Machinist Lathe?

[Revved]

Ok guys... I'm looking for an decently priced machinist lathe. I've got a machine shop that cuts all of my big stuff but they are just killing me when I need small things done quickly. Cutting spacers from round stock, turning small items..etc... you guys know the kind of small stuff we run into building cars that you could knock out in a few minutes if you had a lathe on hand... Precision is top concern obviously but I've got to balance features vs. price as well. Durability is a concern since I'll likely be using this on a regular basis.

The most common items I'll be cutting are spacers out of round stock mostly around .750 or 1.0" dia and 2-3" but maybe as long as 5" on a rare occasion. Largest diameter I can think of was machining a recess in a spacer that was around 6" dia. And on this last project I had him machine a 3" dia, 2" thick pulley spacer out of solid round stock. So nothing too crazy...


I've seen that Baleigh has their small lathe listed on their website for right around a grand but was wondering who owns one and how its holding up?

http://metal.baileighindustrial.com/...lathe-pl-712vs

Their next one up is reasonably priced as well for the size and and market.. Anyone used one of these?

http://metal.baileighindustrial.com/...athe-pl-1022vs

And for about $200 more Jet has one with a stand...

http://www.jettools.com/us/en/p/bd-9...-stand/321155K

I know that for a few more bucks I could pick up some 50 year old monstrosity that would cut everything I could ever think of but space is also a consideration.

[coolwelder62]

Check Grizzy tool's,Enco tools also if you want new,just last month enco had free shipping on everything Jet.I see nice used ones in the KC craigslists all the time.Most of them are too small for what I am looking for.

[Revved]

Any experience with the Grizzly's lathes? Call me a skeptic but I get nervous with off brand stuff I've never used.

I should start shopping KC's craigslist... I've been looking for several months and nothing shows up down here in DFW.

[WSSix]

Can't help answer the question but I'm curious about this info as well.

What I can offer is searchtempest.com if you don't already know about the site. It allows you to search craigslist within a certain radius of a zipcode. Keeps you from having to click on each individual city.

Good luck.

[GregWeld]

Grizzly is offshore -- but they have stuff from tiny and cheap to big and expensive. Like most machine tools - it depends on what you want to do with them and the tolerances you need.

I can tell you from experience -- you'll be very sorry with stuff in that $1,000 and 1 to 2 hp range whether it's a mill - lathe - or band saw... You're better off buying used and getting way better stuff --- because these little machines just don't cut it (that's a pun!).


It's the age old - you get what you pay for.


This is an area you really want to do your research in. But first you need to know what you need it for and how it's going to be used. THEN buy the appropriate machine. It's like a useless compressor... nothing worse than having a compressor that can't run your tools so you can accomplish what it is you set out to do.

[Ruslow]

I agree with Greg you need to look at higher hp machines i started with a 1 hp and if I did a cut of more than.050 if would stall the machine.Now i am at a 10 hp lathe and 5 hp mill.You think the machine is the expense...................... WRONG. the tooling and measuring and set up items will more than double you machine cost.Go to some industrial auctions in your area sometimes the good stuff can be had for a song.Stan