- Joined
- Dec 21, 2018
- Messages
- 2,019
Don't give up. Even though there isn't much for used in your area, maybe shipping cost isn't that bad to have a used mill brought in. Look for one coming out of a tech school or community college. I got a used Jet 9x49V that came with a little tooling. It was 12 years old and had never been used in production. It came out of a factory maintenance shop. Needed a new variable speed belt. 2300#s. Made in Taiwan. A way more capable machine than any of the Chinese imports you've been looking at.
OK I'll admit, when it came to finding a lathe, I finally gave up after a year of looking, and bought a new PM 1440HD. It had a few minor issues. It's Chinese after all! Quality Tool took care of what they could and I did a few fixes. It is sturdy, works well, leaks a little oil, been a good machine. The prices have gone up quite a lot in the 8 years I've had it. Be sure and save some money back for tooling.
OK I'll admit, when it came to finding a lathe, I finally gave up after a year of looking, and bought a new PM 1440HD. It had a few minor issues. It's Chinese after all! Quality Tool took care of what they could and I did a few fixes. It is sturdy, works well, leaks a little oil, been a good machine. The prices have gone up quite a lot in the 8 years I've had it. Be sure and save some money back for tooling.