Will this work for small metal work???

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LandfillLumber

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Hello, I have been wanting a metal lathe to play with and seen this in my email. What do you guys how know metal think can I do small metal parts for odd ball repairs. I'm no metal guy so I will be making simple things nothing crazy. Is this a good little lathe for metal or should I wait for an older used one to show up on craigslist??? Thanks guys, Victor
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/pmla.html
 
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Victor, It is hard to tell from the photo but my first concern is it does not look like there is a quill on the tailstock. You would not be able to drill with the tailstock. So if you wanted to make a bushing you couldn't even center drill or drill it.
Most metal lathes have a compound that sits on top of the cross slide, it can swivel and be set to cut on an angle. If you wanted to cut an angle for a home made dead center, you couldn't do it on this lathe.
Another feature that is nice to have is a feedscrew, you can engage a halfnut and feed down the length of the part, this lathe doesn't have it. It isn't a must, but very nice to have.
Just a few things I noticed.
 
It's not designed for it, and while it might, I would hold out for something a little better. Keep in mind, there is not a chuck, or motor, or switch with that PSI one.

This would be a decent buy. It needs some tweeks, but there is a large following of them. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93212

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Victor, I've been looking as well. Yahoo has several clubs that deal with 7x10 and small metal working lathes. Grizzly has a nice one also, more cash, more features...

Don't forget safety... Wear the best eye protection you can. Goggles are great. The cutters are ground so they have "chip breakers"... Otherwise you end up with what looks like steel wool wrapped around everything... Those chips fly fast and they're razor sharp...
 
I own the same thing that is in the picture. It is basically the materials that you can then make a very fine lathe out of for metal working. Directions on what to do with it are easy to find as there are at least a couple of yahoo groups that discuss them. basically you will add some finer honing and adjusting to it. I love mine and the tinkering was a bonus for me.
 
Victor keep an eye on Harbor Freight I picked the one Lee posted, up for just under $ 300.00 on sale and with discount coupons. Although I took it out of the box I haven't used it yet because I never used a metal lathe.

Jack
 
I have the HF 7-10 and it's a big bang for the bucks. I have made ovr 150 pens with it and can hold .0005 over the lenght of the barrel. got the small carbide insert set and I have yet to change the insert. Finish is great. Hardly any sandng to be done. am going to make an almumin pen and some different bushings with it. So go for it. mikem
 
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