# Vevor 7x14 lathe



## 61zmoguy (Nov 19, 2021)

I got my lathe about a week ago. Been spending time with cleanup and adjustments. A few items for anyone looking at buying this lathe.
1. The documentation is useless. No parts diagram as they are listed on pages 9 and 10. Booklet stops on page 8.
2. The rear splash pan is so close the tailstock lever cannot be released. I spaced mine off 2 inches. 
3. The cross slide and compound crank handles were bent. I turned a half inch square nylon handle for each one.
4. The plastic chuck guard would hit the headstock casting. I spaced it off to clear the casting.
5. The gear drive cover did not clear the control panel and did not have a relief cut for the speed sensor. A little trimming and a notch fixed the problem.
6. The lathe was secured to the shipping crate with 2 very bent bolts. 
7. Modified the tailstock lock plate.
8. The cross slide bolts had fallen out of the back plate. The cross slide was flopping around. I adjusted the plates. I'm thinking about adding some shims
    under the plates instead of the grub screws.
9. Shimmed the cross slide feed screw to remove the backlash.
10. The compound adjustment seems to be dead on.
11. Spindle plate has zero runout on the face and side.

Overall I think I got a good lathe. My biggest issue is the total lack of any documentation on the lathe. I could not find anything online. This is my first lathe 
so I have a learning curve to keep me busy. I have turned a small tapered stinger for a beaded scorpion that came out great. Much better than a drill press 
and file.


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## OldFatMan (Nov 19, 2021)

Mine is 8X14 not labeled as Vevor but all indication I can find says it probably is.  I bought it used and didn't get a manual.  After several days worth of exchange with Vevor rep she finally emailed it to me.  Other than having a couple of pictures of lathe parts it could have been a manual for an electric toaster- nothing but safety warnings written in poor English.  Sounds like you are getting yours sorted out- my tail stock was horribly misaligned.


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## 61zmoguy (Nov 19, 2021)

OldFatMan said:


> Mine is 8X14 not labeled as Vevor but all indication I can find says it probably is.  I bought it used and didn't get a manual.  After several days worth of exchange with Vevor rep she finally emailed it to me.  Other than having a couple of pictures of lathe parts it could have been a manual for an electric toaster- nothing but safety warnings written in poor English.  Sounds like you are getting yours sorted out- my tail stock was horribly misaligned.


My tailstock sits a an angle but lines up dead center.


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## OldFatMan (Nov 19, 2021)

Other than being positioned to the right of the chuck nothing about mine was right.  I couldn't even center drill a piece of CR with it.  Turns out it was rocking on a high spot between the lower and upper portions of it and my center drill would just skate around on the face of the stock.  Someone else said it and I concur- these lathes are like the old muzzle loader kits we used to buy.  You get a piece of wood and a couple of hunks of metal and if you are ambitious you can build a gun that shoots most of the time.  With these you get most of the parts of a lathe- the rest is up to you.  Kind of satisfying though when you make it work and start making parts.


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## 61zmoguy (Nov 19, 2021)

OldFatMan said:


> Other than being positioned to the right of the chuck nothing about mine was right.  I couldn't even center drill a piece of CR with it.  Turns out it was rocking on a high spot between the lower and upper portions of it and my center drill would just skate around on the face of the stock.  Someone else said it and I concur- these lathes are like the old muzzle loader kits we used to buy.  You get a piece of wood and a couple of hunks of metal and if you are ambitious you can build a gun that shoots most of the time.  With these you get most of the parts of a lathe- the rest is up to you.  Kind of satisfying though when you make it work and start making parts.


I changed the square plate on the tailstock lock with a larger plate with a offset hole. I can lock it solid now.


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## addertooth (Nov 20, 2021)

Yep, looks like a Sieg SC2 lathe.  
Some American Sellers, Like littlemachineshop dot com sell the same model, which they have exerted additional quality control on.  You get a running machine out of the crate with them.


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## woodchucker (Nov 20, 2021)

did you have to pay extra to get the kinked up chart on the front?

I think I would avoid vevor.

edit: I was spouting off, if I knew what I was getting into, I might by a vevor, it's price vs what I want to use it for, and how often. many chineese tools are kits. so if I were cash strapped and needed something rarely I would consider putting the time in.


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## 61zmoguy (Nov 20, 2021)

addertooth said:


> Yep, looks like a Sieg SC2 lathe.
> Some American Sellers, Like littlemachineshop dot com sell the same model, which they have exerted additional quality control on.  You get a running machine out of the crate with them.


I found this link. https://www.made-in-china.com/products-search/hot-china-products/Mini_Lathe.html 









						[Hot Item] Chinese Household Desktop Mini Metal Lathe Ys-1830 From Jiangsu Yishou
					

Model NO.: YS-1830B After-sales Service: 1 Years Warranty: 1 Years Type: Multi-Axis Automatic and Semi-Automatic Lathe Processing Accessory: Chuck CNC Lathe Guide Rail: Horizontal Guide Rail



					minilathe.en.made-in-china.com
				




I think that any part that does not meet standards is used on the unbranded lathe and sold at a discount.


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## 61zmoguy (Nov 20, 2021)

woodchucker said:


> did you have to pay extra to get the kinked up chart on the front?
> 
> I think I would avoid vevor.


$20.00.


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## matthewsx (Nov 20, 2021)

61zmoguy said:


> I found this link. https://www.made-in-china.com/products-search/hot-china-products/Mini_Lathe.html
> 
> 
> 
> ...


And the standard is quite low.

How many people buy these things, try to use them and just push the whole mess to the back of the garage? At least there are resources like this one that will help folks get the machine up and working. I know it's not practical for lots of folks but searching out a decent used machine will make for a much better experience IMHO. Older belt drive lathes, or little Craftsman/Atlas lathes are around if you're patient and usually yield better results in the long run. Since you're getting into a project anyway why not make it a worthy one?

John


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## Aaron_W (Nov 28, 2021)

matthewsx said:


> And the standard is quite low.
> 
> How many people buy these things, try to use them and just push the whole mess to the back of the garage? At least there are resources like this one that will help folks get the machine up and working. I know it's not practical for lots of folks but searching out a decent used machine will make for a much better experience IMHO. Older belt drive lathes, or little Craftsman/Atlas lathes are around if you're patient and usually yield better results in the long run. Since you're getting into a project anyway why not make it a worthy one?
> 
> John



I think the biggest issue with the 7x lathes is that they are quite attractive to beginners due to the cost and size. This is the group that is most needing something that works right out of the box. For somebody with at least a little experience so they have the skills to identify and correct the  deficiencies they can be a pretty good deal for a small relatively portable lathe. Even more compact than the Atlas / Craftsman 6" lathes but potentially with similar capacity. 

In that regard they are quite similar to buying used which can be a fantastic bargain if you know what you are looking at and how to fix issues, but likewise can be a nightmare to somebody just starting out. So easy to buy a basket case thinking you found a bargain.

Having now had a little time to play with one, I think the Atlas / Craftsman 6" lathes are highly under rated as a small lathe option. The biggest issue being that the newest are still 40 years old, and the oldest are over 80. The Atlas ones are a bit more straight forward, but there is a bit of a maze to follow regarding the options and parts for the Craftsman branded lathes sold before 1960. Then you have the confusion caused by the similarly sized but completely different 6" Craftsman lathe made by AA. Anyway wandering way off point.


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## 61zmoguy (Nov 28, 2021)

Aaron_W said:


> I think the biggest issue with the 7x lathes is that they are quite attractive to beginners due to the cost and size. This is the group that is most needing something that works right out of the box. For somebody with at least a little experience so they have the skills to identify and correct the  deficiencies they can be a pretty good deal for a small relatively portable lathe. Even more compact than the Atlas / Craftsman 6" lathes but potentially with similar capacity.
> 
> In that regard they are quite similar to buying used which can be a fantastic bargain if you know what you are looking at and how to fix issues, but likewise can be a nightmare to somebody just starting out. So easy to buy a basket case thinking you found a bargain.
> 
> Having now had a little time to play with one, I think the Atlas / Craftsman 6" lathes are highly under rated as a small lathe option. The biggest issue being that the newest are still 40 years old, and the oldest are over 80. The Atlas ones are a bit more straight forward, but there is a bit of a maze to follow regarding the options and parts for the Craftsman branded lathes sold before 1960. Then you have the confusion caused by the similarly sized but completely different 6" Craftsman lathe made by AA. Anyway wandering way off point.


This is why I purchased a small lathe. I like to tinker. My latest update was to remove the cross slide grub screws and replace them with feeler gauge plates as shims. I make metal art and will use the lathe for small parts. For a beginner I would suggest getting a Grizzly or Little Machine Shop lathe.
The documentation and support are worth it. I have downloaded 5 different manuals and still have not found one for a Vevor CJ18A lathe.


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## Aaron_W (Nov 28, 2021)

61zmoguy said:


> This is why I purchased a small lathe. I like to tinker. My latest update was to remove the cross slide grub screws and replace them with feeler gauge plates as shims. I make metal art and will use the lathe for small parts. For a beginner I would suggest getting a Grizzly or Little Machine Shop lathe.
> The documentation and support are worth it. I have downloaded 5 different manuals and still have not found one for a Vevor CJ18A lathe.



You sound like you had some idea of what you were getting into and these can be great for someone like you who is prepared to tinker. Once they get tuned up they seem to be pretty capable for their size. 

I've got several project machines because I found I kind of like fixing them up, and I have learned a lot about how things work in the process. I always have my eye out for one of the 7x lathes cheap. I don't need one but I have a small lathe addiction. I just saw one the other day only asking $70 but I didn't feel like driving 3-4 hours (x2) to go get it.


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## 61zmoguy (Nov 28, 2021)

Aaron_W said:


> You sound like you had some idea of what you were getting into and these can be great for someone like you who is prepared to tinker. Once they get tuned up they seem to be pretty capable for their size.
> 
> I've got several project machines because I found I kind of like fixing them up, and I have learned a lot about how things work in the process. I always have my eye out for one of the 7x lathes cheap. I don't need one but I have a small lathe addiction. I just saw one the other day only asking $70 but I didn't feel like driving 3-4 hours (x2) to go get it.


I've been looking, not much in northern Montana. I have a good size shop that has 12' side walls. I have art supplies up to the rafters.
Do a google search for gizmoguyted. My dad has a 8' bench that is heading to my shop. I'm trying to get it to fit without cutting it down.


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