I wanted the best choice I could get new for 3000EUR with toolposts etc.
I bought a 2400EUR, industrial, Chester Craftsman, at 450 kg mass for a
12x24.
Many are 350 kg for a 12x32. One like this is 4x less rigid !
Note, and this is *vastly important*, this is a heavy, little short lathe.
Mine has equivalent rigidity and performance to a 2000 kg, 20.000$,
industrial new Hardinge lathe.
I am extremely, extremely, extremely pleased with the rigidity and power.
It has made, for 6 hours straight, blue chips in tool steel (about 10-20
kg of them, or 100 l trans bags).
This is what loks good, and similar to mine, but smaller.
for 1400$
http://www.wttool.com/index/page/product/product_id/14795/product_name/11%22+x+26%22+Lathe+with+Stand+%28WT%29
Good parts in a 11x lathe:
MT4 HS spindle (Very good means spindle is sturdy).
All Extras included: 4-jaw ind. 6-inch, and 3-jaw, and faceplate, and
centres.
Mass is unknown.
for 12 x (but light !):
For 2000$, this looks like mine but is 30% lighter, and half the power.
http://www.wttool.com/index/page/product/product_id/14774/product_name/Precision+Bench+Lathe+%28WT%29
I would recommend finding one (google, go look) of the heavy ones.
This is what I got for 1550£ (UK pounds).
Excellent.
http://www.chesteruk.net/store/craftsman.htm
Fit and finish were chinese weak. Non-important.
So, for best little lathe, any of the chicom Jet, Grizzly, Sieg, P.
Matthews, (Harbour Freight maybe), etc. lathes in the 11x and up.
Buy the heaviest one in the size range.
You yourself can add, modify or make anything into a lathe, to Hardinge
industrial standards, short of rigidity.
When new, it just takes longer, and you may need to make 2-3 or 4.
After you have done 2-3, the second one tends to work.
It took me 2-3 hours to bore my first pulley, 6 years ago, poorly. Par
for the course.
When you make it ( a bit, bob or "widget"), if you can spend an extra
100$ for a piece (extra material and bits cost) you can make it to an
industrial level.
Anything you make takes lot of hours.
If you do it to an industrial level, once you are done, you get a
tremendous sense of satisfaction, they last forever (a lifetime), and
produce the next stuff easier.
This looks ok, in the uk for 1100£, but may be light at 180 kg.
http://www.chesteruk.net/store/db11_variable_speed_lathe.htm
I am not sure about 11x heavies.
I would not worry about the make/manufacturer/reseller.
I bought mine from the UK, shipped to Barcelona, Spain.
As long as its insured and not dropped, anything else is little stuff.
Mine was missing a handle, replaced with a pieec or brass, still there, btw.
> Wow, that was an awesome reply. Next question--which Chicom and who to
> buy it from? So you probably know what I decided lol. And yes,
> building the machines is addictive that's why I've already made the
> bed and feet and plan on continuing with the series. Probably more so
> because I know very little and think, like you said, it's a good
> education. Not to mention even if you have a shop most i've seen
> aren't also into casting which I think is a valuable extra.
>
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