New lathe choices in Canada

[ShawnR]

Impromptu poll...

If you were to buy a new lathe, 12x36, what would you buy? The only ones I see in Canada are the Craftex or the King Canada. Main want is the quick change gear box, and other features associated with lathes that come with that option.

 

[Brent H]

Hey Shawn,

you are indeed far from the southern extremities - there are some ways to get things up to you in T-Bay but it is getting more tricky for me. Our ship doesn’t go into T-Bay as much anymore and they are selling off the Coast Guard base. There is a nice South Bend 1042 at the base and a few other metal breaks and shears that should be in the government sell off at some point.

I am a fan of the older machines - not that that is a super great thing all the time - LOL.

If you see something down in the Barrie neck of the woods we can always try and get it to you

 

[Brent H]

Not a lathe but did you see this add Shawn:

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-busin...p_ios&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ios_social

 

[Scattered Parts]

I spoke to the gentleman in Thunder Bay regarding the above mill. He is a retired machinist from the paper mill there and was doing small projects on the side. It is converted from 3 phase to single phase but he still has the original motor. The asking price was $7000 with a bunch of tooling.

 

[ShawnR]

No, did not see that. I did not read the last post from Scattered Parts before I sent an email to the seller but I suppose my question has been answered. It looks nice but out of my league. Thanks.

 

[ShawnR]

I have been corresponding with a fella selling the one mentioned earlier. A friend passed away and this guy is sellling it. I will post some more info if he sends it to me or he might join and post here himself. It is a Craftex DF-1237G 12x37". He said he is near Ottawa

 

[Crankit]

PM ships into Canada, not cheap but they do offer a higher quality option in their line up, if you see "T" in the model number that represents a Taiwanese lathe

https://www.precisionmatthews.com/product-category/lathes/12-14-swing/

 

[ShawnR]

Thanks Crankit
I have heard good things about them but did not look at them, till now. Yes, it would be quite a bit more. I doubt a guy like me would notice the difference so my money might be better spent on accessories, if I do decide to bite the bullet and go new. No rush. I have a perfectly good working lathe now. I might just sit tight and wait for something used, local to come along.

I was wondering if anyone knew of any other lathe models available in Canada but it sounds like KC and Craftex are it. There are lots of KC dealers.

Thanks

 

[Chipper5783]

Most any of the main machinery dealers would be glad to sell you a lathe (Skinner, KBC, Travers, Modern Tool - likely many others). I bought my first lathe from Modern Tool (they have new and used machines), that was near 40 years ago, good service - no issues with the machine.

 

[ShawnR]

Most any of the main machinery dealers would be glad to sell you a lathe (Skinner, KBC, Travers, Modern Tool - likely many others). I bought my first lathe from Modern Tool (they have new and used machines), that was near 40 years ago, good service - no issues with the machine.

I have heard of Modern lathes as in Modern Standard iirc, but, except for KBC, have not heard of the other suppliers. Thanks. I will look around.

 

[YYCHM]

I have heard of Modern lathes as in Modern Standard iirc, but, except for KBC, have not heard of the other suppliers. Thanks. I will look around.

https://www.moderntool.com/products/category/lathes-new/
https://www.moderntool.com/products/category/lathes-used/

 

[RobinHood]

Standard Modern (SM) was/is a Canadian lathe manufacturer in the GTA. Modern Tool is a machinery dealer. They have a house brand called “Modern”. Unless you get a used Standard Modern machine from Modern Tool, the machines are not one and the same. Sorry sounds confusing, I know.

Yup, KBC sells the SM machines. Not sure if they are still made in Canada, but from what I have seen at KBC, still seem very good quality.

 

[DPittman]

Not sure if they are still made in Canada, but from what I have seen at KBC, still seem very good quality

There website only seems to claim that they are made in North America. I guess that means Mexico.

 

[Dabbler]

wow I've forgotten how far tBay is from the bigger cities! Been about 16 years since I drove through it. You could make a glad-hand deal with one of the members and wait until someone is going your way...

What are you looking for in a 12 incher? would a good 13 do? would a 10 work for you? do you need all the metric and imperial and the DP threading?

 

[Dabbler]

Standard Modern lathes are manufactured by Racer Machinery Corp in Cambridge, Ontario. They moved from Etobicoke near Toronto in the (late?) 70s

 

[ShawnR]

Thanks for all of the information. I currently have a BusyBee 10x18 B2227L. I have had it for probably almost 20 years. My interest has ebbed and flowed so it is relatively speaking, lightly used. But, just thinking that I got my money out of it, and would like to move to something with a quick change gear box and do more threading and such. But honestly, just being whiney... the gears are not so bad...I guess...maybe... the more times I change gears, the easier it is getting. It does get tight sometimes when turning on shorter items that need to be supported by the tailstock. Almost like the saddle it too big for the machine.

So I am thinking about moving up, no rush. I just thought I would ask what else is out there, in Canada. When the border opens, I can order to Grand Portage and go get it. But even then, it seems that many Grizzly machines look like Craftex and other makes so that does not make sense to do. That is how I got the mill from LittleMachineShop. But I can't see borders opening anytime soon, especially with how our COVID numbers are moving in Ontario, especially locally.

Thanks for the input. Cheers,

 

[ShawnR]

Standard Modern lathes are manufactured by Racer Machinery Corp in Cambridge, Ontario. They moved from Etobicoke near Toronto in the (late?) 70s

I did not know nor expected that we had machinery makers in Canada, especially Ontario.....interesting! I have sent them a note to find out about pricing, stock etc. My guess is they are going to be way way more than KBC or BusyBee but will be interesting to get some numbers. Just the name makes me want one. I remember a local highschool selling off their lathes probably 30ish years ago and they were all Standard Moderns. At the time, the selling price was more than what I wanted to spend but in retrospect.....

I think they all (3 or 4?) went around $1500 so not too different than todays used market.

 

[DPittman]

I think they all (3 or 4?) went around $1500 so not too different than todays used market.

Ya you'll be wishing you bought one then after learning of the new prices.

 

[John Conroy]

HHRoberts in Mississauga sells Sunmaster Taiwanese lathes. They make a 1330 and 1340 models. Very high quality machines. They also sell Hardinge clone Cyclematic precision tool room lathes.

Their website shows a used Western brand 1340 lathe in stock also.

http://www.hhrobertsmachinery.com/index.html

 

[ShawnR]

Ya you'll be wishing you bought one then after learning of the new prices.

lol...ya, no doubt!