Quality Lathes

Perhaps I overlooked it but, didn't see a statement about these Baiyleigh units being made in Taiwan. They appear to be pattern identical to the PM lathes. I'd be a little annoyed if I paid nearly 2x the price for what the PM cost and later found out it rolled out the same factory door. I've got PM equipment and have no complaints.

+1 on the advice of shopping around and getting used equipment.

++1 on Paul's thoughts eluding to the "joys of doing this full-time".
 
Although there is nothing wrong with buying used if you have the expertise to assess the machine in question, the imported alternative is ok too. I think, if one is starting out a new grizzly would be good for anyone. High on the list is their customer service, second they seem to listen to the market place. I have thought that Wholesale Tool markets a cheaply made tool without the refinements of the Grizzly. The Grizzly seems to have some attention to detail and after sale service.
Jerry
 
I have run into a couple of really decent used machine tool dealers. They are knowledgeable and friendly, I also ran into one who told me that people from Wyoming still have horse s@#* on their boots, yeah permanently. Anyway, don't discount that source of help.
 
Hey, I just seen yall replys here. I bought a PM1340 with a taper attachment and dro. Thanks for yall respones. I think I will be happy with this machine.
 
How has the lathe worked out?
I bought a PM1440HD last year (2016) to use mostly as a hobby machine but I also make repair parts for my business. The company that sold it has been good about a few minor issues and taken care of them. The machine seems quite well done and has worked well. I bought the taper attachment and a collet chuck with it in addition to all the stuff packaged in the deal. I haven't mastered setting up the taper attachment yet but it works OK. The collet chuck is very nice and features the "run true" sort of technology that allows dead on centering. Not as quick to use as a drawbar type but very nicely made.
I found that the threading screw had a steel spring pin instead of the brass shear pin that it says in the parts book, so I put a brass pin in it. Better safe than sorry. The hard stop that comes with the machine is stupidly designed with the attachment screws on the bottom and nearly impossible to use when up close to the head stock. I modified it with screws from the top making it better. It is so long that it can't be used when you want the stop very close to the head stock. I've gone to using Joe Pieczynski's upside down and backward method of threading and find it much easier.
The lathe has some but not all of the metric threads you may want to machine by using the change gears. M1.75 is missing BUT like several metric threads there is a near match in imperial. In this case 14TPI is nearly perfect. Using change gears is a PIA but gets you there. The main threading gear box has all the Imperial threads I've needed and is easy to use.
I opened all the gear boxes and checked to make sure they didn't have contaminates, they were clean.
I've had a used Jet 9x49 mill for several years. It is OK, I've had to do some repairs on it but it is still accurate enough for my use. The variable speed belt cost $72 with shipping and was a pain to install.
 
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