Specific Lathe options, help me decide

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Veritas
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Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2015 11:00 am

Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by Veritas »

I'm currently looking into a few different lathes and I'm uncertain which way to go. I'm taking a machining course this fall and I want to build up a shop to practice out of the classroom/shoproom.

I've narrowed my selection down to:

1. a well-tooled Myford Super 7b
2. Logan 10" nearby that would leave $1k+ for tooling
3. South Bend Model A that would leave $1k for tooling
4 A PM 12 x 36 that would leave a few hundred for tooling

If you had these options, what would you do? I'll likely be turning wood and metal on the same machine until I can afford a 2nd.
Massis
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Re: Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by Massis »

allthough a Super 7 in good condition is a great machine, it's only a 7x19".

It all depends on the condition they are in ofcourse, but if they are similar I would always suggest going as big as possible, so taking the PM.
For a few hundred $ you can get a decent chinese Multifix qctp and a decent chuck, along with some 1/2" hss toolbits, which really is all you need to get started.
wdteipen
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Re: Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by wdteipen »

I agree with Massis. I'd go with the Precision Matthews.
Wayne Teipen
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Charl
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Re: Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by Charl »

True words. I really love my Myford, but for general pipemaking purposes, for me personally it is too small.
Veritas
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Re: Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by Veritas »

A heavy 10 showed up so I'm looking into it now. I reached out to the seller to find out some more information.

Thanks for the replies. Those Myfords are sexy machines but given the price and size restrictions, I'll be better served by starting larger. I can always add a 2nd+ lathe later, ha ha.
Last edited by Veritas on Mon Jun 29, 2015 4:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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PremalChheda
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Re: Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by PremalChheda »

1. Heavy 10
2. pm1236
3 southbend
4. logan
Premal Chheda
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caskwith
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Re: Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by caskwith »

Whatever you buy it will never be a Myford :P
Veritas
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Re: Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by Veritas »

Thanks Premal,

That was my thought after reading a number of different Lathe topics on this forum. Glad you reaffirmed.
caskwith wrote:Whatever you buy it will never be a Myford :P
Thanks Cask, from what I've gathered, you are the resident Myford evangelist. I sincerely hope to one day have a Myford. They are one great looking machine but the prevalence of SB and Logans in the US compared to Myfords makes the economy swing in favor of US mfg'd gear. I don't know if the Myford is more accurate than the bigger machines over here but the stories make me want one :)

If I'm given the opportunity to buy one after all of my other tool purchases are completed, then I'll spring for it (but that puts it at the end of a looooong list of tools). Hopefully, you'll continue to post pics of your gear to satiate my Myford hunger.
Charl
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Re: Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by Charl »

I have 2 lathes, a real shoddy Emco for stummel work and the Myford, that I use for stems and tricky stuff.
The Emco I'll drop at the fall of a hat, if need be, or I'll upgrade to something more decent. But the Myford will never ever get away from me. It is one helluva machine!
Veritas
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Re: Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by Veritas »

Charl wrote:I have 2 lathes, a real shoddy Emco for stummel work and the Myford, that I use for stems and tricky stuff.
The Emco I'll drop at the fall of a hat, if need be, or I'll upgrade to something more decent. But the Myford will never ever get away from me. It is one helluva machine!
I don't doubt it Charl but the problem is with pricing and availability. The best deal I can hope to reach barring a miracle is $4500-5000 for a well-tooled Myford. The SB Heavy10 and others are 2k and under and at least one of them is in excellent condition. It's hard to justify $2k more for a machine incapable of certain sized work.

If it were a screaming deal on the Myford, I wouldn't have even asked. I'd have taken the plunge. There should be plenty of Myfords in that price range in the future so I'll bide my time and practice on other lathes.
Charl
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Re: Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by Charl »

Jeez, they sure are pricey your side. I paid a grand total of 4 pipes for mine! :lol:
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Tyler
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Re: Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by Tyler »

I'd go PM. (I did go PM, actually.)

It comes with a QC tool post, a Jacobs chuck, a good three-jaw, and 5 tool holders for the QC. All you really need is cutting tools. A few hundred for tooling is all you need.
Veritas
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Re: Specific Lathe options, help me decide

Post by Veritas »

Thanks for everyone's responses. Just as an FYI, I ended up with a different lathe than any of the options posted. I kept looking for a good deal and finally found an 11" Sheldon that comes with a bit of tooling and looks like it's in really great shape. Comes with a cabinet as well and runs on household current so no phase converter required.

I purchased it for less than 1/3 of the price of a PM, assuming I don't crash it, it should meet all of my needs. I'll post pics shortly as I plan to do a clean-up and possible repaint down the line.
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