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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2010 16:24:37 GMT -5
I was a building contractor for 20yrs before going into the ministry and have worked extensively with wood, concrete, heavy machinery etc.... But I've never worked with metal other than welding and minor fabrication jobs. I've always wanted to learn to run a lathe and mill machine, especially since I started frequenting this board. It seems like many of you have extensive knowledge and experience in machine work. A man in my church has Smithy 1220 XL LTD combination mill and Lathe machine that he has never used. Is it worth talking about or purchasing? Will it perform the work that many of you do....Breechplugs, Dies, Gunsmithing etc. Before I go any further with him I would like to know if it's enough machine to do what I want to do. I'm a tinkerer like most of you. They price out new around $2000. I could get this one for around $600, new condition.
What do you think....And Thanks for any info.
Zen
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Post by ET on Jan 21, 2010 17:33:12 GMT -5
Panhandle I am just an amateur and new to this so I can't really give good advice. But I believe this is the model you are refering too in the link below. www.railroadsignals.us/AS065.JPGJust incase anyone wants too see it to form an opinion. Ed |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2010 19:09:29 GMT -5
Ed.... Here's the one I'm looking at. Very similar to yours. Thanks.....Zen  |
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Post by Richard on Jan 21, 2010 19:33:14 GMT -5
Zen...........That is a nice little machine and it will do a lot of work for you. Particularly the little tinkering projects that are associated with our sport. Be advised however, it is not a gunsmiths lathe. Too small! You could not plan on chambering a rifle barrel as the bed is too short. Most like to run the barrel thru the head stock and that lathe probably only has a hole maybe.......3/4" in diameter. Too narrow for most barrels. For $600 you cannot go wrong. You will have a lot of fun doing little projects. After getting your feet wet, you just may decide to go for a more "full size" lathe and a separate mill or mill/drill. I have an Enco 13 x 36" lathe which has 1.5" thru the head stock. My Enco Mill/drill has a table that will traverse about 18" (I think) It works nice for inletting stocks plus other projects. When I do the bedding on rifles? I set up the stock in the mill and use it to machine out the unwanted wood. It then does a nice job of trimming the excess bedding compound after curing.
Go for it, you will have a lot of fun learning. You can always get your money back on the Smithy.
Richard
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Post by littlejoe on Jan 21, 2010 20:03:55 GMT -5
Richard, how do you like the enco machine?I get their catalogs all the time and have always wondered how they hold up and also about parts availabilty.Lately I have been checking out bench top lathes.The smithy is around two thousand but is supposedly very accurite.The enco holds bigger material,more powerful, and cheaper.Does it have any tapering or runout?Also does the compound feed?
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Post by Richard on Jan 21, 2010 20:54:27 GMT -5
I have had my Enco for about 12 years now and it has given me good service. It was accurate enough to build my 1,000 yd. record setting rifle and win my share of matches. It will hold to under .0002" runout. Does the compound feed? Automatically? No, it does not feed automatically. The cross feed does. You have an adjustment on the tailstock for taper. Hey, its not a $8,000 Monarch or whatever, but good enough for a hobbyist. Would I like to have a better one? Sure! Can I justify spending the $$$..........NO! If I had the experience I have gained in the past twelve years and was 54 instead of 66? I would spend the big bucks. Not at this point in my life. It gets done what I need it to do. Mainly fitting and threading barrels and my little projects.
Richard
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Post by whelenman on Jan 27, 2010 16:19:38 GMT -5
If you can get that for $600 I'd jump on it. I've got one of the Midas 1220XL models that I bought used very lightly. It's almost identical to what you show. It will accept slightly over one inch stock. Like Richard said it's not a barrel chambering lathe but can be used in a miriad of other ways. In a pinch you could do some chambering and crowning on one but it's not the best tool for the job and will not have the precision needed for chambering and threading barrels. Just this morning I turned out a couple a bedding pillars and an escutcheon plate to use in bedding a rifle I'm working on now. I also made some custom action screws with flat Allen faces to fit the escutcheon piece. I've made several different cartridge shoulder gauges, a ramrod, adapters for powering my reloading, a rimfire rim gauge, and lots more. It's a handy little machine if you don't have room for a bigger one and it sounds like a great deal.
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Post by Jon on Jan 28, 2010 11:56:35 GMT -5
There is a big differance between the 2 pictured the one pictured with the dro it would probably cost that much for just the dro.
Jon
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Post by boarhog on Jan 29, 2010 20:11:57 GMT -5
While on this subject, is there a source for "How to Run Lathes and Milling Machines for Dummies"?
I would also love to have such a machine in my shop. I would use it for making parts for obsolete musical instruments, etc in my store, and for my toy projects after hours! I would definitely buy that Smithy if you decide not to.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2010 20:35:36 GMT -5
While on this subject, is there a source for "How to Run Lathes and Milling Machines for Dummies"? I would also love to have such a machine in my shop. I would use it for making parts for obsolete musical instruments, etc in my store, and for my toy projects after hours! I would definitely buy that Smithy if you decide not to. I'm working a deal....Spoke with him today Zen |
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Post by smokeless77 on Jan 29, 2010 23:39:40 GMT -5
Zen, $600.00 bucks, Cant beat that with a stick, Better grab it.
John
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