New lathe choices in Canada
- Thread starter ShawnR
- Start date
Thanks John. Did not know about them either. Apparently, I have not been very diligent on my web searching. I have emailed them asking for more info on the Western and a new one.
Yes, fun to look for sure and patience usually pays off. Some days I have it and some days I don't. I can wait but it is nice to now have these other references. I had tunnel vision on KBC and Busybee.
Do you own all that equipment in your signature? Or is that stuff that you have owned...? That is a lot of stuff for a hobbyist.....
"15X60 Leblond lathe
14X40 Modern Lathe
12X37 Busy Bee Lathe
9X49 First mill
8X36 Modern Mill
7X42 Hartford Mill
7X24 Horizontal mill
Brown and Sharpe 6X12 Surface Grinder...."
Sunmasters look very nice. But they are big bucks.
http://www.hhrobertsmachinery.com/Sunmaster-lathes/Sunmaster-RML-Lathes.html
http://www.hhrobertsmachinery.com/Sunmaster-lathes/Sunmaster-RML-Lathes.html
Sooooo, just got off the phone with a distributor for Standard Modern
Any guesses as to how much they are worth new? He would not even quote me exactly. .... I left lots of room in this message for you to ponder....scroll down for the answer. Apparently, they are made to specs for the US Navy. And that is one of their main clients. School boards and government agencies of course too...
My answer was......"North of 20K for the 13" model"
Any guesses as to how much they are worth new? He would not even quote me exactly. .... I left lots of room in this message for you to ponder....scroll down for the answer. Apparently, they are made to specs for the US Navy. And that is one of their main clients. School boards and government agencies of course too...
My answer was......"North of 20K for the 13" model"
New 1334 is 22k USD.
https://www.penntoolco.com/standard-modern-lathe-model-1334-13-swing-sm-1334/
If you want the mil spec version it's about double that.
From what I can find the mil-spec model is the same machine but comes with "all" the accessories.
https://www.penntoolco.com/standard-modern-lathe-model-1334-13-swing-sm-1334/
If you want the mil spec version it's about double that.
From what I can find the mil-spec model is the same machine but comes with "all" the accessories.
Dabbler
ersatz engineer
@ShawnR Uh, well, that's not all of it, unfortunately. I am in a mode of getting some of them ready for sale, I want them in the best shape possible first. I kinda like rebuilding old equipment.
For new, that is the expected price... They are well made, even for the price. There's always best value in a well cared for used machine - the risk is that it isn't cared for...
boilerhouse
Ultra Member
I am in the same boat - also looking for a new lathe. A few of the Canadian distributors who had lathes suitable for a home hobbiest that I stumbled on through google searches are; Modern Tool (BC, Alberta, Newmarket, Ont.), Bell Machinery (West coast), Stan Canada (Edmonton), in addition to Busy Bee and KBC, I am generally leaning towards a Taiwanese machine, although the Chinese models tend to be cheaper and sometimes a bit better equipped. If I find other suppliers i will post them here.
Crankit
Well-Known Member
Thanks Crankit. Did not see them before either. I have looked at Jet products before. I think a step up from the basic import but not quite the top echelon.
Boilerhouse, what are you using now? Where are you?
I am still leaning towards the listed below. But not rushing into buying soon. If you compare the CX 707 to the Baleigh listed on the travers site, they look very similar, enough to make me think same manufacturer.
KBC 1236 https://www.kbctools.ca/itemdetail/6-125-063
Craftex CX707 https://www.busybeetools.com/products/lathe-12in-x-36in-2hp-gear-head-craftex-cx-cx707.html
Baleigh https://www.traverscanada.com/dual-voltage-metal-lathe/p/87-115-101/
It makes the 707 look good. My Craftex has been good to me. I also have some King Canada equipment and it seems decent too.
Boilerhouse, what are you using now? Where are you?
I am still leaning towards the listed below. But not rushing into buying soon. If you compare the CX 707 to the Baleigh listed on the travers site, they look very similar, enough to make me think same manufacturer.
KBC 1236 https://www.kbctools.ca/itemdetail/6-125-063
Craftex CX707 https://www.busybeetools.com/products/lathe-12in-x-36in-2hp-gear-head-craftex-cx-cx707.html
Baleigh https://www.traverscanada.com/dual-voltage-metal-lathe/p/87-115-101/
It makes the 707 look good. My Craftex has been good to me. I also have some King Canada equipment and it seems decent too.
Chipper5783
Well-Known Member
The Travers example helps to put things in context. They list quite a nice 13" lathe - which makes the eye popping price of the SM ("north of 20K for the 13" model") look like it is on a half price sale.
If you can get a good condition industrial lathe, with attachments and basic tooling for $5000 - that really is cheap. One figuring they can get that for much less is like hoping to win a lottery - it happens, but don't count on it. You can buy a similar work envelop machine for a lot less than a top end machine and many of the parts manufactured on the cheaper machine will be the same, but don't kid yourself that the $5000 13" Craftex is pretty much the same as the $42,000 13" Clausing.
The reality is, I'm never going to buy a new top end machine. Either I'm buying something pretty good (used industrial) and cleaning and fixing, or I'm buying 'el cheapo and appreciating it for what it is (thankful that it gets me into a fun hobby). I've done a bit of both - either options works.
If you can get a good condition industrial lathe, with attachments and basic tooling for $5000 - that really is cheap. One figuring they can get that for much less is like hoping to win a lottery - it happens, but don't count on it. You can buy a similar work envelop machine for a lot less than a top end machine and many of the parts manufactured on the cheaper machine will be the same, but don't kid yourself that the $5000 13" Craftex is pretty much the same as the $42,000 13" Clausing.
The reality is, I'm never going to buy a new top end machine. Either I'm buying something pretty good (used industrial) and cleaning and fixing, or I'm buying 'el cheapo and appreciating it for what it is (thankful that it gets me into a fun hobby). I've done a bit of both - either options works.
boilerhouse
Ultra Member
Thanks Crankit - Travers certainly has a large selection of machine tools. Looks like something there for everyone. With it shipping from the US, I would want to check if duties, brokerage fees, shipping costs etc would apply.
ShawnR - I am in Muskoka (Central Ontario), and currently have a 1940's era Atlas, and while it is in fairly good shape for its age, it just lacks weight and rigidity. I have been keeping an eye on Kijiji for some time, looking at older iron, but most of the stuff that comes up looks like it would be a project. If I were to consider one of the older N American machines, (which is very unlikely at this point), I would really want to be familiar with the history of the machine and know the owner. I have King and Craftex machine tools that have held up well over the years, however, in both cases they are of Taiwan origin. The Chinese seem to have upped their game in recent years, but if I were to buy one, much like a used machine, I would prefer to see it in person, turn all the cranks and check it under power. This should drastically reduce unpleasant surprises when it is shipped and uncrated.
ShawnR - I am in Muskoka (Central Ontario), and currently have a 1940's era Atlas, and while it is in fairly good shape for its age, it just lacks weight and rigidity. I have been keeping an eye on Kijiji for some time, looking at older iron, but most of the stuff that comes up looks like it would be a project. If I were to consider one of the older N American machines, (which is very unlikely at this point), I would really want to be familiar with the history of the machine and know the owner. I have King and Craftex machine tools that have held up well over the years, however, in both cases they are of Taiwan origin. The Chinese seem to have upped their game in recent years, but if I were to buy one, much like a used machine, I would prefer to see it in person, turn all the cranks and check it under power. This should drastically reduce unpleasant surprises when it is shipped and uncrated.
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If you want new and heavy duty KBC sells a Kent USA 1340 lathe that I believe is made by Sunmaster in Taiwan. At 2440 lbs it will be stout and Sunmaster makes very good stuff.
https://www.kbctools.ca/itemdetail/6-273-058
https://www.kbctools.ca/itemdetail/6-273-058
boilerhouse
Ultra Member
Yes - a very stout lathe, here was another KBC lathe that they sell as their brand, 3HP, 2400 lbs a couple chucks and other goodies, and less than 10 grand, I searched for any first hand accounts from users with this lathe, but so far haven't found anything.
https://www.kbctools.ca/itemdetail/6-269-006
https://www.kbctools.ca/itemdetail/6-269-006
The other Grip brand 1440 is exactly the same machine as the Precision Matthews PM1440HD. and very similar the the Jet GH1440W and the Modern branded GH1440W that I bought a couple of years ago.
https://www.kbctools.ca/itemdetail/6-269-007-N3
https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/pm-1440hd/
Modern normally carries the C0636A lathe which is priced under $10K but are out of stock until this summer.
https://www.kbctools.ca/itemdetail/6-269-007-N3
https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/pm-1440hd/
Modern normally carries the C0636A lathe which is priced under $10K but are out of stock until this summer.
The C0636 had a 1.5" spindle bore and the C0636A was upgraded to a 2" spindle bore but that meant going to D1-5 chucks instead of the much more common D1-4