Small metric lathe - suggestions?

[Calderwood]

I'm looking at purchasing a small (bench top) lathe. It absolutely has to be a metric machine. I'm looking to use it for threading links and for boring rod in preparation for milling axle tubes on my CNC 4th axis. I would like to get something that I can convert to CNC in the future. I did all the CNC setup including wiring the "box" on my 4 axis router table so that stuff is second nature now.

What machines should I be looking at?

[Crawling Calvin]

Ultimately whatever "machine" you buy it can do either metric or american threads depending on the gearing on the machine. Lucky for you most machines on the market are metric to start! What size is the work envelope your going to work in/materials your going to be cutting. I'd look at like the mid size benchtop Enco lathe. I believe it has a built in gearbox.

As for CNC machines... and conversion it can be done it is tricky for the mechanical side. That said if your creative its easy!

[rangercat23]

check out Sherline Products - mini lathes, mills and machine tool accessories


.

[BigSki]

Exactly what has already been posted. The gear change on the lead screw is what determines the thread pitch. Any lathe is capable of cutting "metric" threads. It's actually just a number- metric or SAE. It's all about the TPI.

[Duuuuuuuude]

I've been window shopping for lathes...noticed that some of the bench top units have plastic gears...don't know if that is neccecarily a bad thing or not but seemed kinda sketchy. Anyone have that style that can testify to their longevity?

[BigSki]

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

I've been window shopping for lathes...noticed that some of the bench top units have plastic gears...don't know if that is neccecarily a bad thing or not but seemed kinda sketchy. Anyone have that style that can testify to their longevity?

My old Micro Mark 7 x 16 had plastic gears. They worked fine because the lathe is such a light duty machine, it wouldn't take heavy cuts out of steel or brass. The best I could do was like .004-.005 per pass, anything heavier than that would cause the carriage to rock and load the motor.

[iceman320]

I have the harbor freight 7x10 mini lathe it has th plastic gears but has been working great. So far no problems wit it at all

[wings_of_fire]

I would suggest, go for a used Harrison M300 lathe. These lathes were built in a time when the manufacturers were not controlled by money and sales figures like in today. They are passionately built machines that can be relied on. A machine shop close to mine has a used Harrison M300 and I have to say, I was impressed. He got it for some 2500 USD in India. The Harrison M300 has various options to thread Imperial and Metric threads. It needs a 3 phase connection, but can be run on single phase if you change its electric motor.
Harrison M300 & T300 lathes

This video explains chinese mini lathes....

[BigSki]

One thing that no one has mentioned yet is that some of the 'el-cheapo' import lathes have axis screws that have a metric pitch, so that one revolution of the handle is more than .050, vs. a Micro Mark / old Sears-Atlas 101 or Atlas 109 lathe which has imperial threads which allows for .050 for each rotation of the handle.

This is really only an issue if you are using the scale on the handle to track travel. The imperial screw is easy to do in your head, each turn of the handle is .050, so you can count aloud .050, .100, .150, .200,.....as you crank the handle.

A simple dial indicator set up (or DRO) would make this a non-issue, but I was a cheap skate when I had my MicroMark equipment, I just used the scale on the dials.

[Calderwood]

Originally Posted by Crawling Calvin

Ultimately whatever "machine" you buy it can do either metric or american threads depending on the gearing on the machine. Lucky for you most machines on the market are metric to start! What size is the work envelope your going to work in/materials your going to be cutting. I'd look at like the mid size benchtop Enco lathe. I believe it has a built in gearbox.

As for CNC machines... and conversion it can be done it is tricky for the mechanical side. That said if your creative its easy!

I'm sure I can do the CNC conversion. 100% confident.

Originally Posted by rangercat23

check out Sherline Products - mini lathes, mills and machine tool accessories


.

I'm positive I would be disappointed with the sherline. I'm looking for something quite a bit more substantial.

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

I've been window shopping for lathes...noticed that some of the bench top units have plastic gears...don't know if that is neccecarily a bad thing or not but seemed kinda sketchy. Anyone have that style that can testify to their longevity?

Which machines are on your short list?

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

I would suggest, go for a used Harrison M300 lathe. These lathes were built in a time when the manufacturers were not controlled by money and sales figures like in today. They are passionately built machines that can be relied on. A machine shop close to mine has a used Harrison M300 and I have to say, I was impressed. He got it for some 2500 USD in India. The Harrison M300 has various options to thread Imperial and Metric threads. It needs a 3 phase connection, but can be run on single phase if you change its electric motor.
Harrison M300 & T300 lathes

This video explains chinese mini lathes....

I'll check these out.

Originally Posted by BigSki

One thing that no one has mentioned yet is that some of the 'el-cheapo' import lathes have axis screws that have a metric pitch, so that one revolution of the handle is more than .050, vs. a Micro Mark / old Sears-Atlas 101 or Atlas 109 lathe which has imperial threads which allows for .050 for each rotation of the handle.

This is really only an issue if you are using the scale on the handle to track travel. The imperial screw is easy to do in your head, each turn of the handle is .050, so you can count aloud .050, .100, .150, .200,.....as you crank the handle.

A simple dial indicator set up (or DRO) would make this a non-issue, but I was a cheap skate when I had my MicroMark equipment, I just used the scale on the dials.

This is one of the reasons I mentioned it must be a metric machine. I work entirely in metric measurements and I'm sure as hell not going to spin SAE wheels and screws. That would be a nightmare.

[Duuuuuuuude]

I've got my eye on this one. Its a good size for me and the price seems to be the tipping point between cheap and fair quality.

Grizzly.com

[gmorg]

Duuuuuuuude I have that machine. It has 1 plastic gear,no probs at all. I just want a quick change tool post. I've had the machine for 6 years.