Just my "2 cents"...
To answer the
original question posed by the OP
Avoid vevor. I need say no more other than they are absolute piles of junk with poor QC and zero support.
@dbcallen
You answered your own question within the post that started your thread when you stated:
Honestly, you are better to purchase from a "brick and mortar" that is close to you than an e-seller that has no true interest in customer support or warranty issues.
As a "starter" machine, a 7x is just fine to learn with. You will soon find what you can and can not do, what you want and do not want from a lathe and also it will help you effectively decide which direction you take as regards whether to go bigger or not and all at a reasonable cost that is not going to "break the bank" as the saying goes.
You will also soon learn that the lathe itself will be the least of the investment you make given that tools / tooling and accessories will far outstrip the initial outlay for the machine itself. I am already approaching 5 times the cost of my lathe on tools/tooling and accessories with more to go. (3 jaw, 4 jaw and 6 jaw chucks, ER32 collet system, QCTP & holders, Milling slides, cutting tools, tailstock tooling, end mills and drills, radius tool, clamp-on carriage stops et-al)
You wil lalso find "upgrades" to add if the basic machine lacks them such as better headstock brearings (either taper roller or angular contact), two half nut conversion (Sieg SC3), large foot tailstock, bushes or bearings for the leadscrew, metal change gears, totary handle for the cross slide and compound slide handwheel, a riser block if you want to improve rigidity by removing the compound slide etc etc etc.
Yes, I own a 7x and whilst it does what I need it to, if I had room for a bigger machine I would purchase one. Yes, I can carry out some basic milling thanks to milling slides. Yes, it DOES need to be bolted down to a solid bench-top to improve rigidity, yes, there are limits to what it can do. I have mine bolted down to 50mm kitchen worktop (countertop to those in the USA).
Have I run into any limits? Yes. The 7" swing is a limit. The through bore can be and is a limit to me, but I find new ways to get around the bore limit each time I bump up against it (not often). I have fitted the "extended cross slide" mod kit from LMS. yes, it is a BIG improvement. I have also removed the splashguard pending making some spacers as the cross slides runs into it before full travel is reached.
There is a VAST amount that can be done to improve a 7x and whilst you do that, you are learning about machining, about setup of the lathe and other things besides such as best order of operations.
One thing my late father told me and it proved true was "if you can successfully machine stainless steel, you can machine most materials". He was taught by a time served engineer with his own machine shop.
REGARDING USED MACHINES
IF you decide to go for a used machine, do NOT rely on a sellers description. Do some research and take someone with you who knows how to properly and fully check over a machine. You really do not want to spend money on what turns out to be a worn out pile of scrap metal parading as a machine. You will thank yourself later, even if it costs a few notes to get that help, it will potentially save you hundreds or more and save you from wasting your hard-earned money, or, it could land you a steal of a deal depending on the machine price point.
I have always walked away from any machine that displays abuse or serious neglect as they are always a cause for trouble, excessive work or expense.
littlemachineshop.com
