# looking for a lathe and other machining equip



## cjsrch (May 29, 2010)

What do you all think of somthing like that?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Bolton-5-X-7-Mi...58871164b9

I am only intrested in small scale items(G live steam) so its size i dont think matters to much (?)


can any one make any recomendations?

was also looking at a lathe by micro mark.


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

You may want to look at these: 
http://www.sherline.com/


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

The 7" between centers is way too short. It would be a very close fit to get 1/4" drill bit and a chuck in there. Let alone a tap handle or die holder. Lathe/Mill combo machines almost never get good reviews. I have heard a lot of good comments about the Micro Mark lathe. I would seriously look at that. Sherline is a good outfit too, but you will want that larger diameter capability on the Micro Mark. If you get into live steam engine building you won't stay in Gauge 1 exclusively. You'll go bigger, trust me.


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## cjsrch (May 29, 2010)

not yet i wont  im in an apt so live steam is a pita as it is.


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## cjsrch (May 29, 2010)

i see what you mean about the distance. didnt think about that 
are there any decently priced combo units that would have a larger working area?


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

If you're only going to work in 1:20.3 or smaller, the Sherline units should do you just fine. Their Model 4400 lathe is 17" long, and they sell accessories that raise the headstock and tailstock, and a taller tool holder to increase the maximum working diameter from 3.5" to 6". An 18" long table is offered for their milling machines as well. The 1:20.3 locomotive in my signature was built entirely on Sherline's 4400 lathe and 2000 milling machine (sans longer table, which I have since added).


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## Dwayne (Jun 10, 2010)

I just ordered a Taig lathe this past week. The UPS tracking number shows that it will deliver Monday. This is my first lathe and look forward to learning how to use it. I wwnt with Taig as it's made in the USA and has good reviews.


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## cjsrch (May 29, 2010)

i was looking at teh taig and they look like somthing kinda thrown togther in some ones basment. 
let me know how that works for ya since the price is right


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## Dwayne (Jun 10, 2010)

It does look ugly don't it? But if it does the job then looks don't matter... kinda like me.


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## cjsrch (May 29, 2010)

agreed. and it does seem to have good review but its only 9. somthing inches which is kinda close to the 7 inches that bob pointed out would be trouble. 

what did you get with it? planning on using it any time soon ?


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## cjsrch (May 29, 2010)

i know everyone advises against combo units but some one is selling this one localy for 600 http://www.harborfreight.com/multipurpose-machine-5980.html 
i keep reading" dont do combo units" but nothing ever specific as to why 
anyways this unit has 
■LATHE has a 7-1/4" center height with 14" between centers, giving you plenty of working room 
■DRILL PRESS has power to spare for drilling plastics, woods, and metals 
■MILL has the capacity to mill a facing diameter of 2-1/2" and a milling diameter of 3/4" 
■Overweight Item subject to $89.95 additional Freight Charge 
Voltage: 120 
Speeds (RPM): 430, 800, 1050, 1500, 2000 
Longitudinal stroke: 16" 
Lateral stroke: 5-1/4" 
Spindle bore: 7/8" 
Drill chuck taper: B18 
Drilling capacity: 5/8" 
Max. spindle stroke: 3-1/4" 
Dimensions: 35-5/8" x 23-1/4" x 31-5/8" 

I dont see anything about the TPI it is able to do if any


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Talk to a used equipment vendor. There are a lot of factories shutting down and even machine shops for working ones being closed. 

One can get a decent used lathe (small bench top to large) with all the TOOLS these new ones dont have, for around a grand with ease.


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

Think about the quality of the product, support for spare parts and tech support. If you take a little more time you will see Sherline which is made in the USA, offers a ton of accessories and optional parts, tooling, etc. 
The unit from Harbor Freight..... where are you going to get parts, where was it made? Who makes (or made)it, what are the tolerances like? 
As Dwight said for Gauge 1 Sherline works great.


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## Dwayne (Jun 10, 2010)

Posted By cjsrch on 01 Aug 2010 06:43 AM 
agreed. and it does seem to have good review but its only 9. somthing inches which is kinda close to the 7 inches that bob pointed out would be trouble. 
what did you get with it? planning on using it any time soon ? 


Here is the link of where I bought mine: 

http://www.desktoplathes.com/1017-3 


Unfortunately the lathe is going into my storage unit and won't see use for awhile. At the moment I basically live in a Kenworth T600. What time off I have is spent in Sudbury, Ontario where my Canadian wife lives. We are going through the immigration process and are sort of in a state of limbo since she sold her house and is temporarily staying with her parents. Once she gets to Oklahoma (hopefully by years end) we will start the building of our cabin on my five acres. A small man cave is planned for me where I can play with trains and guns.


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## cjsrch (May 29, 2010)

well its boiling down to sherline and micromark by the looks of things. i guess ill dl the product manuals and read them . 

I was reading about mill attachments for the lathes seems like everyone thinks its a better option then a combo unit

looks as if it mounts a working surface verticaly where the tools usualy mount
http://www.micromark.com/MINI-LATHE...,8184.html


I do like the look of the micro mark it looks sturdy and well built


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Maybe you'll find the following site of interest.

Mini-Lathe.com Micro-Mark 7x16 Mini-Lathe[/b]


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## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

Can you do adequate, for our purposes, milling with a drill press and an X Y table? I did an 'attachment' from the Varmint's minilathe site for my Chinese 7 x 10.......doesn't work very well at all!


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## TrotFox (Feb 15, 2008)

I have one of the above-noted 5980 machines. It's fit and finish leave a lot to be desired but the most annoying thing is a lack of power feeds. The lathe cuts well but without the power feed it takes a Lot of attention to get a good surface finish. The mill is... interesting. Mostly a column drill with better bearings that sits over a too-small XY table. I need to get a spacer block before the mill will be useful for anything other than punching holes. 

Other than that it's a fine machine. } ; ] The nicest thing about it is the huge swing. It'll unofficially handle parts near 14" diameter if you can figure out how to chuck them... 

Trot, the drillin', fox...


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## steveciambrone (Jan 2, 2008)

I have the same lathe mentioned in the first post, it does what I want. As far as no power feed, I asked the machinist at work before he retired about the proper speed for a good finish and his reply was " that is what sandpaper is used for". I stopped worrying about it after that. 

Steve


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Did you check out the metal lathe discussion in the MLS Tools Forum? It's a "sticky" at the top. We had quite a discussion earlier this year.


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## Jack - Freshwater Models (Feb 17, 2008)

Posted By cjsrch on 31 Jul 2010 04:10 PM 
What do you all think of somthing like that?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Bolton-5-X-7-Mi...58871164b9

I am only intrested in small scale items(G live steam) so its size i dont think matters to much (?)


can any one make any recomendations?

was also looking at a lathe by micro mark.


Combination machines are usually a pain to use. Separate machines are easier to use and better at their chosen task. If I were in an apartment I would opt of a Seig 7X12 or 7X10 minilathe or a 9X20 lathe. The 7X lathes have the advantage of being easy to move. The seig 7X lathes are a lot more bang for the $ than a taige or sherline but alll such small lathes have their drawbacks. For a small mill I would look at either a Seig mini-mill or maybe a taig but both are pretty toyish. I use a seig and have seen a taig and they are pretty whimpy but might serve your purpose.

If you are learning to use machine tools it might be wise to take a class or get some assistance from a pro. Doing so will give you a leg up and a much faster learning curve. Start with some simple projects.

My three cents......

Jack


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## Steve Shyvers (Jan 2, 2008)

For making and modifying small fittings, bearings, boiler bushings, valve spindles, etc. my Taig has been great. Threading is done with taps held in the tailstock drill chuck or with thread cutting die held in a die holder supplied by Taig. Don't be put off by the utilitarian appearance of the Taig. It's a precision machine. It's accessories are well thought out and work. My Taig will probably always get more use than my larger 8x14 lathe because the Taig is more convenient to set up for small jobs. 

I haven't used a Sherline lathe, but their reputation is good. Either the Taig or the Sherline would be a good choice to learn how to use a lathe and do some excellent work. For gauge 1 work they would continue to be useful even when you eventually get that bigger lathe. 

Steve


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Steve Shyvers on 02 Aug 2010 09:29 AM 
For making and modifying small fittings, bearings, boiler bushings, valve spindles, etc. my Taig has been great. Threading is done with taps held in the tailstock drill chuck or with thread cutting die held in a die holder supplied by Taig. Don't be put off by the utilitarian appearance of the Taig. It's a precision machine. It's accessories are well thought out and work. My Taig will probably always get more use than my larger 8x14 lathe because the Taig is more convenient to set up for small jobs. 

I haven't used a Sherline lathe, but their reputation is good. Either the Taig or the Sherline would be a good choice to learn how to use a lathe and do some excellent work. For gauge 1 work they would continue to be useful even when you eventually get that bigger lathe. 

Steve 


Steve brings up a very valid point. If intend to "kitbash" a live steamer or build from parts, you still need the capability to do the plumbing. Making the steam connections, fittings small custom parts. What ever lathe you get, you need a tap handle and die holder as the very minimum essential accessories


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

I have an Atlas 10" Lathe and a large mill too. I also have several pieces of Sherline equipment; most recently I updated my Sherline stuff to CNC (still learning how to make parts with CNC). That said I use the Sherline equipment much more than the larger equipment, it really depends on what you anticipate working with regard to materials and or physical dimensions thereof. I'd recommend the Sherline or Taig products as entry level tools, lots of tooling is available, parts are easily available, upgradeable, great resale market and they offer a small factor which is important to many. 

If interested; I have a like new Sherline 4400 17" lathe and a 5400 mill available for sale with some tooling. I often by and resale Sherline equipment/lots and sale off the unwanted items, I currently have some unwanted tooling and several lathes and mills for sale. Please PM if interested. 

Michael


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