Which lathe?

[macguy]

I have two Logan's, a Ramco 16x32, a Grizzley 13x40, Grizzley 13x36 and a Porper.

My go to machine is my Grizzley 13 x 40. It is highly modified and accurate. I've heard all the bad stuff about the imports. Make up your own mind, I did after getting mine. I've had other chinese lathes (I don't care for them at all), and an Enco (not too bad), the Grizzley is pretty well built and good for Cue work if you set it up right.

Course the old USA iron is good too.

I'll try to upload some pics later, my file sizes are too big.

The imports are pretty bad in general but for cue making they should stand up and the prices are right. In a busy working machine shop though they would be in the scrap heap in no time. Some don't even have hardened ways and show wear quickly and forget about bearings and motors. I have seen some real bad ones on the used market. Some of the stuff like harbor freight, oh my god, you have to fix them right out of the box.

 

[Cuesavvy]

The imports are pretty bad in general but for cue making they should stand up and the prices are right. In a busy working machine shop though they would be in the scrap heap in no time. Some don't even have hardened ways and show ware guickly and forget about bearings and motors. I have seen some real bad ones on the used market. Some of the stuff like harbor freight, oh my god, you have to fix them right out of the box.

Agreed! Wouldn't have one in a production shop at all. My Cue Shop in no way approaches production or taxes my machinnes capabilities.

Also agree! The stuff I've seen at HF is pure junk (IMO) but some of the Taiwanese stuff is pretty good. My Ramco is commercial Tawanese and I'd put it against our Monarch any day. The stuff from Grizzley and Jet is fairly OK and good for Cue Making, may need some tweeking though and when your done it's certainly not going to be a machine you can hand down to your kids. But I do like mine.

My machinist friends all smirk and look at me funny when they see it. I just grin right back, all the way to the bank.

So take it for what its worth, but some of the imports would make good Cue Lathes if you choose it carefully. Just remember another cuemaker on here who uses Enco. Course his, like mine, is highly modified.

 

[Cuesavvy]

My favorite is a 13 inch Sheldon I have with chucks mounted on each end of the head stock. I have four others lathes, a S/B two Atlas lathes and a Delta wood lathe but I love this one. The bed is 80 inches and I have a little work table mounted on the far end with my grinder because it is so long. I bought it years ago from a boat yard that only started it up every so often when they needed to make a part or something. It runs like new, you hit the switch and all you hear is a pleasant woorrr as it runs. I own a lot of nice stuff but It is my most prized possession. I am an age now where I actually worry what would become of it when I die. Sounds pretty nuts I know. I have tools that my grandfather used when he was working on the Empire State Building. People who don't work with tools can't really understand what they can mean to you. Especially if you make your living with them. I guess I got a little deep.

We have a Sheldon at work that I'm trying to get. Nice machine. If your worried about yours you can put me on the "interested party" list. hehe I'd love it and feed it and take really good care of it.



Yup, I understand how you feel about tools. Most here can probably relate too I'd think.

 

[Arnot Wadsworth]

I have two Logan's, a Ramco 16x32, a Grizzley 13x40, Grizzley 13x36 and a Porper.

My go to machine is my Grizzley 13 x 40. It is highly modified and accurate. I've heard all the bad stuff about the imports. Make up your own mind, I did after getting mine. I've had other chinese lathes (I don't care for them at all), and an Enco (not too bad), the Grizzley is pretty well built and good for Cue work if you set it up right.

Course the old USA iron is good too.

I'll try to upload some pics later, my file sizes are too big.

I agree with you. I also have a Grizzly amd an Old Porper (one of the first made) and I run both all day long. They are both great machines for the task they do. I think all lathes no matter where they are made need to be modified for cuemaking. Another consideration is that when I decided to purchase a new lathe 5 years ago I shopped all over USA for an American Made Lathe and I found that the only American Made Lathes are CNC. I needed a standard lathe. I didn't want a used machine that was somebody else's problem.

 

[cuemaker03]

You can't beat a Porper for repairs. I do over 1000 repairs a year & make 30-60 Qs a year. I have Porper's 1st lathe(the model A) & 2 model B's. They are the easiest to do repairs on 1 piece Qs & hold up very well under every day use. I turn all of my shafts on a model B & do all of my drilling & boring for forearms & handles on a model B. I have one of Chris's lathes, that I do all of my turning of assembled butts. I also do some of the inlay work on this lathe. I have an old Atlas that I make all of my parts on & also do most of the sanding on. I also have a wood lathe, with a chuck from a large drill press mounted on it. Wraps are easy to do on this one, because I have a DC motor & regulator that lets me have a slow speed, yet lots of torque. Hope this helps...JER

Quite the set up!!!

 

[masonh]

i would go with the Hightower for repairs or for cue building i would definitely have to have a metal lathe.i wish mine would spin as fast as cuesmiths above.that would be sweet,but as it is i am stuck at 1800rpm.

 

[63Kcode]

I couldn't aford a cue lathe so I bought a 16"X78" Rockford metal lathe, much better deal, by the pound anyway.

Larry

 

[ddcuerepair]

I have 3 Porper B lathes and 1 Deluxe. I have had the Porper's since 1995, 1996 & 1998. I do a lot of tournaments and run the lathes hard. I had a on off switch go bad on one and that the only time it's ever broke down since 95. I do take my lathes apart after each event clean and inspect every part. I don't care what lathe you have if you take care of it it will work hard for you. I think the Porper is the nuts for cue repair. I can do just about anything on any of my lathes. If the Porper had a way to do live tooling for thread cutting it would be the only one I would have.

 

[bdcues]

I have an old Clausing that I cue tapers on shafts, butts and turn some things between centers. An even older Sheldon, variable speed that I do most of the joint, ferrule and other machine work. Another Sheldon with variable speed for spraying finish on. A really old wood lathe that had a cool metal base that I did not get to buy for sanding, it is about 6 feet long. Then a small bench top wood lathe with sewing maching foot control for wrapping.

 

[bman43]

have a deluxe and love it.but love my southbend.its a beast!