[RMS]

Hi all!

I am looking for my first small lathe and I hear weight is the best feature but what about the two lathe makers that toot TRUE INCH lead screws and true inch dials such as Microlux 7x14(90LBS)and Lathmaster 8x14 (190LBS) how important is true inch? and how are you guys getting around this with the other lathes like the HF's 9x20 (230LBS)or Grizzlys 9x19(300LBS)

Also some have a lever on the rear of the headstock which engages the carriage feed in neutral, forward, or reverse gear such as the Microlux; BUT on some you have to change gears, such as the lathmaster, not sure about the 9x20 HF's or Grizzlys anyone know if these have a lever reverse or is it a gear swap??

Any opinions on the (China made) 9 x 20 Birmingham YCL920BD?

By the way I am also looking for a used old USA machine as well

[phantomcow2]

THe mini lathes use a 1mm pitch screw. They make it so that each revolution is marked at .04". In actuality, its about .397, something like that. I much prefer this. I can easily turn metric parts, which I do a lot of. For any work of value, you always take the small final passes. So you get your work a few thousandths, measure, and move in a little bit. The error is one marking of the dial is so minimal, your calipers don't even have the resolution to measure it.
I hold .0005" with almost all of the small things I make with my mini-lathe, so I have no issues with the leadscrew. I don't even bother doing anything that requires use of the tailstock though, its crap.

Yes you have to change gears for the powerfeed. Chances are, you will only do this for threading. I use the powerfeed only for turning, so I just leave it in its slowest setting.

[RMS]

Sounds like some marketing going with the true inch, but another concern I had was if it had anything to do with the quality of auto feed threading?

How do we cut ACME threads?

[phantomcow2]

It has nothing to do with the auto feeding. The true inch is for the cross and compound. Oddly enough, the leadscrew for the carriage is truly inch at 16TPI. So you can cut threads just fine. In fact, you have to buy a replacement leadscrew in order to cut true metric threads. YOu can buy a few gears with an odd # of teeth to cut metric threads 'close'.

[phantomcow2]

Oh, the ACME thread question. You just lookup the gear setup for whatever TPI you want, you set it up like any other htreading operation.

[Mcgyver]

to your closing point, I'm a big believer that you'll get 10x the machine for the money looking at used western world equipment, but you've got to find it and possibly repairing/rebuilding/refurbish it. The good news is for the (most) parts are either standard or can be made.

The weight helps helps absorb vibration but its really almost a by product of what the designer is really after; rigidity. Cutting metal can use a lot of force and machine has to be able hold up to this with as little flex as possible. This is why a 1500lb lathe is nicer than a 500 lb lathe, all things being equal. Not to take anything away from the bench top lathes, because lots of great work can be done on them, but I'd bet if you surveyed the more accomplished home shop guys at this or one of the machining forums you get an close to unanimous response that the preference is larger, older iron....problem is depending on your local, finding it

then again you asked for opinions and know what they are like - everyone's got one

[phantomcow2]

I have to agree, I would much prefer a nicer, more solid iron machine. I'de love a south bend or clausing. I had a difficult time finding one in decent shape that I could afford, and that my workspace could handle. The mini-lathe does not give me any troubles in aluminum. You can't use insert tooling, too much of a radius. If I use a sharp tool though, I can really hog aluminum. Steel takes a lot of patience, this is when I wish I had something larger. Like I said, I don't bother turning anything that requires use of the tailstock, it is horrible quality. Now, I rarely even bother drilling with the tailstock either. I am very happy with my X3, and use that for drilling holes after indicating the piece.

[Green0]

I think the Micromark and similar true inch is cool because they have the $100 DRO kit.

That's a big deal to me, but I think I'm going CNC instead so I can cut threads on peoples barrels if neccessary without ****ting myself .

[Stephen Gray]

Green0, the micro-mark has a dro kit? that's pretty cool

[RMS]

I got Pics of my new lathe, at:
http://www.dreamtone.org/MicroLux.htm#top

7x14 MicroLux