Grizzly lathe

Sport666

Sport666

FC3 Custom Cues & Repairs
Silver Member
I'm looking to add a grizzly lathe. I don't need it for tapering. I want it for precision work , live threading and coring. I going to change the chuck and possible getting the 5C Collet Chuck. 1st question is would the collets damage the work. The big question is which lathe and here's why. The spindle bearings and the bed. Here is the comparison on the 4 so called gunsmith lathes. In order is g0776 2nd G0709 3rd G0750G and 4th G4003G .
Spindle Bearings.
Tapered Roller / NSK Tapered Roller / High-Precision Tapered Roller / High-Precision Tapered Roller
Bed.
Induction-Hardened Cast Iron ........ Induction-Hardened, Precision-Ground Cast Iron ....... Induction-Hardened, Precision-Ground Cast Iron ..... Induction-Hardened, Precision-Ground Cast Iron Thanks in advance Frank FC3
 
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The 5C will compress wood, and the ID of the 5C collets is somewhat limiting as well. A 6 jaw set-tru chuck would be a better choice. Of course, you'll still need collets to protect the workpiece.
I'm not sure how much of a difference you would see in accuracy for coring and live threading between the different lathes you mentioned. I'm curious to see the replies.
 
In general pull back collet chucks suck for tapered work pieces. 5c would be really restrictive so i'd consider 16c. I agree with beau on the set tru being the best option.

Most everyone here will probably advise the obvious in that you should spring for atleast 40" between centers. I say do turning between centers on a turning machine and do precision work on a machine for precision work.

Those gunsmith lathes can be precision ground down to the micron but remember there being assembled by the thousands overseas so the likelihood of any of them having precision alignment right off the truck is slim to none. Thats why real lathes cost real money.
 
Get the 6 jaw chuck. I have collets that I use every 10 years or so and then only one or two collets. The 40 inch bed is the only possible choice if you have the room. The NSK tapered rollers and better are more than you will ever need and as a general rule, you get what you pay for and it is almost always better and cheaper to buy the good stuff new rather than having to try and improve what you have. I have a Sharp 1340 VS. I bought 9 years ago and it is my best investment. As an additional comment I have to point out that with what we are doing, spending huge amounts of money to get absolutely perfect results is questionable. A $150 live center will work every bit as well as a $400 precision live center. A Hardinge tool room lathe can do more accurate work but we are working with wood . In the end it will be the quality of the work you do that will matter the most and after a certain point the precision quality of the tools becomes irrelevant. If they do the job right, there probably isn't going to be something that will do the job righter. Merry Christmas
 
Doesn't the gun lathe have a narrower head stock?
Are you planning to use a read chuck?
I'd make sure the spindle bore is polished.
I have 36"'between centers Eisen. It's made in Taiwan, not China.
 
Joe I don't understand what you meant by narrower head stock. Do you mean the bore. It has a 1.57 spindle bore on all 4 and they arent polished. I will remove the spider gear set up and make a collar to hold a soft 4 jaw chuck. Thanks Frank
 
Sport666 said:
Joe I don't understand what you meant by narrower head stock. Do you mean the bore. It has a 1.57 spindle bore on all 4 and they arent polished. I will remove the spider gear set up and make a collar to hold a soft 4 jaw chuck. Thanks Frank
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Distance between the front of the chuck and the entry hole.
When I designed my rear chuck, I made sure I had a least 25".
You don't want to chuck up on the wrap section on the rear b/c it will wobble.
You want to chuck up on the buttsleeve area.
The gun lathe is only 16" wide at the head stock I think.
You also might not use that spider in the rear b/c it's way too slow to set.
I have a 4-jaw aluminum chuck at the back.
 

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The distance between with front chuck is around 21" depending on what chuck I use. Then I could make up the distance in the rear with the collar to mount the 4 jaw chuck. That's a good point. I know you favor the 36' what do you think about the bearings
 
Sport666 said:
The distance between with front chuck is around 21" depending on what chuck I use. Then I could make up the distance in the rear with the collar to mount the 4 jaw chuck. That's a good point. I know you favor the 36' what do you think about the bearings
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I won't consider anything that does not have really good bearing .

21" should be good.

40" would allow you to face in between centers .
Real centers as in using a dead center in the main chuck ( with a lathe dog ) and half dead center in the tailstock.

I have a 30" Thompson rod and I dialed in the rear chuck. I'm ok with 36".
Heck, I've seen pictures of great makers with shorter lathes.
 
5C collet chucks are great for making metal parts, but the 5C is really quite limited in it's holding diameter range if you want the precision of the collet. Get the 4 way split collets instead of the 3way. They also make delrin 5C collet blanks which is also very useful and quite handy. With the ER40 like what I have made up, it has a wider clamping range compared to the 5C. I also made delrin ER40 collet blanks. More recently I have been using wood sleeves to hold parts with. That seems to be working quite well also.
Joey is right about getting a machine that is just that little bit longer between centres. It is only 4 inches, but can make life a lot easier for sure, especially for things like the gun drilling etc.
Anyway, Have a very happy Christmas day with friends and family. Then after Christmas, go and buy the machine you think is right for you.
Neil
 
My lathe has q polished 1.57" bore. I made 50, 1.5" long, tapered collets from .800" to 1.3" in .010" increments and I can center anything I want inside my head stock as it is 8" long or more. Chucking a wrap on a cue is seldom as true as the wood itself. I've never thought about a rear chuck.
 
Paul Dayton said:
My lathe has q polished 1.57" bore. I made 50, 1.5" long, tapered collets from .800" to 1.3" in .010" increments and I can center anything I want inside my head stock as it is 8" long or more. Chucking a wrap on a cue is seldom as true as the wood itself. I've never thought about a rear chuck.
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That's the difference between old American steel and Taiwanese lathes to most Chinese lathes .
 
I'm always up for learning new stuff so tell me please about the concern for a polished spindle interior/bore.
I'm interested because the handle (or shaft) is mounted at both ends and doesn't come in contact with the spindle.
Is this a solution for a problem that doesn't exist ? Or maybe an over the top precautionary measure ?

Enlighten me please, KJ
 
KJ Cues said:
I'm always up for learning new stuff so tell me please about the concern for a polished spindle interior/bore.
I'm interested because the handle (or shaft) is mounted at both ends and doesn't come in contact with the spindle.
Is this a solution for a problem that doesn't exist ? Or maybe an over the top precautionary measure ?

Enlighten me please, KJ
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How about working with forearms and handles ?
Just like Paul, I use inside collets too when needed.
KJ, I don't think you've seen some imported lathes' spindle.
They are so rough AND WAY off, you would need to re-bore them and polish them.
Imagine gun drilling a piece with the end inside the spindle spinning way off.
 
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Thank you for your response and you are correct in that I don't use or see too many Chinese lathes.
I guess I'm 'spoiled'. Since my hd-stk is longer than most F/As, I've fabbed a Delrin sleeve/cntrhg
device that both centers and supports the un-chucked end that would otherwise be 'floating' in the head.
It works quite well but it's primary function is to 'center'. Given that it's a Delrin sleeve covering
the end of the F/A, then I would agree that a level of protection/insulation exists.
These Chinese lathes are really that bad, eh ?

KJ
 
JoeyInCali said:
That's the difference between old American steel and Taiwanese lathes to most Chinese lathes .
Click to expand...

Joe I was looking for a old American steel lathe. I'm restricted to single phase, and only found crap for top dollar. I went to a machine shop to look at a Sheldon, I was excited and thought this is going to be my baby. Not only I was set back by the condition of lathe the shop was a war zone. Thanks Frank
 
conetip said:
5C collet chucks are great for making metal parts, but the 5C is really quite limited in it's holding diameter range if you want the precision of the collet. Get the 4 way split collets instead of the 3way. They also make delrin 5C collet blanks which is also very useful and quite handy. With the ER40 like what I have made up, it has a wider clamping range compared to the 5C. I also made delrin ER40 collet blanks. More recently I have been using wood sleeves to hold parts with. That seems to be working quite well also.
Joey is right about getting a machine that is just that little bit longer between centres. It is only 4 inches, but can make life a lot easier for sure, especially for things like the gun drilling etc.
Anyway, Have a very happy Christmas day with friends and family. Then after Christmas, go and buy the machine you think is right for you.
Neil
Click to expand...

First I like to thanks everyone for there input. Neil the 5c chuck and collet isn't going to work. Was thinking of getting the delrin emergency set and make my own. But you are totally right about the diameter range. I was going to get the ER40 in a MT3 for the tailstock for coring. I'm looking into the ER40 for the head stock and don't know how you set yours up. Going to be using either the D1- 4 or the D1-5 depending on what 40" lathe I choose. I saw some that screws on the spindle but are tapered and will reduce the bore. Hope everyone had a great Holiday. Thanks Frank
 
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