I would like to share the information about my transaction with Anthony (Anthony Gatto) d/b/a Eastpoint Cues. Some time in May or June -- do not remember right, but can check, I ordered a custom cue lathe from Anthony. He seemed like a nice guy, and he did have the cheapest price. That was the deciding factor. The cost was around $2000 for a complete machine with a lead screw powerfeed. Do not remember if shipping was extra. Whenever he asked for payment I paid. However much he asked -- I paid. I did not haggle and did not bi**h.
Some time in November, December the box came. It was not in the best of shapes. When I opened i saw that the lathe was destroyed in transit. Anthony shipped it with a motor attached, which broke off and did a job on the lathe, which was packed utilizing some empty fedex boxes -- not too many of them.
However, there was no lead screw or any other means I could accomplish the powerfeed. When I asked about it, he said that the geared motor powerfeed system was better in his opinion and that he put that in the box. It was missing, for which there was no explanation.
Then that thing set on my bench for a while and we dealt with insurance for a long time. Finally he got his insurance check and FedEx picked up the destroyed lathe. Then I waited and waited. Anthony was very apologetic and said that he would make it up by upgrading the lathe. He said that he would add a reverse switch for autofeed and a better motor. I never asked for it, I wanted to get what I paid for. I reminded him about autofeed.
finally some months later that thing arrived. It did have a smaller motor, but again had no autofeed. The box it was mounted on warped immediately. The lid of the box and the base plywood looked like a bow within a few days. The bed was bent either from a bad install (the screws were 1/2 way out) or from the warping of that thick plywood. The run-out was crazzzzy.
I took the lathe off the plywood and mounted it on my bench. The bend of the bed was fixed, but run-out remained. I will machine the jaws to see if it improves, but I think that one of the problems is that the headstock is ether poorly constructed or does not align with the bed.
I still do not have the powerfeed. Anthony claimed that he mailed it separately, but it never arrived. Anthony claimed that he sent a special gear for Dayton motor, which he forced me to buy. He promised to send a special insert to mount that Dayton motor. Needless to say, it never arrived. Now he stopped answering emails.
End result -- I have a tapering lathe without powerfeed, cannot do joints or precision drilling/boring yet, and no space for another lathe. I would caution those who wants to deal with that man. I do not think there is an excuse or an explanation for the quality of his product and the dishonesty. My next lathe (as soon as my wife forgets about this one) will not be from eastpoint cues.
can someone share a photo of how the power-feed gear motor mounts onto a lathe? -- for I have no idea and now have to build my own. Not that it is not fun to me to build these gadgets, but my time could be better spent playing with wood (pardon the pun) in stead.
Sorry for the rant.
Karl Bikhman
New York.
Some time in November, December the box came. It was not in the best of shapes. When I opened i saw that the lathe was destroyed in transit. Anthony shipped it with a motor attached, which broke off and did a job on the lathe, which was packed utilizing some empty fedex boxes -- not too many of them.
However, there was no lead screw or any other means I could accomplish the powerfeed. When I asked about it, he said that the geared motor powerfeed system was better in his opinion and that he put that in the box. It was missing, for which there was no explanation.
Then that thing set on my bench for a while and we dealt with insurance for a long time. Finally he got his insurance check and FedEx picked up the destroyed lathe. Then I waited and waited. Anthony was very apologetic and said that he would make it up by upgrading the lathe. He said that he would add a reverse switch for autofeed and a better motor. I never asked for it, I wanted to get what I paid for. I reminded him about autofeed.
finally some months later that thing arrived. It did have a smaller motor, but again had no autofeed. The box it was mounted on warped immediately. The lid of the box and the base plywood looked like a bow within a few days. The bed was bent either from a bad install (the screws were 1/2 way out) or from the warping of that thick plywood. The run-out was crazzzzy.
I took the lathe off the plywood and mounted it on my bench. The bend of the bed was fixed, but run-out remained. I will machine the jaws to see if it improves, but I think that one of the problems is that the headstock is ether poorly constructed or does not align with the bed.
I still do not have the powerfeed. Anthony claimed that he mailed it separately, but it never arrived. Anthony claimed that he sent a special gear for Dayton motor, which he forced me to buy. He promised to send a special insert to mount that Dayton motor. Needless to say, it never arrived. Now he stopped answering emails.
End result -- I have a tapering lathe without powerfeed, cannot do joints or precision drilling/boring yet, and no space for another lathe. I would caution those who wants to deal with that man. I do not think there is an excuse or an explanation for the quality of his product and the dishonesty. My next lathe (as soon as my wife forgets about this one) will not be from eastpoint cues.
can someone share a photo of how the power-feed gear motor mounts onto a lathe? -- for I have no idea and now have to build my own. Not that it is not fun to me to build these gadgets, but my time could be better spent playing with wood (pardon the pun) in stead.
Sorry for the rant.
Karl Bikhman
New York.
