The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

HiBC · April 19, 2010, 11:24 AM

I thought about this some more,and am taking a step back to reconsider..
I still advocate the class of light industrial lathes I mentioned,but when kraigwy speaks,I listen.He has a point.
The experience I had with the Jet, and Powermatic I mentioned was at a university engineering research center.Many people ran those lathes,of varying degree of experience,and they saw some hard use.In a shop that pays the bills machinining,you would hope that machine is running at least 100 hours a month.
How many folks run their gunsmithing lathe more the 100 hours a year?
If you start with a decent,solid ,well made machine,you are the only guy running it,and you take reasonable care of it,a new Asian machine should probably give a lifetime of good service.It does not come with a worn bed and half-nuts.I don't know that we can buy South Bend or Harrison parts.
And,I agree it is more the fellow running the machine.

April 19, 2010, 11:24 AM	#19
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,288	I thought about this some more,and am taking a step back to reconsider.. I still advocate the class of light industrial lathes I mentioned,but when kraigwy speaks,I listen.He has a point. The experience I had with the Jet, and Powermatic I mentioned was at a university engineering research center.Many people ran those lathes,of varying degree of experience,and they saw some hard use.In a shop that pays the bills machinining,you would hope that machine is running at least 100 hours a month. How many folks run their gunsmithing lathe more the 100 hours a year? If you start with a decent,solid ,well made machine,you are the only guy running it,and you take reasonable care of it,a new Asian machine should probably give a lifetime of good service.It does not come with a worn bed and half-nuts.I don't know that we can buy South Bend or Harrison parts. And,I agree it is more the fellow running the machine.