Gunsmithing Im thinking i want the big Grizzly Gunsmithing Lathe

[skeetlee]

I cant keep from checking out the big Grizzly Gunsmithing lathe. Looks like a great machine. i like the weight and the big barrel tub stand it comes with. Anyone here use one? How short can you go through the headstock if you built a cats head spider? Any other advise is appreciated. Lee

 

[Ranger70]

I have been dreaming of gettin one.....need some more funds.

 

[eddieharren]

What'd you do Lee, wear the other one out already? Things must be looking up.

 

[stenger]

I have one and love it great machine for the price. No problem holding .0001 when doing chambers. It's set up perfect for a gunsmith. I would recommend getting different high quality chuck for chambering. My tailstock came .008 high so I had to fix this issue. The cross slide and compound have some back lash but you can still do good work. The machine is big and heavy runs real smooth.
Grizzy customer service!!!
The first machine I purchased had rust pitting on the ways and something was wrong with the lead screw. I contacted grizzly and they said full refund or exchange. I exchanged for a new one and had one of their machinists inspect the lathe under power before it was shipped. I recommend have them do this so you don't have the hassle of returning a lathe.

Don't be scared of a good heavy 10 also.

 

[skeetlee]

Doc
My little jet is doing just fine. I have chambered a couple match winning barrels with it and it hold tolorences very well. However now that i have gotten a feel for what i want in a machine and what i dont want, i think its time for an upgrade. My machine is pretty lite and i cant spin steel very fast without vibration issues. i also hate changing the belts every time i want to change speed. Dad also uses this machine as he builds hot rod parts and he agrees that we need a bigger machine. A heavy 10 would be just fine, but it seems like good one are getting harder to find. I rteally like the big deep cabnet the big grizzly has. I want to do a muzzle flush system, and i think the bigger machine would be ideal. I am a little concerned about how short of a barrel i could do on the big 16 inch machine. I cant find anyone that will tell me an accurat answer. the lady at grizzly didnt even know. Thanks for the replies. Lee

 

[I. P. Dalley]

With a spider on both ends of spindle, 22" plus tenon length.

 

[stenger]

26 is about all I can get through the head stock. They make a spider but I was told it does not hold very well. I am going to purchase a true bore system very soon it should help. If not going heavy 10 for my short barrels That's what s&s precision uses. That new precision Matthew that's made in Taiwan I heard is a good machine. Can remember the size but its got a skinny head stock.

 

[GasLight]

Lee,

Get the indicating chuck system from Nate Dagley and you won't have to worry about distance to the rear spindle anymore.

 

[eddieharren]

You are certainly fortunate to have "Dad" on your team.

 

[stenger]

I heard that's a great set up

 

[Papagrizzly]

Lee - shortest distance with a spider would be about 22" to 22 1/2".

The specs of the shortest distances with chucks and faceplate are here:

http://cdn0.grizzly.com/specsheets/g0509g_ds.pdf

Look under "Headstock Info."

 

[STR]

Papagrizzly, why can't the old Heavy Ten with the 1 3/8 though spindle hole be put back into production. It was, and still is a very high want lathe. I have a 1988 model, and would be first in line to buy a brand new one if it were brought back. The 10K is being reproduced, why not the more useful Heavy Ten? Thank you.

 

[Papagrizzly]

Papagrizzly, why can't the old Heavy Ten with the 1 3/8 though spindle hole be put back into production. It was, and still is a very high want lathe. I have a 1988 model, and would be first in line to buy a brand new one if it were brought back. The 10K is being reproduced, why not the more useful Heavy Ten? Thank you.

Been working on it for a couple of years. I spent several days at the factory last month working on the new South Bend Heavy 10 prototype. If all goes well we should see something beginning of next year. The new Heavy 10 is not a copy of the old one and is much more modern. All gear-head, camlock mount, heavier, all high-end components etc. However, still a bench-top lathe. The big Grizzly is a nice machine capable of holding very tight tolerances and you can do larger work as well with almost no vibration. Mine works great.

 

[STR]

I'll wait. Thank you for your reply.

 

[x ring accuracy]

I'll wait. Thank you for your reply.

STR, just pony up. You know I just bought one. You won't be disappointed
I know theres room in that garage for it

 

[jonaddis84]

Papa,

Is it possible to get a single phase motor on the big grizzly? I'm loving the specs on that thing, but don't know about bringing 3 phase into my garage.

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[stenger]

Run a phase converter. Easy and works great

 

[DropZone]

I've got the G0509G, the big Grizz, and love it. Great machine. Mine had basically zero run out when I got it all leveled up. And I've turned some pretty big stuff on it since December when it came in...and some pretty small stuff too! You won't regret having the 2" bore hole as well as several of the other features.

Mine is hooked up with a 5HP VFD and it runs like a champ, not to mention I can dial it to whatever is desired which allows your RPM's to be limitless.

Best,
Joe Chambers

 

[M1Amen]

Any good deals on them?

 

[jonaddis84]

Mine is hooked up with a 5HP VFD and it runs like a champ, not to mention I can dial it to whatever is desired which allows your RPM's to be limitless.

Best,
Joe Chambers

Do you remember a make/model so I can check them out?

 

[DropZone]

Do you remember a make/model so I can check them out?

Got mine at driveswarehouse.com and it is the Speedstar PC1-050.

Best,
Joe Chambers

 

[jonaddis84]

Guys does the stock tool post take B or C size holders? PG thought C but I thought the C's were monsters. Thanks

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[MikeeBooshay]

It is C size, for the Aloris clones, on the big Grizzly gunsmith lathe. They are big, but sure are stiff, stiff is good.

Buy them from Grizzly, a lot cheaper than the real deal.

 

[jonaddis84]

Damn, I like that, but hate it at same time. Was hoping not to have to buy all new holders, oh well, they'll get sold with the jet.

Is it a piston or wedge style post?

I think this is going to happen soon, so if anyone is looking for a good starter lathe, I'll have a Jet ghb-1340 with dro and lots of accessories for sale.

Thanks

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[x ring accuracy]

I feel your pain. I have 2 lathes without interchangeabilty in tooling, lol. Its all good. And to answer the question, piston type

 

[x ring accuracy]

It is C size, for the Aloris clones, on the big Grizzly gunsmith lathe. They are big, but sure are stiff, stiff is good.

Buy them from Grizzly, a lot cheaper than the real deal.

Actually they are size B. The tech told me #3 when I oredered it but it has a smaller piston type tool post. At least mine did, YMMV

 

[skeetlee]

I make all my own tool holders on my mill. Actually pretty simple. lee

 

[x ring accuracy]

I make all my own tool holders on my mill. Actually pretty simple. lee

You had to throw that in there to make us schmuks feel bad

 

[jonaddis84]

When you can buy them from places like cdco for $10 for a turning holder, it's tough to justify making them!

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[MikeeBooshay]

Actually they are size B. The tech told me #3 when I oredered it but it has a smaller piston type tool post. At least mine did, YMMV

They told me #3 also, and it was the right size to fit the post that came with the lathe. And that is a CXA, on the big Grizzly 0509, the 16" lathe.

It is more than possible, that more than one size tool holder would work, and may have been delivered on these.

OP, feel your pain about tool holders. The other lathe I have and use a lot, is AXA, not a lot in common. And it has a 2 Morse in the tailstock, rather than the 4 on this one.

 

[Papagrizzly]

They told me #3 also, and it was the right size to fit the post that came with the lathe. And that is a CXA, on the big Grizzly 0509, the 16" lathe.

It is more than possible, that more than one size tool holder would work, and may have been delivered on these.

OP, feel your pain about tool holders. The other lathe I have and use a lot, is AXA, not a lot in common. And it has a 2 Morse in the tailstock, rather than the 4 on this one.

On my G0509G that is several years old, the tool post that came with it has the dovetail in the holder that measures approximately 2 1/8" + on the bigger part of the dovetail and just under 1 3/4" on the smaller part of the dovetail. Like Mike said, it could be possible that more than one size of toolpost could have been delivered by the factory over the years. I actually replaced mine with a wedge type Dorian recently - we sell Aloris and Dorian Tool Posts as well and got a really good deal

 

[skeetlee]

Buy a couple of those 10 $ holders and see what you get. I did buy a couple and they suck thus the reason we make our own now. Mostly for boring bars and such. Lee

 

[jonaddis84]

I actually have 12 of them, work great for me! Turning and boring style. Im not usually for getting the cheapest thing out there when it comes to tooling, but its a little block of steel with a dovetail cut into it, I dont see how an Aloris part can work any better than a $10 one. Maybe I need to try one to see, but like I said, I havent had a single issue with mine from CDCO.

Dont take this as knocking your homemade ones, Im simply speaking of spending 10 times as much on the name brand.

What didnt you like about them out of curiosity?



Also, whoever somehow PM'ed PG before me about that used lathe, you dont want it, it will definitely not work as well for you as it will for me

 

[skeetlee]

I didnt see any at CDCO for 10 bucks that would fit my lathe. I think i paid 12 or 13 each and they simply didnt fit. they were cut wrong. The ones that did fit dont tighten up properly. I recut the ones that didnt fit and they are usuable. Lee

 

[jonaddis84]

These are what I have for my Bxa size post...
http://www.cdcotools.com/item.php?itemid=480

I guess they were only $9

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