On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 18:21:38 -0600, "F. Hayek" wrote:
I'm wondering what brand and model of lathe and milling machines someone
starting out should consider? I want to make parts for automotive,
motorcycle and gunsmithing use. I'm not talking about engine boring
here, just bushings clamps, brackets. I see a lot of Chinese machines at
Grizzly, Harbor Freight and Jet are they worth it? Thanks

Some of the Chinese machines are quite good deals, especially those
in the 14x40 and larger range. They're made for the job shop market
rather than for the home hobbyist. The smaller ones are aimed at the
casual hobbyist, and won't be as suitable for your use (lots of limitations
which will lead to large amounts of frustration).

For gunsmithing purposes, you'll want something with a large spindle
thru hole (so you can pass a barrel through it to do crowning or chambering
work). So look for a machine which can accept 5C collets in the spindle,
or can use an adaptor to do so.

Most things, other than profiling a rifle barrel, won't require a lot of
center to center distance. A 24 inch CC machine would do, though
in truth a 36 inch or longer center to center distance would be preferred.

You won't need a lot of power. Something in the 1 to 2 hp range will
be entirely adequate. A light bench lathe may suffice, though a heavier
and more rigid floor standing machine would be preferred. The larger
and heavier the machine, the more rigid it will be, which means you
can take larger cuts, and more precise cuts with less springing. It also
means you'll suffer less chatter. But a large heavy lathe will be more
difficult to get into a basement (maybe keep it in the garage instead).

Much the same advice applies to milling machines. The larger and
heavier they are, the better. But again it will be more difficult to get
them into a basement. (See my post in the Bridgeport thread about
cutting an outside drive in entrance to a basement to get around
this problem.)

Used US machines are another option. There is a glut of them on
the market at the moment. Buying used is always something of a
gamble, buying an orphan or long obsolete machine is a bigger
gamble, and most US machines will fall in that category. But you
may stumble onto a deal that's sweet enough to be worth taking
the chance.

Gary