Getting Started: Need New Mini Lathe

I would like to get into a Entry Level Mini Lathe to get started and get my feet wet.. Have done a lot of research 2 or 3 times and almost bought, but, still can't decide which to buy.
The 7x12 is about the right price range. HF has the 7x12 for $485 with shipping, Grizzly $604 with shipping and has a few extras (Faceplate and Steady Rest) but a dead center rather than live HF.
LMS has their C3 7x14 for $750. Unless it is really a big difference, I think I would rather upgrade to this as a second lathe later..

I am also considering the time it takes to setup and get it accurate enough for a beginner.. I hear the HF Red Grease and tweaking is quite a task, and unless there are some pretty good instructions for someone with their first lathe, it's daunting to think of tearing it down, when you don't know how to tell how accurate it is to begin with, much less, if you can put it back together to a better accuracy after you clean is and put it back together.. NO problem if there are some half decent instructions for doing that.
I did see some UK instructions listed here that included having a spanning wrench (might come with the machine, but, can't verify it) and don't know how many tries at getting one it would take to get the proper wrench..

Just some things I am considering.. I do work on all sorts of things and can tear most anything down and put it back together again,, with no bolts/nuts/screws left over.. But, something precision adjusted,, I need some good instructions to know that "I have it right now"..

Just looking for some personal opinions on what someone familiar with these machines would do today, with their knowledge, if they had to buy their first machine today again.. I am leaning toward the HF.. If I have to take it apart, I am going to learn a lot about it, which is a good thing..

Ready to buy what I need..
Tear down and clean up.. Kerosene or Xylene, I'm not sure if there is a big difference in one vs the other, or if one is just as good as the other.. Kerosene would be my preference if there wasn't a big difference..
White Lithium Grease, Moly Grease or Moly Paste, Im not sure for putting it back together, which is best for most lubrication points.. Seems the Paste would be the ticket.. Higher Heat, etc.

Tools, I'll get into later, but, I know I want a QCTP, some factory bits that I can see how they are made, and some HSS blanks to start making my own, once I see how they work, and should be cut..
Jacobs chuck for tailstock.. Maybe some type of collet system.. I understand they save linear space.

If I could just get past the "Which one should I buy" step..
The Grizzly, extra face plate and Steady rest and an extra set of change gears.. Will I be wanting those? For an extra $100, I would surely consider it.. Is there a big difference in the machine out of the box?
Does it need to be torn down also and lubed, and tweaked to be able to cut threads, etc accurately? I would surely like to spend more time checking it out and using it, than tweaking it.. This is going to be a side project that I do after hours and usually late at night.. I have been wanting to do this for a couple of years.. Which one is what has stopped me several times..
I almost bought the HF the other night, just to get past that step, and get on with the others..
Is the spanner wrench included with all of these as a standard tool?
I'm not sure if I want to press off the bearings right off of the bat.. Might just skip that part of the instructions, if that is the set that most use.. Maybe that is a step that most skip anyway??

Any thoughts would help..

The sieg mini lathe is a good buy and easy to make many cheap improvements
I bought the 400mm model.I would imagine the 300mm model is very limited
and would advise against it At the very least go for the 350mm model
With the tailstock,chuck and drill in situ there is very little room left.If you buy the slightly cheaper shorter one you will quickly regret it Regards Barry

Where in the world are you located?
I am selling my 7X16 Micro-Lux (from Micro-Mark) in very good condition with lots of extras.

John

I bought the 7x14 as my first lathe and was very happy with it. Followed the tear down/ clean / setup instructions online (like the ones at this LINK), but never replaced the bearings nor removed or adjusted the headstock at all. Very happy with it but you need to make your own saddle lock and I would recommend the camlock tailstock mod as well (heaps of info online regarding these simple mods). In the end it just got too small for my projects so I moved to a larger lathe. I decided to keep the 7x for an extra, smaller lathe, and I still have it set up ready to go. In practice though I rarely ever use it and I should probably sell it just to free up some workspace.

Hi,
I bought a Sieg SC4 like Bazmak but my opinion is diametrically opposed to his. I found it to be a badly designed, badly constructed piece of rubbish.
The point of this is that different people have different expectations and you really shouldn't rely on what other people say. It's essential that you see and get a feel for what you are considering buying before you commit to a purchase.
Your best move is to disclose your location and see if anyone local has what you are considering and if they will let you have a play with it.
This is one of the advantages of belonging to this website.
Regards,
Alan C.

The MicroMark 7x14 was my choice. Inch gradient dialing of feed caught my interest at the time. 9 yrs old now and parts available at Little Machine Shop. Would prefer a 9x20 for the added meat around the carriage and cross feed plus 4 in. chuck but the 250lbs too much on my narrow shop table. I need a bigger garage but have some nice models done on these great table top mini's.

There are other option out there.

I suggest you look at what Wholesale Tool and Grizzly has to offer. They have a quite large selection of metalworking equipment from their version of the SEIGs to other much higher quality machinery.

Wholesale Tool has a Lathe and Mill package (from the pictures it looks like a SIEG mini lathe and mill) for $1149.

Also, check out minilathe.com for reviews of various (usually SEIG) equipment.

Some more comments:

• The SEIG mini mills come in both R8 and 3MT tapers. I recommend the R8 tapers. There's more tooling available and that taper was designed for milling, not drilling.
• Tooling will cost you. Anticipate to spend at least 50% above the cost of the machine to get outfitted with tools. Unfortunately, the cost of entry into this hobby is quite high.
• Get your lathe tooled up with a quick change tool post. The wedge style is better than the plug style, but as always, budgets must be considered.
• Don't try to do it all at once. When I started, I purchased all sorts of crap that I either didn't need, used once, or just sucked and stuffed into a drawer. (The knob mounted "DRO", milling attachment, and grinding attachment fall into this category.)

That is all...

Ved.

The idea of upgrading later with second lathe would not appeal to me.
I rather have a late and a mill than two lathes.
Also consider than the you will spend just as much on the first machine as in tooling and accessories. How much of the investment will transfer to the second, larger, machine?
I have a G4000 and after countless modifications I am very happy and size wise is perfect for model work, there are better machines of the same size available today for little more money.

Personally I think that the DRO makes no sense economically on a small machine.
I am not saying is not nice and useful, but when money is a factor there are way more accessories I rater spend money on.

The fact is that the operator skills are more a factor that the machine, there is beautiful work out there made on marginal equipment by excellent craftsman.

Totally agree Mauro,however I am investing in a dro for the mill
Not because its necessary but because I have never had one,its a luxury that I can afford and it will improve workmanship.
As this original thread started with a newbie the best advice is to spend a little more at outset on lathe that will do most things you want now not think of
upgrading later.Tooling that you cannot do without will cost initially but
you cant use the lathe without a lot of it.Tooling you can do without will
come later.You can do most things on a lathe and after a long learning curve(very enjoyable) you will probably buy a mill and tool that up.Its never
ending

Walsheng said:

Where in the world are you located?
I am selling my 7X16 Micro-Lux (from Micro-Mark) in very good condition with lots of extras.

John

Click to expand...

I am in Western North Carolina.. 15 Miles West of Bryson City, NC.
I was looking at the 7x15 Micro-Lux.. Nice machine. It was a bit out of my "First Lathe" price range, but, sure has some nice features over the standard Mini-Lathes. And, "Lots of Extras".. Sounds good to me..

828-788-2806 if you want to chat about it.
Not sure if you were considering shipping. I just looked it up..
It's about a 15 hour trip one way for a pickup..

Sure would be nice though..
8287882806 is my cell if you were considering..

Cogsy said:

I bought the 7x14 as my first lathe and was very happy with it. Followed the tear down/ clean / setup instructions online (like the ones at this LINK), but never replaced the bearings nor removed or adjusted the headstock at all. Very happy with it but you need to make your own saddle lock and I would recommend the camlock tailstock mod as well (heaps of info online regarding these simple mods). In the end it just got too small for my projects so I moved to a larger lathe. I decided to keep the 7x for an extra, smaller lathe, and I still have it set up ready to go. In practice though I rarely ever use it and I should probably sell it just to free up some workspace.

Click to expand...

Saddle lock? Ok.. I didn't have that one yet.. Would that be a Carriage lock?
I agree.. The Camlock Carriage lock is definitely on the agenda.. Carriage stop also.
It would be easy for the factory to add that to the machines without adding more than a couple dollars of cost. Figured they would be doing that by now.

Wish you/I were closer.. I would tell you how selling the rig would make good sense..

kiwi2 said:

Hi,
I bought a Sieg SC4 like Bazmak but my opinion is diametrically opposed to his. I found it to be a badly designed, badly constructed piece of rubbish.
The point of this is that different people have different expectations and you really shouldn't rely on what other people say. It's essential that you see and get a feel for what you are considering buying before you commit to a purchase.
Your best move is to disclose your location and see if anyone local has what you are considering and if they will let you have a play with it.
This is one of the advantages of belonging to this website.
Regards,
Alan C.

Click to expand...

Great advice Alan..
When I created the account the other night.. The Internet was Sooooo Slow.. went back and put my information in there a bit ago..
I am in Western North Carolina.. Bryson City.. I run the www.PaddleInnRafting.com White Water Rafting Company..

I'm about 30 to 45 minutes from a small town.. Ha.. 45 minutes to a Walmart or Lowes anyway..
Might be someone close.. I did get an email from a gentleman, probably from here.. Very nice Jesture.. About 2 hours 20 mins away..
I just might take him up on it..

I research things to death before I make a decision. Some times that is a bad thing,, usually good though..
I have seen a bunch of good videos of people making things.. I have a few smaller projects that would make one worth while that I had slated for getting started, after learning the basics..
Cutting some drive and Idler pulley wheels for a 2" x 72" belt grinder..
I hate to replace my skate board trucks and wheels and my drive pulley made out of two deck boards glued and screwed since they works so well, but, kind of wanted to change the design and weld up a new one.. The last one was built with common hand tools, no welding, etc,, to see if it could be done, and sent the video to some Father and Son knife makers who were driving 45 minutes to share the clubs grinder.. I had never seen one before I went to one of their "Hammer Inns".. ,, and felt like I could figure out how to build one cheap, so they could build one of their own.. Worked..Ha.. I figured if someone could fly down the mountain at 60mph on an extreme skateboard, it could handle 30lbs spring weight and a sanding belt..Ha..
I made a quick video that morning as the sun was coming up, and then did another video later, after I got some sleep.. Ha.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsTc3c7upSE[/ame]
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtFQt4k1kA8&t=891s[/ame]

I guess.. The moral to that story is,,, if it does what you want it to do, and gets the job done, doesn't have to be pretty or fancy..
It's going to be a first, and, for the space I have for it,, for my late night projects, is actually going to be in my home office..
Already have a shelf for it... I't collecting junk.. Just as well put it to good use.. Heck,, I need some better cabinets anyway.. Ha..
Thanks for the comments.. Maybe I'll get luck and someone down the road will be lurking on here and realize who I am, and that I am interested, and things really work out well.. Ha.. Thanks again.

I chose the 7x Mini-Lathe as my first lathe.

The “Why” List

—Variable Speed (Continuous range with electronic control, not belt-swapping)

—Forward and Reverse Lathe

—Forward and Reverse Leadscrew

—Threading (PITA with change gears, but I learned threading with it.)

—MT3 Headstock taper, MT2 Tailstock taper, very common and inexpensive to tool up

—Deliverable by UPS, could put it on bench by myself until a permanent home could be found.

—Parts from Little Machine Shop means I can break something and fix it.

In short, something to LEARN on, including how to repair and adjust things and a way to learn which features I want on a more expensive machine.

Mine is badged “Cummins” and was the best value 10 years ago. (You can’t get it today.) It came with a 3-jaw chuck, steady rest, and follow rest. I added a four-jaw chuck, a milling attachment, and a set of cheap toolbits to the order and was turning the same day I received it.

Problems:

—It’s absolutely true that you have to continually adjust and repair these things. It is also true that there is a wealth of information on repairs and modifications and I have done a lot of that. I would like a bigger, better lathe, but until the budget improves I can still get a lot done with this one. With LMS parts available, I can keep repairing and improving it and I don’t have to be afraid of breaking something that can’t be fixed.

I recommend that you plan to get some critical measuring tools right away, so that you can check things out and do what needs to be done to bring things in line.

I started ordering accessories and different tooling to learn “what’s best” from month to month and it sounds like you’re like me and the “hands-on” approach will work well to learn machining. I can also recommend that ordering “known” materials is useful so you don’t end up sorting out issues that might be the machine, might be your technique, might be the tooling, or might be the “mystery metal.”

I also found it useful to make some tooling as projects: “Go-No-go” gauges, arbors, tailstock adapters, Collet Chuck, ball-turner, etc.

If I was to buy a 7x today, I would probably go for the Micro-Mark because of the “True-Inch” dials and the 16-inch bed length. The next closest candidate might be the 8-1/2 lathe with power cross-feed as sold by HF, LMS. Grizzly, etc.

Best of Luck,

—ShopShoe

Longboy said:

The MicroMark 7x14 was my choice. Inch gradient dialing of feed caught my interest at the time. 9 yrs old now and parts available at Little Machine Shop. Would prefer a 9x20 for the added meat around the carriage and cross feed plus 4 in. chuck but the 250lbs too much on my narrow shop table. I need a bigger garage but have some nice models done on these great table top mini's.

Click to expand...

Longboy.. I like your quote:
Model Engines!......keeping me outta the bars and away from the women!
Kind of what my shop does for me.. If they are fool enough to ask me what I am doing, they never get a chance to come over.. I am always "In the Shop" doing something... Ha.. I hate office work.. Just come on over and I can be coerced into taking a break..Ha..Ha..

The Microlux 7x16 would be my first choice, but, Less than $480 for the 7x12 to the door from HF, vs $900 before shipping for the MicroMark for my "Get a taste of it first lathe? Hmm..
I figure,, once I have one for a while, do some mods, upgrades, get comfy with it, I will have no problem buying a second hand Atlas, or something along those lines and "Knowing" I bought something I could use or know exactly what I was going to have to do to fix it, vs,, I wonder if I just screwed myself.. Ha........
I get really busy before too long, and I like to take a break and do something I enjoy at 3 or 4 in the morning..Ha.. At least this one is small enough, I don't have to get dressed and go out into the shop to use it..
I have to wait to build my shop.. I basically have a half closed in 18x20 carport for most of what I do, and another smaller area for some other projects.. And another 12 x 20 for other projects..
Once I get time to replace a 7 foot deep culvert that runs across my property to route the USDAFS creek that comes down out of the mountains,, I can build my shop..Ha..
Weird how they want to be involved in everything I do, and want part of every dime I make, but, have no interest in fixing the routing of their creeks.. When I round up the $40k for the project, I'll get er done... Or, I'll just keep letting the roadside drain fill up, and maybe the DOT will get tired of it and fix the lower portion of the problem and cut my expenses down by half... They are always telling me that it is "Their Property".. Well, until we start talking about them fixing "Their Problem".. ha..
Hey.. Things could be worse.. Ha..
I'm going to turn some things out of the office, until I get ready for that upgrade.. Might build something across the street on the other property, and fight with the County about the river access.. I just love living in the "Land of the Free"..Ha..

Let me know when you upgrade and how much of that extra tooling you have..Ha..

vederstein said:

There are other option out there.

I suggest you look at what Wholesale Tool and Grizzly has to offer. They have a quite large selection of metalworking equipment from their version of the SEIGs to other much higher quality machinery.

Wholesale Tool has a Lathe and Mill package (from the pictures it looks like a SIEG mini lathe and mill) for $1149.

Also, check out minilathe.com for reviews of various (usually SEIG) equipment.

Some more comments:

• The SEIG mini mills come in both R8 and 3MT tapers. I recommend the R8 tapers. There's more tooling available and that taper was designed for milling, not drilling.
• Tooling will cost you. Anticipate to spend at least 50% above the cost of the machine to get outfitted with tools. Unfortunately, the cost of entry into this hobby is quite high.
• Get your lathe tooled up with a quick change tool post. The wedge style is better than the plug style, but as always, budgets must be considered.
• Don't try to do it all at once. When I started, I purchased all sorts of crap that I either didn't need, used once, or just sucked and stuffed into a drawer. (The knob mounted "DRO", milling attachment, and grinding attachment fall into this category.)

That is all...

Ved.

Click to expand...

I hear that..
Wholesale tool doesn't say which model lathe is included in their kit, but, I only see a 7x10 lathe listed on their website, and the mill looks like the same one HF has.. It's basically a little more than HF, if I bought both on one ticket and used the 20% off coupon on only one item...
But, I think the 7x12 is the minimum size I would purchase...
Especially considering the 7x10 is really a 7x8.. I wonder why the HF is the only one that I see called a "True 7x8" instead of a 7x10, if they are all coming out of the same factory.. Strange..

This is the first time I have seen the R8 mentioned. I'll look into it..
If I buy new, I'll get the OxA Tormach QCTP from LMS.. I figure it and a camlock tailstock will be worthwhile investments. The OXA is a wedge type.. I think I know what you are referring to, when you say "Plug Style".. It has a pin that pushes out against the tool? I can see why those are not as good as the wedges..

It looks like most of the lathes that I found in a 2 hour radius on Craigslist in my area have most of the basic tooling with them.. The larger units.. Maybe upgrading later won't be that bad..

tornitore45 said:

The idea of upgrading later with second lathe would not appeal to me.
I rather have a late and a mill than two lathes.
Also consider than the you will spend just as much on the first machine as in tooling and accessories. How much of the investment will transfer to the second, larger, machine?
I have a G4000 and after countless modifications I am very happy and size wise is perfect for model work, there are better machines of the same size available today for little more money.

Personally I think that the DRO makes no sense economically on a small machine.
I am not saying is not nice and useful, but when money is a factor there are way more accessories I rater spend money on.

The fact is that the operator skills are more a factor that the machine, there is beautiful work out there made on marginal equipment by excellent craftsman.

Click to expand...

I don't know enough to answer that question of how much of the tooling will transfer, but, seems that if I make a significant move, say from a 7x12 or 14 to a 7x16, I would be using many of the same tooling.. Not even sure about that..
But, if I move up to a second hand Atlas, or some other large floor model, the answer would likely be None..
And, seems that tooling up a lathe is going to be much, much cheaper than tooling up for a mill.. Would that be correct?

If so, I think I can stand that.. I wanted to buy a mill before buying a lathe, but, it seems most would say that the lathe should be the first tool purchased,, at least of the two..
I kinda figure that I need some experience with either type of precision equipment. Second hand Lathes tend to be more available than mills in my neck of the woods.. At least I can find some reasonable sized lathes that I would put in my shop.. The mills, when I see them are monsters..
And, to be honest, I think, when I get one, I am going for the big boy... The first time I saw a fly cutter and knew what it was, and how it was used, the size of the machines made perfect sense..
I figure it will be a smaller benchtop lathe first, get to know the fundamentals and concepts, and then a Large Mill next, and then a 36 to 48 or maybe a 60 inch lathe after that.. It seems that I will be using the mill more than the lathe once I get up and running.
I really don't know.. But, if the big lathe will do everything the little lathe will do, I will probably be getting rid of it down the road..

BUT... I would think that it would be easy to get rid of a small lathe.. Especially if you had accurized it, and kept it in good shape and was willing to sit down with someone and say, "This is how you know it is a good machine".. Personally, I would be happy to do that, and I would "LOVE" to run across someone with that type of machine and an hour to see that much from someone experienced with a machine, who wanted to sell a good lathe at a fair price...
Heck,, I would buy one right now, if that were the case...

Wish Craigslist had a section for my little area.. Maybe 45 minutes in either direction, rather than 1:30 minutes in one direction.
Cheers and thanks for your comments.

ShopShoe said:

I chose the 7x Mini-Lathe as my first lathe.

The “Why” List

—Variable Speed (Continuous range with electronic control, not belt-swapping)

—Forward and Reverse Lathe

—Forward and Reverse Leadscrew

—Threading (PITA with change gears, but I learned threading with it.)

—MT3 Headstock taper, MT2 Tailstock taper, very common and inexpensive to tool up

—Deliverable by UPS, could put it on bench by myself until a permanent home could be found.

—Parts from Little Machine Shop means I can break something and fix it.

In short, something to LEARN on, including how to repair and adjust things and a way to learn which features I want on a more expensive machine.

Mine is badged “Cummins” and was the best value 10 years ago. (You can’t get it today.) It came with a 3-jaw chuck, steady rest, and follow rest. I added a four-jaw chuck, a milling attachment, and a set of cheap toolbits to the order and was turning the same day I received it.

Problems:

—It’s absolutely true that you have to continually adjust and repair these things. It is also true that there is a wealth of information on repairs and modifications and I have done a lot of that. I would like a bigger, better lathe, but until the budget improves I can still get a lot done with this one. With LMS parts available, I can keep repairing and improving it and I don’t have to be afraid of breaking something that can’t be fixed.

I recommend that you plan to get some critical measuring tools right away, so that you can check things out and do what needs to be done to bring things in line.

I started ordering accessories and different tooling to learn “what’s best” from month to month and it sounds like you’re like me and the “hands-on” approach will work well to learn machining. I can also recommend that ordering “known” materials is useful so you don’t end up sorting out issues that might be the machine, might be your technique, might be the tooling, or might be the “mystery metal.”

I also found it useful to make some tooling as projects: “Go-No-go” gauges, arbors, tailstock adapters, Collet Chuck, ball-turner, etc.

If I was to buy a 7x today, I would probably go for the Micro-Mark because of the “True-Inch” dials and the 16-inch bed length. The next closest candidate might be the 8-1/2 lathe with power cross-feed as sold by HF, LMS. Grizzly, etc.

Best of Luck,

—ShopShoe

Click to expand...

Awesome post ShopShoe..
I felt in my Gut you were going to say that at the end..
But,, since you did,, let me pick your brain, since you did do something I didn't expect..
The 7x16 Micromark.. Length of bed among the other nicities (500W Brushless motor, etc). I agree..
I had only looked at the HF 8.5 x.. It is a 8.5x12..
I think you are really saying to go up in diameter and overall weight and stability in a lathe.. HF from 86lbs to 250lbs..
But, Shorter at 12" bed length travel..
Grizzly has the 8x16 with and without DRO for $1139 and 1384 shipped..
LMS has the 8x20 for $1800 shipping TBDetermined..

I think the other reason is the power cross feeds..
But, I think that the HF due to it's 12" factor would take it off of your list.. Would that be correct?

Then, I am back to weight and size constraints if I want to keep it in the office, where I can get to it at 3am.. Ha..
Microlux 7x16 at $1000+ looking much better for the power and weight class, still at 86lbs (strange - Same weight as others with 12" beds) with the longer bed..
If I start ignoring the price, Ha.., I'm back at the Grizzly with or without DRO.. Ha..
If I don't, $480 for the HF shipped to the door in a couple of days really looks good.. Ha.. I love this Roller Coaster ride..Ha.. Note a hint of sarcasm.. Ha..
Now.. A good used Microlux with some extra tooling I was going to buy anyway,, and I'd be set..Ha... Even better if it fell between the two prices..

Hey,, Thanks for the comments pros/cons.. I figure by the time I fix it a time or two, or buy new, tear down and adjust, I would be a good candidate for buying a good used larger lathe in a name brand class.. Atlas, etc..
Not sure what brand names I will be researching next,, but, I will surely want to be able to get parts for it down the road..

The Cummins with the mill attachment.. Was the milling attachment worth the extra bucks? Would you do it again? Or was it part of the package and could not refuse it? I saw one of the Cummins the other day and did some research on them.. Sounds like the Truckload sales were the way to get lucky.

I actually ordered two SHARS 1" HIGH PRECISION DIAL INDICATOR .001" AGD 2 GRADUATION LUG BACK WHITE NEW from ebay.. $10.95 each..
Got the AGD2 Magnets that should work with this.. Don't see how yet, must have to change the back plate for $4.00 shipped with the Indicators..
And, that is incase my next purchase below is/was a mistake.. Ha..

Got a pair of Magetic base holders that look like the ones Frank from Mini-Lathe recommended, but, said, spend more money on, and not to buy cheap stuff.. I could not resist two of them for $24.00 shipped. I sometimes learn the hard way, even when I am told to do otherwise, but, sometimes it works out Ok. Ha..

Then, I bought a cheapy same kind of magnetic base with a test indicator included in the deal for $22.79 shipped from California.. About 5 days..
One drawback to that one.. It is a metric test indicator.. But, I'm sure it will work just fine for putting the machine together after I tear it down and get the red grease off and put it back together.. It will just be mm measurements off, rather than thousandths.. Hmm,, just realized I have some match research to do.. If the Needle moves at all,, you have more work to do right??? Ha.Ha..
If nothing else, I will use it to get familiar with the metric system when micro measuring.. I wonder if that is a term... I wish we would change to the metric system, but, it's just a wish,, I know.. Ha.. And, I can play with the dials and see what it would be like to have a true Inch machine to match the true inch dials..Ha.. I call it a training expense, and I'm sure it will help keep the other educational expenses warm in the draw of "Other items"..

Yes.. That is how I work and think too.. Get some indexable bits to use for starters, in case I break some, then, some factory ground bits, so, I know what my blanks are supposed to look like, and down the road,, I have got to see what these cutting tools are all about.. I think I could learn a bit from looking at them in my hand, and surely using them after the others..
They look like they had some thought put into them..
And, they are smaller, so, should be a good use for some of them over the others on the list so far..
http://www.micromark.com/8-piece-HSS-Mini-Tool-Bit-Set

And, thanks for the tips about making some extra tooling..
“Go-No-go” gauges, arbors, tailstock adapters, Collet Chuck, ball-turner, etc.
I have looked at all of what you mentioned, except the Go-No-Go gauges and Ball-Turner.. If they are handy to have, can't think of much better to do while learning.. I have them on my "first projects list" of things to make after I figure out the basics.. Thanks again..
Interesting.. Making a Collet chuck.. That was on my "Later purchase list".. Would much rather make them, than buy them.. I think.. Will have to see..

I should have this ironed down pretty quick, I hope.
At least I will have something and a reason why I did it and if I would do it again or not and if not, why I would do it different..

Thanks again..
Anyone else reading, if I didn't reply directly to your post...
Thank you too.. If I didn't have a question about something you said, I tried not to post a reply to keep things a bit cleaner..
After all, when I research this again later, I can ignore my own posts and read you guys'... Ha..

Cheers.

mcthomas,

Thanks for reading and commenting. I won't respond to all of what you posted, as this thread is getting redundant, but I can add a few things:

You will need a longer bed because sometimes you start adding tooling to do some task and run out of room. Drilling with the tailstock is a good example. You need room for the arbor with drill chuck, drill bit, and room to drill a deep hole. Short drill bits help, but only so much. You probably have some projects already in mind that are long parts and you will need the room.

The milling attachment was worth the additional bucks at the time I bought the lathe, as I had some projects that definitely needed to be milled and I was not ready to buy a mill at that time. Of course, I did buy a mill within two years and I don't use the attachment much, but it is basically a "slide" which I have used for other things around the shop. Would I get a milling attachment for a new lathe: It would depend on the lathe and how I might think I would use it and whether I would keep the 7x at that point. If you plan to get a mill right away (with the tooling you need), then you can probably omit that.

If you are interested in learning how to use your indicators and how to check your lathe, SOME things to check out are: (This list is not comprehensive and I don't mean to diminish the other fine resources available: It's just a start.)

-tubalcain (mrpete222) on restoring lathes and using them. On Youtube. He has one video on making and using a test bar to check a lathe for taper as described by Southbend.

-Keith Rucker on Youtube: Restoration of a Leblond heavy-duty lathe from checkout on purchase through current state that still needs work. He is also building a very nice 42 x 80 ft shop.

-Keith Fenner on Youtube: "Let's Look Under the Old Girl's Apron" series on reconditioning an old lathe and adding a DRO. Includes using a test bar with indicators to align the headstock.

-the book "How to Run a Lathe" by Southbend. Reprinted and quoted all over.

-the source you have already found at Mini-Lathe.com.

Another thing you might want is a tube of Prussian Blue (Mechanic's Blue) dye for checking metal-to-metal contact. You may be able to buy it from a local large auto-supply store if you can get an old-school person behind the counter to know what you mean. Otherwise, buy it online. If you have done valve-lapping or have seen the old process for checking completeness and concentricity you know how it goes: On a lathe you check contact of gibs and fit of tapers the same way.

On the Go-NoGo gauges: When I first started making bores, I turned barstock to the target size and slightly larger because I could measure the bars with a garden-variety micrometer. Telescope guages came later. Still waiting to win the lottery to get dial bore gauges.

I go along with the others who recommend you learn how to grind HSS toolbits, even if you use some indexable tooling. There are some cases where a specially-ground bit will get you there when you don't have the inserts you need for a specific task. For a complete set of indexable tooling made by top manufacturers with a sufficient number of replacement inserts to meet all your needs you will need a "chunk of change." For certain tasks, the indexables are mostly targeted at the larger lathes and the needs of the small-lathe user are not always met, at least not economically. I use HSS, some brazed-carbide bits, some indexable: I have learned what is best from my collection for most of the more-common things I do, but I still keep experimenting. Little Machine Shop has a package of pre-ground HSS tollbits and unground ones so you can have some to study and copy while you are learning.

I did put a Quick Change Toolpost on my lathe and I found it both useful and more rigid on the Mini-Lathe, which was a surprise. I got the Tormach 0xA from LMS (No affiliation, just a customer, etc.) because I wanted a wedge-type TP.
I occasionally revert to the 4-way or some boring-bar holders that I made myself. I have some experiments with diamond (tangential) toolholders on my future project list. It was at least five years before I got the QCTP, so I got along without it just fine, but I would not get rid of it now.

--ShopShoe

ShopShoe said:

mcthomas,

Thanks for reading and commenting. I won't respond to all of what you posted, as this thread is getting redundant, but I can add a few things:

You will need a longer bed because sometimes you start adding tooling to do some task and run out of room. Drilling with the tailstock is a good example. You need room for the arbor with drill chuck, drill bit, and room to drill a deep hole. Short drill bits help, but only so much. You probably have some projects already in mind that are long parts and you will need the room.

The milling attachment was worth the additional bucks at the time I bought the lathe, as I had some projects that definitely needed to be milled and I was not ready to buy a mill at that time. Of course, I did buy a mill within two years and I don't use the attachment much, but it is basically a "slide" which I have used for other things around the shop. Would I get a milling attachment for a new lathe: It would depend on the lathe and how I might think I would use it and whether I would keep the 7x at that point. If you plan to get a mill right away (with the tooling you need), then you can probably omit that.

If you are interested in learning how to use your indicators and how to check your lathe, SOME things to check out are: (This list is not comprehensive and I don't mean to diminish the other fine resources available: It's just a start.)

-tubalcain (mrpete222) on restoring lathes and using them. On Youtube. He has one video on making and using a test bar to check a lathe for taper as described by Southbend.

-Keith Rucker on Youtube: Restoration of a Leblond heavy-duty lathe from checkout on purchase through current state that still needs work. He is also building a very nice 42 x 80 ft shop.

-Keith Fenner on Youtube: "Let's Look Under the Old Girl's Apron" series on reconditioning an old lathe and adding a DRO. Includes using a test bar with indicators to align the headstock.

-the book "How to Run a Lathe" by Southbend. Reprinted and quoted all over.

-the source you have already found at Mini-Lathe.com.

Another thing you might want is a tube of Prussian Blue (Mechanic's Blue) dye for checking metal-to-metal contact. You may be able to buy it from a local large auto-supply store if you can get an old-school person behind the counter to know what you mean. Otherwise, buy it online. If you have done valve-lapping or have seen the old process for checking completeness and concentricity you know how it goes: On a lathe you check contact of gibs and fit of tapers the same way.

On the Go-NoGo gauges: When I first started making bores, I turned barstock to the target size and slightly larger because I could measure the bars with a garden-variety micrometer. Telescope guages came later. Still waiting to win the lottery to get dial bore gauges.

I go along with the others who recommend you learn how to grind HSS toolbits, even if you use some indexable tooling. There are some cases where a specially-ground bit will get you there when you don't have the inserts you need for a specific task. For a complete set of indexable tooling made by top manufacturers with a sufficient number of replacement inserts to meet all your needs you will need a "chunk of change." For certain tasks, the indexables are mostly targeted at the larger lathes and the needs of the small-lathe user are not always met, at least not economically. I use HSS, some brazed-carbide bits, some indexable: I have learned what is best from my collection for most of the more-common things I do, but I still keep experimenting. Little Machine Shop has a package of pre-ground HSS tollbits and unground ones so you can have some to study and copy while you are learning.

I did put a Quick Change Toolpost on my lathe and I found it both useful and more rigid on the Mini-Lathe, which was a surprise. I got the Tormach 0xA from LMS (No affiliation, just a customer, etc.) because I wanted a wedge-type TP.
I occasionally revert to the 4-way or some boring-bar holders that I made myself. I have some experiments with diamond (tangential) toolholders on my future project list. It was at least five years before I got the QCTP, so I got along without it just fine, but I would not get rid of it now.

--ShopShoe

Click to expand...

Thanks again ShopShoe...

I have watched many of MrPete's videos.. Great stuff. Thanks for the specific videos.. I'll surely check them out.
The milling attachments get a good bashing, but, I can sure see the value in having one, at least for the mean time. Thats when you really start spending the cash for tools..Ha.. Already have some end mills for making a Oxalic Acid delivery device for my bees.. Did it on my drill press..Wasn't pretty, but, got the job done.. Wouldn't want to do it again to my old floor stand drill press..

Have the blue dye that I use in my metal working when working with polished steels and making a precise marking.. Thanks for the tip.. Didn't think about it being used for lapping.. Good thought..
I knew I might be doing some though, and my old valve lapping compound was dried up.. Just ordered some more.. Wasn't sure, but, seemed 600 grit was the finest in the Valve grinding group, so, got another can of that..
I have been noticing in lots of the mini lathe videos, the cranks seem to be sticky... Figured that would be a semi easy problem to solve..

Had not heard about the "How to Run a Lathe" by Southbend book..
I like online books I can keep on my computer. Like to be able to go back and search a topic I read... I found a version or two of this book..
Too bad.. Can't search them.. Ha.. But, worth the read I can see.
http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/1617/3789.pdf
http://campkahler.com/files/How_to_Run_a_Lathe_SB_1of2.pdf
I found this link on a forum that someone said they like better than the above.
http://www.pulse-jets.com/boxford/boxford_know_your_lathe.pdf

Here is a really nice site for a newbie.. I need to capture this one.. Can go back and search it..
http://www.americanmachinetools.com/how_to_use_a_lathe.htm
Has a section on cutting tools, descriptions, etc.. I have been looking for something like this.. Have to check the rest of it out..
I'll bet it is a good resource too.

Thanks.

A couple of things (maybe more)

1. Prussian Blue is not layout ink or die. These are completely different materials with different use cases.

2. It is extremely important to learn to use HSS tooling and its sharpening. Sometimes carbide inserts just don't make sense from the standpoint of economics. More importantly many times a cutter profile you need isn't available. That being said there is a nice selection of carbide insert tooling available these days. Learning to choose the best option is part of becoming a good machinist. Id certainly start out with the HSS first but this does require a bench grinder and a few stones for final dressing of the edges.

3. Shopshoe has some good points well worth considering. One of those is the issue of lathe length. Depending upon what you get involved in even a 9x20 can be short. It is very important to understand what you will be doing before buying a lathe. If you are a watch maker a large lathe is a waste, actually an impediment. When it comes to model engine building i really think it is hard to go too big in a home shop. If it takes more than two guys to move the lathe in it might be too big. Im thinking beginner here with an in house shop, if you have a dedicated building go as large as you want.

There are solutions to some of the short lathe problems. As noted screw machine length drill bits are a big help. You can also get taper shank drills. In the end though short is a problem, trying to do things like boring with the boring rod held between centers is problematic for anything of size. My personal feeling here is that if you are to buy a 7" lathe, go for a 16" one. The 7" lathes are pretty nice machines for the price.

The swing of the lathe is another consideration that is harder to make suggestions on. Again bigger means more capability but well constructed lathes become pretty massive. The only thing to do here is to reflect upon what you expect to do with the lathe. I just don't see it as anywhere near as big of a problem as some of the extremely short lathes out there.

4. Look for variable speed support or the ability to easily upgrade to variable speed. At least for me this is a very handy feature to have in a small lathe. There is one qualification here, you need low speed torque. That is often best provided by a "gear" reduction to supplement the variable speed motor.