Lathe Suggestions?

[Dishonor39]

I recently have been tinkering with various projects and I am getting to the point that I am going to need a lathe. Seeing how this is going to be a major investment, I figured I would ask around and see what some other people recommend. The biggest project I plan on doing with this lathe would be something like 6-8" in length, and no larger than 4" in diameter. The 4" in diameter might actually be more generous than I actually need, however that is the one dimension I might want larger, later on. I do not see ever needing a lathe to work on an item longer than 8". Does anyone have any suggestions or experience in this department that could point out a few lathes worth looking at? I am wanting to spend as little as possible while getting something of moderate quality, in other words something from a reputable company. I came across a Shop Fox lathe that I understood to handle 8" long materials for $166 or so I believe. Anyone have any experience with this brand? Thanks in advance.

 

[Al Combs]

Just reading old threads in this forum is a good place to find several threads where people asked that same question already. I Googled Shop Fox just to see what it was. I'm guessing you meant the 6x10 Micro? I can't refer you to anything concerning quality because I never heard anyone mention it before. The new ones on eBay are in the $500-$600 range. If someone was selling one for $166, it must have been in trouble. As for the size, that's a very small lathe. The 10" dimension is with dead centers in both the spindle and tailstock. With chucks on both ends, by the time you put in a drill bit, your 8" piece won't fit. Mini Lathe Reviews is a good place to read about several types of small lathes. Many different companies, but most of them are made by Sieg in China.

Most of the advice I've seen on buying a table top Mini lathe is in the nature of that's what you buy when you just don't have the space for anything larger. The SC2 and the older C2 are good lathes, just small. There have been several people that started with 7x12 Mini's, moved up to the intermediate 8x14 and then ended up with a full size lathe. Shopping on Craigslist can get a full size lathe for $1000. Many times including some tooling. But only you know how far you want to go with the hobby. After you've looked around a bit and have specific questions, I've found the people here to be very knowledgeable and helpful.

 

[tylernt]

I chose the 7x10 mini-lathe because of the wealth of modifications and information about them online. If you choose some other lathe, you're kind of on your own because there's less of a community to draw from.

The 7x10 really has a work envelope of like 4.25x8.5. If you decide on a mini-lathe and have the budget, the 7x12 or 7x14 models are better choices.

Also, understand that the mini-lathe (at least, the one from Harbor Freight) is a pre-assembled kit. The first thing you'll need to do when you get it is disassemble, clean, and then adjust a bunch of things during reassembly.

 

[gadget_lover]

A few things...

1) While the 7x10 sized lathes will do a 4 inch diameter piece, and will fit up to 10 inches between centers, the reality is that you will want a bit more for a big diameter 8 inch light. You will do boring, and it takes some tricks to bore or even drill an 8 inch light because you need another several inches for the drill chuck or boring bar holder.

2) When working with big diameters the lathe has to turn slow. You will have to take pretty shallow cuts on a small lathe.

Smaller lights are quite doable. A 5 inch long cr123 based light is easily worked on a 7x10.

Daniel

 

[tylernt]

You will do boring, and it takes some tricks to bore or even drill an 8 inch light because you need another several inches for the drill chuck or boring bar holder.

Good point, I forgot about that. I usually leave my tailstock off unless I really need it, and I've been meaning to cut some of my larger drill bits in half to make them "screw machine" bits. Having the extra bed length of the 7x12 or 7x14 really helps!

Cutting down a Mag for 1xD or 18650 should be no problem, but after that, as you say, things get difficult. Turning slow isn't a problem, at least for aluminum, though. I bored and turned some 3" 6061 and had no problem turning the speed down low enough.

One tradeoff I accept on a mini-lathe is materials. I plan to turn 6061 and 7075 aluminum, C360 brass, sulfur/tellurium copper, 303 and 416 stainless, 1018 mild steel, and 12L14 leaded steel. Other materials like 304 / 316 stainless and titanium, I just won't even bother to try (well maybe some free-machining titanium, just once, just for giggles). I recognize it has limitations, but I'm happy with the compromise (the main benefit being, more $$$ for tooling and metal stock).

 

[will]

Keep in mind, the 2D Maglite will not fit into the chuck of the mini lathe, if you cut down the body, you will need the steady rest attachment . this will hold the end of the body steady, The next problem is that you will end up with is the carriage all the way at the end, leaving little room for the inside threading tool.

I have a 7 x 10 ENCO lathe, I have done a lot of work with this lathe. Stick with aluminum and brass, forget about the harder metals. With a lathe, bigger is always better....

 

[moderator007]

As a HF 8x14 owner I have cut many mags down and rethreaded with it. I have cut some pretty hefty steel pieces with it and it does quite well. Not as good as a big lathe but is able to do it. Seems pretty rigid as long as you dont get carried away with your cuts. Lathe master sells the same lathe with alot more accessories. HF has had a big price increase on the 8x14 since I purchased mine. The lathe master maybe the better buy with all the accessories. The 8x14 is a much more rigid machine that the 7x10 mini lathes. It weighs in at around 200lbs. The 7x10 weighs in about 80lbs. (No flame intended to the 7x10 owners). :)

I read lots of reviews before I purchased. People kept making the comment ready to run right out of the box. While it was pretty good right out of the box there is always things you can do to improve accuracy and useability. I have spent many hours improving the lathe. Much better than it was right out of the box. More than likely you will need to do some work on any machine you buy to improve the performance of the machine.

I would try to get as big as lathe as my space or wallet could stand within reason. If you think one size will probably work for you. Move up to the next size machine to make sure, if you can. It's always better to have a bigger lathe for the job than it is to have to small of one for the job. Just my two cents. I know I have quickly out grown the 8x14. And soon as my wallet will allow I'll be moving on up to a PM 1236.:naughty:

 

[tylernt]

The 8x14 is a much more rigid machine that the 7x10 mini lathes. It weighs in at around 200lbs. The 7x10 weighs in about 80lbs. (No flame intended to the 7x10 owners). :)

None taken. :) I seriously considered the 8x -- it is, as you note, superior in many ways -- but the 7x's variable speed motor was a big win for me.

 

[350xfire]

$166 lathe is a wood lathe.
For 4" by 8" material I prefer to use something in the 10-12x size. The 7 and 8x lathes are pretty small! Once you run a big lathe you realize the benefits...

 

[kuksul08]

I have a 12x36 metal lathe and the spindle bore has already been a big limiting factor for me. It is 1.5" diameter. I'd recommend a lathe with at least this bore size if it's in your price range.

 

[will]

The 7x10 weighs in about 80lbs. (No flame intended to the 7x10 owners). :)

The 80 pounds lets me move it around in my small shop easily. I originally purchased to make/repair parts for some of my HO trains, bearings and the like. Got it off ebay for under around $200. I then discovered I could do a lot of 'flashlight' stuff as well.

 

[precisionworks]

spindle bore has already been a big limiting factor for me. It is 1.5" diameter. I'd recommend a lathe with at least this bore size

+1
You'll need "an inch & a half through the head" to do a lot of larger work. Been that way since forever. Quite a few lights need an even larger bore if you use any type of fixture. All of the flashlight boring on my lathe is done with the light held in a machined-to-fit Delrin soft jaw fixture. Surefires run about 1" (25.4mm) tube diameter & the fixture diameter is 2" (50.8mm).

As the photo above clearly shows there is barely room to pass a 2" fixture through the 8" 3-jaw chuck (the 10" 4-jaw has a much larger bore). The pineapple-clone body is not nearly as large as many other lights.

 

[350xfire]

Main trhing to get out of this is that bigger is better! However, I know there is so much you want to pay. So, may be start small and work your way up as needed. I started with an 8x, moved to a 12x and ended with a 13x. The problem with the 13x was the 1 1/8" bore the 12x had 1.5"... I do mostly dive light conversions so my barrels are pretty short and mostly fit within the chuck so that was not a problem for me. I did however, have to trim thicker pieces into smaller pieces to machine, this creates more waste since you can't chuck up a 1.5" bar that is, say 24" long.