# 1340gt order dilemma



## joeblow65 (Feb 2, 2022)

I'm not if this is the right place for this so please move if need be. I ordered a 1340GT last August with a ship date of January and as of today it's been pushed out to the end of June, early July. and I'm expecting more delays. I know it's not PMs fault but I'm looking at picking up a Grizzly G0824 instead. Do you guys have any input or pro con between them? Is the 1340 really that much better it's worth a 6-8 month wait?


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## Ischgl99 (Feb 2, 2022)

I have the 1236T, which is a slightly smaller version of the 1340 GT and am very happy with it, but that is far too long for me to wait on something.  I got lucky in 2020 and mine was in stock, I would have bought a used local lathe if I had to wait that long.  Something to think about, the PM lathe is made in Taiwan and the Grizzly lathe looks to be China since they don’t mention the country of manufacture.  That may or may not matter to you, it did to me.  You can also look at Eisen, some of their lathes are the same ones as the PM ones.  They may have something in stock, or quicker delivery.  When I looked at them prior to buying mine a bit over a year ago, I believe the prices were close to PM prices.


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## mksj (Feb 2, 2022)

Tough one to judge, the Grizzly you get a lot with that particular model, it is on back-order until April. One of my complaints would be a fair amount of change gears for common threading, Norton gearboxes there is no change gears for imperial threads. Weight wise is a plus on the Grizzly G0824 and it has a larger spindle bore. I had a 1340GT and it is a very capable lathe, but I would expect the Grizzly to be also very capable. I moved away from mainland Chinese machines more because of fit/finish issues that I previously had with a mill. I just got tired of crappy workmanship and things not fitting or being sloppy. Since you are a bit more isolated in Alaska, service and parts would also be a consideration. Eisen is comparable lathe, you might look at the 1236GH which is about the only model in stock, I know a number of people that have purchased their machines and have been happy with them. If you need the extra swing and/or bigger spindle bore than stick with a 1340 or 1440 model. Inventory is the biggest issue these days, and will probably continue through the end of this year. The next tier up on lathes is going to be almost 2X the cost, so something like the PM-1440GT,  Acra 1440C, Kent TRL-1340 or similar. One also needs to factor in shipping costs and off loading.

I personally prefer to go with the 3 phase models, as the motors are more reliable and there are tangible surface finish difference depending on the tooling/material being turned. You also have to be careful with single phase models when doing rapid reverses, if you switch too quickly the motor may continue in the same direction as opposed to reversing. Three phase, you can do a simple VFD install, and get the benefits of speed control and enhanced electronic braking if the lathe does not have a foot brake..


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## joeblow65 (Feb 2, 2022)

@Ischgl99 I've never heard of eisen, ill give them a call tomorrow. I would love to pick one up local but I live in Alaska and machines that are both not completely worn out or a 16" swing 8' bed engine lathe are hard to come by. I just saw a beat up 1940s heavy 10 sell for 4k a few weeks ago. its nuts up here. I wanted to avoid china but a large portion of even PMs product line is china so I'm not dead set against it.

@mksj Thanks for your input, I was just drooling over your VFD conversion thread. I have the 3 phase 1340 on order as the plan was to VFD it. I don't really need the extra swing but I'm planning on chambering barrels for big bore ELR guns and that 2" spindle bore makes that really easy. I talked to grizzly today and they have 2 shipments incoming, March 9 all sold, and a week later that has available machines on it. and my local distributor isn't charging me shipping to get it up here, which is almost 1000. I called PM to see if anything other machines were available sooner and I got a flat no so at this point grizzly is looking promising but you're right, that many change gears is 100% not ideal.


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## Dabbler (Feb 2, 2022)

My advice is to get the lathe you *want* not the one to settle for.  Even if it means saving more and waiting longer.  My usual advice is to buy something adequate, and make a lot of chips.  Nowadays, with supply shortages, I am seeing the emergence of people being disappointed by having to compromise on the appropriate machine.


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## NCjeeper (Feb 2, 2022)

It seems all the machinery dealers are experiencing delays. Just order what you really want and then wait. That is about all you can do. I have been waiting on a 4ft box and pan brake from Grizzly for over a year now.


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## Dabbler (Feb 2, 2022)

I should add that upgrading later can be quite expensive *ask me how I know*


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## 7milesup (Feb 2, 2022)

Dabbler said:


> I should add that upgrading later can be quite expensive *ask me how I know*


True, but when I upgraded last year from a PM1022 to an Eisen 1440, I actually made money on my 1022, so not always a net negative.


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## 7milesup (Feb 2, 2022)

joeblow65 said:


> I've never heard of eisen,


I purchased an Eisen 1440E in early 2021.  Very happy with it but they have gone up about 70% in price since.  I paid $7600 for my 1440E.  I see the 1236 is made in Taiwan which I would regard as a big plus.  There is a huge difference between Chinese and Taiwanese machines IMHO.
Keep in mind the Eisen also has a DRO and supposedly a collet closer along with free shipping according to their website.  
They also have a 1640 but it is a LOT more than the 1236.  But then again, buy once, cry once.  The more I think about it, you should get the 1640


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## woodchucker (Feb 2, 2022)

7milesup said:


> I purchased an Eisen 1440E in early 2021.  Very happy with it but they have gone up about 70% in price since.  I paid $7600 for my 1440E.  I see the 1236 is made in Taiwan which I would regard as a big plus.  There is a huge difference between Chinese and Taiwanese machines IMHO.
> Keep in mind the Eisen also has a DRO and supposedly a collet closer along with free shipping according to their website.
> They also have a 1640 but it is a LOT more than the 1236.  But then again, buy once, cry once.  The more I think about it, you should get the 1640


got a question about the Eisen 1440E.. I see it's a 2 speed motor. I think single phase...
Does it have back gears, or does it rely on the 2 speed motor for it's low end? Back gears are very useful for torque.. if you don't have back gears, is there a good amount of torque from the low  end motor?


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## 7milesup (Feb 2, 2022)

woodchucker said:


> got a question about the Eisen 1440E.. I see it's a 2 speed motor. I think single phase...
> Does it have back gears, or does it rely on the 2 speed motor for it's low end? Back gears are very useful for torque.. if you don't have back gears, is there a good amount of torque from the low  end motor?


You may notice that there are different Eisen 1440E's on their website.  It is confusing as heck.  Mine is a 3 phase motor, single-phase-in, single-speed motor with a VFD that is not usable in the way most people use their VFD's on a lathe.  The only thing my VFD does is convert the single phase to 3 phase.

If you go to their page Eisen Engine Lathes my lathe is the first one in the second row. Sold out of course. Super happy I bought mine when I did.


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## Aukai (Feb 2, 2022)

ACRA has a 1340 model listed, you might see if it's in stock, a little more pricy though. Check with Mark, or if anyone else has input on that one.


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## Tipton1965 (Feb 2, 2022)

I'd have a hard time with that much of a wait.  Especially with no guarantee that the wait time is accurate.  Do you have a budget?


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## Ischgl99 (Feb 2, 2022)

joeblow65 said:


> @Ischgl99 I've never heard of eisen, ill give them a call tomorrow. I would love to pick one up local but I live in Alaska and machines that are both not completely worn out or a 16" swing 8' bed engine lathe are hard to come by. I just saw a beat up 1940s heavy 10 sell for 4k a few weeks ago. its nuts up here. I wanted to avoid china but a large portion of even PMs product line is china so I'm not dead set against it.
> 
> @mksj Thanks for your input, I was just drooling over your VFD conversion thread. I have the 3 phase 1340 on order as the plan was to VFD it. I don't really need the extra swing but I'm planning on chambering barrels for big bore ELR guns and that 2" spindle bore makes that really easy. I talked to grizzly today and they have 2 shipments incoming, March 9 all sold, and a week later that has available machines on it. and my local distributor isn't charging me shipping to get it up here, which is almost 1000. I called PM to see if anything other machines were available sooner and I got a flat no so at this point grizzly is looking promising but you're right, that many change gears is 100% not ideal.


I didn’t notice the Alaska part when I replied, that can certainly make finding something used difficult.

For rifle barrels, the 12x36 would be identical to the 13x40 if you are chambering in the spindle, the spindle bores and lengths are the same.  If you are profiling, then the extra few inches might come in handy.  I was initially on the fence between the 1236T and the 1340GT and ended up getting the 1236 since it was in stock and the 1340 wasn’t, and I didn’t feel the 1340 had enough of an advantage for my uses to pay more and wait for a shipment.  I was lucky I bought in Nov 2020 before most of the price increases.  I think it is $1,500 more now than what I paid.

I looked at Eisen as well when I was researching mine, the 12” lathes look identical to the PM 1236T, even down to the switches on the controls.  I don’t recall what accessories are included in theirs, but I would not hesitate buying that lathe if the size fits for your uses.

Good luck in your search, hopefully something comes available soon so you can get on using it.


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## Tipton1965 (Feb 3, 2022)

Ischgl99 said:


> I looked at Eisen as well when I was researching mine, the 12” lathes look identical to the PM 1236T, even down to the switches on the controls.  I don’t recall what accessories are included in theirs, but I would not hesitate buying that lathe if the size fits for your uses.


I bought an Eisen 1340GHE and it was just like the Precision Mathews PM1340GT except it had an enclosed gearbox which I liked.  It came with a DRO but not the best model out there.  Eisen has their 1340 on Ebay but it's single phase.








						EISEN 1340GHE Precision Bench Lathe with DRO & Stand, 1.5HP single-phase 220V  | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for EISEN 1340GHE Precision Bench Lathe with DRO & Stand, 1.5HP single-phase 220V at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.com


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## parshal (Feb 3, 2022)

7milesup said:


> If you go to their page Eisen Engine Lathes my lathe is the first one in the second row. Sold out of course. Super happy I bought mine when I did.


And you paid $7600 for that?!  It's over $13000 now!


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## 7milesup (Feb 3, 2022)

parshal said:


> And you paid $7600 for that?!  It's over $13000 now!


Yes!!   Every now and then I get lucky  ☺

I was very fortunate to have purchased when I did.


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## mksj (Feb 3, 2022)

EISEN 1340GHE Precision Bench Lathe with DRO & Stand, 1.5HP single-phase 220V, price is 7,750. If you call direct you can usually do a bit better than eBay pricing and/or may have other build specs. Some of their models are not listed on their website. If one wanted to go three phase, finding a replacement motor probably will run you around $500. Also factor in getting a VFD and associated parts for a basic install.








						EISEN 1340GHE Precision Bench Lathe with DRO & Stand, 1.5HP single-phase 220V  | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for EISEN 1340GHE Precision Bench Lathe with DRO & Stand, 1.5HP single-phase 220V at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.com
				




Possible 3 phase motors








						NEW BALDOR IDNM3584T MOTOR 1.5HP 230/460V 1755RPM 7/8" DIA. 781568144787 | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for NEW BALDOR IDNM3584T MOTOR 1.5HP 230/460V 1755RPM 7/8" DIA. at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.com
				











						MARATHON MOTORS 145TTTN16628 SD Motor,2 HP,1,740 RPM,230/460V  | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for MARATHON MOTORS 145TTTN16628 SD Motor,2 HP,1,740 RPM,230/460V at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.com


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## parshal (Feb 3, 2022)

I've really wanted to upgrade my 1340GT to that one but I don't think I'll ever be able to do it unless the price of mine has gone up commensurate with that!


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## qualitymachinetools (Feb 3, 2022)

The lead times are crazy on these, we literally have hundreds of the Taiwan made lathes on backorder right now. They are coming in and shipping out regularly now, but the backorder list just keeps growing.               There is really no comparison between the Chinese vs Taiwan that we have. The Chinese are OK, but not the same.       If you wanted a Chinese lathe we have the 1440E-LB coming in again in a couple weeks, we have had many of those without too long of a lead time, its only our Taiwan made models that have the lead time like that. I tried to order 3 times as many as we have in the past, but the factory just will not take the order, they can't produce any more than they do now. There was a definite slow down of production during corona, things are getting back to normal now, but we just can not keep up with the demand on them.


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## matthewsx (Feb 3, 2022)

Good to hear directly what’s going on.

Thank you


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## joeblow65 (Feb 3, 2022)

First off, thank you guys so much for all of your thoughts and work arounds, this forum is awesome. The lathe I really want is a Haas TL2, which is many moons away, haha.

Eisen looks like a really good machine with comparable specs but it just doesn't sit right with me to almost double your prices within a year and still not have the inventory. Supply and demand only works when you're the only one with the supply. I also cant get them on the phone, it doesn't even ring, just says leave a message and the mailbox is full. If I buy from anyone but grizzly I have to tack on an extra $1000+ in shipping and at that point the eisen become far more expensive than PM with less accessories.

@qualitymachinetools Thank you for a bit more info. I in no way was trying to badmouth you guys, every time I've had an issue or called its been a very pleasurable experience. I know you guys are just as frustrated if not more so at the situation. Thank you for taking the time to comment here. I just want to be clear that this thread was in no way bashing you guys, I was just exploring my options. I'm going to do a bit of research and give you guys a call today or tomorrow at the latest.


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## Tipton1965 (Feb 3, 2022)

joeblow65 said:


> Eisen looks like a really good machine with comparable specs but it just doesn't sit right with me to almost double your prices within a year and still not have the inventory. Supply and demand only works when you're the only one with the supply. I also cant get them on the phone, it doesn't even ring, just says leave a message and the mailbox is full.


I had the same issue with Eisen as far as getting them on the phone.  But they are very responsive with emails and that's how I dealt with them.  Also they are willing to work with you on price and delivery.  They knocked money off the 1340GHE I bought from them when I told them they won't have to pay ebay a fee if I bought direct.  They also gave me free shipping.  The lathe I bought from them was damaged during shipping so I refused the delivery and emailed them photos. They replied right back and this was on a Saturday.  They prepped another machine and had it shipped out the following week and it arrived fine.

As far as not getting them on the phone, I had a similar experience when I bought from ACRA.  I called Tom and he was extremely short with me on the phone like I was bothering his busy schedule.  I switched to communicating with him through email and it was a night and day difference.  I think some people just like dealing through email.

With all that said, I would still pursue Eisen.  Maybe do what Mark suggested above and buy their single phase 1340GHE which is in stock and convert it to a three phase.  You could have a machine in a few weeks.

I have purchased from Precision Mathews, Eisen, and ACRA all with good outcomes.


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## 7milesup (Feb 3, 2022)

If you want to get Eisen on the phone, PM me for Jason's cell phone.


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## joeblow65 (Feb 8, 2022)

Hey guys, didn't want to end this thread on a "what happened" cliff hanger. I ended up taking a bit of everyone's advice and changed to a PM 1440 variable speed gunsmithing lathe which is one that I really want over the 1340. It is a slight drop of overall quality over a Taiwanese machine but it should be more than accurate enough for my needs and the way they spec'd out the build and all of the upgrades they did to it were just to good for me to pass up. Thank you everyone for your knowledge and advice!

Edit: I did get in contact with jason at Eisen and got a quote but the shipping just from CA to WA kind of put it over the edge for me as far as cost vs what I was buying went.


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## 7milesup (Feb 8, 2022)

Is this 1440 from PM or another vendor?


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## joeblow65 (Feb 8, 2022)

PM, I edited the original post. it's the new one they just dropped the details for a week or two ago. china machine but they spec'd it out with nsk headstock bearings and a few other quality upgrades.


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## H F Smitty (Feb 10, 2022)

joeblow65 said:


> PM, I edited the original post. it's the new one they just dropped the details for a week or two ago. china machine but they spec'd it out with nsk headstock bearings and a few other quality upgrades.


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## H F Smitty (Feb 10, 2022)

Joeblow65
I ordered a PM-1440-2SM-V on 1/24 before Precision Mathews updated the site.
I agree that is not Taiwan but has the features that I was looking for.
Very excited! now the wait!


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