I'm getting ready to acquire my first lathe. Basic requirements are to be
able to turn up to 5" diameter stock with a length of 12". For the most part
I'm turning plastics and PVC but I will use it for Aluminum and steel
turning too.

I've read some (many) postings from the group and I'm narrowing down my
choices to either the
* Grizzly G4000 9" x 19" Bench Lathe, or the
* LATHEMASTER 9 X 20 - Gear Drive Benchtop Lathe, or the
* LATHEMASTER 8 X 14 MINI LATHE, or a
* Used Atlas Lathe (available locally to me).

I would welcome whatever comments someone may want to offer.
BTW, I'm in the Boston Suburbs so if anyone wants to offer a lathe for sale
I'll be happy to listen.

Thanks in advance,

John
(I like hot food and scuba diving, though not
necessarily at the same time!)

"John" wrote in message news:CvMyb.379273$HS4.3125862@attbi_s01...

For what you state you wish to turn, no 9" lathe will be big enough.
The 9" lathes made now are all limited in low speeds, and while you
may do plastics without many problems, for steel, even the low speeds
on a 12" lathe could stand to be slower. I won't state for sure, but
I doubt that any of them you have mentioned will even swing 5" over
the cross slide. The Atlas, if a 12 inch will do it, even might
handle steel in low belt back gear at 5 inch diameter. You're gonna
have to think bigger.

I'm getting ready to acquire my first lathe. Basic requirements are to be
able to turn up to 5" diameter stock with a length of 12". For the most part
I'm turning plastics and PVC but I will use it for Aluminum and steel
turning too.

I've read some (many) postings from the group and I'm narrowing down my
choices to either the
* Grizzly G4000 9" x 19" Bench Lathe, or the
* LATHEMASTER 9 X 20 - Gear Drive Benchtop Lathe, or the
* LATHEMASTER 8 X 14 MINI LATHE, or a
* Used Atlas Lathe (available locally to me).

I would welcome whatever comments someone may want to offer.
BTW, I'm in the Boston Suburbs so if anyone wants to offer a lathe for sale
I'll be happy to listen.

Thanks in advance,

John
(I like hot food and scuba diving, though not
necessarily at the same time!)

Thanks for the reply, Lennie.

I'll only be turning large diameter *plastic* and, at that, just doing
things like cutting o-ring grooves or facing.

As far as turning metals, my max diameter will be around an inch or less.

"Lennie the Lurker" wrote in message
m...
"John" wrote in message
news:CvMyb.379273$HS4.3125862@attbi_s01...

For what you state you wish to turn, no 9" lathe will be big enough.
The 9" lathes made now are all limited in low speeds, and while you
may do plastics without many problems, for steel, even the low speeds
on a 12" lathe could stand to be slower. I won't state for sure, but
I doubt that any of them you have mentioned will even swing 5" over
the cross slide. The Atlas, if a 12 inch will do it, even might
handle steel in low belt back gear at 5 inch diameter. You're gonna
have to think bigger.

I'm getting ready to acquire my first lathe. Basic requirements are to
be
able to turn up to 5" diameter stock with a length of 12". For the most
part
I'm turning plastics and PVC but I will use it for Aluminum and steel
turning too.

I've read some (many) postings from the group and I'm narrowing down my
choices to either the
* Grizzly G4000 9" x 19" Bench Lathe, or the
* LATHEMASTER 9 X 20 - Gear Drive Benchtop Lathe, or the
* LATHEMASTER 8 X 14 MINI LATHE, or a
* Used Atlas Lathe (available locally to me).

I would welcome whatever comments someone may want to offer.
BTW, I'm in the Boston Suburbs so if anyone wants to offer a lathe for
sale
I'll be happy to listen.

Thanks in advance,

John
(I like hot food and scuba diving, though not
necessarily at the same time!)

John,
My first (and probably last) real lathe is an Atlas/Craftsman 12" without a
quick-change gearbox. It is rigid enough for my turning needs and the 12" swing
gives a lot of extra room for unusual jobs. It came with a 4-jaw chuck, and I
only recently got a 3-jaw. All in all, a very nice and versatile machine. A
smaller lathe would be good for turning only, but the Atlas/Craftsman, with a
milling attachment and a drawbar collet closer for endmills is a very useful
combination. Hope this helps.
Jim
Don't raise the bridge, lower the water

Lathemaster

http://www.tedatum.com/thms/lathemaster.html
http://stickman4.homestead.com/8x14lathe.html
http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe..._7x.htm#lm8x14

On 1 Dec 2003 23:17:00 -0800, (Ben) wrote:

Lathemaster

http://www.tedatum.com/thms/lathemaster.html
http://stickman4.homestead.com/8x14lathe.html
http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe..._7x.htm#lm8x14


Lathe

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=63 3
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=63 3
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72
!!!!!


"No man shall be debarred the use of arms.
The laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm those only who are neither
inclined nor determined to commit crimes.
Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants.
They ought to be designated as laws not preventative but fearful of crimes,
produced by the tumultuous impression of a few isolated facts, and not by
thoughtful consideration of the inconveniences and advantages of a universal decree."
- Thomas Jefferson

Thanks Ben.
These are good links to feedback from "real" users.

"Ben" wrote in message
om...
Lathemaster

http://www.tedatum.com/thms/lathemaster.html
http://stickman4.homestead.com/8x14lathe.html
http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe..._7x.htm#lm8x14

Thanks Jim.
I'm not sure the used Atlas that I'm going to look at has a milling
attachment but I know I will be needing to machine some recangular cut-outs
as part of the projects I'm working on.

Regards,

John

"Pookie45678" wrote in message
...
John,
My first (and probably last) real lathe is an Atlas/Craftsman 12"
without a
quick-change gearbox. It is rigid enough for my turning needs and the 12"
swing
gives a lot of extra room for unusual jobs. It came with a 4-jaw chuck,
and I
only recently got a 3-jaw. All in all, a very nice and versatile machine.
A
smaller lathe would be good for turning only, but the Atlas/Craftsman,
with a
milling attachment and a drawbar collet closer for endmills is a very
useful
combination. Hope this helps.
Jim
Don't raise the bridge, lower the water

In article , Gunner says...

Lathe....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72
!!!!!

I like that one. A bit big for my pickup though.

If he's not interested in threading, this is nice:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2577262749&category=12 72

Jim

==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

Thanks Gunner....
One link made me aware of a sales operation in Pawtucket, RI which is about
one hour away from me.... convenient!

"Gunner" wrote in message
...
On 1 Dec 2003 23:17:00 -0800, (Ben) wrote:

Lathemaster

http://www.tedatum.com/thms/lathemaster.html
http://stickman4.homestead.com/8x14lathe.html

http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe..._7x.htm#lm8x14


Lathe


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=63 3
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=63 3

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72
!!!!!


"No man shall be debarred the use of arms.
The laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm those only who are
neither
inclined nor determined to commit crimes.
Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the
assailants.
They ought to be designated as laws not preventative but fearful of
crimes,
produced by the tumultuous impression of a few isolated facts, and not by
thoughtful consideration of the inconveniences and advantages of a
universal decree."
- Thomas Jefferson

On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 13:05:55 GMT, "John"
wrote:

Thanks Gunner....
One link made me aware of a sales operation in Pawtucket, RI which is about
one hour away from me.... convenient!


Chuckle...I posted the listing (spanning only about 4 days), just on
stuff under $1500 which is what was apparently the buyers spending
limit. I figure, and perhaps Im all washed up...that buying a "real"
lathe is much better than buying something that not only subsidizes a
hostile nation, but one that is questionable about its quality,
versatility and utility.

Particularly when there are so many decent "real" lathes out there for
peanuts (all things considered)

Gunner



"Gunner" wrote in message
.. .
On 1 Dec 2003 23:17:00 -0800, (Ben) wrote:

Lathemaster

http://www.tedatum.com/thms/lathemaster.html
http://stickman4.homestead.com/8x14lathe.html

http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe..._7x.htm#lm8x14


Lathe


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=63 3
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=63 3

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72
!!!!!


"No man shall be debarred the use of arms.
The laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm those only who are
neither
inclined nor determined to commit crimes.
Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the
assailants.
They ought to be designated as laws not preventative but fearful of
crimes,
produced by the tumultuous impression of a few isolated facts, and not by
thoughtful consideration of the inconveniences and advantages of a
universal decree."
- Thomas Jefferson


"No man shall be debarred the use of arms.
The laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm those only who are neither
inclined nor determined to commit crimes.
Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants.
They ought to be designated as laws not preventative but fearful of crimes,
produced by the tumultuous impression of a few isolated facts, and not by
thoughtful consideration of the inconveniences and advantages of a universal decree."
- Thomas Jefferson