Thorfire
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2013
- Messages
- 238
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I’m looking for a little guidance on putting a lathe in our shop. When I told my son to ask about using one at his Jr high, he found out they his school got rid of all the machines in their metals shop because of a lack qualified of teachers. Based on the projects I see us working on in the next few years I’d like to find something 40” between centers. Larger would be nice, but the size and weight of the machine could start being a factor…. For rocketry, we would be making parts for research motors, inter stage couplers (we have MD 54mm to 38mm and MD 75mm to 54mm planned for this years, and likely larger projects in the future) The possibilities I’m looking at right now are:
• New Enco / Birmingham/etc. Asian 13x40 lathe (about 800-900lbs, plus 200-300lbs for the stand).
o Plus - plug and play
o Minus – may not be the most accurate machine – a lot lighter that a 14” lathe, would eventually get drawn into getting a benchtop mill to go with it.
• Used 14 x40 lathe with about a year of use in a tech school (they just traded a couple in for larger ones). Comes with all tooling like a new one. 1700-1900 lbs.
o Plus - fresh check out and service from the dealer, plug and play, probably the best I could conceivably afford right now – about the same price as the new Asian ones.
o Minus – needs a 3-phase converter – extra$$, would eventually get drawn into getting a benchtop mill to go with it.
• Smithy Granite 1340 3-1 lathe mill combo (about 750lbs)
o Plus - plug and play, already has a milling machine, so no worries about that. Less expensive than one of the above lathes AND a new bench top Asian mill.
o Minus – may not be the most accurate machine – a lot lighter that a 13” Asian lathes, belt changes for speed changes, a lot of tooling (4 jaw chuck, steady rest, etc.) not included. questionable reviews of some 3-1 machines.
• Craigslist lathe
o Plus – likely half the cost or less of above options
o Minus – hard to find lathes in this size range, random availability may push us into not having one in time for this year’s projects.
My son Orion’s project last year:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/18181108@N05/4r72s5
• New Enco / Birmingham/etc. Asian 13x40 lathe (about 800-900lbs, plus 200-300lbs for the stand).
o Plus - plug and play
o Minus – may not be the most accurate machine – a lot lighter that a 14” lathe, would eventually get drawn into getting a benchtop mill to go with it.
• Used 14 x40 lathe with about a year of use in a tech school (they just traded a couple in for larger ones). Comes with all tooling like a new one. 1700-1900 lbs.
o Plus - fresh check out and service from the dealer, plug and play, probably the best I could conceivably afford right now – about the same price as the new Asian ones.
o Minus – needs a 3-phase converter – extra$$, would eventually get drawn into getting a benchtop mill to go with it.
• Smithy Granite 1340 3-1 lathe mill combo (about 750lbs)
o Plus - plug and play, already has a milling machine, so no worries about that. Less expensive than one of the above lathes AND a new bench top Asian mill.
o Minus – may not be the most accurate machine – a lot lighter that a 13” Asian lathes, belt changes for speed changes, a lot of tooling (4 jaw chuck, steady rest, etc.) not included. questionable reviews of some 3-1 machines.
• Craigslist lathe
o Plus – likely half the cost or less of above options
o Minus – hard to find lathes in this size range, random availability may push us into not having one in time for this year’s projects.
My son Orion’s project last year:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/18181108@N05/4r72s5
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