Inexpensive lathes

Hi, I am new here but have been getting a lot of great feedback from the folks at the South Bend forum. I am wanting to buy a metal lathe and found a SBL 10L. The consensus is that the 2100.00 price tag might be a little steep for what it comes with. I am not a lathe restorer or collector, and do not use one a lot. I build tactical robots in my spare time and need one for making bushings, sleeves, axles, etc. The SBL I found is local but I am concerned about the condition. I am not apposed to buying a new one, but I cannot afford an expesive one. I am looking at 2500.00 - 3000.00. I was afraid to mention the words JET, Birmingham, Central Machinery, and so on on that forum. I got buy for the last 5 years with a Shoptask 3-1 machine but need something with a longer bed. I am looking at a a 12 X 36 or a 13 X 40. Has anyone had any experience wit these off brand machines that can point me towards or away from one or the other? Thanks, Mike

Hi Gadgets

I have the HF 12x36 lathe. I've been very happy with it for what it is. Someday I'll get a better lathe but plan on keeping this one as a collet lathe. It's a light lathe so you can't do heavy hogging. For what your doing it sould be fine. Just so you know the cast iron disease is very addictive . Theres always a accessory or better machine you want but it can be very satisfactory also.

Good luck, Jon

It's true that the old classic lathes have better construction than modern imports but the reality is that the imports are plenty good enough nowadays and good older lathes usually have wear on their ways. You are going to get a lot better result on a lathe with straight ways.

In terms of brands Jet tends to have the worst reputation. On the better end is Grizzly. The lathes tend to be similar since they all come from the same factories in China, but Grizzly has great service. If you have a problem it can save hours of your time if you have a seller who stands behind their stuff.

For example, you might want to consider the Grizzly G4016. This 13x40 geared lathe has ample capacity for what you doing. You can get exactly the same lathe from any number of places, like Gromax or Harbor Freight, for example, for the same amount of money, but Grizzly will probably give you better service.

If you are desparate for the very best you can try to luck out on eBay and try to find a middle-aged tool room lathe for under $3,000 but that will be hard to find and you are risking buying something that may have a difficult to correct problem.

One trick if you're looking for older iron is to look at larger lathes. South bend 9s and 10s sell for more money than 13s, 14s or 16s. If you have the space and the ability to move them, the larger lathes are often a better buy.

I'd say put out a posting on craigslist. Explain what you want to do, what you need, and why. I did that, and lo and behold, I got an 8x36" knee milling machine for $70, including transport, and a 13x44" South Bend lathe with all original accessories (except follow rest) for *FREE*. The guy even helped me transport it.

I have a Jet 14 x 40 and have been very happy with it. I do not want to restore a lathe that is a part of my working shop. When I get more room, I made rebuild one.

I have been very happy with Jet and have a jet Knee Mill. The only problems I have using the lathe is me, not the lathe.

I also ahve a HF 7 x 10, it's a good little lathe, you just have to understand it is a small lathe. Like most factory machines being stock from the factory is not going to happen to most of us, so my HF lathe has a 5 inch chuck, new tool holder and a few other improvements.

Jerry

Hey Guys, thanks for the input. I think you all for the most part told me what I wanted to hear. Although I would like to buy american I probably cannot justify it, let alone afford it. It sounds like those of you that have the foreign made lathes are happy with them. I am one of those that service sells. My concern is getting a precision lathe. I need some pretty close tolerances. I like the Grizzly idea for the service. It just so happens that HF is opening a store near me soon. Thanks for the help, Mike

One trick if you're looking for older iron is to look at larger lathes. South bend 9s and 10s sell for more money than 13s, 14s or 16s. If you have the space and the ability to move them, the larger lathes are often a better buy.
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words of wisdom.

you don't mention space requirements...anyway
a sbl 13,14,16 inch with chucks,steady and taper
can be easily had for +/-$1500.
figure on a sloppy one for $900, a tight and
clean one for $2000. i have a 16/24 i paid 1800
for. it was filthy when i bought it, but i
spent a few hours with a wire wheel, m.e.k. and
a master precision level...+ a 5hp baldor motor
and some elbow grease.

the most critical issue on a long sbl is
leveling the bed .

if you skip that step......you will be disappointed!
before leveling i had finishes like gargoyle
vomit. after tweaking with a borrowed m.p.l...
i can see my ugly face in the mirror finish.

south bend...'70-80's sheldon, cincinnati ,
leblond regals, graziano , ...........\
can be had for little money if you shop wisely.

china junk may or may not clean up like you wish it would.
i'm not bad mouthing chinese machine tools in general,
...it's just that you can clean up abused american
or european iron... but if something starts out as
a p.o.s. , it's pointless trying to remedy a
no fix situation.
good luck.

If you don't need to thread, or to turn
long parts with power feeds, you could
consider a hardinge toolmaker's lathe like
this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1267&item=7519681888&rd=1

5C collet setup, 3 and 4 jaw chuck, etc, two
speed belt change motor, 3~.

At 1600 you would still have 500 bucks left
for an aloris toopost and to pay the shipping
charges.

This is just to illustrate the stuff that's
out there. It's a big ocean, lots of fish.

Jim

JR, that Hardinge on eBay is an ancient model, probably got Egytian heirogryhics on the nameplate...just gussied up with some new porch paint.

He could get a proper 1980's Hardinge DV-59 for about that at many dealers and for sure at auction. Heck, even a 1970's Hardinge HLV without threading can be bought at most auctions in the less than $2K range...I onced passed up a perfectly decent one, allbeit dirty and ugly, for 500 bucks !

Hmm. I was going to say that the paint was
original, but closer investigation reveals you
are correct, it's a repaint. The tip-off
is the paint on the hubs of the speed change
handles. The originals were plain, not painted:



Which has factory original paint. Honestly it
shows a bit greener than the photo lets on to,
which explaines my mistaking that repaint for
original.

Hard to tell about the bed on the ebay one, but
it looks OK from across the room. The
cross slide is the version with direct reading
steel dials, and was the precursor to the one
with ivory dials and the little magnifier window.
If the lead screws and ways are OK it would do
tolerably good service.

The advantage of a lathe like that (IF it's
in good shape, more on that momentarily) is
that it's got a solid, rugged spindle that
takes 5C collets right in the nose, directly.
Granted it's not variable speed but I've found
that mine with step pulleys works just fine.
The electrical switchgear is top-grade quality
stuff.

What could be wrong?

1) spindle bearings could be bad

2) somebody could have monkeyed with the
electrics,

3) the compound slide could be real worn, or with
badly worn lead screws.

Any one of those problems would cost more to
fix than the machine sells for. An on-site
personal inspection is of course always the best.

My take on the vintage of this machine is
probably about 1960 give or take 5 years.

Jim

Jim,

I agree with you about all of the things that have could be bad on a machine. On site inspection is the only way I would ever buy a used machine. That is a little difficult to do if the lathe is $1500 (or whatever) and its on the other end of the country from me. No saving there.

Jerry

I;ve been known to buy machines, without a
personal on-site inspection, but there's
a few common themes there.

1) sometimes the seller is up-front about a
problem he knows about, and I'm buying with
the idea that I can fix it easily.

2) the overall condition is such that I'm
pretty sure of what the problems are, the
sale is "as is" but the $$ is right.

Jim

Hello, if you can find a standard modern lathe, they are made in .Canada, they say North America. I have seen a couple of them for sale near Toronto, they are asking $4000.00 or best offer and right now the U.S. Dollar is at a 26% premium so that lathe would cost about $3000.00 U.S.
Edgar

Mrx999 said:

Hello, if you can find a standard modern lathe, they are made in .Canada, they say North America. I have seen a couple of them for sale near Toronto, they are asking $4000.00 or best offer and right now the U.S. Dollar is at a 26% premium so that lathe would cost about $3000.00 U.S.
Edgar

Click to expand...

Necrophilia Edgar?

Or did you not notice that this thread had been silent for a dozen years arredy?

Mrx999 said:

Hello, if you can find a standard modern lathe, they are made in .Canada, they say North America. I have seen a couple of them for sale near Toronto, they are asking $4000.00 or best offer and right now the U.S. Dollar is at a 26% premium so that lathe would cost about $3000.00 U.S.
Edgar

Click to expand...

12 year old post, he probably has it sorted by now. We'll probably never know though because he hasn't posted or about 12 years.