Thinking of getting the Precision Matthews 11x27 lathe...

Pcmaker

Pcmaker

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I'm thinking of getting the Precision Matthews 11x27 lathe. Any thoughts and opinions about this machine? It's a big chunk of change... about 4k with the DRO installed. I made the mistake of ordering my mill without DRO, but I'm not making the same mistake again.

Right now, I have the Grizzly 7x12 lathe. It's got some problems with how rigid it is and I'm having problems parting. This 11x27 lathe is just about the most amount of money I'd like to spend on a lathe.

Will this lathe be large enough that I won't have any parting issues? It's a 120v motor, I'm not so sure how much more powerful it is than my current lathe.

https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/pm-1127vf-lb/
 
You may give consideration to the PM-1228 or 1236. They offer more options for very little more (at least for the 1228). Also the PM1127 you need a mess of change gears, it only has 3 selections via the gearbox vs. 15 for the PM-1228. The PM-1228 and 1236 have 2 Hp motors, so a bit more cutting ability. Tough call, all three offer a lot of value for the size, I would read other's experience with these lathes. One place to save is on the DRO install, it is fairly easy on the lathe, so I would recommend saving on the install fee. There are some issues with installing the scale cross slide on the PM1228 because of the location of the gibb's adjustment. There are a number of posting on the install for these lathes.
 
We purchased the 1228 for the shop. Did not get the DRO as all our work on this lathe we have to mic anyways. It is not the main lathe for heavy work. It is for lighter jobs with specific metals. So far it works as expected.

The larger lathe is a Jet BDB-1340 and we turn 0.100” off per pass with no issues, even with it’s pony powered motor!
 
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I learned old school and never really required a DRO but a mill can benefit from them, lathes not so much. IMHO
I would rather put the money in a larger machine.
 
There is some small flex in the compound that makes parting a little bit of an issue. A solid tool post helps a lot there. I part aluminum and 12L14 with the power feed now. I haven't tried parting anything harder.

I really like the 1127 overall. Rigidity is going to be far better than a mini lathe, as well as power. If you don't need the larger work area of a 1236 or similar, or don't have the space, it's a good option. That said, the 1236 preferred package is a lot of machine for the money and it deserves consideration. It also comes with a stand, which can be a bit of cash to buy or build for the smaller machine. It will be a fair bit more rigid as well.

The cross slide DRO scale is a bit annoying to mount. I actually hung it off the back of the machine. The gib adjustment and locks are all right where you want to put the scale. If you have a mill, making the brackets is easy. The longitudinal scale is easy.

As for how useful a DRO is on the lathe, I love it and don't regret installing it at all. I wouldn't say it's as big an issue as on the mill, but the low cost models are worth having in my opinion.
 
I want to know if there are better options than this machine at this price range.

Also, This is close to the biggest machine I can fit in my garage. I don't work on anything too long. I haven't even needed to go halfway into my 7x12.
 
Something may have changed since then, but I think it is the best machine in this size and price range.
 
I only know of Grizzly and Precision Matthews. I've heard of jet, too.
 
ttabbal said:
Something may have changed since then, but I think it is the best machine in this size and price range.
Click to expand...

The Austrian-made Emco Super 11, an 11 X 24, is this size but perhaps not in this class. Can't get them new anymore but if you find a good used one, it is a very good lathe.
 
I am torn between the 11x27 and 12x28

I'd go with the 12x28, but they dont have the pre-installed DRO option.
 
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