Advice on what lathe to buy

[stretch257]

I am looking at purchasing a lathe for my rifle projects. I have a budget of 3000 to 3500 approximately I don'twant a few dollars to handicap me. What should I buy? I have thought about the grizzly lathes but I am not a professional on these subjects. Any advice on what to look for or flat out what to buy is appreciated greatly.
Thanks Stretch

 

[mj52]

I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT A MACHINE SHOP and only have 3 fingers on either hand. But found this guy's you tube videos to be very informative

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheViper6506

To me this fella can walk his talk and really seems to enjoy teaching. He also has a web site and you could probably ask him a question or two.

Good Luck, One Eye

 

[Erik Cortina]

Look for a Southbend heavy 10. They are great machines and have a big enough spindle bore to do barrels through the headstock. You can find a descent one for about $2,500.00.

Tooling is the most expensive part of the equation. My lathe cost me $2,500.00 but I have about twice that much tied up in tooling and accessories.

 

[butchlambert]

Heavy 10s are good as are Rockwells.

 

[stretch257]

I have looked at these lathes and other used lathes. I was just thinking buy the time i rebuild an older model wouldn't i be ahead to purchase a new or newer piece of equipment. I am at a point that i want something that i will be able to find parts for in 40 years.

 

[butchlambert]

I'll bet you will have better luck buying Southbend & Rockwell parts down the road than the Chinese brands. Stretch, do you really know what to look for in a used lathe? I'm not trying to be a smart azz, but most people have not a clue what is important in a gunsmith lathe.

 

[jscandale]

Well....what is it?

JS

 

[butchlambert]

OK JS, What is important to you to chamber a barrel for #1? What is necessary in a lathe to do a precision chamber?

 

[X Ring Accuracy]

Are hacksaws, drills and dremel tools out? ;D Just kidding. In my opinion, flame suit on naturally. Get a Taiwan made new. If you find a great deal on an American iron but find crating and shipping is crazy expensive, hard to compare. With the griz you get customer support. Been there done all of the above. Time for me to get bashed as usual

 

[jscandale]

I thought I asked the question...nevermind.

JS

 

[stretch257]

I run cnc mills and lathes in a machine shop but I don't claim to know anything. And by all means probably just enough to get myself into trouble. A am more than willing to get listen and learn anything you want to tell. I understand that 90% of the quality comes from the operator and set up. So what is important in a good lathe?

 

[butchlambert]

Come on JS,
Tell me what tailstock alignment means in chambering a barrel? What does worn out ways mean chambering a barrel? Think about it. I'm watching WVU baseball on the computer. I will sign in tomorrow.

 

[jscandale]

Well, I think it's best for me, a guy who indicates with a Stanley tape measure, to sit back and just read this one. I am all eyes and ears though. Let the pontification commence. 8)

JS

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Come on guys. I know both of you know what you are doing. Give those of us on tight budgets and lacking of experience a little hand here. I want to buy a lathe too, but I don't know enough about them to make informed buying decisions.

 

[shortgrass]

Seems all "Gunsmithing" sections, on every board, degrade into what PM has become..... Experience and 'know how' are the keys when it comes to machine tool selection, and making that tool do what you want it to when you're the one with his hands on the handles. You'll gain no "experience" on the interwebs, just "opinion". Big difference between the two... Unfortunately, most Americans ( without some actual "know how") can't seem to tell the difference between experience and opinion, today. "The computer can tell me everything!". NO,,,, it can't! Some things in this world still require hands on experience and 'know how'.

 

[butchlambert]

The most important thing in a lathe for chambering is the headstock spindle and bearings. The other parts of the lathe are not so important. If the ways are worn, what does that hurt? Normally it is in the ways closest to the spindle. How much are you using the ways when chambering? Only to cut the tenon and threading. Have you ever mic'ed your tenon for taper? I have checked one on a severely worn machine. It had .0003" taper in the 1.100" tenon. OK, thread this tenon. To be able to thread your receiver to fit without galling, you will a little tolerance between the tenon and receiver. This is OK as the receiver will square up to the barrel when it is tightened to the shoulder. Remember that the shoulder is cut using the movement of the cross slide, not the carriage.
Remember I qualified my worn out lathe to have a good spindle and bearings. I'm not going to type all of my thoughts, like scratching my head every 2 minutes, but I think you will understand my method whether you agree or not. I initially indicate both ends with my Deltronic Pins. I have them in .0001 increments. After indicating both ends until my indicator probe doesn't move I predrill to .100 short of the shoulder and .050 short of finished diameter. The hole is now large enough to insert my Mitutoyo 513-504 .0001 indicator. I like it because you can stick it inside your drilled hole and indicate the area that will become your throat. I indicate the groove and check land height. The Mitutoyo has a short probe and this gives me a better reading without jumping around going from groove to land that my Interapid does. After this I use the compound to taper bore with a short carbide boring bar. When this is done I install my reamer in the prebored hole with a "loose" bushing. Why do I do that? I want my reamer to follow my prebored hole and not a bore that may go off in a different direction beyond the chamber. Probably not a big deal as the chamber is only .100 short before reaming. My reamer holder is my version of the old Bald Eagle and I have a flat piece of stock to push it.

This pusher does not need an indicated tailstock to work with this tooling. I have other tooling that I use to make sure the headspace and bolt nose clearance is on the money on a glue in.
Please don't get me wrong on a worn out lathe, I don't want one.

 

[X Ring Accuracy]

One of the truest statments above......the shoulder of the barrel being square is of utmost importance. Perfect threads on a crooked shoulder means badd juju. A little thread play on a square action face and square barrel shoulder is happiness.

 

[boltman223]

I am looking at purchasing a lathe for my rifle projects. I have a budget of 3000 to 3500 approximately I don'twant a few dollars to handicap me. What should I buy? I have thought about the grizzly lathes but I am not a professional on these subjects. Any advice on what to look for or flat out what to buy is appreciated greatly.
Thanks Stretch

Hi stretch, I was in the same spot as you two years ago. After a little research I decided to go with a south bend heavy 10. I don't regret it one bit. It works good and is a good lathe to learn on. With that said though there was a little left to be desired, mainly rigidity and after a while I found myself wanting to upgrade. also there is a chuck I want to get that will not work on my heavy 10.

Also on my SB the tail stock quill travel is quite short, it's a little less than 2" with my reamer holder in it. It ads some extra time loosening up the tail stock and pulling it back to clean off the reamer, which really isn't a big deal really but, it would be nice to just back the quill out clean off the reamer crank the wheel and start again.

I decided to stay away from the grizzly's and other Taiwan/Chinese lathes. I have no experience with them, I have heard good and bad.with my lack of experience I wanted to stay with American and something tried and true. So I went with a lodge and Shipley to satisfy my requirements. If I were to do it again and had $3000 to $3500 I would be on the look out for a clausing Colchester and increase my budget a little if possible. If you keep your eyes open you might come across something like this in your price range. Also I would put a Sheldon on that list too. There is a lot of other good old American lathes out there you just have to keep your eyes open.

Another thing I should add is when I was looking to upgrade a person I respect quite a bit and has considerable time on a grizzly, recomened them to me and said I wouldn't regret it, but I get pretty excited about old American heavy iron!!

Just wanted to share my experience (what little I have) and hope it might help.

 

[boltman223]

http://www.hildebrandmachinery.com/single-product/?id=12203

Stretch, I don't know if you are still looking for a lathe but, I found this one. it would probably treat pretty good if it is in good shape. You could probably get it for less than asking price.

 

[boltman223]

The goodway they have might be worth looking at too. Sterling machinery has some heavy 10's also.