# Lathe Choice



## BrentParker (Jun 11, 2015)

Guys I am wondering what you would recommend for a first lathe. I haven't ran one since high school and that has been 20 years plus. Hoping to get to a point were I can do my own barrel work. Have plenty of other projects though smaller in scale. I am considering the pm1236 and the 1440e-lb. I am hesitant to buy the 1340gt simple because murphey and I are great friends and am sure that at some point there will be a crash in the learning process. I plan to graduate up to a Taiwan machine after gaining some experience.
 Your thoughts appreciated. 

Brent


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## Muskt (Jun 11, 2015)

Hi Brent.  Jerry from Delaware here.
I started with a Grizz 9x20 about 11 years ago.  Quite a few Mods were required in order to get it to do what I wanted (notice I didn't say "needed").
In the end, I had it all set up and was overall very satisfied--as long as I stayed within its physical limits.  
So, retirement came around and slapped me up along the side of my head, and we moved from Anchorage, Ak. to Delaware.  OK, the quoted rate was $1.20 per pound for the move.  You may now guess that I no longer own the 9x20, nor my G0519 mill.
As soon as I obtained a permanent address (January 2015), I ordered a PM-932PDF and a PM 1236.  I have had the mill for about 2.5-3 months, and am still waiting on the 1236.  I am not complaining about the service from QMT, just stating that it may take quite a while to get one of their machines.
I do not feel that I will be cheating myself by not getting the bigger (much more expensive) lathe.  I am actually looking forward to the 1236, and getting it all set up to play in my new shop.
You can do a lot of very nice work with a small machine.  You may want to consider (do I dare say it?) even a 7x10 or 9x20 to learn on.  Also consider that making small parts on a small lathe may be easier than on a large one.  After all, lathes are a lot like airplanes, one really cannot do it all--one for going places, & one for bush flying & hunting--but I digress, again.
This has possibly not been much help, but, hopefully, you may find a bit of inspiration to aid in your decision.

Jerry


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## jeff_g1137 (Jun 11, 2015)

Hi
Buy crap now $600 to $1000 & then a good lathe later. or get the good lathe now & use the $1000 to repair the good lathe after the crash. ????

I would go for the good lathe now, you may crash the lathe or not, just take your time at first. A new lathe you can get parts for.
A crap lathe is just money out the door.
A lathe has to be setup, run in, moved in to the workshop & out, just do it the one time & save the money for tools, & repairs  

Tell murphey to get new friends, you are to old to play with him.

Is there any night course, local to you, to develop your self-confidence, if it is not your lathe, its not as bad if you crash it.


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## BrentParker (Jun 11, 2015)

Thanks for the reply's and suggestions, As far as night classes go no nothing close, 75 miles to be exact. I live 20 miles from the Mexico Border now and not exactly the meca for machining in this part of the world.
 I chuckled at the find a new friend, spent 15 yrs. in Indiana with Dexter Axle as a maintenance man doing heavy machine repair. We had a toolroom with a guy dedicated to the maintenance dept. so we never had a mill and lathe. Saw enough stuff there for Murphey and I to be friends a long time.... thanks guys.


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## mksj (Jun 12, 2015)

Between the two mentioned, I would probably go with the 1440e-lb package if you need the larger work envelope (would check what DRO is supplied with the unit, Easson ES-8A 2 axis is $600 on the PM1236 so puts you pretty close to the 1440 package).  If your interested in seeing the PM1340GT, I am in Tucson, so not too far from McNeal. Lots of good choices, you will also need a chunk of change for some decent tooling, and you might consider upgrading to a Set-Tru or Zero-Set type of chuck (Bison, PBA, Shar's, etc.) with the machine.


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## BrentParker (Jun 12, 2015)

Mish,
 That would be great, I will pm you to set up a good time to meet. 

 I had a buddy that I have helped out with repairs before just give me a 9x20 harbor freight lathe. Still has the cosmoline on the ways. So looks like I will start with that and go from there.

Thanks everyone for your input.


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## Muskt (Jun 12, 2015)

Brent, here are a couple of links about the 9x20.  The first is by Steve Bedair.  He recently died, so it is unknown how long his site will remain up.

http://bedair.org/9x20.html

The second one is mine.  As I said in an earlier post I used a G4000 for more than 10 years.  

http://www.akpilot.net/index.html

The forum on Yahoo for the 9x20 is really good, too.  Lots of friendly & knowledgeable folks there--and a VERY BIG PLUS--they do not get into politics and other non-machining stuff.  Almost exclusively lathe & machining related.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/9x20Lathe/info

I'm not totally sure if the preceding link will get you to the registration section, but should be close.

Best to you with the new toy.

Jerry


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## Big Rack (Jun 12, 2015)

I have been looking pretty hard at lathes myself specifically wanted at least 9" and a large bore as I add up the features I liked it came down to a Grizzly G4003 and the PM 1236 I put down a deposit for the PM 1236 Preferred Package seemed like the most bang for the buck. I can see a pair of Igaging absolute scales in the future but having used lathes with DRO's at work I'd only trust them to get close there just isn't to me any reason not to use mics and such to make sure. One of the reasons for the preferred package is the foot brake / off pedal I like to be able to stop a lathe quick when I have to.


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## BrentParker (Jun 18, 2015)

Guys, wanted to let you know I made my choice and it turned out to be neither of them and ended up going with a pm1340gt. I want to thank everyone for their time and suggestions, thoughts on this.

Brent


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