What's new
What's new

Lathe shopping .... thoughts?

mscott

Plastic
Joined
Jan 29, 2011
Location
Central Ohio
I've decided to add a lathe to my shop and found this forum. I'm not in or going into busuness ..... this is just for my own hobby. I'd like to take care of threading my own barrels and possibly make a couple of form 1 suppressors. So far I've found these on Craig's List that are close enough.
ATLAS Metal Lathe
South Bend Lathe

I realize you can't say much without being there, but am I looking at adequate machines? The prices seem fair to me, but I'm just getting started in my shopping. My budget is about $1,000.
 
Both work well in shop with firearms
I use a south bend 9" I have owned lathe that would swing 48" and 200" cc. I also ran lathe with swing of 112" x 300" cc.
Larger the the lathe the more work, space and cost. It best to size the lathe for your work. If you are just working on hand gun a small 7 x 12 will work. If you plan on working on blackpowder rilfe get a a 36" cc lathe. Both lathes you are listing will do all the work for a gunsmith. A larger hole lathe is nice but the cost just goes up and the one or two time you may need that size its just not worth the space just sub out and save your money.

Dave

I've decided to add a lathe to my shop and found this forum. I'm not in or going into busuness ..... this is just for my own hobby. I'd like to take care of threading my own barrels and possibly make a couple of form 1 suppressors. So far I've found these on Craig's List that are close enough.
ATLAS Metal Lathe
South Bend Lathe

I realize you can't say much without being there, but am I looking at adequate machines? The prices seem fair to me, but I'm just getting started in my shopping. My budget is about $1,000.
 
spend alittle more now and be happier later on down the road, I'm going to suggest looking at the grizzly lathes, everyone gives the made in china lathes a bad rap, I'm very happy with mine, I've cut and fit a bunch of barrels with it and never had any problems, the barrels shoot like lasers - that's all that matters to me. just make sure you get one big enough to do the job.
 
Thanks for the replies. Looks like I've found a SB Heavy 10, so that should take care of what I need machine-wise. I'll need to find a 4 jaw chuck for it and some tooloing of course, but I'm really looking foreward to it.
 
The heavy 10 will do what you want, no problem. I no longer have a 10 but I have some parts. If you need something, give me a shout. If I got it, pay the shipping and its yours. Where are you in Ohio. I am about 10 mile West of Springfield. Kenny
 
I'm in Howard, which is about an hour East of Columbus. It's not in my posession yet, but I'll pick it up next weekend. I'll be needing a 4 jaw chuck and some cutting tools, but could use some advice there. Where is a good place to order from? I only know of Grizzly and really don't trust Google search results. I'll be looking to do some threading work both internal and external. I'd guess some boring bars, dial indicators, and such. It was recomended that I buy a book from South Bend "How To Run A Lathe". Any others I should look at? I already have the Machinery Handbook on CD. Any advice would be greatly appreciated so I don't end up buying a bunch of junk that won't do what I need.
 
I would check MSC, McMaster Carr, Enco, and Brownells. The Heavy 10 with good headstock bushings are excellent chambering lathes. You can probably save a bunch on tooling on Ebay. Is your chuck a screw on or D1-3 or D1-4? You need to know this when looking for a chuck.
I would buy tools as you actually need them. You could end up with money in items that you won't use.
Butch
 
Got it into place yesterday. Now it's time to get a 4 jaw chuck, some tooloing, and enjoy it.

sb1.jpg
 
If it is in as good of shape as the picture shows--you got a really nice lathe and "enjoy" is a classic understatement---you gonna be smiling plum down to your gizzard.
 
Thanks for the replies. Looks like I've found a SB Heavy 10, so that should take care of what I need machine-wise. I'll need to find a 4 jaw chuck for it and some tooloing of course, but I'm really looking foreward to it.

That looks "really good". You will love the collet holder for making bedding pillars, bedding alignment studs, etc. It has the micrometer carriage stop too, a very handy accessory. A decent condition Heavy 10 is a great hobby gunsmithing lathe. You will need to cross drill the back end of the spindle for spider bolts and you are right, you need a good 4J chuck. You will need some other tooling as well, but you are off to a good start.

Fitch
 
This tread is so close to being me!!

I too have just recently purchased a 1974 SBL 13X40 for only hobby gunsmith activities. The lathe is in museum shape with serial numbers 14649TKX(with a hardened bed). I took vocational machine shop training about 1968 for two years and actually worked in the field for a couple years before going back to school so have a lot to try and remember and probable more to learn than I ever knew.

The fellow who sold me the lathe and the 1980 or so Bridgeport 48 inch milling machine told me to get involved with this web site. I have only read and listened up to now, but had to get into this tread, seeing as to how it is pretty close to my situation. I am in the process of setting up my shop.

My shooting interests are in 1000 yard heavy and light gun shooting here in Tucson, Az. The spindle on my lathe as you all know is 1 3/8" so the rifle barrel blanks will not fit thru my spindle ( blanks are mostly 1.450"). So I am going to have to use a steady rest for chambering those barrels. I have no chambering experience especially with a steady rest. Some of the light gun barrels will fit thru the spindle however. I'm trying to learn about steady rest for this purpose as well as the "spider" for the smaller barrels. The spider is something I also do not have. I would apprciate any and all advise you folks can send my way! Thanks in advance "lucky prospector" aka Dan Redford
 
My main focus at first will be threading barrels and such, which I know I need a good 4 jaw chuck. I found a new 6" Cushman 4 jaw for $175, which seems like a good deal from what I've found. Is it that much better than the $80 ones everyone else sells like Grizzly?
 








 
Back
Top