Feedback Desired

Loose enough to slide can be much closer that you might expect- especially if the sliding piece in question is outfitted with adjustable gibs. If this "problem" hadn't been addressed over 100 years ago, the kind of ultra-precision metalworking tools are capable of wouldn't be possible.

That being said, I can't imagine why it might be desirable to slide the headstock down the ways. Swiveling, I get- but can't figure out any reason to slide the sucker, unless there's some reason to slide it to center when swiveling it- if that's the case, then some minimal amount of slop shouldn't matter, as you're not trying to align it with a tailstock.

Ahhhh... I get the sliding headstock now.

I live 15 minutes from the Springfield store and as of a week back they had one setting in the back room in the scratch and dent section..

Would I pay the price they are asking (knocked down from SRP) for THAT lathe? no. admittedly this might have been a used/returned, or a floor demo model- the tag didnt say which. BUT. IF I were going to pay the money out, I would at a minimum figure on making a complete new tail stock assembly. this was NOT I strongly emphasize, set up to work-being either rough handled or rough assembled, and nothing was fitting totally correct IMO. but the tail stock piece was VERY slack in its travel down the bed. this MIGHT be adjustable and in this case be as I said, a case of very bad assembly, but I was not happy with the way this felt.

as for the HEAD.. Could the slack have been adjusted out of it, and it turn into a 'tighter fit'? might very well have., as it was rather sloppy on its eccentric assembly that 'locks it in position'.

I go to their yearly 'scratch and dent' tent sale and bought the complete head for this for $20. (they had SEVERAL BTW) the swivel piece that this mounts onto that sets on the lathe bed was missing, the caps were cut off the motor, and it did show signs by the saw dust underneath it was used. the motor is a fixed RPM, the variable speed is done by a lever arm/adjustable throat opening pulley, driving a spring loaded variable throat pulley on the other side..think a variable speed transmission totally done by belt.. thats what it is, pure and simple

I was VERY happy getting this much as if the motor IS indeed bad, I can replace it with a jack shaft driven off another motor by a 3 step pulley (will give me more speed options) but DID get the to me, expensive part-that being the 1" 8 threaded shaft and the thrust bearings..the complete head I bought WAS good, and the missing piece can probably be ordered. now, the FLOOR model that was properly put together was not near as bad as to 'moving fit', however I still did not think highly of the tail stock assembly.. it just TO ME, felt a bit sloppy in design and construction. I might be 'spending too much time' re centering it, but that IS PURELY a feeling without loading some different lengths of wood in and trying.

--Shiva--

Hi Jesse, I think the reason for sliding the headstock down the ways is to essentially convert a spindle lathe into a bowl lathe. Whether that's a desirable thing or not, those who actually slide headstocks can tell us while the Stubby folks just sit back and smile. :) I have some understanding of sliding fits, but I'd think there would have to be some slop since the ways on these wood lathes are not gibed and the headstock is not fed down dovetailed ways with a gear driven threaded rod.

I do have an older wood lathe that sports pyramidal ways and I find that slightly tightening the tailstock spindlelock on my younger N3K does smooth the feed when drilling on the lathe. However I certainly agree with you that this slop is really a non problem and I needn't have brought it up.

A little slop in a wood lathe or in a woodturner is no big deal. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

You turn it 22.5 or 45 off axis to get yourself some extra capacity off the ways and reverse the rotation, if you have the "L" insert for the Nova chucks as I do. The banjo is long enough, and the rest sturdy enough to reach around from the right, permitting turning at 9 o'clock, just _as if_ you were turning outboard. Another good reason for not having the toolpost centered in the banjo like the lathe in the original question.

If you go to 90 you probably won't have enough reach around capacity.

Although Grizzly's are made over seas, if you do your research, you would be surprised to learn where some of the following are made i.e. Delta, Powermatic, Porter Cable, Craftsman, etc.. Now I didn't say ALL I said some of their's. That goes to show us all how greedy some of our American manufacture's are and what they would do to get cheaper labor costs.

Sorry mister conspiracy, but the consumer gets precisely what he wants, or won't buy. The companies will go out of their way to make sure he has opportunities.

Do some research on grammar to make your class-warfare appeal more polished while you look up Walt Kelly and ponder the truth he enunciated so many years ago.

Who's making a class-warfare appeal? I'm just stating a fact about the tools I have bought in the past. Router bits in particular, that I have bought from them have not been made made in the USA. I try to buy everything that has a made in the USA label, but it is nearly impossible. So, screw you if you don't care where it's made. Take your argument up with a union person and see how far you get.

And this has WHAT to do with the topic under discussion?

Both of my jet lathes are were made in China.. They've stood up to an incredible amount of abuse and hours..

OTOH, My one US made tool, the Shopsmith, Has spent a lot of it's 28 years outside and has a LOT of hours on it and the only thing that's gone out so far is 1 belt and a speed adjuster arm for the Reeves drive..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Thanks for the feedback all.

Bill, some of the others mentioned some concern about various aspects of the lathes design ( ie. banjo, 2 hp motor, swiveling head stock, etc.). Without trying to stir anything up, I'm wandering what your thoughts about the machine are. Since you actually used it (and bought it).

JD

JD wrote in news:80910d69-afd8-48a6-ac5b- snipped-for-privacy@q39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:

I bought this lathe about 2 years ago. The price is alluring.

In relation to other commodity lathes such as Delta, or Jet, the bed is not qutie as thick nor are the legs. I started using sandbags to wieght it down and finally bolted to the floor. The banjo is quite honestly way too small, hence the extension to get the smallish tool rest up to the proper height. I ended up paying almost as much for a proper banjo and tool rests as I did for the original price of the lathe itself. The tail stock handwheel is difficult to turn.I have replaced the handwheel due to the inside flange breaking off from wear. There are no bearings to take that strain. The motor wiring failed about 4 months ago and I ended up rewiring the d**m thing.

I have not had any problems alluded to in earlier responses due to the head being movable. I seeems to be rock solid all of the time.

My decision to purchase this item was based on price. That being said, I have really become an avid woodturner and am currently looking for a much better lathe at the present time.

If you looking for occasional or light turning ( think pens ) then this may work just fine for you. I on the other hand have become a fan of turning large bowls, which has been somewhat problematic with this particular piece of equipment.

Best wishes

I don't know anything about the Grizzly, but I just bought the General International Maxi-lathe VS. Swivel head and 19" swing outboard. I haven't used it enough yet to give a report, but it's quiet, almost no vibration, and the speed range is even a little wider than advertised.

Disclaimer: I work part-time at Woodcraft. We sell General. We don't sell Grizzly :-).