Originally Posted by RTP_Burnsville  Any comments on how it compares to the 8x12?
Thanks..... |
I have no experience with the 8x12. Given that, I did get to see a 7x10 this past weekend. To me, it looked like a toy model compared to the 10x20. (Not putting down the 7x's but giving a verbal/visual analogy.)
When I consider buying a tool that I expect to use for a long time, and with which I expect to do high-quality work, I get very picky. When I bought the mill, I looked at the mini's in the $300-$600 range. Every time I thought I was getting close to making a decision, I imagined myself wanting "just a little more" than what they had to offer in terms of workpiece size. Even though I had a limited budget, I found the Grizzly small mill to be an excellent value and gave me piece of mind that any regrets regarding capabilities would be somewhat further down the road.
When I was ready to get the lathe, I went through the same agony of deciding between entry-level cost and longer-term happiness. 7x's and 8x's and even 9x's seemed to cost too much for the limitations. (I keep telling myself 'This is more expensive that I think it should be.') The 10x, however, seems to have more capabilities for the $. (I found myself saying 'What a great value!')
So, I ended up getting the most that I could afford at the time. That philosophy may be the best advice I can offer anyone. When it comes to tools, buying the best you can afford (you get to decide on the criteria for 'best') is a pretty good way to go. Get the best basic machine you can afford, and then go a little slower on the tooling and extras that you want. You can add extras a little at a time, but the basic machine is going to stay with you for a long time. Going undersized is not the best way to save money.
I will gladly keep everyone posted on the performance, but for now - it certainly 'feels' like the best decision I could have made.