WTB: lathe for beginner

[Neacail]

Hello,
I'm trying to find a lathe to get started on, something like a 10" to 13". I've done a but of lathe work in school, and I have a little Craftsman/Atlas 109 which is a neat little toy for making plastic and aluminum spacers and bushings, but it's just enough lathe to make me want more.

Hoping to find something in Alberta, though I'd drive to Saskatoon or Regina for the right machine.

Looking forward to becoming more active on the forum.

Thanks!

 

[DPittman]

Hello,
I'm trying to find a lathe to get started on, something like a 10" to 13". I've done a but of lathe work in school, and I have a little Craftsman/Atlas 109 which is a neat little toy for making plastic and aluminum spacers and bushings, but it's just enough lathe to make me want more.

Hoping to find something in Alberta, though I'd drive to Saskatoon or Regina for the right machine.

Looking forward to becoming more active on the forum.

Thanks!

Do you have any particular line of lathe work in mind? I had a Atlas 6x18 lathe and it was fun and well built but very light and sparse on features. I've seen some of the stuff some people have been able to make with those little lathes and it is amazing. I now have an Asian 10" lathe that suites me for the most part but I do wish I could have a larger sturdier lathe often times. However the little lathe fits in my space and accessories and tooling for it are available and affordable which with larger non Asian made lathes is often not the case. There is a recent thread on this forum why people have more than one lathe. For me having just one lathe is like just having one wife....I'm lucky to have one and if I start looking and wishing for another I may end up with nothing.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Neacail]

Do you have any particular line of lathe work in mind? ......

I run an auto repair shop in Edmonton, we also do a fair bit of performance and custom work. We specialize in Volvo, so one can imagine that sometimes we need to get creative when it comes to the performance and custom side of things. I've been getting by with the little 6" lathe, just for spacers and bushings and stuff, but I need something bigger. I've actually resorted to using my brake lathe to modify hubs and things but that's really not how I'd like to continue. I've been looking at the craftex 10x22, that's the kind of budget I'm looking at, but I always prefer to look at used first.

 

[DPittman]

I run an auto repair shop in Edmonton, we also do a fair bit of performance and custom work. We specialize in Volvo, so one can imagine that sometimes we need to get creative when it comes to the performance and custom side of things. I've been getting by with the little 6" lathe, just for spacers and bushings and stuff, but I need something bigger. I've actually resorted to using my brake lathe to modify hubs and things but that's really not how I'd like to continue. I've been looking at the craftex 10x22, that's the kind of budget I'm looking at, but I always prefer to look at used first.

The craftex 10x22 is what I have. It more capable than a 109 but along ways off a 12" lathe. I sort of wish I would have bought the craftex 12x28 big brother lathe to my little guy. My budget didn't allow that and my space would have been iffy. It's always compromises. I'd think if you have the space you likely could find a used Asian 12"+ lathe and I doubt you would ever be sorry that you had the extra capacity.