On Dec 16, 6:37*pm, "Michael Koblic" wrote:
The continuing saga of a miser looking for a "wonderlathe":

1)http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...330,50260&ap=1

I have a motor and lots of 1/4" tools of uncertain provenance. Would need a
chuck for the headstock and probably compound slide from this selection:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...330,50260&ap=1

I have heard good things about this. It would take care of small parts
(steel, 3/4" diameter). I am not sure how specialized and therefore
obtainable the parts are.

2)http://busybeetools.ca/cgi-bin/picture10?NTITEM=B1979C

The apparent cost is over double of the Taig, but it comes with a motor, a
compound, 3-jaw chuck etc. which closes the dollar gap considerably. Lower
speeds, therefore almost three times the diameter can be handled, screw
cutting, auto feed etc.

The nearest mini is $200 more. Why, oh why, the short distance between
centres?

All in all, it seems that No.2 will do everything the No.1 will and much
more for a slightly greater sum. Does this make sense?

--
Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

Actually I would buy the B2227L from BusyBee, I know its morethan you
want to spend, but would probably last you a lot longer. For a small
lathe its very beefy. Much more so than the minilathe.

http://busybeetools.ca/cgi-bin/picture10?NTITEM=B2227L

Here's a thread about it on cnczone.com

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29399

I started on a mini-lathe, and its fine, but eventually wound up
buying a 12 x 36 lathe for the garage. I might still buy one of these
for my basement workshop, even though I don't need another lathe.