Lathe time for me. How about this one BigDog 7x14

[MartinDWhite]

It has been time for me to get a lathe for a while. I am finally going to get one and would like the opinions of ya'll on this one. I will use if for mostly hobby airgun work, but other general purpose stuff also.

http://www.bigdogmetalworks.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=15&idproduct=779

     Martin D. White

[kiwi]

Its a Seig 7/14...renamed...

Ok wee TOYS..I have one...
They have a 20mm spindle bore BUT the 80mm chuck only
has a 16mm bore..".dumb real dumb"....

The hi/low gear set is plastic...and do brake...You can
buy steel replacement gears..."I have"  but they are
real noisey...

You always seem to be retightening the gibs....

They are a ok lathe...just remember they are called mini
for a reason...take small cuts and they are ok...

Pete

[Gene_SC]

Martin those small lathes have one big issue. The spindle bore hole is always to small..:)  I had one and had to jump hoops to get around that handy cap. Good money spent and did not do what I wanted. Go for the one at Travers. It has a 1 1/8 inch spindal bore. Just about $350.00 more on sale. ONe big issue is the lathes are cheap but the tooling is not...:( So if you buy a small lathe and buy the tooling and then want to upgrade to a bigger lathe then you are gonna have to replace the tooling.

Just my experience speaking....:)

[MartinDWhite]

That what I have heard several times now. I guess I should listen and stop trying to be cheap. Which Travers model do you suggest?

[brengraver]

I have a 12 X36 which I got from a friend who replaced it with a 20 X 63!  Get as large as you can, and spend as much as you you can explain to your wife!  You can always do small work on a large lathe, but you can't do large work on a small one.
Consider a used lathe and buy bigger.
Have fun--I am.

[kiwi]

Yep ...Gene's right get one with a 26mm spindal bore "or bigger"
you will be much happyer with it in the long run..

Pete

[Gene_SC]

Martin, I forget which model it is. Last time I was there they had a different model that replaced the one Bob and I have. Look the same and has big bore. They run around $900.00 on sale. They are past the Greenville airport off the 85. They have a nice showroom where you can spend all your hard earned money..:)

[gearsnguns]

Have you ever seen an older Atlas? They come up on eBay once in a while, they are the real deal, American made a bullet proof. Sears even sold them under the Craftsman name in the 60's. Personally, I'll take a 50 year old "real" lathe over a brand new "bargain" any day.
Just my 2 cents.

Regards,

Steve

[kiwi]

gearsnguns - 1/15/2010  2:46 PM

Have you ever seen an older Atlas? They come up on eBay once in a while, they are the real deal, American made a bullet proof. Sears even sold them under the Craftsman name in the 60's. Personally, I'll take a 50 year old "real" lathe over a brand new "bargain" any day.
Just my 2 cents.

Regards,

Steve

That is one clean lathe.....
do you use it ?
Some of those old lathe are quite good..

Pete

[gearsnguns]

I have the same that is pictured....if one has ever used a lathe for any time, the appreciation for a fine unit would  be evident. It's like comparing a 20 year old Wheel Horse tractor to a brand new Craftsman tractor. The difference is immeasurable.