Wild_Bill wrote:
I recently bought a new 7x12 Clarke (Sieg) minilathe, because it was
available locally (no shipping) and it was a reasonable price: $380US
plus local sales tax 6%.

The differences you may find by looking at various vendors, is that
certain features vary, and the number of included accessories vary.
Other than these differences, almost all 7x10 to 7x14 models will
essentially be the same except for the length of the bed/between
centers dimension (and paint colors).

The Busy Bee B1979C shows a 2 year warranty. Vendor support may be a
determining factor due to the location of the buyer.

Some models may have all plastic gears. On one model I saw, the
internal headstock gear was steel/iron but the external change gears
were plastic. Some accessory packages include the steady and
traveling rests and a faceplate, or an additional chuck, so prices
will vary.
The Taig accessories are fairly expensive, and as accessories go, the
user will generally want or need another, and another.

Accessories for the minilathes are somewhat more commonly available,
and usually more generic.


Thanks. That is what I kind of figured. If I was in the market for a mini
lathe and money was no object there are better ones (IMHO) available at just
under double the price of the Craftex in Canada. I did consider importing
one briefly, but the shipping, taxes, "brokerage fees" and sucky Cdn$ as
well as lack of effective after-sales care and warranty make it
unattractive.

I was only looking at the Taig because of the very low base price of $275. I
suspect, however, that one should splash out on a DC motor to get a better
speed control. That and all the facts you mention about the accessories kind
of close the gap on the Craftex.

--
Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC