Buying a lathe - new vs old

[projectnut]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the cost and availability of replacement parts. Over the years I've had a few pieces of Chinese machinery. First off I didn't like the "fit and finish" of any of them. It seemed that close enough was good enough. If the quality and finish of the castings is poor, I don't expect much more from the mechanical components.

I've had a couple of them either wear out or break parts with far fewer hours on them than I'd like to see. Finding and ordering parts was a nightmare. I've waited several months for replacement parts that were supposedly "in stock". Apparently "in stock" means they're available in China and will be shipped as soon as enough to fill a container are ordered.

Some may like their made in China machines, but my experience has made me very cautious when thinking of ordering another. After a couple expensive and not so successful adventures with import machines I cringe at the thought of having another one in the shop. As an alternative I continually keep my eyes open for high quality used machines on the market. Over the years I've managed to stumble across every machine I could use, and dozens I didn't have room for. Everything from Lathes to mills (both vertical and horizontal), saws, grinders of all types, presses (both mechanical and hydraulic) shapers, drill presses, etc., etc., and tons of tooling. All in excellent condition and at prices that are a fraction of what new import machines cost. I've yet to buy a used industrial quality machine that needed rebuilding or expensive repairs. There are plenty of used, high quality industrial machines available if you know where to look for them.

 

[Marco Bernardini]

The idea of buying an old lathe without to know how it was used (or abused) scares me more than to buy an used car, even if I know a new lathe would require many hacks before to be perfect.
Actually I'd buy a 2nd (or 3rd, or even 4th) hand machine just from the members of this forum, because I know you all love machines and respect them, and a machine used by you is more "ready to run" than a new one.
Alas shipping/importing would be too expensive for me, and also I had to replace motors to fit our 240V 50Hz mains (BTW, we have just the standard 12.5A single phase, so even big motors are excluded).

 

[12bolts]

.... At this point, I am seriously considering a SB1001 from Grizzly (South Bend 8K). At the current closeout (approx. $2K), it's a heck of a deal, and most of the reviews say that it is more sturdy and substantially built than most new Asian lathes its size.

You do know that a grizzly SB is an Asian lathe?

Cheers Phil

 

[TOOLMASTER]

kinda like JOHN DEERE .. i know, i was shocked too

 

[fast freddie]

I've been wanting to pull the trigger on a lathe purchase for years. The typical advice I have heard over and over from just about every supposed expert out there is that I can "buy a good ol', solid American-made lathe for less than the useless Chinese junk they're selling nowadays."

My experience so far is that this is bunk. Well, maybe it is true in Southern California or the Northeast. Here in the Midwest, the Craigslist ads for used lathes is pretty slim pickings. Either they are corroded, incomplete units that have been sitting unused in a dirt-floor shed for forty years, or they are a 20x72 production lathe that weighs tons and has a 5-figure price. I am ready to buy a new Grizzly and take my chances.

there are lots of old American lathes that are not wore out. I found a 12 inch clausing in good shape plug it in and start cutting. if I were you I would buy what makes me happy. I would buy the grizzly before an old American lathe that is wore out. have fun machining

 

[1 of U]

there is a seller up in Kearney that sells machines both Lathes & Mills .

you should also post a WTB on KC Craigslist there are machines setting in the KC area
you just have to look alittle harder to find them . my 1974 SB 13 came from a small printing company
in KC Kansas the lathe only had two operators since it was new , the old man at the print shop
and me ,,

1 of U

 

[thenrie]

You know, I look at those Grizzlies in the catalogs all the time and think how nice it would be to have one, but I love rebuilding things (it's a sickness, I think). Ended up buying a Delta Rockwell 11 and spent 6 months rebuilding it. Paid $720 on ebay, now, 6 months later, I am about $3,000 into it and still looking for several items of tooling that would come with the Grizzly. Howsoever, I have to admit that I am very proud of my Rockwell, now that it's done, and I benefitted from the rebuild, in that I learned a great deal about the machine as well as how to use it. In fact, I bought a South Bend 9A to make parts for the Rockwell. Now that the Rockwell is done, it's time to tear into the South Bend. Having fun!

As I recall, an equivalent Grizzly would run just under $4,000, before shipping, with basic tooling. By the time I collect the rest of the tooling I'd like to have, I'll be somewhere around that mark, but I'll have some items of tooling the Grizzly doesn't come with. My lathe will likely holds its value better than the Grizzly, but then I don't intend to sell it, so that's moot. In the end, it was easier for me to talk the wife into letting me spend $720, then just start nickel and diming the budget until I got everything I needed, rather than to hit her with a bill for $4,000 all at one time.:whistle:

Good luck.

 

[Tanshanomi]

You do know that a grizzly SB is an Asian lathe?

Cheers Phil

Yes, I do know it's Asian. I'm considering it because I've read good things (mostly) from owners, not because the SB name has been slapped on it.

 

[Tanshanomi]

Another issue for me is the difficulty cutting metric threads on some of those old American standard lathes. Working with imported motorcycles, that's a biggie.

 

[silence dogood]

There is more than whether a lathe is old or new. If the tooling is hard to get or worse does not exist, that lathe is very limited. I looked at the 7" but decided to get a Lathemaster 8x14 over a hf 8x12 because the Lathemaster came with a lot more tooling even though it cost more. The nice thing about this lathe was after cleaning the shipping grease and put on the belts, it could cut metal right off. Mostly. My son inherited his grandfather's 9"x 42" Sheldon along with a lot of the tooling. The old man was a machinist and acquired the machine shortly after WII. It was his pride and joy. It was only in his last few years of his life when he was having heart problems did he get sloppy. ( this was the machine that the old man taught his grandson on machining)
Both of us tore down our machines, both of us found some flashing, both of us filed and honed areas that needed it, both of had to clean out some dried grease and or oil, and both of us found bits of metal. I found some paint overspray that actually interfered with the leadscrew. My son repainted his. Both of us have tuned and adjust the machines. And both machines seem to be just fine for what they were built to do.
I will say that the workmanship such as the handwheels on the Sheldon are absolutely beautiful. However. I will not have any qualms on modifying the Lathemaster, which I have already have done.
Conclusion: expect to put in some time and work whether it's old or new.
Mark