I have some questions about Lathes (i want one soon)
Does anyone know how much a small, desktop lathe, around 24" bed, and none of that slide thing on the back, i like the Clisby, except for the rear handle, for controling the slide. The price is still a bit steep, even for a clisby.
i need:
24" bed
household current, not gas or something
headstock
tailstock
drill “adaptor”
and a price less than $175USD preferably as low as it goes. i don’t have a lot of money to spend on this…
Harbor freight has 2 small lathes with the features your looking for one is $200.00 and the better one is $369.00.
I have the $369.00 one and it works great for model parts, I don’t think I would use it in a production enviorment though.
Hey 1337, In the price range your talking about Clisby is the closest I think you’ll get. I’ve been told that if you ask, the Clisby family will build a longer lathe bed for you.
2)…I turn styrene, PVC, and plexiglass and it works great for that. There was a Clisby Yahoo group and some of the guys turned brass, aluminum, and mild steel with theirs.
Some people replaced the DC motor with common sewing machine motors but I’m happy with the factory motor.
3)…Yes, and there is an optional three jaw chuck.
4)…Yes, There was a firm that sold a CNC package for the clisby lathe and one for the mill.
[;)]
3)…It comes with one tool bit and a dead center(the spiky thing). They sell an optional live center and a drill chuck.
4)…The toolpost is mounted on a standard style slide(X and Y axis).
5)…You have to provide a 12volt/2-4amp power supply. I use a common battery charger and it works fine.
6)…12" or 15", I have the 15". I’ve been told that if you ask they can make longer beds as they are an extruded T6 aluminum.
When I bought mine I communicated with Mr. Clisby’s daughter who is incharge of lathe production. She was very helpful and emailed me when my order was delayed so I wouldn’t be left guessing where my shipment was. I’m seriously considering buying their wood lathe to make tapered gun barrels or other free form designs. If I do I’ll be checking to see if they’ll make it about 22" long.
I don’t want to subject the tool post to the stress of regular wood and plastic turning, I’d like a longer bed for that purpose, it will let me work on two sperate projects(I’m thinking about turning pen bodies as well), and I love to buy tools! LOL[:D]
I just recently bought the vaiable speed drill press from Micro-Mark, an awesome little drill press. I highly recommend it.
The four jaw chuck comes with the lathe. Here is the Clisby site, all the prices are listed in AU an US currency. Look on the bottom of the wood lathe page and you’ll find a link for a Clisby wood lathe made of oak. It is sold less a motor but sells for $70US! http://www.clisby.com.au/index.html
man, why do metal lathes have to be so much more expensive then wood lathes? is it because i hate woodworking? i would personally rather have a mill than a lathe, why i dont know
A wood lathe is a lot simplier machine with out a tool post (it has a tool rest) and the lead scews to operate the the tool post. The mill is a great machine to have. I bought the Combo1000 package and got my mill and lathe at the same time.
It seems like a quality machine. To tell the truth I’ve only used it once but it looks like it will do what I need it for. The finish and quality of these Clisby tools is very nice. They were ready to go as soon as I got them with the one exception of a vise for the mill. I’d advise ordering one with your mill if you get one.
I have had a taig lathe and a taig mill with most of the tooling for some time now and its been a blast. just what i need another hobby! yes it can get costly when you start to add up lathe or mill and all the needed tooling mikes, calipers ect. and there is a bit of a learning curve. but i have found a use for both my lathe and mill for just about every model i have put together, from truing up road wheels to turning barrels and milling flash surpressers i even make my own tools for modeling like photoech folding jig or a trax laying fixture. you are only limited to your own talent and imagination as to what you can do with these machines. as for what kind to get, each has there own need and budget but you do get what ya pay for! as for the taig. the nice thing is that the tooling will work for both lathe and mill so i only needed one set of tooling. also the web is full of info on this subject. and just a side note one night when our blower fan broke on the dryer i made a coller and had it up and running in notime i said to the the wife" now see , all this money spent on my modeling saved us a bunch" …good luck