 in 1 thinking it was ideal for my restricted space but I was really disappointed in it. For this last reason I am looking for a better quality machine than the base Chinese models.
.....
So I appreciate everyone's responses. I realize I am not alone in trying to balance my space requirements with the benefit of having larger machines particularly if I want to build another model from scratch after I finish this one. Although it seems either the SB or PM would meet my basic needs a larger lathe may have all the features I want and I get the impression they are better quality of manufacture. Is this the direction I should be looking?
Ken
Ken,
Size wise, a 12 or 14" lathe or PM45/932 type mill would be overkill by a factor of 100 for the work you intend to do. You and many others are stuck in a tough position because, it's hard to find a full-featured lathe in a small package. On the flip-side, (and I say this with all sincerity) most lathes between 12" to 14" swing have about the same features in terms of max/min RPM, thread cutting ability etc. The ideal set of features and versatility come (in my opinion) on lathes like the PM1340GT, 1440HD and 1440RML. Those are HUGE and physically impractical for what you need but, they have no problem doing what you need them to do. It's when you get to 15" or larger lathes whereby they become so cumbersome and limited in max RPM that they are truly differentiated from smaller lathes.
I am very well aware of this issue and so is Matt (at Precision Matthews). He is looking to find the ideal, perfect lathe for model makers. We have discussed the features at length and he has gone so far as to design prototypes and get estimates for initial castings etc. He is also talking to the factory about re-doing the 1127. He would love to address that market. The problem though, is that a truly fully featured 10 or 11" lathe will cost 5 - $6,000. Everybody says they want one -until it's time to reach for the wallet.
There are lathes and mills made for the medical and dental fields that will do what you want but, you cannot afford them -unless you have $80,000 or more to spare. There are also some modern production jeweler's lathes and engravers that would be useful but, they too cost in the 20-$40,000 range and most of these are CNC now. I will break down and show you what I mean... I know this will only cause you pain and agony -and for that reason, I never shared these links until now:
http://www.rolanddga.com/products/milling/jwx30/
I wish I had comforting words, but I don't so, I'll just speak the truth... With the exception of the 1022 and 1127, most other lathes in that size range or smaller, are either toys or disposable junk. The PM1022 and 1127 are actually made well with high grade bearings. The problem is the design is limited in threading ranges and I'm not crazy about the spindle. You could fix the spindle easily enough. With enough effort, you could redesign the gears... Maybe the other alternative is to do what some folks do and trick-out a Taig or Sherline.
If I hear of any break-throughs, I'll let you know... I'm in this business now and trust me, I am looking to find a sweet little lathe...
Ray
EDIT: Just want to be clear, the little SB lathes are pretty well made with good quality guts.
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