Thoughts on Mini-Lathes

C

CraigH

H-M Supporter - Silver Member
H-M Supporter - Silver Member
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The 7x mini-lathe has now been available for quite some time - well over 20 years which is about when I bought my first - Homier 7x12. (A personal aside - after being lathe-less for a few years, I was going to get a 9x20, but got a good deal on a 7x16 and went that direction - poor decision.) BTW, does anyone really and truly know where the 7x mini-lathe was developed? By "7x mini-lathe" I mean the 7 inch, electronically controlled spindle speed, Chinese/Asian lathe as we know it. And not the Craftsman/Atlas 6x18, various watchmaker lathes, and etc. Neither Frank Hoose (mini-lathe.com) or Chris Wood (LMS) could provide authentic information in this regard.

Not much has really changed on 7x despite advertising hype. The only significant change is the brushless motor and the 4 inch spindle, and the latter, in certain size situation, is not best. The rest are just minor things of marginal significance. And, IMO, quality has not improved - perhaps a bit worse. Certainly my experience. Manufacturer inertia (a body at rest tends to stay at rest) provides that there will be no serious improvements. And I only refer to items that would not upset the 7x size platform or aftermarket support - such as bed rigidity (more bracing), headstock rigidity (and 4-bolt attachment - as I have done), and tailstock rigidity. I have always noticed that the tailstock is taller than its length - not a good formula.

But a true improvement would be a completely new bed with wider ways with dual V's, and much better bracing in the motor area. Some of the 8x lathes make some improvements in this area. The 8x lathes have been "received" into the mini-lathe definition. I am of two minds on that, but it is the current situation. The 8x lathes with the 1 3/8 inch (nominal) spindle through hole and 50% more weight really become a more capable machine. That is of course my opinion as one does not stop by Walmart to examine one.

I expect we all occasionally, or often, take on work that is larger than the designers of the mini-lathe had intended. And I paraphrase a statement by one wag that said; "A cantankerous, troublesome mini-lathe is better than no lathe at all". I must agree as I, quite some years ago, built a Sparey 5cc engine with my first 7x lathe - a Homier 7x12.
 
Had a 7x mini-lathe many years ago. I quickly grew out of it. My current one is a (now discontinued) SB1001 8x lathe. It was pricey, keeping those screaming for better 'mini-lathes' away, but that wasn't surprising. The lathe has almost 20" between centers, a 6" wide 3-v bed, D1-3 chuck mount, and weighs over 300 lbs.. The spindle bore is a bit small (just over 1"), but my 5" set true 3-jaw chuck has a big enough bore to help compensate for that.

It's not my old PM13x40GT, but it will do what I need.
 
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I'm guessing whilst people with little to no machining experience find it hard to get good, credible information about the Chinese mini-lathe, the janky, unfinished, 'kit preassembled for shipping convenience" mini-lathe will continue to be sold as it currently exists.

They'll watch people like Steve Jordan, Artisan Makes, We Can Do That Better on YouTube, doing quite respectable operations on Chinese mini-lathes and lump all the sensible "be patient and try to find a secondhand smaller lathe from a quality manufacturer" advice in with the silly old men utterly dismissing the mini-lathe as useless toys and assume anybody who sounds a note of caution as an elitist.

You can wrestle the 'better' Chinese mini-lathes into a decent enough machine tool, albeit one with limitations but it takes time, commitment money and often more effort than many beginners are happy to put in. That effort will teach one a lot but it's arguable whether the education couldn't have been got less frustratingly with something like an ML7 or SB9.

This 'ere forum is probably the only place I've ever seen that has a healthy attitude to members who have mini-lathes but it's a bit of a hidden gem (which has its upsides)
 
Thank you for your comments on the SB1001, Bill.

I do recall this lathe on the Grizzly website and that it was initially quite expensive there. Not having a threading gear box at its introduction made my hesitant. But current web searches indicate it came down in price substantially to under $2,000 before being discontinued. I was not in the market at that time thought.

I just looked at the SB1001 manual. Its belt drive system is interesting if a bit complex. Just something to learn and use. Some components have a passing resemblance to Grizzly 10 inch lathes. Without looking up the weights, I think the SB1001 is closer the the Grizzly 10 inch than the Grizzly 9 inch.

I should think it is a rather quiet, smooth running machine and worth the price.
 
This debate has been going on for decades: "can't they build a decent hobby lathe?"
Well, yes they can but not enough people would buy it. With the 7X they seem to have hit the sweet spot
and it sells in enough volume to be self-perpetuating. It's a pile, but a more or less fixable pile.
Some people enjoy the challenge of fixing them up, it's part of the fun. It would be better if they could
improve the motors and speed controls somewhat since the fun stops if the motor goes out

Also it would be nice if they used more standard drive belts
 
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I've seen nothing but rumors on the source of the design. One of the more interesting was that is was developed from a small Soviet lathe meant for light duty field repairs. As with most of the origin rumors though there was nothing to back up that claim.

I do find it odd that so many other designs can be traced back to their start, Boxford and Hercus to South Bend, the 9x20 to Enco, but it is difficult to even trace the minor side developments of the 7x lathes (Real Bull vs Sieg).


I think it would be interesting to see a better quality 7x lathe, but based on existing machines I suspect even limiting the improvements to better materials, finishing and quality control would push the price upwards of $2000.

I'd suggest looking at the larger Little Machine Shop lathe, their LMS 7500 8.5x20" as a possible example of what could be. Likely the smallest current lathe with power cross feed, but at a price of $2700 you don't find many in the wild.
 
I have seen some very impressive non-trivial upgrades on the 7x. The latest viewed is a build up of the bed weak area in the left-rear - where the motor resides.

The LMS 7500 -- at the price most would probably opt for a larger Grizzly. No data, but just my thoughts.
 
markba633csi said:
This debate has been going on for decades: "can't they build a decent hobby lathe?"
Well, yes they can but not enough people would buy it. With the 7X they seem to have hit the sweet spot
and it sells in enough volume to be self-perpetuating. It's a pile, but a more or less fixable pile.
Click to expand...

I suspect a big part of that is also, once you hit $2000-3000 the people who want a small lathe and have that kind of budget have some very high quality options in vintage tool and clock makers lathes Hardinge Cataract, Rivett, Schaublin, Wade etc.
 
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