Weighing an upgrade

[kopeck]

So this is kind of a hard question. At what point is a 10L with a basic kit worth more than a well-equipped 9A?

I have an SB 9A, 3 1/2' bed that's in very nice condition. The ways are good, with no ridge or damage. The original paint is still in nice shape; I took it completely apart and cleaned it; new felts the whole deal. The reason I bought this lathe was the condition of it and also how well-equipped it is. I have 3 and 4 jaw chucks, collet drawbar and collets, telescopic steady rest, drive plate and dogs, an STC-105N tool post, and an SB light, all on an SB cabinet. Since then, I've added a follow rest and an SB milling attachment. I knew how much the extras could cost, so when I was shopping, I ensured I got as much as possible with the lathe. Now I have a well-equipped little lathe.

There are two 10Ls for sale not too far away from me. I have not seen them in person, but from what I understand, they're in good condition but will need the usual work (cleaning and felts). They would come with the basics: a chuck, a drive plate, and some dogs. They do have taper attachments, which is nice.

The seller is willing to do some horse trading and use my 9A as a trade-in. We have not worked out the details of what that would mean, but my gut is he's going to value my rig a bit less than his (but I don't know for sure).

I'm a bit nervous about trading as I would be giving up a lot of extras. Now I've never used the STC-105N tool post or the milling attachment (I own a Bridgeport), but the rest of the stuff I have. I also know that those accessories in 10L flavor could cost a bit.

I know people have built adapters to make steady rests from smaller lathes fit a larger one, so I have that option.

The other thing I can do is just purchase the 10L, keep the 9A and fix up/build up the 10L and then trade out.

Sorry for such a long post. Just looking for some thoughts.

K

 

[682bear]

Keep in mind, this opinion is coming from someone who has never used a 9 or 10 inch SB...

But, in my opinion, gaining 1" of swing is not worth trading a 'known' for an 'unknown'. You know what you have now, but the other machine... not so much until you use it enough to know it.

If I were considering this, I would just buy the 10"... then a year from now, maybe sell the one you like the least...

-Bear

 

[kopeck]

Thanks, that's sort of what I'm thinking, too, though I keep going back and forth. It's just a space thing.

For what it's worth, it's a lot more than just a 1" swing. The 10L, or "Heavy 10" is a bigger, heavier machine. The spindle through the hole is quite a lot larger, too (1 3/8" vs 7/8").

K

 

[projectnut]

The time is when you can no longer do the work you want with the smaller machine. It could be that the bore through the headstock is too small for the material you want to turn. The throw is limiting the size of chuck you want to use. The machine doesn't have the speed range you need. The bed is too short for the material you want to turn, or any of a number of other factors.

I had a Seneca Falls Star lathe for close to 20 years before adding another machine to the mix. The Seneca falls machine has a top speed of 620 rpm, a throw of 10", and a 60: bed. The limiting factors were the speed, size of the chuck it could handle, and through hole in the spindle.

I added a Sheldon MW-56P several years ago. It has a 13" throw, 56" bed, speeds infinitely variable up to 2,200 rpm, and a spindle through hole of 1 3/8". Both machines get used regularly within their capacity.

 

[kopeck]

For me, the biggest real-world upgrade is the spindle bore size. That's the most common limitation I run into on my 9A. I've made things work by cutting stock down and dealing with waste or using the tail stock and steady rest.

It would be nice if it were a heavier machine, too. My 9 seems to be very sensitive to feeds and speeds in steel. I think a lot of that is just it not being the most ridged machine in the world (that being said, it was a huge upgrade over my old Atlas). Not that the 10L is going to hold a candle to a Monarch, but everything I've read says the 10L is noticeably sturdier than a 9.

I need to get the details I suppose.

K

 

[markba633csi]

I would keep the 9A and get the 10L. You may need to make a part or two for the "new" machine with the "old" one.

 

[brandon428]

I agree with Kopeck as to the spindle bore size being the biggest delta you'll get with the upgrade. Also worth noting that a 10L gives you access to 5C collets rather than 3C collets. I have a 5C collet chuck that I can use for the larger material, but you need to swap it and it takes a lot more time to change the collets.

I have a 9A (home) and 10L (shop), and ignoring the above, for general use, they're pretty comparable. However, when I have the need to work with large diameter material (3"+ steel), the 10L's robustness starts to come into play.

 

[Reloader1776]

Looks like your 9" already has a quick change gearbox (was my reason for upgrading), so like others have said, unless you need the larger swing, larger through hole, or more rigidity, there may not be much reason to upgrade.

That being said, heavy 10's go for significantly more money in my area, so if you could get a heavy 10 for as much as you sell your 9A for, then it might be a better investment to hold onto going forward.

 

[G-ManBart]

I wouldn't bother trying to use your 9A as part of the deal. The other guy is going to want retail for his 10L and give you wholesale for your 9A.

I'd buy the nicer of the two 10Ls, get it where you're comfortable that it's all good to go then sell the 9A. I've done that with multiple lathes as I've upgraded in size and capability. I have definitely had to make a part or two on the outgoing machine to get an incoming machine finished, so it works out well going that route.

 

[kopeck]

I think you guys are right; if I buy one, I'm keeping the 9A for the time being. The 9A works where one of these new ones might need some cleaning and repair. I don't have a lot of spare time right now, so it could be months before I could start picking away at getting a new machine up to snuff.

I may just stick with the 9A as well. The 10L would be an upgrade, but am I doing enough turning to justify it at the moment?

K