Which metal lathe to buy

PaulDiStefano

PaulDiStefano

Joined
Nov 14, 2016
Messages
636
Hey guys. Had a quick question about which metal lathes might be worth getting that can accomplish what I need. I was going to start doing take down knives and need a metal lathe to turn the finials down. I also want to use it for daggers and turn the whole flared end out of damascus. For my work it could end up being 2” wide at the very end of the flared finial. Which might mean a chunk of damascus that’s bigger then that getting shaped down all the way.

Any suggestions on what metal lathe to buy that can accomplish this task?

** I’m honestly looking for the cheapest option that can get this done.

I know cheaper isn’t always better however I don’t have the money to go above and beyond just yet. But I’m going for my MS stamp next year and definitely need something that’ll get the job done so I can start as soon as possible

Thanks guys
Paul distefano
 
You can cruise Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and Ebay for used lathes. Often they are very old and don't come with much tooling or documentation (manuals etc.) And finding parts and accessories for them can be difficult. If you find one in nice shape you will very likely be spending as much as or more than a new one anyway. Might as well save up and buy new. The support and parts/accessories availability is there and you know the condition is brand new with manuals. I am still saving but I will likely go with a Precision Matthews when I'm ready.

 
We recently bought a 1947 Sydney 18x60 that weighs more than 8,000 pounds. It sat in a shop unused for more than 20 years. We installed a new motor and it runs smooth with a tiny amount of runout. One of the test cuts was .200" at 1.0" ipm. The trucking was more than the tool. We bought the Sydney for $2,100.

There are some excellent deals on old lathes. Many machine shops are selling their older tools to make room for new CNC tools. We've been looking for a bigger lathe. This Sydney is one of several lathes that we considered.

Chuck
 
The Mini-Lathe (C-3 Sieg) from Little Machine Shop is about your cheapest bet new @ USD999. Taig and Sherline are both more expensive. The Harbor Freight is a couple hundred cheaper but that short bed length will really hamper its capabilities. LMS seem quite upright and have been easy to deal with.
I was going to suggest looking for a used EMCO Compact 5 (what I have) or EMCO Unimat but the prices are surprisingly higher than I expected.
 
One option is to find a South Bend 9, 10k or 10L in reasonably good condition. These lathes have a following in the hobby/ small machinist crowd, so are in demand and pretty easy to sell. The price will be more than the new import machines but the resale is incomparable. It is reasonable to expect that if you get an ok deal on the lathe, you can use it for however long you want and resell it for as much or more than you paid.
 
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