Is it my turn? Anything to do with lathes, mills and other shop tools

I keep finding the need for a small lathe to make bits for my xs like bushes etc, we'll that's my excuse anyway. Are these mini lathes worth bothering with or the even cheaper unbranded Chinese ones or am I better off looking for an old, larger known brand like a Myford?
 
I have a small Grizzly - which, as far as I know is made by the same Chinese factory that makes 99% of the table-top lathes.

It's not dead-nuts accurate nor particularly rigid but it's good enough for what I do and I highly recommend Grizzly's customer service. I did upgrade to a QCTP (quick change tool post) and a cam-lock for the tailstock.
 
Well that's encouraging, I really don't need one but I can always find a reason for one. I must crack on and start building my new workshop, 7m x 5m concrete base to get poured first.
 
:twocents:Size (rigidity) matters but no matter how good a lathe WAS, worn ways make it about useless.
fortunately there's an easy quick check for worn ways..
I finally gave up on Dad's ancient 9" South bend mainly because the ways were worn. But lack of rigidity was also a major problem.
It's a bummer working a part and have a tool dig in, cuz the holder/carriage are flexy.
Plus 1 on a QCTP, I REALLY want to add a DRO, carbide insert tooling also nice to have.
For lots of home shop type work a back gear (very low rotation speeds) is handy. I miss that more than anything else about the South Bend.
If nothing else the grizzly lathe page makes for a good place to look at size, feature options.
https://www.grizzly.com/search?q=(category:"Metal+Lathes")
Would be cool to follow along as you search!
 
kinda dinking around with a mill toy from Vevor, I couldn't resist, got a 5" mill vice on a rotating base and the tilting index with a three jaw chuck to my door quite reasonable. Been very happy with vevor, pulled the index apart to check and not the gritty mess inside so many report with chinese tools.
Thought a face plate would be handy, found one with an 1 1/2" x 8TPI thread from a grizzly closeout page, was probably for a wood lathe.
KIMG3030.JPG
A bit of lathe work
KIMG3029.JPG
and it fits on the index and now registers "pretty good". Took face run out from .008" down to .002"
KIMG3026.JPG Threads are REALLY crude, think it's cast iron. Machined a bore and face to fit the index.
Still got one more idea to bring it right in. Then used the index to clean up the very rough "as cast" nut on the face plate.
KIMG3032.JPG KIMG3033.JPG
Kinda using a tool to make itself. LOL
I'm terrible but finally got the VFD control solidly mounted in a convenient location. Looks like I need to get busy with some wire ties and some sort of wire support too.
KIMG3039.JPG
Cutting a hole and recess for the control head into the extrusion was a heads up that my rith-ma-tic n geometry are very rusty.
'Spose now I'm going have to, GASP! make some parts with it? :shrug:
 
Don't you weedle your way out of this, you are spoilt rotten, I don't have DROs, QCTP, rotary tables, indexers.
It's true, life is good.
..........Like anyone who's acumulated some years, there's shadows in the room,

Would you like to adopt me?

C'mon over son!
 
I'm lazy, I 've never used any of these charts, I simply change speeds until I find the speed that cuts/drills best on a given metal. I tried using tolerance fit charts online when making the pancake filters and clutch slave cylinder just recently, couldn't make sense of it, so I reverted to what I know best - trial and error.
I do have a couple of charts hanging over the drill press though: imp to metric and tap drill chart, which I use frequently.
 
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Anyone have a Vevor mini lathe? Still threatening to buy one and was wondering how good or bad they are. Read @gggGary ’s post about his mill tool. Maybe worth looking into?
Don't have a Vevor mini lathe but I've been happy with what I've bought from them. Vevor; China with some sane management and quality control?
Oddly while looking for something else I scrolled through their mini lathe assortment today.
They seem to cherry pick hot selling, high value items in a category? Chasing parts after a couple years might be fun but most of that type product is very similar sold under many brands.
For Chinese Machine tools, Grizzly might be a safer bet for long term support, resale? Not sure if they go to Canada.
 
Anyone have a Vevor mini lathe? Still threatening to buy one and was wondering how good or bad they are. Read @gggGary ’s post about his mill tool. Maybe worth looking into?

Expensive but interesting especially for those with limited space.

https://www.busybeetools.com/Produc...MIwKD9i_ys_QIVoHxvBB1fgwnoEAQYASABEgJXgPD_BwE
Hi Bosco, I will add my two-bits-worth for you to consider. Looking at the BusyBee lathe/mill combo, I think that you will find that both machines (the lathe and the mill) are too small to do any significant work. By the time you have added tooling to the purchase price, you will have plenty of funds to buy a quality used older lathe and a dedicated mill/drill, with tooling included with both.
My shop is equipped with a Logan 820 lathe which I refurbished and added a QCTP (size AXA). Tool holders of all sorts are cheap and readily available. I have since made a number of other attachments and other tooling. The cost of this lathe is in the $1500 range.
I have avoided buying a mill/drill as a friend has one readily accessible. I did pass on a decent mill/drill recently, complete with a complement of basic tooling for $1200. This machine would have far greater capacity than the BusyBee machine.
Moral of the story (from my perspective) ---> spend the same money or less and buy "real" machines that will serve you much better... and which will also have much better resale value if you ever decide to part with them.
2022_12_07_1.jpg
 
kinda dinking around with a mill toy from Vevor, I couldn't resist, got a 5" mill vice on a rotating base and the tilting index with a three jaw chuck to my door quite reasonable. Been very happy with vevor, pulled the index apart to check and not the gritty mess inside so many report with chinese tools.
Thought a face plate would be handy, found one with an 1 1/2" x 8TPI thread from a grizzly closeout page, was probably for a wood lathe.

A bit of lathe work
View attachment 235492
and it fits on the index and now registers "pretty good". Took face run out from .008" down to .002"
View attachment 235489 Threads are REALLY crude, think it's cast iron. Machined a bore and face to fit the index.
Still got one more idea to bring it right in. Then used the index to clean up the very rough "as cast" nut on the face plate.
View attachment 235491
Kinda using a tool to make itself. LOL
I'm terrible but finally got the VFD control solidly mounted in a convenient location. Looks like I need to get busy with some wire ties and some sort of wire support too.

Cutting a hole and recess for the control head into the extrusion was a heads up that my rith-ma-tic n geometry are very rusty.
'Spose now I'm going have to, GASP! make some parts with it? :shrug:
Gggary, I have the same faceplate...mine came from BusyBee Tools in Ottawa. I suspect they all come from Foundry #xx in India somewhere, regardless who sells them. In any case, once trued up, it is a functional attachment on my Logan. I see it as essentially sacrificial, so I readily drill holes in it wherever I need them to be. Best use to date; used it to "mill" .045" off of a Briggs head for a minibike engine!
IMG_20210320_131958053.jpg
 
Hi Bosco, I will add my two-bits-worth for you to consider. Looking at the BusyBee lathe/mill combo, I think that you will find that both machines (the lathe and the mill) are too small to do any significant work. By the time you have added tooling to the purchase price, you will have plenty of funds to buy a quality used older lathe and a dedicated mill/drill, with tooling included with both.
My shop is equipped with a Logan 820 lathe which I refurbished and added a QCTP (size AXA). Tool holders of all sorts are cheap and readily available. I have since made a number of other attachments and other tooling. The cost of this lathe is in the $1500 range.
I have avoided buying a mill/drill as a friend has one readily accessible. I did pass on a decent mill/drill recently, complete with a complement of basic tooling for $1200. This machine would have far greater capacity than the BusyBee machine.
Moral of the story (from my perspective) ---> spend the same money or less and buy "real" machines that will serve you much better... and which will also have much better resale value if you ever decide to part with them.
View attachment 236258
Yes you’re probably right. I’ve been looking for a decent smaller lathe over the past year and prices have gone crazy like many other things. Used to be able to find a nice Myford or Southbend lathe for $1500 but now people want $2500 to $3000 for the same machine. I know these combination machines can’t perform as well as “real” machines. Guess I’ll keep th hunt going. I also need to make space in the garage to fit more equipment. Your comments are appreciated.
 
I keep finding the need for a small lathe to make bits for my xs like bushes etc, we'll that's my excuse anyway. Are these mini lathes worth bothering with or the even cheaper unbranded Chinese ones or am I better off looking for an old, larger known brand like a Myford?
My vote is for the known brand, "real" machine. In your case, a Myford, probably lots of other brands in the UK. On this side of the pond, a Logan, South Bend or others???
 
Yes you’re probably right. I’ve been looking for a decent smaller lathe over the past year and prices have gone crazy like many other things. Used to be able to find a nice Myford or Southbend lathe for $1500 but now people want $2500 to $3000 for the same machine. I know these combination machines can’t perform as well as “real” machines. Guess I’ll keep th hunt going. I also need to make space in the garage to fit more equipment. Your comments are appreciated.
Hey Bosco, a quick search on your local Marketplace shows a number of listings for smaller South Bend lathes that look like good candidates to me, at least for a more detailed look. Here's a sample:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/718840066529970
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1480078689064723
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3333666860206809
You have to take pleasure in bringing one these machines back to sound operating condition, though. If not, stick with new.
 
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