Gunsmithing Lathe Choice help

S

Scshaffer06

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Minuteman
Aug 25, 2010
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#1
Hey guys and girls I'm playing in the gunsmithing world a little bit and im looking for a bigger and better lathe there are a few in Texas wondering what would be best.
Monarch Lathe Monarch 14c
Harrison Lathe 16 X 60 harrison m400
NEAR NEW VICTOR LATHE 16 X 30 victor 16x30
1980 Leblond Regal Lathe LeBlonde Regal
LATHE MACHINE Index Lathe

I have a smaller Harbor freight lathe now and i want to go with something with much more mass. I also will be chambering through the headstock of the lathe. I will be going to take a look at these over the next few days, what should i look for other than smooth running and overall condition?
 
#2
Re: Lathe Choice help

Le blonde makes a nice lathe, but the servo shift can be problematic. The monarch is the highest quality by a mile, but I would not want one for smithing. The index is the closest thing to what I would want, but that one looks less than loved by the pics.

Your budget seems to go up around $7500. You can do a new machine around 3,000 lbs with a dro and a quality chuck and a few tools for that much. I know Carl at black hole weaponry runs a 16" manual, but it is bigger than I would want to wrestle chucks on. You have some good taste in iron, but not the most practical for smith work.....imo.
 
#3
Re: Lathe Choice help

I lost his number, but there was a fellow in spray, or that had a heavy 10, a Rockwell, and a maxturn for sale....and a few leblondes for good prices. The first 3 are great lathes for rifle work.
 
#4
Re: Lathe Choice help

I really have no set budget or time line to buy one this is just a hobby to me... I learned how to run a machine by my grandfather and all he had was good old American iron.... I really wanted the Monarch its a good looking lathe and wanted to take a look at it this week but the problem I see is just the headstock is massive and chambering inside may not be possible, and doing it with a rest is not something i want to do at all...
 
#7
Re: Lathe Choice help

They are Chinese, better bearings than most, 2" headstock built in frequency drive and can thread metric with ease. They are far from a monarch, but way more practical for a smith. I strongly doubt you will wear one out in a home shop in 11 lifetimes. The monarch could have a fixture like 300 sniper uses, but that may not work for everything. I get that you like old American iron. I would look at a leblonde that is not a servo, but know the headstock is long and will need a backup plan. The guy in spray, cal hopper I believe is his name, had a maxturn that weighed about 5k and he was asking $1800.....it was a tight machine. It was japanese. I thought hard about buying it.
 
#8
Re: Lathe Choice help

CNC or die!
smile.gif
 
#9
Re: Lathe Choice help

Hhahahhaha yep if i was thinking about doing it for a living i would go the cnc route but for tinkering no thanks! Computers look way to much like work to me!
 
#11
Re: Lathe Choice help

I bought mine used for a good price. I wanted a 14x40 and the infinitely adjustable speed was something that turned my crank. I knew I did not have the workload to support a $100k machine and I figure if I can make accurate cuts on a #500 atlas doing the same on a #3000 PM should be gravy. it is more than gravy. I would send GLOWWORM a message and ask him. he has one and he has expierience with some top shelf iron based on some conversations we had.

I don't think you will ever truely find the "perfect" machine shy of a extra comma in the price, they all do something a little better and a little worse than the others. all the chinese rigs are clones of rigs that are well respected.
 
#12
Re: Lathe Choice help

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ScShaffer</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Whats the reason you choose to go with the Precision over the grizzly gunsmithing series?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LeBlond-Gear-Hea...=item1c1fd1e4f5

Anyone used a LeBlonde like the one on ebay? </div></div>

those are good machines.....real good. that model has too short of a bed and with a long spindle.....gonna be limiting. I have only seen the blue/grey leblonde.....that may be painted up for the sale, which makes me wonder how it looked before.

I would look for a 16x54 if a regal trips your trigger. just know metric threads require gears and parts might be tough to come by.
 
#13
Re: Lathe Choice help

I have run a few lathes in my years and the 16 inch machines are pretty heavy machines. They have the balls that you can bury an insert and make the chips turn blue. Great when you have to remove alot of material fast. I hope you aren't wanting to do heavy cuts on any gunsmithing work. You would be better served with a 14 x 40. I really like the newer cam lock chucks for speed in changing setups. The older Leblond has a taper locking system with a colar that I was never that fond of.
AJ
 
#14
Re: Lathe Choice help

I have made a bunch of chips over the years and I would not buy a lathe without using it first, I have looked at many used and abused lathes that just won't hold the tolerances you need for smit work. Just my .02
 
#15
Re: Lathe Choice help

I'm with Hero on this.
I have used old and new. I wanted a lathe for home smith work and want to chamber through the head with a large spindle bore. With that said I started my search of old and new. Then having it at home offered another question of electrical power.I chose to go with a machine I could also get parts for. All this lead me to the Pm 14x40 with a 2 in bore and variable speed and runs on 220 volts. If you like to keep a nice shop then the new machine also adds to the bling bling ...factor.hahahah... but be careful.
on your search..if you buy used makes to run it first. Indicate the machine well to inspect spindle and table slack and runout......you have to please yourself with your purchase.

you are buying used run it beforw you biy it and indicate table and spindle.
 
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