[Wmacky1]

What am I missing here. I've read many posts about the great deal this lathe is @ $550 with some getting them in the mid 400's with sales / coupons. The harbor freight site list this lathe at almost $700?

That seems like a hell of a price increase, especially in this economy. WTH happened?

[Crevice Reamer]

Hi WM. Welcome to the Zone!

The coupon only applies with orders at local store--NOT online. Sometimes the local manager won't accept coupon on orders though.

With the 20% off coupon, (Available in Popular Mechanics/Science and about 20 other magazines) applied to the regular price it WOULD be $560. HF routinely puts these lathes on sale, and the 20% then comes off the sales price. Shipping to store is free when ordered from local store.

Just to put things into perspective: Lathemaster sells the same lathe for $869 + $179 shipping:
http://www.lathemaster.com/LATHEMASTER8x14Lathe.htm

Of course, from them you get a wealth of free accessories (Including reverse feed) for the base price, plus a REAL warranty. HF only provides 90 day exchange.

For THAT price though, you might as well spend the extra $96 to buy the much larger and more capable Grizzly 10x22.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-x...al-Lathe/G0602

http://crevicereamer.com/Page_70.html

CR.

[Wmacky1]

I'll read those post again, but was sure that the price "before" the coupon was listed as $550.

In any event perhaps your Grizzly suggestion is the better, if more difficult, choice.

[Crevice Reamer]

I'll read those post again, but was sure that the price "before" the coupon was listed as $550.

In any event perhaps your Grizzly suggestion is the better, if more difficult, choice.

There is only ONE mini lathe that I recommend, and that is the 8x12/14. They are very capable lathes. They CAN an DO go on sale, and it IS possible to buy one on sale with a 20% off coupon at a price around $400 bucks. Definitely a best buy.

The Grizzly G0602 is obviously the better lathe, but almost 3 times the possible low cost of 8x12. Either one is capable of excellent work.

CR.

[boxcarmj]

What pitch are the change gears on the HF and LatheMaster? Thank-you Mike

[blades]

I'd be tempted to pick up an 8x12 next time the planets are aligned (meaning it's on sale and I have a 20% off coupon that can be used on sale items). That's how I picked up my 7x10 for about $320.

[alfiius289]

Hi. Current status of the 8x12 at Harbor Freight has it that local stores no longer special order (gone is the free delivery). Call the online order phone and ask for the lowest current price and then apply a 20% coupon if you have one - everyone says that HF will honor the coupons on phone orders. Even though the price jumped from $549 to 699, they still put it on sale. For me, there is no other hobby lathe that comes close to the 8x12.
Regards, Al

[eartaker]

The 8X12 isnt much of an upgrade from the 7X10

[machinechick]

Comparing a 7x10 to 8x12 is kinda like saying a RF clone mill isn't much better than a X2 mill.
Lathe performance are about more than between center measures.
The 8 x 12 is a totally different beast than the 7 x 10.
It's much more massive (at 350lbs most can't lift it and carry it around).
The 8 x 12/14 has a strong drive train (in addition a plantary back gear is available from Lathemaster) and with the mass you can actually remove some serious metal at a good rate, plus the accuracy is repeatable.
The leadscrews and nuts are at least a third bigger, which also provides more rigidity in the mix.
Last, but not least, the 8 x12 is made at a different ChiCom factory. A manufactory that actually seems to take some pride in making a machine you can basically use out of the box instead messing/modding it before it's capable of being more than a hobby unto itself.
As someone who's owned both lathes I think even at $700 the 8 x 12/14 would be well worth the price.

[eartaker]

I guess if your just looking for more power it would be but in my case I wanted more power and much more travel.

[alfiius289]

Thanks Machinechick. It is good to hear that from someone who has had experience with both the 7x and 8x lathes. I'm a total newbie to lathes but I'm glad my research led me to buy the 8x12. The local HF has a 7x10 on display and the difference is obvious. My 8x12 was ready to use out of the box.
Regards, Al

[concombrefrais]

I bought the 8 by 12 less than a year ago. It was on sale and I used a 25% off that they gave away for january first. I ended up paying $430 and free shipping. This was the best deal ever! The machine is terrific. Really tough, quiet and precise. I don't think you can buy anything close to this quality at this price. You can also get a decent warranty from HF if you want. I think they just reaplace it for like a year or two after purchase, not sure exactly.
I don't think it is 350 pounds. I could lift the heavy side (headstock) and my friend got the end of it (much lighter) and I am not colossus. They advertised 250 pounds shipping weight I think.

[alfiius289]

http://www.annisquamgranite.com/ReviewHome.htm
HF8x12
When I was researching mini-lathes, I have to credit these two fine fellows for convincing me to invest in the 8x12. Then I found out that LatheMaster sells a 9x30 from the same manufacturer. Ok, who am I kidding, I wouldn't have spent the money to buy the 9x30. I paid $549 for mine with free shipping to the local HF. I bought the 2MT live center and 2MT bull nose live center. Also added a 4" 4-jaw and a 6" 4-jaw independent chucks. The 6" is massive and doesn't seem to strain the lathe. If you check out YouTube, look up Popnstart and look at the quick alignment tool he made - it works like a charm.
Regards, Al

[eartaker]

I have the LatheMaster 9X30 and if you ever want to upgrade for further travel I highly suggest it. the machine eats up anything I throw at it with ease. It comes standard with a 5" 3 jaw and a 5" 4 jaw, and 2 dead centers. I am working on a cam lock for my tailstock right now.

[alfiius289]

Hello Eartaker. I don't know if you have this site, EAGLE INDUSTRIES LTD., but I assume that this is the manufacturer for the 8x12 and 9x30 lines.
Regards, Al

[eartaker]

Nice, The model HD250X750 is the Lathemaster 9X30. The LM comes with the 4 jaw, Faceplate, steady rest, follow rest, splash guard and oil tray. I wish it would have included the light, leadscrew guard, live center and the drill chuck on top of all of the standard items.

[tlfamm]

CreviceReamer:
--snip--
Of course, from them you get a wealth of free accessories (Including reverse feed) for the base price, plus a REAL warranty. HF only provides 90 day exchange.
--snip--

I don't remember the LM 8x14 having reverse feed - is that new this year?

[Dano523]

The HF comes with a reverse feed gear, and if you just double check that the motor capacitor wiring is correct/ not grounding out when you strip down the machine (and I mean all the way, including pulling the spindle to clean and grease the bearings as well), the machine will suit you well.

As for the chuck, the HF 5" four independent jaw chuck bolts right on, and is only $58.50 (#12334). HF no longer carries the steady rest and follower rest that you use to be able to order through them directly, so LMS is the way to go here (get gouged since their price for them is about double what HF used to sell them).


Only drawbacks to the machine is the spindle bore size (3/4"), and the stock gearing will only get you down to 120rpms.

You can ream the spindle a tad larger, but is will get you no where near 1".

Someone did a monster spindle mod to one, but it really was over kill (was over 1.5" through bore). I'm still trying to figure out a way to skin the cat on the cheap side, since the 8X12 with a 1" spindle through would be perfect for what I use the machine for. Turning down a solid piece of stock would be a monster, but if I can find someone that can cast me a piece to make a new spindle, then just pulling the spindle housing to bore and make new bearing raceways would be a snap. As stated, I'm only looking for a 1" bore, so the stock pulley/spindle gears can be bored out/ and reused in the conversion.

As for the spindle speed, LM does sell a SPEED REDUCTION PULLEY that will get you down to around 70rmp for threading (still a tad fast), but is costs $129, and will put a huge gap in your select speeds on the intermittent gear to direct motor pulling gearing, since it cuts all of lower speeds a little over half of what they used to be. As for swapping the two out, not a walk in the part since the shafts on have blind nuts behind the back cover, and takes a little tear down to swap back and forth between the two

Some posted that they built a 4'th row of pulley that the added onto the existing low gear pulleys, but had to build a enlonged tesnison puller sleave for for the belt pully (read seemed like a better solution when you are threading since your going to be in the works changing feed gearing, and would only take an extra min to bolt on).

Myself, since the spindle really does not need a lot of torque for threading, I'm still trying to figure out a way to just do it electrically with the stock motor to run the motor at half speed. Trying to use a light dimmer just ends up with the switch kicking out, so that is a dead end there. Yes there is the VFD motor option, but lets face it, when you are going to drop that kind of money into the stock machine, like the SPEED REDUCTION PULLEY, may as well just order another machine to start with that solves the two problem out the gate.


As for the 9X30, yes you get a longer bead, but you are still playing the same game with spindle bore and low speed as the 8x12 (read I think the two both share the same spindle, and ever gearing system), so although you can turn longer pieces in a single pass, your still back in the same boat with a spindle bore too small to get anything larger than 3/4" through, and the spindle turning way to fast to thread in low gear in stock form.