Choosing a Lathe? Advice?

Hey everybody!

I would really like to try my hand at using a lathe. Not to try to completely fabricate my own hosts but to begin to learn how to make a physical impression of my ideas. For me to make a whole host I would have to learn how to tap threads and all kinds of complicated things.

I want to get a small lathe that can do up to 10-12 inches or so in length. I would like to be able to cut brass, aluminum, nickel, steel, etc. I don't have much to spend on a lathe though so I was hoping some of the machinists could give me an idea of what a decent budget lathe would run.

Thanks,
Isaac

I went through this same process a while ago. I was never impressed with the quality and performance of those mini lathes that are popular now. When seeing one in store it didn't look, or feel ridged enough to last very long. When it comes to tools I try to buy things that will last me for life.

If you can afford it (cost & space) get a proper lathe, this is the one I ended up getting. Grizzly.com

If you have to pick a mini lathe this site has lots of info. Mini Lathe Comparison - LittleMachineShop.com

Good to know...also, how DOES thread tapping work?

The only reason I am curious now is that a guy came into my work the other day and we got to talking and he showed me some lathes on ebay for a nicely budget sum. I always thought they were 1500 dollars or so and it piqued my curiousity.

I have a Harbor Freight lathe. It isn't as good as the big $ machines but if you limit cutting depths and use good tool bits, it makes stuff for me. I have never attempted to thread on a lathe unless I have a tap in the tail stock !!!
HMike

Yep exactly what Mike said, you can make the cheap harbor freight lathes work just fine but instead of making a .030" cut you'll have to make a .010" cut, it will take
longer but it will not cost you as much and since you don't have a production schedule to keep up with the extra time it will take you to make something is not a big deal.

You will find if you do it for very long (more than a week) that it is not the cost of the lathe that will bank-rob you but the cost of all the stuff that goes along with it

Have fun and keep your fingers outa the chuck while it's spinning :cryyy:

RIGHT -- Take the chuck wrench out before
you turn it on :-(
HMike

Flaminpyro said:

You will find if you do it for very long (more than a week) that it is not the cost of the lathe that will bank-rob you but the cost of all the stuff that goes along with it

Click to expand...

That's for sure. All the knurling, tooling, threading, cutoff ect. bits will cost quite a bit. I've yet to spring for the quick change post though

@OP remember to add on about $50-$100 for a basic tooling set if you plan to buy a lathe.

I don't think these small lathes can take the force needed for knurling
unless the metal is really soft. Quick change is nice to have. I also bought
a steady rest for mine. I have a 7x10"
HMike