WTB Starter Lathe

T

Trent

Banned
ok i would like to find a lathe that i can do some starter/beginner cue work on such as ferrells, joints, pins, but caps, wraps, maybe taper a shaft. i would have to say that after some practice my goal would be to turn some house cues i have into nice 2 piece cues, and maybe build a couple cues from blanks nothing extravigant mainly just repair.

what lathes should i look into buying and does anyone have a setup they would like to sell??

thanks in advance!
 
This is an addiction. Once you convert afew cues you will want to make some from other peoples blanks then you will want to make your own blanks. I have it real bad! I am going outside to plant some maple and purple heart trees. I lay awake at night wondering how many tips and wraps I can get out of the neighbors cows. It will never end never!

Larry
 
Hightower lathers

I don't think you can beat Chris's lathes.

http://www.cuesmith.com/index.php?page=cue_lathes

Then it's only a matter of deciding which one to buy. From what you've described, I'd recommend the Mid-Size. I purchased one back in early 2005 and I can't be happier. It will perform all the work you mentioned with the exception of tapering shafts. Until you upgrade to a machine with taper bars for shaft tapering, you can purchase finsh cut shaft blanks.

If it turns out that you want to progress to full blown cue building, you can move up to the Deluxe or get a full size metal lathe and modify it for cue building. Either way, the Mid-Size will still have a place in any shop.

If (like me) you don't have the room (or the money) for a second lathe, you can (like I did) modify the Mid-Size to add tapering capability and make it a full cue building lathe.

One other thing. If you do opt for the Mid-Size and can swing the extra expense, get the larger spindle bore option. I didn't and I've always wished I would have.
 
thanks i appreciate it. id love to find someone who has one of these used forsale so i could save a few dollars to use on materials.:grin:
 
Nice thought, but.....

Trent said:
thanks i appreciate it. id love to find someone who has one of these used forsale so i could save a few dollars to use on materials.:grin:
Click to expand...

You might get lucky and find a used one at a good price, but you don't see them that often. If you're content to wait, that's fine. More likely, you'll wait a long time and not save that much. Chris's lathes seem to hold their value (If they're taken care of).

I'd recommend that you just "bite the bullet" and get one new from Chris.
 
> Joey,that link you posted shows a Sharp 1340 lathe. They bought 2 very similar to these at the machine shop school I graduated from,and they are nice machines,esp with a Newall DRO.

The only thing I have against them is the chucks on the ones we had at school are the larger,heavier D1-6 camlock,rather than the D1-4,making a high quality chuck more expensive but also capable of generating enough torque to seriously hurt something like wood even with a collet if overtightened.

The ones shown on that site were mostly the D1-4,and also had the serious advantage of digital speed display as well as infinite speed variation.

We also had a slight problem on the ones at the school with the half-nut lever not wanting to re-engage in the same place all the time while threading. I ruined a couple parts for class as a result of it not tracking right,so what I started doing,and taught others to do,is stop the spindle with the foot brake,back the tool out clear of the part,and reverse spindle without disengaging the half-nut. It never failed me after that.

Those machines are a fine choice. Tommy D.
 
63Kcode said:
This is an addiction. Once you convert afew cues you will want to make some from other peoples blanks then you will want to make your own blanks. I have it real bad! I am going outside to plant some maple and purple heart trees. I lay awake at night wondering how many tips and wraps I can get out of the neighbors cows. It will never end never!

Larry
Click to expand...

You are too much! The part about your nieghbors cows is pricless.:cool:
 
Tommy-D said:
>
We also had a slight problem on the ones at the school with the half-nut lever not wanting to re-engage in the same place all the time while threading. I ruined a couple parts for class as a result of it not tracking right,so what I started doing,and taught others to do,is stop the spindle with the foot brake,back the tool out clear of the part,and reverse spindle without disengaging the half-nut. It never failed me after that.

Those machines are a fine choice. Tommy D.
Click to expand...

You must not of had a thread dial on the leadscrew, or else you were cutting a thread pitch which did not match the leadscrew.
Hardinge lathes do not have this problem.
Neil
 
> Actually they do have a threading dial,but instead of having several different marks that you can catch and pick up the thread,you had to pick the same marking all the time or risk having it start cutting in between the grooves you already established,kind of like an unintentional multiple-lead.

Other than that,and the chuck being bigger and bulkier than needed,a fine machine. Tommy D.
 
Trent said:
ok i would like to find a lathe that i can do some starter/beginner cue work on such as ferrells, joints, pins, but caps, wraps, maybe taper a shaft. i would have to say that after some practice my goal would be to turn some house cues i have into nice 2 piece cues, and maybe build a couple cues from blanks nothing extravigant mainly just repair.

what lathes should i look into buying and does anyone have a setup they would like to sell??

thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I would bite the bullet and spring for the Hightower Deluxe with Taper Bars. This is what you will end up with in the long run if the bug bites you.

I bought the smaller repair lathe with bed extension and got lucky and sold it for almost what I paid for it. Then bought the Deluxe and have been very happy with it.
 
Lathe

My friend is selling a used Hightower Mid-Size lathe. Due to work and a new baby he just doesn't have to the time for it. I believe he is asking $1300 with a ton of extra stuff for it. If you're interested, PM me and I will get pics and find out what all is included for you.
 
Thanks for all the PM's Guys i appreciate it, i would like to buy a lathe in the next week or 2so if theres any offers pm me or E-mail me at trent.a.cowgill@us.army.mil

thanks everyone.

Also im a visual person and id like to get some DVD's on cue work can someone suggest some?
 
Bill the Cat said:
I don't think you can beat Chris's lathes.

http://www.cuesmith.com/index.php?page=cue_lathes

Then it's only a matter of deciding which one to buy. From what you've described, I'd recommend the Mid-Size. I purchased one back in early 2005 and I can't be happier. It will perform all the work you mentioned with the exception of tapering shafts. Until you upgrade to a machine with taper bars for shaft tapering, you can purchase finsh cut shaft blanks.

If it turns out that you want to progress to full blown cue building, you can move up to the Deluxe or get a full size metal lathe and modify it for cue building. Either way, the Mid-Size will still have a place in any shop.

If (like me) you don't have the room (or the money) for a second lathe, you can (like I did) modify the Mid-Size to add tapering capability and make it a full cue building lathe.

One other thing. If you do opt for the Mid-Size and can swing the extra expense, get the larger spindle bore option. I didn't and I've always wished I would have.
Click to expand...


what do you gain with the larger spindle bore option???
 
im not in the office today im out sick, but if any one has a lathe package for sale id like to keep it around 1500 to 1800 shipped i know i can buy a hightower lathe for 1500 that will do everything i want but just incase someone is selling one and has some extra pieces or building material to come with it i figured i would post up that im ready to buy im just looking for the right deal.

please feel free to call or txt me at 614-260-6260
 
Larger spindle bore

Trent said:
what do you gain with the larger spindle bore option???
Click to expand...

With the larger bore, you can put the butt of a cue (or other large pieces, like ring billets) through the spindle. You can then do things like joint work close to the headstock/chuck.

With the smaller spindle bore (like I have), you can only "chuck up" on the bigger diameters. You then need to do things like your joint work out in a steady rest.

Bottom line, it's just more convenient to be able to pass larger diameters through the headstock.
 
I'm in the exact same position you are in trent. I have a repair lathe and I have maxxed out it's capabilities. I am frustrated and have made modifications with bearings, steady rests, and fixtures to try and extend the lathe's bed and there is no substitute of a big lathe.

If I had the money, I would've bought Chris' Deluxe a long time ago. I have all his videos and his book and I must say that it is straightforward knowledge delivered by a good ole fashioned Christian Gentleman.

I am currently saving up to buy a Deluxe right now, but I'm always on the lookout for something that will enable me to do more than my dinky little lathe. The thing about the Deluxe is that you can do whatever you want right out of the box. With a 13x40, you have to fiddle with it and buy extra stuff. Of course, there is nothing that compares to the weight, power, and capabilities of a 13x40, but unless you know what you're doing, or have someone there to help you, a big lathe is not the way to go.

What you need to consider, is that buying the lathe, is the easy part. It is all the other stuff you need to consider, and that can be nearly twice what you paid for the lathe.

I hope this helps. Good luck man.
 
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