What lathe?

[bearwen]

I am looking at getting a lathe this will be my first metal lathe. I have no experience with a metal lathe at all. I did build a cnc wood router and currentlly looking to build a new router (with custom made parts from my lathe) in the very near future. Ok the big question what lathe to buy I have read about the 7X lathes from HF and other companies but not sure. Currentlly I have found unfortunatlly several states away and cant physically inspect a 1942 10" Atlas lathe. The lathe has new paint and all the chrome handles and stuff are polished up it has a gouge in the leadscrew but it is not in an area that is actually used so? I asked about the bed and the guy said that he started to clean them up with 400 grit paper and realised it wasnt doing much so he just whipped them down with oil and snaped the pics the bed rails dont look bad from the pics but you never know. So the big thing is I have heard good things about the HF 8X series and there is a huge following for the 7X series Asian lathes. I just dont know what to do the 7X is a small and very light lathe it sales new for $450 and weighs about 90lbs the 8X lathe is much heavier and weighs in around 240lbs and from what I gathered is really accurate from the factory and has hardened ways and it has on the newer models one prismatic way and one flat way ( the older ones had prismatic ways on both rails) the cost of this is $600 new. Then there is this old 1942 Atlas which is much larger as it has 30" between centers the others are 12 and 14" and it has a 10" swing but I cant see it other than pics and I cant touch it and see how she is. The price for the Atlas is roughlly $900 shipped and the only thing it has is the tail with drill a 4 jaw chuck and it has a quick tool change (Gears for threading I am unsure about as of writting this). I am really unsure where to start I am on a budget and the Atlas is pushing the budget but if its a good machine then I will have it for many years I am sure but if its junk I am done. I currentlly dont have any jobs in mind for the lathe that couldnt be done on the small 7X series but you never know. I am looking to convert the lathe to CNC as I have the gecko drives and steppers already from my router and wont use them for the new one as I am getting much larger motors and will get the drives for them perhaps geckos but different ones from what I have now ( most likely will go servo) so what do you guys think if all you have to go by is that the Atlas is old heavy American has been painted and shinned up and the ways were sanded on a little ( I assume hes telling the truth) and the other lathes are made in China what would you do if you were me I want to have as percision equipment as possible but I have a small budget and always wanted to learn the lathe.

I am really needing help as my instinct says buy the Atlas its old school American but you never know whats been done to it but at the same time I think the China lathes have problems but there are plenty out there that have been moded and do really accurate work and the price doesnt kill the budget so we can get some extra goodies.

I think perhaps get the smallest cheapest lathe and fix the inaccuracies as best as can been done and use it learn what I really need to learn try to fit it to cnc and then in the future look for with the right budget that lathe that will last the rest of my life and will be able to pass to my kids 30 years from now.

Looking forward to your inputs Sorry for such long winded post but I am really trying to figure it out.

[TOTALLYRC]

Hello bearwen,

I have both the atlas and a 7x lathe. The Atlas is about ten times the lathe the 7x is with one caveat. How worn is the bed?

You can easily check with a micrometer as it has flat ways. Have the guy miket he thicknes and the width a couple of inches from the head stock and then at the far end. if the difference is more than a thou or 3 pass as it is worn out.

Mine also has the tumbler for changing speads and is great feature to have on any manual lathe.

If I was buying a lathe today, I would take a very hard look at the 8x series of lathes because there is no comparison between it and the 7x. If I needed a bigger lathe, the 10x series is much better than the 9x.

Since you are going to fit it with cnc, go for the 8x. you will probably find that you won't need to upgrade it unless you need to turn bigger parts.

If you want either an 7x or an Atlas th42 without tumbler, I have both getting ready for sale. But as I said, I would go with the 8x for a lathe to convert to cnc.


Mike

[RMDMARINE]

Bearwen
I have been a machinist for 50yrs and now retired. I now have a business in which I make Radio Control Sailboat parts and I got tired of going to my old shop, which my son now runs, to make parts on the Hardinge chucker that we have. I bought a Grizzly G 0602 10x22 which is a great lathe, I cnced it and have excellent machine now. Yes, it is not a Hardinge but for a small Lathe it is a work horse. I had a little vibration which gave me some poor finishes till I got rid of the wooden work bench. I went to my son's shop and welded up a strong table that would not flex and now will pull a .187in cut in 304L stainless. I picked it up from grizzley for $ 1084.00 thats with freight.

I bought this lathe for basicly the lead screw gear box, forget changing a bunch of gears for feeds and threading.

Bob D