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Lathe Purchase--Have Requirements Now

Maybe this is why? "In addition to machine shops, schools also love the HJ because of its ease of operation and ability to withstand abuse."

Over here they are sold under Ajax and are supposed to be very good and used in industrial workshops.
 
If my boss bought me that machine to do rifle barrels, I would be looking for a new boss. It is a nice machine, but way too big.


Agree it's big. I've played with a friend's 1440gt style machine and even though it's brand new it's no where near as rigid and smooth as my old Colchester master 2500 which is about 13.5x24. That Arca 1440cvs of firemedics looks like an exact copy of the Colchester and would be worth a having a look at. I think you'll find that it would give you best of both worlds, having enough rigidity in the machine as your clamping system could take advantage of to take heavy smooth cuts while still allowing you to dial in with a chuck and spider without needing to compromise on using bushings in the spindle.
 
Most likely it will be a Kingston HJ 1100.
I really like my HJ-1700. We honestly referred to it as the "little" lathe in the shop before I took it home.

The HJ feels pretty nimble compared to some i've run and I don't feel like the size is a hindrance at all for barrel work. You obviously can't run an outboard spider, but the TBAS and Viper fixtures are both viable options.

Metric threading only requires a gear shift, although you can't disengage the halfnuts. You need to reverse back to the start.
 
If my boss bought me that machine to do rifle barrels, I would be looking for a new boss. It is a nice machine, but way too big.

So you would fire a boss that:

- Hires you in your 60s to develop loads for customer rifles

- Then moves you to chambering barrels--knowing you have only done a dozen for yourself

- Buys you the lathe you want to use

- Lets you learn on the job

- Let's you do it your way

- Tells you to buy whatever tools you need

- Tells you to focus on quality over speed

- And the when word on the quality of the rifles you build gets out and demand goes through the roof, he asks you to help research a second lathe--to be operated by another person--so volume can be doubled

Why would I get rid of a boss like that? :cool:
 
There are many philosophies on lathes for chambering. They all work. Tomorrow I will get to see the Kingston with an experienced operator. I expect to pick up a few tips and then we will decide if it's the right second lathe for us.
 
Kingstons are pretty good units. I have a 22” with a 120” bed. Although I have never put a barrel in it, and probably won’t, they are of good quality.
 
My friend runs ACER mills.. ( Taiwan) I think ACER makes lathes.. Not sure price and quality / accuracy..
 
I had a Nardini 10X30 that I used for 15 years chambering. The best small lathe I have ever seen. Rigid, Timken bearings and smooth as a babies butt. They're out there but in small numbers. Consider tooling costs on these larger lathes. Personally I wouldn't want a lathe that needed larger than a BX tool post.
 
There's 10" and 12" models out there. It just takes time to find the right one.
Jim farley made all of the non cnc actions and the fireflies on a 10” nardini. I loved that lathe. One time i went to visit and it was sitting out in the rain rusted down and there were cnc machines shoehorned in there
 
Jim farley made all of the non cnc actions and the fireflies on a 10” nardini. I loved that lathe. One time i went to visit and it was sitting out in the rain rusted down and there were cnc machines shoehorned in there

I saw a Standard Modern 1334 that was left out in the rain. Very sad.
 
There are many philosophies on lathes for chambering. They all work. Tomorrow I will get to see the Kingston with an experienced operator. I expect to pick up a few tips and then we will decide if it's the right second lathe for us.
Curious what you observed and if you think you can employ any of the techniques to your smaller lathe.
 
Kingston. I spent a month there one night. All you gotta do is go to the bottom of the red stripe billboard you can see from most of the town- the party is there
 
Curious what you observed and if you think you can employ any of the techniques to your smaller lathe.

Yes. Cutting and threading to the numbers, better use of the DRO, making bushings to thread muzzles on short barrels, full profile inserts, wider relief grooves, thread pitch mic use, and a store close by that sells high quality machine tool stuff.
 
I use a harrison M300.well made and accurate.Ive used Colchesters.1800 student nice lathe similar to Harrison.for pure accuracy,rigidity and engineered to perfection is a Dean Smith and Grace.17T toolroom lathe a big lump but they don't come any better.chambering with a steady rest is the norm.ive done a few with one.hand wheels just like silk.no vibration or movement with these..a proper lathe.
 

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