Habor Freight Rant

[creativewriting]

The old adage you get what you pay for just bit me in the A$#! When I was shopping around for my first lathe my mind was set on not spending a lot of money because I didn't know how things would work out. Almost everything I do is polymer clay related, but recently I have wanted to get into some kitless pens requiring the turning of other materials. About a year ago I purchased the HF variable speed mini lathe with a little hesitation, but still confident it would be a good starter .

I have now had the tail stock replaced due to improper machining. The bed of the lathe is off (machining again) 1/8 of an inch from left to right causing everything to be out of whack. The end wheel (more like a dial) slips and won't extend the tool in the tail stock unless you wedge a tool in the hole to keep it from turning. The only nice thing is the variable speed (doesn't do a lot of good when you can't turn anything). It has pretty much been reduced to a finishing lathe. I can sand and put CA on a blank....yee ha!

If you are new to turning and are in the same mindset I was please do not settle for a subpar (on a good day) lathe. Do some research (on the IAP) and stretch the pocket book a little farther then you expected too. In the long run you will benefit from your decision.

Just my freaking $.02 (plus the money I flushed on the lathe)!

 

[bitshird]

I have the HF 12x33-/12 lathe and I'm pretty happy with it, I saw the Mini wood lathe and didn't think much of it, If you're speaking about the 7 x 10 or 12 metal lathe, they usually are fair for the money, several students of mine bought them and I was surprised, one of my guys bought the HF 9x20 metal lathe, it's the same as my Jet, the motor looks a little different but my jet is at least 10 or 12 years old, The only gripe I have about my HF wood lathe is the plastic hand wheel on the tail stock,no hand wheel on the head stock, and the 25mm tool post. Shot a laser down the bed and it's nice and level. but I can see where their mini 89.95 lathe is a real P.O.C. I think that even Jet has problems, I know Delta does, I watched the headstock hit the floor last night on a 1642 steel bed. pretty ill conceived locking system for a lathe that size, and a stupid tail stock to boot.

 

[randyrls]

Check out LMS aka http://www.littlemachineshop.com

They have most any part you would need for a mini lathe.

I believe you have a metal mini-lathe. These are an entirely different mind set from wood lathes.

The bed of these lathes isn't heavy enough to stay straight and level. You should mount it to a solid surface and then take any twist out of the bed with shims and spacers under the feet.

 

[gvanweerd]

Sorry to hear that. iv'e had my HF mini for about 7mos and i've put out some pretty nice pens with it. the only thing thats happened with it, is the a on and off switch hicups once in a while. and i didn't like the live center it can with. so i put a 60 dec live center on it. other than that it's OK., but i know down the road it will go belly up. then i'll get a good one.

 

[Sberger]

Sorry to hear your problems, but like you say, it is a starter lathe. It started and ran for a year and now time to get a real piece of equipment. At least you learned that you like turning pens, that is worth something.

 

[creativewriting]

Thanks for feeling my pain. This is the variable speed wood lathe (mini). The good news is I had a 20% off coupon and it only ran me about a $100 plus tax. On the negative side it is a #1MT so all the extras I have bought will have to either be adapted or repurchased for a nicer piece of equipment. I have noticed and heard many good things about the smaller metal lathes from HF. There was a review I read somewhere on the internet that said the HF, Grizzly, and Jet come from the same factory (in China of course). The engineers at work have a Grizzly metal lathe (7x12 or so) and they swear by it. That is probably what I should have held out for. Now I know!

 

[altaciii]

I've had my mini for about a year never had a problem and hope I never do. There is so much more that it can do than what I'm using it for right now I just don't have the time to learn it. If it does break down I know it has already paid for itself many times over.