Why no small high-quality lathes?

I guess that is the trade off. Either compromise on some features, or compromise a whole lot on budget. I wanted the perfect lathe but got bye on an Emco V10 for 4 years. I didn't want to be without a lathe and made do until My Chipmaster came along. It is much better than the Emco but also cost 4k USD for a 48 year old lathe. Even then it is a compromise between features and availability of parts.

You won't get the perfect lathe but if you can compromise a bit, you will get something that will do nearly everything you want.

Paul.
 
7HC I was going to mention the G4002, but held back on it.. I myself have been looking at lathes, for further down the line. I am not worried about crossfeed and stuff like that. It will prob end up getting CNC'd, but other features like the D1-4 I will want on it. Only because it will have a 5C chuck in it most of the time.
 
It seems all the smaller PM lathes have 8-56 TPI threads. Do you need finer than that of is there some other issue? It might be worth calling Matt and asking if a different gear in the drivetrain could accommodate you. I speak to him often and I'll ask.

It can do 8x56. It is not lack of small threads that worries me. In fact, I don't have a specific worry that I can articulate. All I know is that I have read several reviews of the PM that complained about its threading capability, or lack thereof. I think it might have to do with the combination of speeds, but the reviews I saw were not specific. On thing I happened to notice, because I needed it recently for an HVLP adaptor part, that the PM cannot turn an 11.5 TPI thread, which is standard US garden hose.

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Keith
 
you know I sympathize with the original poster about lack of certain attributes of machine tools. But and this is a big but one needs to compromise as was stated and get on with your work. If you wait for the perfect lathe to show up you will have lost a lot of time you can never get back. I know a lot of people who throw up all kinds of road blocks and life passes them by. Life passes in an instant, don't let it slip between your fingers.
Jerry

Sure, tradeoffs always exist. But a tradeoff occurs when the existence of one feature precludes the existence of another so you are forced to chose one or the other.

The features I'm looking for are not tradeoffs. It is entirely possible for one lathe to have them all, and have them at a reasonable price. They are not mutually exclusive.

Besides, I have a lathe that I use all the time. I do not need to replace it tomorrow. I can live with it until I'm satisfied that I've found the best lathe that exists for my needs.

Life is not passing me by just because I'm taking some time to find the best machine I can find.

--
Keith
 
Jet marketed EXACTLY the same lathe as the cream colored craigslist one. Why is that not understood? I think I mentioned it several times. It's the same lathe rebadged. It will do everything you want. Buy it.

I'm not doubting you. It is just that Googling a JET 10x24 turns up nothing but wood lathes. Maybe it existed, but if it did it was rare or old or something that makes it hard to find today.

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Keith
 
......................The features I'm looking for are not tradeoffs. It is entirely possible for one lathe to have them all, and have them at a reasonable price. They are not mutually exclusive........Keith

Maybe it's not possible to have them all, and have them at a reasonable price. Perhaps they are mutually exclusive and it has to be one or the other.


Incidently, I did mention it before, but if you get a lathe with the basic physical features you want relating to size, type of chuck etc., you could then CNC it, making it capable of turning whatever, threads, tapers, balls etc. that you require without worrying about changing gears or belts, you'd just have to use a keyboard.


M
 
Sure, tradeoffs always exist. But a tradeoff occurs when the existence of one feature precludes the existence of another so you are forced to chose one or the other.

The features I'm looking for are not tradeoffs. It is entirely possible for one lathe to have them all, and have them at a reasonable price. They are not mutually exclusive.

Besides, I have a lathe that I use all the time. I do not need to replace it tomorrow. I can live with it until I'm satisfied that I've found the best lathe that exists for my needs.

Life is not passing me by just because I'm taking some time to find the best machine I can find.

--
Keith

If you think you can build one and market it in that price range go for it. But most people looking for all of those features also wan't something bigger. And there is 14x40's out there. So I think you would be hard prest to sale enough to recoup the start up cost.

Just my thoughts.

Marty
 
I have an Enco 1024 which is just like that Jet. they also made a Jet 12x24 (and Enco).
Quite a few of those around. taiwanese, and they have the 2nd feed shaft, plus a true QCGB. It's a real lathe.

Be careful buying any new lathe under 12" swing. I haven't seen one that has a true QCGB. I was about to buy an 11" PM when I found out what looks like a QCGB is really some sort of hybrid that uses change gears. Deal-killer for me.

I'd be looking at the G4002 or G4003 Grizzly.
 
Maybe it's not possible to have them all, and have them at a reasonable price. Perhaps they are mutually exclusive and it has to be one or the other.


Incidently, I did mention it before, but if you get a lathe with the basic physical features you want relating to size, type of chuck etc., you could then CNC it, making it capable of turning whatever, threads, tapers, balls etc. that you require without worrying about changing gears or belts, you'd just have to use a keyboard.


M

Yes, its a good thought.

I debated getting a CNC mill vs a manual mill. I finally decided on the manual. The problem with most CNCs is that making one of something can be a pain. Some CNCs have manual overrides, but often the CNC mechanisms get in the way. A CNC in manual mode is not the same as a manual mill. Mostly I do one-off stuff, rarely more than one of anything. The other issue is that CNC motors add to the footprint and operating envelope. My main problem is a lack of space.

CNC might get in the way less on a lathe than on a mill. And you can cut shapes with CNC that you couldn't dream of manually. But still, I like manual machining. Not sure I want to give that up.

Thanks, Keith
 
Maybe it's not possible to have them all, and have them at a reasonable price. Perhaps they are mutually exclusive and it has to be one or the other.


Incidently, I did mention it before, but if you get a lathe with the basic physical features you want relating to size, type of chuck etc., you could then CNC it, making it capable of turning whatever, threads, tapers, balls etc. that you require without worrying about changing gears or belts, you'd just have to use a keyboard.


M

The ones I want I am positive could all be had at a reasonable price. As I said initially, I'm willing to pay three times as much as much to get the features I want, all else being equal. None of the features I've ask for are expensive, which I can tell because they each individually exist on a collection of other lathes, all of which cost substantially less than I'm willing to pay. Most of the features I want are a matter of design choices more than incremental cost.

--
Keith
 
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