I've been wanting to make this contribution for some time, so here goes.
First off, I knew NOTHING about lathes, mills...ect....ect, when I started buying so I can tell this story from the vantage point of "baptism by fire". I didn't even know how to START a lathe when I bought one.
NUMBER ONE. Do your research! This is above all the most important. A big lathe or mill can make small parts, but a small lathe cannot normally make big parts. I.E. a 12x36 lathe CAN work, but is a compromise when opposed to a 13x40.
Do you have enough room for a full size lathe or is a Hightower type your best bet? I decided from the beginning to use full size machinery and haven't regretted it one bit.
I have used both my 13x40 and my big mill to create parts that would be impossible with a hightower.
Buy some books on machinery and read read read. There are many websites as well that deal with machining and are a great resource. If you have friends that are cuemakers or machinists....even better. Take them with you to examine machines if you can.
Machinery dealers. I'm not a big fan of dealers, but I bought(overpaid) my first lathe from one. It is a lightly used Microweilly 1340 that came with no tooling for 3,000(yah...i know). I have since learned that nice lathes are a dime a dozen for 1-2k(don't argue with me on this..lol, I live on Craigslist and if you like I can find you one). Craigslist and yah, Ebay(I swear really) are your best friends. There is a search engine called seachtempest that is a great tool for Craigslist.
Tooling. Don't overlook the amount of tooling that does or does not come with your new machine. It adds up VERY quickly. It's easy to spend more on tooling than a machine. Ebay is your friend here. I got a Bison 6 jaw(new condition) for 400, a Pratt Burnerd 6 jaw(near new)for a lil less than 400, and an Albrecht(LOVE it and it WAS never used) keyless chuck for 60 bucks.
Electrical. It isn't necessary to freak out over 3 phase equipment these days. Actually, I prefer 3 phase because of the benefits. 3 phase motors are much smoother and, once you get a VFD up and running, the electronic options(braking! Infinitely adjustable speed??!!) make the machine a dream. If you must, a rotary phase converter could be used to power multiple 3 phase machines and retain their stock controls.
Don't sweat a lost deal or jump the gun if you aren't sure and can't flip the thing if you change you mind. This is where research comes into play. The more you know about brands and machines, the easier it is to determine whether or not it is a dealer.
Parts. Obscure brands bring their own problems to the table. A really nice 1,000 lathe turns into much more if it needs a part....ESPECIALLY if you can't find it.
People. They like to lie...lol. If you get your new toy home and find it has many more problems than you thought...blame yourself. Don't expect sellers to disclose everything. I have found DEALERS the worst of the lot....one in particular that does a lot of business through Ebay. My mill was listed as NICE...ect....ect...LOL. The DRO had a broken scale(400.00 part), the VS pulley was bad, multiple bearings..and on...and on. To their credit, I was given a credit for the scale. The other parts were found to be crap later(went awhile before I actually got it wired up, so said screw it). This was MY fault, but the dealer wasn't close and I took their word that it ran nice...was an auction.
Delivery. This adds up as well. Get help if you can, LIKE I SHOULD HAVE WHEN I DROPPED MY LATHE(that cost me 2k extra in parts). Trailers, forklifts.....ect. It cost about 350.00 to rent what I needed to unload my mill. I have a shop hoist from Harbor Freight that can be used for lathes, but the mill was a different story. I don't like machine skates anymore, although I suppose they are fine if EVERYTHING on the ground is perfectly smooth. The extra money is WELL SPENT to avoid damage and injury. TRUST ME.
Here is what I have accumulated and what I paid.
First off, I knew NOTHING about lathes, mills...ect....ect, when I started buying so I can tell this story from the vantage point of "baptism by fire". I didn't even know how to START a lathe when I bought one.
NUMBER ONE. Do your research! This is above all the most important. A big lathe or mill can make small parts, but a small lathe cannot normally make big parts. I.E. a 12x36 lathe CAN work, but is a compromise when opposed to a 13x40.
Do you have enough room for a full size lathe or is a Hightower type your best bet? I decided from the beginning to use full size machinery and haven't regretted it one bit.
I have used both my 13x40 and my big mill to create parts that would be impossible with a hightower.
Buy some books on machinery and read read read. There are many websites as well that deal with machining and are a great resource. If you have friends that are cuemakers or machinists....even better. Take them with you to examine machines if you can.
Machinery dealers. I'm not a big fan of dealers, but I bought(overpaid) my first lathe from one. It is a lightly used Microweilly 1340 that came with no tooling for 3,000(yah...i know). I have since learned that nice lathes are a dime a dozen for 1-2k(don't argue with me on this..lol, I live on Craigslist and if you like I can find you one). Craigslist and yah, Ebay(I swear really) are your best friends. There is a search engine called seachtempest that is a great tool for Craigslist.
Tooling. Don't overlook the amount of tooling that does or does not come with your new machine. It adds up VERY quickly. It's easy to spend more on tooling than a machine. Ebay is your friend here. I got a Bison 6 jaw(new condition) for 400, a Pratt Burnerd 6 jaw(near new)for a lil less than 400, and an Albrecht(LOVE it and it WAS never used) keyless chuck for 60 bucks.
Electrical. It isn't necessary to freak out over 3 phase equipment these days. Actually, I prefer 3 phase because of the benefits. 3 phase motors are much smoother and, once you get a VFD up and running, the electronic options(braking! Infinitely adjustable speed??!!) make the machine a dream. If you must, a rotary phase converter could be used to power multiple 3 phase machines and retain their stock controls.
Don't sweat a lost deal or jump the gun if you aren't sure and can't flip the thing if you change you mind. This is where research comes into play. The more you know about brands and machines, the easier it is to determine whether or not it is a dealer.
Parts. Obscure brands bring their own problems to the table. A really nice 1,000 lathe turns into much more if it needs a part....ESPECIALLY if you can't find it.
People. They like to lie...lol. If you get your new toy home and find it has many more problems than you thought...blame yourself. Don't expect sellers to disclose everything. I have found DEALERS the worst of the lot....one in particular that does a lot of business through Ebay. My mill was listed as NICE...ect....ect...LOL. The DRO had a broken scale(400.00 part), the VS pulley was bad, multiple bearings..and on...and on. To their credit, I was given a credit for the scale. The other parts were found to be crap later(went awhile before I actually got it wired up, so said screw it). This was MY fault, but the dealer wasn't close and I took their word that it ran nice...was an auction.
Delivery. This adds up as well. Get help if you can, LIKE I SHOULD HAVE WHEN I DROPPED MY LATHE(that cost me 2k extra in parts). Trailers, forklifts.....ect. It cost about 350.00 to rent what I needed to unload my mill. I have a shop hoist from Harbor Freight that can be used for lathes, but the mill was a different story. I don't like machine skates anymore, although I suppose they are fine if EVERYTHING on the ground is perfectly smooth. The extra money is WELL SPENT to avoid damage and injury. TRUST ME.
Here is what I have accumulated and what I paid.
