Need help picking a lathe

[Fatboy]

Hey guys iam looking to buy a lathe. Iam looking to spend any where from 500 to a 1000. Dont really want to spend more than that, I have been looking at the harbor freight lathe it sales for $499, I have had very good luck with some of there tools, i have ther big 220 welder and love it.

So any advice will be greatly appreciated

[Crawling Calvin]

First off what do you plan to make on the lathe. Super class rims or a few link sliders.

I only ask because once you got a lathe it isn't big enough (to a point.) The little harbor freight lathe is ok but in my opinion unless your doing a bunch of tiny parts, it gets maxed out easy!

My main gripes are:
The lack of travel on the X/Z especially when you got the tailstock in the picture. Mind you im used to the bigger lathes at my job

Compound slide (at least on mine) is really annoying. Either the gibbs got to be cranked down all the way rendering movement useless or the cross slide was super sloppy

Lack of power. I only say that because yes it is a tiny lathe but to be effective you usually had to crank the RPM up higher than need be, causing chatter when cutting materials like steels, even aluminum and brass. If your careful with your cut depths it isn't such an issue but that said its still a pain. That partly is related to the second gripe

Overall if your willing to take it for what it is, its not that bad a lathe for the $... its just coming from my snobby machinist opinion its a bit overpriced

[sickcivic95]

Have you looked at the taig lathe? It's not the largest but price wise they are very nice and support and upgrades are readily available. Your choices are really going to depend on what you are looking at making. As stated above once you get a mini, its not large enough...lol

Here's a link to check it out. Taig Tools - Desktop Milling Machines and Lathes.

--Dan

[Fatboy]

thanks guys. i will be using in for alot of small things. the main thing is iam have my own chassis being made for the ground pounder monster truck. that i will be selling as race kits and one of the things that i need to make is cvds. i have found a cvd that will work but i have to fill in the pin hole with my tig and then turn it back done to a nice finish and re drill the pin hole. other than that who knows what i will find to do.