That's a cool lathe! I think you chose well going with a rotary phase converter, since it can power more machines as you expand. I have a South bend 9" lathe I am working with. Still in the learning stage. Youtube is great for learning. I suggest watching Blondihacks and Mrpete222
Go to Ram Products between SW15th and SW19th on Agnew. They have an impressive stock of Kroil. They carry liquid and aerosol versions. I have three different Kroil products from them. Great stuff!!!
Would love to have a lathe (and a few other machinist tools).
Thanks!
As for "Would love to have a lathe..." that's like planting trees. The best time would have been at least 20 years ago. Next best time is today.
The 7x10 & 7x12 mini-lathes from Harbor Freight are not wonderful lathes, but they are USABLE lathes. They're light enough that you can move one by yourself if needed, and can produce good parts if you take the care to make good parts within their work envelope. Right now, there are 3 lathes on craigslist, including two Hardinge lathes that are not a lot more than a few hundred to about twice the cost of a Harbor Freight 7x10, $1000 and $1500 respectively, and one Summit lathe for $4K with tooling. Neither of the Hardinge lathes come with tooling, and you can expect to spend at least as much on tooling as the lathe itself cost. Fortunately, you usually don't need to buy it all at once. You can also make some of what you need.
If you start with the 7x lathe, and build up your tooling slowly as you learn to use the machine, you can upgrade to a larger machine that uses MT3 & MT2 tooling and not spend a dime more on tooling for the same capabilities as your 7x with the exception that your work envelope would expand. If you wanted to move the chuck(s) you'd need new backplates, but you can make your own if you have the right materials stash.
My upgrade if that sort was to buy a $750 Atlas TH42, that is a 10"x24" with a 1-1/2"-8tpi spindle. I also bought a new 6" 4-jaw independent jaw chuck and backplate for it. Could have used the 5" 4-jaw, and 3" 3-jaw chucks on it, but was planning on keeping the 7x10. Until a friend offered to trade his ratty old Unimat and some cash for my 7x10 with enough tooling to be usable. See the SL-1000 photo attached. He gave me enough money on top of the lathe, with 5" 4-jaw & 3" 3-jaw chucks, an OXA QCTP, and a pile centers, cutting tools, and such, to buy the 2nd Unimat. See the second attachment. It's a Unimat DB-200, which is essentially the same as the SL1000. All the SL & DB parts are interchangeable and tooling that fits either will also fit the other. Those were exceptionally good deals for someone with access to larger machines to make stuff for them, though much of what I've made could have been made on the Unimats, too. Just a great deal more slowly. I also got enough money in the deal to buy new belts and bearings for my restoration work on these micro-lathes. And lots of plans for them.
I have lathes much larger than these, but not as good as the ones I mentioned form Craigslist. But the sooner you start, the sooner you'll be able to do what you want with a lathe. I wound up going back to school to relearn what all I'd forgotten from the class I took now very nearly 50 years ago.Attachments
Thanks!
As for "Would love to have a lathe..." that's like planting trees. The best time would have been at least 20 years ago. Next best time is today.
Right now, there are 3 lathes on craigslist, including two Hardinge lathes that are not a lot more than a few hundred to about twice the cost of a Harbor Freight 7x10, $1000 and $1500 respectively, and one Summit lathe for $4K with tooling. Neither of the Hardinge lathes come with tooling, and you can expect to spend at least as much on tooling as the lathe itself cost. Fortunately, you usually don't need to buy it all at once. You can also make some of what you need.
If you start with the 7x lathe, and build up your tooling slowly as you learn to use the machine, you can upgrade to a larger machine that uses MT3 & MT2 tooling and not spend a dime more on tooling for the same capabilities as your 7x with the exception that your work envelope would expand. If you wanted to move the chuck(s) you'd need new backplates, but you can make your own if you have the right materials stash.
He gave me enough money on top of the lathe, with 5" 4-jaw & 3" 3-jaw chucks, an OXA QCTP, and a pile centers, cutting tools, and such, to buy the 2nd Unimat. See the second attachment. It's a Unimat DB-200, which is essentially the same as the SL1000. All the SL & DB parts are interchangeable and tooling that fits either will also fit the other. Those were exceptionally good deals for someone with access to larger machines to make stuff for them, though much of what I've made could have been made on the Unimats, too. Just a great deal more slowly. I also got enough money in the deal to buy new belts and bearings for my restoration work on these micro-lathes. And lots of plans for them.
just looked at the 2 Hardinges , 1 is a Chucker , looks like the spindle is a threaded nose for a chuck ,quick acting collet closer should take 5c collets , has a dovetail bed , threading is usually done with a die head , although many were supplyed with a FOX Thd'ing unit which followed a particular pitch brass or bronze template that was attached at the rear....(diffucult to explain) but thats how this mach threaded , pretty hard to find anything more accurate , the turret is a 6 or 8 position plate that sits on top , tooling for this is easy to make , see old hardinge catalogs....i'ev turned a couple of these into C.N.C's ....WOW parts were like jewlery ....at 1500 could never go wrong with this.....
# 2 is an older split bed hand screw machine / turret lathe.....i was weaned on this machine , turret is 6 position looks like 5/8 holes , should also take 5c collets , front & rear cross slide , threading is done with a die head , a very fast machine to set up & do 1 -1000 pieces on it ....tooling also can be easily made....i would jump on these , even just cleaning them up should bring triple the asking price of 1000 bucks....
The versatility of both machines is uncompromised , those prices are very cheap plus comparing Hardinge machines with others is an absolute ridiculas state of mind.....
That being said i'm not knocking the old South Bends (2 tumblers are a bit later models) the flat belt & Bronze bearings sure make for a vibration free machine.....certainly has its advantages.....but no where near the quality of any Hardinge....
Hope this vidio goes thru , i'm putting primer pockets into one of thousands of C.C.M. cartridges , machine is a later model Hardinge with dove-tail bed .... could do about 120 /hr.....of course primer pocket was 2nd operation after parts came off of B.&.S Auto Screw Machine....
Crazy thing is that you can get one for not a lot more than Harbor Freight's 7x10 mini-lathe.
7 in. x 10 in. Precision Benchtop Mini Lathe
Amazing deals on this 7In X 10In Precision Benchtop Mini Lathe at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
7 in. x 12 in. Precision Benchtop Mini Lathe
Amazing deals on this 7In X 12In Precision Benchtop Mini Lathe at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
I've said they're not bad machines, but they do not compare to any Hardinge. Though it can be a lot easier to blame your failures on the lathe when it's from HF.
Thanks for posting the link for the shop book. I'm going to order it today.I've been a reader and collector of shop hints and tips books most of my life. My favorite is Roy Moungovan's Shop Savvy. Shop Savvy: Tips, Techniques & Jigs for Woodworkers & Metalworkers: Roy Moungovan, Henry Gross: 9780806958002: Amazon.com: Books
He did a lot of stuff with plywood, pop rivets, and rebar, among other things. He said when he got his lathe, he envisioned making steam engines and stuff like that. Never got around to that, but said there were very few weeks where he didn't use the lathe to make a perfect custom washer, or a part to fix or make something else. Called it one of his shop's most useful tools.
I've kept that in mind all these years. Been pretty bummed that I cannot get into the shop to use my machines a bunch the past several weeks. I need a tap handle bigger than my smaller ones, and way smaller than the big one. For a 1/2" NPT tap. Made a tap handle in my high school class.Could do it with hacksaw & files like I did for the T-nut on my AXA-clone toolpost for the Atlas. But I want to finish setting up my Lewis shaper and use that & the lathe. Filing is fine when you must. It can get tedious, though.
I'd rather spend that time refurbishing my SB Heavy 10L...
Got some pretty cool stuff in there, for a guy who does most of his woodworking with cheap plywood.
Crazy thing is that you can get one for not a lot more than Harbor Freight's 7x10 mini-lathe.
7 in. x 10 in. Precision Benchtop Mini Lathe
Amazing deals on this 7In X 10In Precision Benchtop Mini Lathe at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.www.harborfreight.com
7 in. x 12 in. Precision Benchtop Mini Lathe
Amazing deals on this 7In X 12In Precision Benchtop Mini Lathe at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
I've said they're not bad machines, but they do not compare to any Hardinge. Though it can be a lot easier to blame your failures on the lathe when it's from HF.
HA HA HA ....That bad Huh??.....with-in my shop / factory the Best equipment wasn't good enough , never stoped looking for better / up-grading.....if those 2 Hardinges run & the re-ostate that controls the feed on the Chucker works or even if new brushes were needed for it to run (very simple to install) , can't imagine they have been posted for 8 days & not sold !!!!!!.......i'd bet 2000 bucks would get them both.....that would be a steal even 20yrs ago....the chucker is known for holding tolerences in the tenths of thousands , that's the accuracy of the chucker.....i used to make dentist tools on that hand screw , useing 1095 Dr.rod 1/8 diameter & turning a diameter to .006 x 3/4 " long , O.V.L. was 2"s....not to mention the hundreds of other close tolerance parts , when i retired & had to sell all (made me sick)i had 2 toolroom lathes , 2 hand screws , 3 C.N.C. all hardinge & 2 Chuckers , 2 Bridgports , 3 # 3 W&S turretts , 5 B & S Auto screw machines , punch Presses to 35 ton , surface , tool & cutter ,& center grinders..... plus complete Gov't certified inspection dept.....am listed in H57 as approved fastener Mfg'er......also mfg'ed medical items , 1 of which was written up in a med journal , was a Torque "special driver" used to put pins in the head of patients......
AAAHHH i'm simply reminishing , sure do miss the days.....
If someone here buys those machines , i will sure help if needed.....Thanks 4 listening to this ol guy.....HA HA
