Lathe for a hobbyist?

[majohnson]

You guys had tossed out power options, VFD or RPC. VFD is a cheap way to power a single motor, when you multiple machines with multiple motors it adds up fast. My Hardinge along with my Harig surface grinder would never work the way they are designed. I would not have any Autostep function which lets me control my down feed to the .0001.

With the RPC I can 3 machines as designed by some of the world best engineers. I just ordered a 10 hp RPC to power up my Deckel FP3.

I just happened to call in to American Rotary, and speaking with the lady found out they are having a warehouse sale. It saved me $300 on the ADX.

 

[DShortt]

I presume based on the OPs post he'd be best served by a VFD as his current workspace sounds like a steel carport on a concrete slab so a large amount of machinery likely isn't in the plans for the foreseeable future.

Not knocking the OPs situation at all. We all have to work within our means.

 

[ckaberna]

Still like my 1968 SB H-10.

 

[Jon Leary]

Thank you for the info !

If I could have found a good used South Bend or other good old lathes I would have gone that route.

 

[Larry Koch]

Grizzly sells South Bends.

 

[Jon Leary]

Grizzly sells South Bends.

I was referring to the old South Bends. The new ones are made overseas.

 

[Larry Koch]

I was referring to the old South Bends. The new ones are made overseas.

From what I've seen of the new ones you will not go wrong.

 

[DShortt]

Mine came from the old military plant in Des Moines, Iowa. Late 50s model.

I think it's a fitting start given my use for it.

 

[Rich S]

THIS -a thousand times this. Learn how to run a lathe safely and properly and it will pay dividends forever.
These machines do NOT forgive mistakes.
After some instruction and 'stick time' you will have a much better idea of what you want, or if you even want it.

I applaud your decision making process, Sir.

Frank

I completely agree with these comments. At least for me I didn’t get into it to save money. The investment in equipment and tooling likely won’t pay back. However it is rewarding when the work you do performs at a shoot. I get just as much satisfaction when my shooting partners win with something I worked on. I would encourage anyone with the interest to consider it. Taking an introductory course is a good idea as well before buying. You might as well be looking at a mill as well. I think most people with that are mechanically inclined can pick it up the basics fairly easily.

 

[ckaberna]

If I could have found a good used South Bend or other good old lathes I would have gone that route.

Craigslist and Facebook is your friend.
If learning,, please check out “tubalcain”or “mrpete” on YouTube . I burned a computer up watching his videos. He is a retired machine shop instructor and taught me allot of what I know.
Kevin

 

[Jon Leary]

Craigslist and Facebook is your friend.
If learning,, please check out “tubalcain”or “mrpete” on YouTube . I burned a computer up watching his videos. He is a retired machine shop instructor and taught me allot of what I know.
Kevin

They don't come up very often here in Alaska. If they do they ask top dollar.

 

[Wolfdog91]

Craigslist and Facebook is your friend.
If learning,, please check out “tubalcain”or “mrpete” on YouTube . I burned a computer up watching his videos. He is a retired machine shop instructor and taught me allot of what I know.
Kevin

Thank you have been trying to find a good channel to watch

 

[Dimner]

Blondiehacks or is it blondhacks? Very watchable for basic machine instruction and techniques for using machines and creating parts.

 

[butchlambert]

I was referring to the old South Bends. The new ones are made overseas.

Jon, I'd rather have a Grizzly Southbend.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Jon, I'd rather have a Grizzly Southbend.

Those new Taiwanese South bends are super fancy. I would mind having one of those myself except for the price.

 

[Jon Leary]

Jon, I'd rather have a Grizzly Southbend.

I would too but for hobbyist kinda high priced. Precision Mathews has some lathes that would work for a lot less. Speed bought a South Bend that was 20 thou plus.

 

[rwj]

Are “hobbyist” lathe spindles equipped with roller bearings or journals?

 

[urbanrifleman]

I would too but for hobbyist kinda high priced. Precision Mathews has some lathes that would work for a lot less. Speed bought a South Bend that was 20 thou plus.

A "lot less". Hmmm.

Not really.

Less. But I'm not too sure about the "lot" part.

 

[DaveTooley]

In 1983 I started out with a Jet 12X36 bench top lathe. Built a base for it. There was a lot of windage in that lathe but the work, for the most part, was just as good as I do today. Unless you do this for a living, where time is money, it's more about technique than the quality of the machine. Now I will say it was a big step up in quality when I got my 10X36 Nardini. No windage in that machine. By then experience and better tooling played a bigger part.

 

[Jon Leary]

A "lot less". Hmmm.

Not really.

Less. But I'm not too sure about the "lot" part.

I am referring to some of the smaller lathes that a beginner could learn on.