Gunsmithing G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

[tjonh2001]

i am looking to get a newer lathe. i have a south bend heavy 10. this is a great machine but its gonna need work soon. i was thinking of selling it to purchase a NEW lathe for my hobby gunsmithing set up.

i have seen the grizzly 12x36 gunsmithing lathe advertised and it looks to be a decent machine. wondering if anyone has had personal experiance with it?

 

[JimT]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

There have been many threads about this. Try a search.

Quite a few here have them.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

Dont buy a Grizzly.

I have gotten nothing but bad customer service, 2 broken lathes, and crappy tooling from Grizzly.

 

[338RUM runner]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

I have the G0709 Lathe and it works great for my home projects. Don't think it would hold up to 40 hr weeks of turning year after year. I do my Gun stuff and my Steam Engine work on it. Just a good hobby lathe.

 

[bohem]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

I've used the lathe in question, I would not rate it against that SouthBend you have as they're different animals. The smaller gunsmithing lathe from Grizzly makes a decent home/hobbyist tool for the aspiring "do it yourself'er".

I've cut a handful of single point threaded pieces (muzzles, tenons, adapters) and some other simple parts on the lathe in question. A friend of mine owns it.

I think it does a good job and for someone who's not going to run it at regular machine shop duty levels, it's a pretty decent tool.

I don't like the cemented carbide cutters that come from Grizzly, I prowl ebay for shops liquidating American and European made tooling for better stuff. I have a Valenite threading bar that makes wonderful threads, it cares little if I use it on a Clausing toolroom lathe or on the Gunsmithing lathe.

Personally, if you already have the southbend setup and running, I'd just put the money into getting it trimmed up and go with it. No sense in selling it (the used manual machine market is in the dumps... good for the buyer, not the seller) and you're going to pay retail to get that new lathe.

 

[ugsly]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

There are quite a few gunsmiths here using the Grizzly 12x36 lathe. They turn out very good work on them also. for the home hobbyists they are affordable and will do all you ask of them. Ive been told it more the nut behind the lathe running it that makes the difference. I cant speak for Grizzly's customer service though, I've never had to deal with them.

bohem is right, you cant compare the SB to the grizzly.

Kc

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

1 hour after my post, something else broke on my bolt knob lathe. Its a Grizzly. Im now in need of two replacement parts for it. One is on backorder till June. They wont help me out in any way with it. They could take it off a lathe sitting there but they said its a rule that they dont.

If you want a cheap lathe for hobby stuff, a grizzly will do nice work until it breaks. If you have customers depending on you, Id look into another brand.

 

[trigger time]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

What broke?

 

[tjonh2001]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

I'm not trying to compare south bend to grizzly. Just wondering if grizzly lathe will handle what I want. I will only be doing this for my rifle. I have no intention of becoming a smith.

 

[grunt0311]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

Damn I hope that dont happen to me. I bought a lathe/mill combo from a buddy that is moving back home. He hasnt used it much and nothing is broken. I hope over time I dont run into the same problems as some of you.

 

[Papagrizzly]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AZPrecision</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you want a cheap lathe for hobby stuff, a grizzly will do nice work until it breaks. If you have customers depending on you, Id look into another brand. </div></div>

I was going to try and help you until I read the order notes. I do not like to get into it with customers on a public forum unless they are absolutely unfair.

Your comments are unfair!

The "broken lathes" you refer to were actually freight damages and we replaced the machines. The way your post reads, one would imagine that you bought the G4003G lathe that the OP was asking about. In fact, you bought the G0602 in 2008, which is a thousand dollar, 10 x 22 lathe, that you appear to be using for production. This is a hobby lathe.

Also, the part you are wanting is a complete tailstock and wanted it covered under warranty. No mention in the computer notes about any issues with the tailstock during the first 2+ years you used it. I have been known to make exceptions and cover things under warranty when the issue was evident, and the customer was polite. Not going to happen in this case.

For the guys that want to be in production, buy a machine that fits. That is why we have over 35 different lathes from a few hundred dollars to over $40K each. Pacific Tool and Guage (reamer makers), Sierra bullets, Boretech, Viper rests, and some of the top gunsmiths in the industry use our lathes. Our parts dept. has over one million different parts in stock at all times. Certainly, we will be out of stock of some parts and have to rely on the factory for how quickly we can get the ones that we do not have in stock. We do not remove parts from new machines to send to customers.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

No they werent freight damage. You blamed it on UPS but it wasnt UPS's fault. The lathes were broken in ways they couldnt have done.
The freight damage I ignored and accepted after your 3rd attempt at delivery. I STILL accepted a broken lathe.

You couldve helped me when I called instead of suddenly carring now.


Your statements are not entirely correct. I didnt want it warrantied I offered to pay "more than full price". Those were my exact words.

No, my post does not make it sound like I bought the lathe the OP is asking about.
And production? I use it 30 minutes a day. It turns out aluminum knobs. No threading, no cutting steel, nothing but light cuts on aluminum. If you sell a lathe that cant handle that maybe it should say so on it.

I could go into my history with your products in detail but you wouldnt look good. I use two full size grizzlys almost daily. They break all the time. Everything seems cheap, from your casted parts to your gearbox.
Thats 3 of your lathes I try to use almost daily. I have more experience with your products and customer service than the computer screen your looking at tells you.





Id rather just move on and never open a grizzly catalog again.


Guys, you get what you pay for in this industry. There is a reason asian made things are 1/3rd the price of American.
Grizzly lathes will do nice work. But they DO have cheap parts, the parts WILL break, and so far I have not gotten good customer service from them.

Thats all Ill say about it



<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Papagrizzly</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

I was going to try and help you until I read the order notes.</div></div>

Wait, what do you mean?

If I had called and complained about every problem Ive had you WOULD have tried to help me? So, for not calling and bugging you I get penalized?
I told your people the 3rd lathe had things wrong but they only cared whether or not Id take it. Maybe a note would have been good to put on my account that I had 3 lathes delivered and STILL accepted a busted one. Maybe since that happened you could bend your "rule" and send me the part I need.

Thats a funny way to do business. I do anything I can for customers regardless of their ordering history. I realize our businesses are extremely different, but customer service is customer service.

 

[strictlyRUM]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

Well I had a 4003G lathe that I used for a year and then when I went to move it the casting broke. They took my word for it that I know what I am doing and had me send some pics. It looked like the casting was a freight damage deal. It had rust in it. It was no longer on warantee and they still sent me a whole new lathe. I spent many hours on the phone and such. BUT..... They replaced it when they didnt have to.

jason

 

[bohem]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tjonh2001</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm not trying to compare south bend to grizzly. Just wondering if grizzly lathe will handle what I want. I will only be doing this for my rifle. I have no intention of becoming a smith. </div></div>

In that case, I know that the Grizzly lathe will do the jobs easily. I'm not convinced from what little information you've given on the SB that the financial case is there to sell the SB and pay retail on a new Grizzly, but I don't mean that as a slight against Grizzly. It is simply a "bottom line, fix A or buy a new B, do the numbers make sense?"

I mentioned earlier that I don't like cemented carbide. I should clarify. I don't like cemented carbide across the board, I prefer carbide insert tooling or solid carbide. The finish quality with solid carbide is practically second to none in the realm of normal projects. Grizzly sells insert tooling, I have some of it, it does the job just fine.

Ebay can be a source of used bars and cutter holders otherwise more expensive from any other source. Caveat emptor though, make sure you know EXACTLY what you're buying.

 

[tjonh2001]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

The thing is that I have a nice South Bend Lathe the rails are in good shape. It runs smooth and cuts great threads. I bought it locally and from the second owner who owned it for 20 years and only used it slightly. I like knowing it’s an American made machine. Right now the machine is working great. The bushings are going to need to be replaced as I have already removed shims. So I’m to the time that I have to make a decision, rebuild my American machine OR Buy a Chinese lathe. I’ve never rebuilt a machine and not sure where to start. Then again what better way to get to know your machine than to have completely rebuilds it?

I have heard a lot of things that are concerning me about Grizzly.I've never used there lathe but i do own one of there mills and its been a good machine for what it is. As for the South Bend I haven’t heard one bad thing except that when you have to ship them they are expensive.

I’m not sure what I’m going to do. If I decide to rebuild my South Bend lathe does anyone have any good sites for me to get info on where to start?

If you were in my Situation what would you do?

 

[LSandBinc]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

I have owned the lathe you are asking about for a year now. I have no major complaints about the lathe after doing about 30 barrels, many of which I personally know will shoot 1/4 inch or better. My only problem is with one of the rollers on the steady rest coming apart while doing a crown, never tried to call Grizzly to get a replacement, I just replaced it with one from the follow rest.

Alan Gardner
Lock Stock and Barrel, Inc.

 

[crumpmd]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

I own a G4003G as well.
I am learning to do rifle smithing and I have turned out several good rifles so far.
I also had trouble with the steady rest rollers and ordered replacements without difficulty. I have had good customer service.
It is a fine lathe for someone like me doing work on the weekends.

If I had a Southbend already I would be looking at rebuilding rather than buying new.

 

[bohem]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

I would keep the South Bend and call Grizzly actually to ask about a rebuild kit. I know that they carry the SB's now, however they're affiliated I don't know, but as an existing Grizzly owner and an SB owner they should have no qualms about helping you.

 

[Sniperhandle]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

http://www.machinetools4sale.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=335
http://www.grizzly.com/products/13-x-40-Gear-Head-Floor-Lathe/G9036

I have a 13 inch southbend and a kent 1340a, as you can see in the 2 links above, it is the same exact machine that grizzly sells, just a different name and a different coat of paint. As far as I am concerned it is a great lathe for someone who is a hobby gunsmith like myself, I use it a few times a week, but it is certainly not used for production. I have noticed that 300 sniper also uses the same lathe as mine (kent usa 1340) and turns out some phenomonal work. There are a few things hat seem a little cheesy. But hey, I can hold tight tolerances with it. The only thing I really have to complain about is the gearbox takes some getting used to, say you want to thread 5/8x24 the gear selector doesnt exactly line up with the corresponding letter and I was worried the first few times I cut that thread, but now I know where it supposed to be, I had a compound bolt strip on me becuase it was a cheesy part and I made a new one on my southbend. Overall though I am very happy with it.

 

[SDWhirlwind]

Re: G4003G (gunsmithing) lathe anyone use one

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tjonh2001</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The thing is that I have a nice South Bend Lathe the rails are in good shape. It runs smooth and cuts great threads. I bought it locally and from the second owner who owned it for 20 years and only used it slightly. I like knowing it’s an American made machine. Right now the machine is working great. The bushings are going to need to be replaced as I have already removed shims. So I’m to the time that I have to make a decision, rebuild my American machine OR Buy a Chinese lathe. I’ve never rebuilt a machine and not sure where to start. Then again what better way to get to know your machine than to have completely rebuilds it?

I have heard a lot of things that are concerning me about Grizzly.I've never used there lathe but i do own one of there mills and its been a good machine for what it is. As for the South Bend I haven’t heard one bad thing except that when you have to ship them they are expensive.

I’m not sure what I’m going to do. If I decide to rebuild my South Bend lathe does anyone have any good sites for me to get info on where to start?

If you were in my Situation what would you do?
</div></div>

Go to here and there are several threads on SB bushings

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/south-bend-lathes/

and other issues/fixes for the Heavy 10's. Also if you ask nice there is are alot of nice gents that are more than willing to help a newbie get what they need done or hook them up with someone who can.

If you have removed a set of shims now which may be the first adjustment since new?, you will probably never use it enough for gun tinkering to need further fixes on the spindle? On PR forums they recommend Mobil 1 etc for spindle bearings and have alot of other advice. Good read if you haven't been there.

I wouldn't trade my Heavy 10 for anything as it suits me fine. You can 'learn' to fix near anything. Haven't done anything to my SB but tore my Craftsman/Atlas down to the last bolt and rebuilt it. Looks like a new one. Had a "Precision"(Harbor Freight 12/36?) I bought from a gent locally getting out of smithing. Had the spindle tore completely apart on it trying to fix a 'knock' in the back gear that was there from new. The new 'cheap' imports are just that and while many do a satisfactory job they aren't a SB Hvy 10. My Craftsman with worn bed cut better and more precise than the Harbor Freight did which was 2 yrs old when I got it.

Only other small lathe I would like to own is either an Emco Maximat Super 11 or preferably the V13. Spent some time on a the smaller one 35+ yrs ago and would like to use one again.