On 28/11/2019 17:30, wrote:
I'm thinking about getting a metalwork lathe and while I'm tempted to
go for a decent old Boxford or Colchester, part of me wonders whether
it might be more sensible to start with one of those Chinesium
toy/mini lathes, as a brand new item. The main advantages I see in
the latter: 1. I could get started straight away, rather than
(perhaps) having to spend an age fettling 2. It would use less space
and be generally easier to locate/move about 3. I could get familiar
with the practicalities/principles of lathe work at a more convenient
scale

Of course, a cheap-ish mini lathe will be fairly crap and it might be
a dud straight out of the box, or it might fail after little use and
regardless, it will be very limited in what it can do.

Assuming I don't mind burning £300-£500 on a mini lathe in the
expectation that I will need to blow a further £1200 or so not too
far down the line, is a mini lathe worthwhile prep for big boys
toys?

Something like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05vUCdzhoe4

Might be of interest.

In some respects a mini lathe is probably not a bad place to start,
since it can be ebayed later.

However it does rather depends on what kind of stuff you want to make,
and whether you will outgrow it too fast.

I get the impression that much of the cost is spent not on the main
tool, but all the paraphernalia that surrounds it. So as soon as you
have the lathe, you realise a good selection of micrometers, DTIs (plus
stands), tool holders, chucks, collets, tooling and so on will add up to
more than the cost of the tool. Many of those bits you would retain for
the next one.

(much as one ends up spending more on router cutters, than on routers etc!)


--
Cheers,

John.

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