Play in tailstock mounting?

Paul,

I got this advice when I started and didn't follow it; boy was I mistaken!

Buy the biggest, heaviest, highest quality machine you can afford. If you can't afford it now, save. Anything else will be totally unsatisfying and a big dissappointment. Things like a loose tailstock will drive you absolutely nuts!

Best of Luck.

Ron snipped-for-privacy@berman-law.com

I have to underscore Ron's comments. I started with a cheap Grizzly and had nothing but problems. I stumbled on to a used Delta for $250 and it is so superior to the Grizzly that it is a joy to use. My Delta certainly doesn't fall into the "lathe of your dreams" category but at least everything lines up and nothing keeps breaking. I still lust for a really good lathe but just can't justify 5 or 6 grand. Look around for a used lathe. There are alot out there and many have been hardly used.

To your specific question: "Yes, a loose tailstock will line up different everytime you loosen and tighten it so you will always be retruing anything you are using it on."

Earl

Leave it alone and walk away!! Nothing wrong with used lathes but if it is obvious that something is wrong don't even bother with it, the frustration is just not worth it. You can find a nice used lathe but it takes a little hunting, luck, and speed (good ones go fast). Another thought is start out with a mini like a Jet. The manual speed change ones are inexpensive and work well. Use that to figure out what you want to continue doing and either sell it or keep it around for a spare when you get a bigger lathe. Just my opinion. Have fun and good luck

Paul, This looks like the low end Grizzly. Same specs & look. RUN AWAY. It is nothing but junk. I know because I had one. Lasted 6 monbths before the motor burned out. Got a Delta 1440 & never looked back, until the General showed up. Once that piece of iron was in my shop the Grizz went into the dumpster. Save your money for something a little better. Just my $0.02

Dan Patterson

L'aissez les bon temps tourner!

Member AAW since 2003

Thanks for the help. Alas, it is a wee bit late :) I did go out and buy it; hopefully it will not die within 6 months. The machine I received is a fair bit tighter then the showroom one I evaluated.

I agree that something better would indeed be better, but I got wood to buy! Money comes, money goes; if I lose some on this one in the long run it is ok. Time just goes in one direction; I would rather be turning today on something less then great then turning next year on a top-end machine. That could add up to a lot of experience.

Alas, the used route I was really hoping would solve the dilemma, but I looked for a few weeks and the only "good" (i.e. beyond what I bought) one came in at $550 and most came in at well above that. So, being stuck is it. Now I will have to tune it a little; I think the very rough tool rest seems to make it difficult to slide a gouge along, so first step is file and polish...

Thanks everyone for the replies! I expect to have a few more questions along the way :)

Paul K