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Any true inch benchtop lathes available? (must be under 350 pounds)

jscpm

Titanium
Joined
May 4, 2010
Location
Cambridge, MA
I am looking for a benchtop imperial lathe with at least a 6" swing, better 8" swing, 1 HP, under 350 pounds, and it is hard to find a machine in that class. All of the Sharp/Viktor etc are 12" lathes and not really benchtop lathes.

There are some German makes such as Schaublin and WABECO that have benchtop lathes, but they both appear to be metric only lathes. The WABECO comes in an inch version, but it is just markings I think. All the gears, lead screw, etc, appear to be metric in the "inch" version, so it is not really an inch lathe.
 
Budget?

The WABECO looks pretty nice for a mini-lathe. If you accept leadscrew reversing for threading then I don't know that it's much different running a metric lathe w/ metric screws than an english one. You'll just have to get a feel for metric feed rates, otherwise hitting 1.018" isnt any different that hitting 25.85mm, just numbers. If the screws don't match the handwheels then that is really annoying.
 
I am looking for a benchtop imperial lathe with at least a 6" swing, better 8" swing, 1 HP, under 350 pounds, and it is hard to find a machine in that class. All of the Sharp/Viktor etc are 12" lathes and not really benchtop lathes.

There are some German makes such as Schaublin and WABECO that have benchtop lathes, but they both appear to be metric only lathes. The WABECO comes in an inch version, but it is just markings I think. All the gears, lead screw, etc, appear to be metric in the "inch" version, so it is not really an inch lathe.

There has just GOT to be a story behind this request.....
 
The Rivett is an antique lathe. I am looking for a lathe that is new and still being supported by the manufacturer.

My budget is pretty open ended. I am willing to go to maybe $30,000 or more. The WABECO is like $10,000 I think if you include all the accessories.

I guess if I have to I will get the WABECO, but my experience with metric lead screws is that you never get that perfect fit the way you do with real inch gears and an imperial lead screw. Of course, the lathe can be reworked with real inch stuff, but then you get into having custom lead screws made and all that kind of things which takes time and money. I don't mind doing it, but it would make my life simpler if I could just find an imperial benchtop, which seems to be an extinct species.
 
Check out the PM-1022 or PM-1030 by Precision Matthews. It’s a true inch pitch machine. I have a 1030 w/ DRO and I like it. It’s kind of a drag having to change gears manually when you want to cut threads, but you get used to it. It’s a hell of a lot cheaper than the other ones you suggested as it’s considered more of a hobbyist lathe, but it’s still pretty accurate. Just my two cents.
 
Just a followup.

I did talk to the US rep for WABECO today and he said the inch version of the lathe does indeed have a true inch lead screw, so the WABECO D6000 might be the way to go. It seems to be a pretty nice lathe. Even has a stock milling attachment.
 
If your budget is $30k and the WABECO is $10k you got $20 k to pay someone for an imperial leadscrew and misc.
 
The Maximat lathes had a good reputation as pro-sumer type lathes, however, I don't think they are in production anymore are they?

Considering the Precision Matthews, that type of Taiwanese lathe is sold by a lot of vendors, notably Grizzly. The Grizzly lineup shows all the different versions, including the 8" version that is kind in the class I am looking for. My only concern about these Taiwanese lathes is that they are not super high quality. For example, they don't have tumbler reverse. Also, people who get them, say they often need to be adjusted and modified to get to a working state, and even then getting good precision is elusive. I was willing to go that route if I had no other option, but with the WABECO inch version, I might have a significantly better quality (at a price, of course).
 
You’re not wrong about the Chinese lathes. The one I have has some issues, but it still suits my needs. If it’s in your budget to go with Wabeco, I’d say do it! Hope it gets you where you need to go.
 
I am looking for a benchtop imperial lathe with at least a 6" swing, better 8" swing, 1 HP, under 350 pounds, and it is hard to find a machine in that class. All of the Sharp/Viktor etc are 12" lathes and not really benchtop lathes.

There are some German makes such as Schaublin and WABECO that have benchtop lathes, but they both appear to be metric only lathes. The WABECO comes in an inch version, but it is just markings I think. All the gears, lead screw, etc, appear to be metric in the "inch" version, so it is not really an inch lathe.


PM Dutch member PeterVE had a benchtop Weiler Primus lathe for sale, but its sold. You could ask him if he can source you a Primus benchtop. The Weiler would be a superior machine to the Wabeco.

No idea on weight, which might be an issue as it looks like it weighs over 350lbs.

Toolroom lathe Weiler Primus with milling attachment | Veltman Machines
 
an HLV is not really a benchtop lathe, it is 1800 lbs but meets all other criteria

that was my first thought, but the gentleman here wants it to weigh in below 350 pounds, which is quite odd of a requirement, but, anyway, a refurbished HLV with improvised drive mechanism (vfd to get rid of the reeves drive) without the bench would still be about twice as that

I haven't handled HLV, but having stripped down and put together my HLV-H, the bed alone minus the dovetail was probably close to 350, but since the HLV is narrower, it might be a little lighter there, but the spindle housing and saddle, not to mention the tailstock, would still add up to another 300-350, and then you'll need to hang the spindle motor below the bench somehow... it would be quite a project, and OP seems to want to avoid projects and go straight to making parts

that "German" Wabeco looks oddly similar to the generic Chinese/Taiwanese ones in the 1-2k$ range, but one significant improvement over the cheap ones seems to be that the bed casting goes all the way to the feed gears, the cheap ones have a "cutout" under the spindle housing that turns the box shape into a "T", supposedly to fit the spindle motor closer and make the thing more compact, but that cutout makes the bed significantly less rigid, good to see that Wabeco don't seem to have done that (according the pic I could find of it), but 10k for that... it would have to be someone elses money if I had to pay that amount for this sort of machine...

35878.jpg

p.s. that picture comes from this Russian thread - Wabeco D6000 - Страница 13 - Импортные токарные станки - Металлический форум , take a very close look at the pictures in the last page - shims under headstock for alignment... and something else the new "happy" owner had to do to make it work for him, if you have trouble translating it yourself and want to know details, ask, I'll translate it
 

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might have to do with the funding source, there might be requirement that the machine has to be new and with warranty etc.
 
What's wrong with a 9" model A southbend? Real inch. Benchtop. Less than 350.

Maybe he has to operate out of an Airstream "Micro-trailer or a freakin' pup-tent?

A budget of 30 large invested in a decent dividend equity, and Joe Average Hobbyguyski could HIRE his small parts made on dead-nuts accurate CNC goods!

Otherwise .. yazz a pre-war Pratt & Whitney, Ames, Wade, Stark, ... or any Hardinge from "Cateract era" to the bitter end of still made-in-USA.

Budget of 30 large?

Might bet you could find a fully-restored Holbook and have it shipped, UK to USA?

350 lbs? I know PEOPLE as weigh more than that, still walk about without falling through the floor.

:D
 
What's wrong with a 9" model A southbend? Real inch. Benchtop. Less than 350.

I could give you a list of things that I don’t like about my v belt 9” SB lathe. But sell it and replace it with one of the similar sized new lathes on market now? Heck no. Gets used several times a week even though I have three other bigger better condition lathes. Sometimes ease of use wins.

I am curious why the OP is willing to spend that much for a small lathe and can’t seem to find what he needs.

L7
 
With that budget hire someone to go through an older lathe and rebuild it for you. Not factory rebuilt but close enough and under say $15,000 for the restoration.
I believe Monarch will rebuild a lathe to factory new measurements here in the usa.
Bill D
 








 
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