Talk to me about bench top lathes

[Sniper338]

Im thinking about getting a benchtop lathe for the reloading room. I dont want Chinese junk though. I want something fairly precise. Im trying to research what I need, but stuck as I dont know anything about any of it. Im thinking of using it for turning brass, making small parts, case guages, itd be nice to be able to thread, make thread protectors, forward and reverse, Small projects kinda thing.

What would be some to look at? Im not wanting a gunsmith lathe as thats way above my skill or knowledge and price point.

Is there anything that fits what Im wanting?

 

[ridgeway]

Search Craigslist for a Southbend 9"

 

[Sniper338]

Search Craigslist for a Southbend 9"

I couldnt find prices on the SB1001 to SB1007 models...

 

[Bully]

If new, I'm a fan of Precision Matthew's stuff.

If you're near NJ, there is a nice Logan for sale in south Jersey/Manahawkin area that I know of. It's a 210. Nice little machine.

 

[222 rem]

I have a atlas, it does more than you think.
.002 +/- is about my best accuracy.
.005+/- can be achieved day in and day out.
Milling attachment is handy.

 

[sdean]

You can get a PM 12x36 or Eisen 12x36 without the stand. Both about 4 grand. Should be able to get a nice Heavy10 for that. Good luck

 

[Bamban]

Here is a nice bench top lathe.

 

[Bamban]

If you come across a Jet 1024 lathe, grab it. Here is mine, all decked out with VFD, proximity sensor, and 2 HP motor. I have chambered dozens of AR barrels with this lathe.

 

[Riesel]

I'm sure any of these lathes will turn brass, make small parts, case gauges, thread protectors, etc. They all seem a little big for the reloading room, unless of course your reloading room is 20 x 30 feet. Don't sell the Chinese made small mini lathe short. I have one that I have had for 12 years and it is great to use for any of those projects you listed. They are probably all made by the same manufacture in China and only the paint scheme and a few "features" might change. If you're looking for customer service after the sale look to Grizzly, Enco, or Little Machine shop. I also have a larger Grizzly benchtop that I have been very pleased with as a hobby lathe. I really don't see Chinese lathes as "junk". You ask for someone to talk to you about bench top lathes. Here's my two cents worth.
Riesel

 

[Preacher]

That 10-24 JET is a hell of a lathe, would not part with my 10-24P, done tons of XP-100 barrels on it...

 

[jdh47]

Do a search for Varmint Al's mini lathe page and see what he's done with one of those cheapish mini lathes. You're going to be in a learning phase. That's a cheap way to get your feet wet and the tooling will go with something bigger in the future if you decide that's the way you want to go.

 

[mrjdasr]

nothing shown above is something I want in my reloading room [I have a 12x36]
isn't there a german company that makes a quality benchtop?? mini max or such

 

[McFred]

EMCO (not enco) makes a mini benchtop lathe and (separate) mill, being that they're made in Austria they are not inexpensive. Overkill if you're trimming brass necks.

Recently I've been eye-ing the 38mm headstock through-hole 8x16s on fleabay... But for the money I think I could find something of better quality locally. Then again, a low-profile 4-jaw chuck/faceplate, outboard spider and an OXA tool post could get you pretty far with that 8x16...

A career machinist once told me "it's a poor craftsman that blames his tools for poor workmanship." That's just to say that it might be cheap, and it might be chinese but if you are familiar with your tools, you can work around their limitations (or compensate).

 

[butchlambert]

If you are looking to turn brass I believe Jay Lynn Gore has a Hardinge lathe set up for that. You might get a bargain.

 

[rardoin]

For a small benchtop lathe the EMCO depicted above is the best made and can deliver the most precision of lathes in it's size range. It will cost a bit more than the asian imports of the same capacity but the quality is unparalleled. After owning and/or running several lathes from a 12x36 Enco up to a 15x60 Clausing/Colchester if I were to get a 'hobby' lathe the EMCO would be it.

 

[tobnpr]

What Riesel said (and others)...

I bought a 7" chicom Mini-Lathe years ago as my first lathe. Still on a bench in the shop- and I use it frequently for small work. Capable of better accuracy than you might think, I can't see why one wouldn't be fine for a reloading room.
In fact, one of the uses for mine is modified cases for a comparator. Firing pins, misc small parts, I even use it to taper brakes when the "big" lathe is tied up with the barrel in it...

I think some of the other suggestions are overkill in terms of cost and capability for a reloading room- but it would help if you were more specific in what you intend to use it for.

 

[Sniper338]

What Riesel said (and others)...

I bought a 7" chicom Mini-Lathe years ago as my first lathe. Still on a bench in the shop- and I use it frequently for small work. Capable of better accuracy than you might think, I can't see why one wouldn't be fine for a reloading room.
In fact, one of the uses for mine is modified cases for a comparator. Firing pins, misc small parts, I even use it to taper brakes when the "big" lathe is tied up with the barrel in it...

I think some of the other suggestions are overkill in terms of cost and capability for a reloading room- but it would help if you were more specific in what you intend to use it for.

Modified cases, neck turning, making thread protectors, making expander mandrels 1 thou difference in each, making bullet comporators for fun, making sny other small parts out of aluminum or SS stock, learning...

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Some smaller benchtop "milling machines" are great. I have the Precision Mathews PM25MV. Does any and everything I can ever want for working on guns and stocks. Opening a stainless steel action ejection port? No problem. Opening up a barrel channel? Piece of cake. Awesome machine with plenty of power and precision.

But for Lathes I think its different. I looked at benchtop lathes extensively. Cool little machines, but I know I would eventually need something bigger. A big mill can be used for small projects, but a small mill cant do large jobs like chambering a barrel. If you think you will ever want to try chambering a barrel, save your money and wait until you can get a nice 40" lathe. I'm set on getting the Precision Mathews to match my mill when I get a shop with a little more space.

https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/pm-1440gt/

And have the lathe outfitted with multi axis DRO. A good DRO makes machining SOOOOOOOOO much easier! I ordered my mill without the DRO option from the factory. Then later bought a DRO and installed it myself. I'll never have a machine without DRO again

 

[ridgeway]

Just keep in mind...that little stuff will turn into big stuff. Get a machine you can do barrels on and the same machine will be fully capable making small parts...

 

[Riesel]

Modified cases, neck turning, making thread protectors, making expander mandrels 1 thou difference in each, making bullet comporators for fun, making sny other small parts out of aluminum or SS stock, learning...

I would say making expander mandrels 1 thou difference in each would be a challenge on any lathe. The difference between a warm mandrel and a cold mandrel might easily be .001.