pipemakersforum.com

I'm already tired of fussing between my smaller jet wood lathe and HF Metal lathe. I can sell them both and consolidate into one machine and get close to half my cash back so i'm going to do it... then I'll only have one machine to tool for and less wasted shop space (which is hard to come by in my garage already). MSC has a sale on the Jet 9x20, I've looked at the Grizzly 10x22 models and also very seriously looking at the Precision Matthews. The PM-10022 is out of stock for a couple months but they have the PM-1030V. Ironically, with shipping to my door, the Jet from MSC, even on sale comes out to about $100 more than the PM, and the Grizzly is about $200 less than the others. The PM looks to be the best machine to me from the specs and it also has powered cross feed and an axa quick change post to boot.

You folks see any reason I shouldn't pull the trigger on the PM1030V. I'm getting a bench with any of the options so that's figured in to the price as well. My bench won't safely support the bigger lathe.

The only reason not to go with the PM1030 is to go with the 1127 or 1236. You won’t regret a larger lathe later on, but you may wish you had more clearance over the cross slide in some cases. I have the 1236 and have one pipe I’m making now that won’t clear the cross slide to face the shank. PM has excellent support and I’ve been very pleased doing business with them.

Thanks Jeremiah, from what I've been reading here and on the interwebs, it's hard to find anything negative about their products. I was going to go 9x20 so i'm already going bigger .. and I'm sure that never ends so I am stopping at the 1030 for bank account and room in the shop sake

Do you utilize the power cross feed much?

Would this be a dumb@ss idea as a stand to hold the lathe? Looks like it will hold well over 1000 pounds and would provide tons of useful storage. Seems like vibration would be a potential issue, but I love the idea of being able to move it while my shop is a long ways from done yet.

https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-stor ... 64012.html

I don’t use the power feed much, though it’s nice on occasion, but more for when I use it for turning steel.

The biggest reason I went with the 1236 is that it’s rigidity makes a difference in the Precision that’s possible. You lose out on about 30-40% of the cost of the machine selling it versus buying new, so I figured buy big enough so I wouldn’t need to ever upgrade and lose money.

As for a stand, I think mobility is overrated for a lathe. Put it somewhere and leave it so you can make sure it’s properly leveled. The casters can give out and make a huge mess if you hit a zip tie or something. My lathe came with the sheet metal stand and a foot brake, which is really nice. I built stationary benches back when I had my mini lathe and still have one for my wood lathe. Just 2x4 construction and countertop ends do nicely.

Do you chuck up in the 4 jaw when drilling first? I have the jaws from VF now and don’t know if they will fit these chucks and the 4” chuck I have now doesn’t look like it will mount up without some filling around.

I had a custom face plate made along with my briar chuck. I chuck the faceplate (with a 1.5" diameter by like 5" long hunk of steel that goes through the 3-jaw chuck) right onto the lathe. It takes 30 seconds to switch, and if I need to, I can fit a stem without taking the stummel off the chuck.

Chances are you'll need a face plate to fit your chuck and lathe. A good machinist should be able to make one for you if you can't find one. Trent Rudat would be my first recommendation for making it.

sandahlpipe wrote:I had a custom face plate made along with my briar chuck. I chuck the faceplate (with a 1.5" diameter by like 5" long hunk of steel that goes through the 3-jaw chuck) right onto the lathe. It takes 30 seconds to switch, and if I need to, I can fit a stem without taking the stummel off the chuck.

Chances are you'll need a face plate to fit your chuck and lathe. A good machinist should be able to make one for you if you can't find one. Trent Rudat would be my first recommendation for making it.

Thanks Jeremiah, much appreciated.

I dropped the other shoe and ordered the PM-1030V this morning. I'm pretty sure it will carve my pipes all by itself while I watch

I caught the carving bug badly.

Bluesytone wrote:Would this be a dumb@ss idea as a stand to hold the lathe? Looks like it will hold well over 1000 pounds and would provide tons of useful storage. Seems like vibration would be a potential issue, but I love the idea of being able to move it while my shop is a long ways from done yet.

https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-stor ... 64012.html

Personally, I would leave the casters off and it would make a pretty nice base. You want a lathe resting on as stable and level of a base as possible. The heavier and more massive the better. I've seen people add sandbags and concrete blocks to add mass. The goal is to reduce the possibility of vibration as much as you can.
I believe you will be happy with the PM lathe. Yes, it is Chinese but PM is great about standing behind what they sell. If I did not have my 1943 vintage Logan, I would buy the 10x30.

Bluesytone wrote:Do you chuck up in the 4 jaw when drilling first? I have the jaws from VF now and don’t know if they will fit these chucks and the 4” chuck I have now doesn’t look like it will mount up without some filling around.

Those jaws are the ones made by Smokindawg, no? They fit a Oneway (or Oneway Talon) chuck? I have them mounted on a Oneway chuck and I chuck the Oneway chuck in my lathe's 3 jaw by the outside of the adapter. Has worked fine for the past 3-4 years.

https://providence.craigslist.org/tls/d ... 07942.html I know I'm beating a dead horse
With this Chinese lathe crowd but American steel is out there for short money that will put PM to hell

pipeguy wrote:https://providence.craigslist.org/tls/d ... 07942.html I know I'm beating a dead horse
With this Chinese lathe crowd but American steel is out there for short money that will put PM to hell

That might be the case in some locations, but where I'm at, I have been watching my local used market for months and the only thing even resembling that is a worn out lathe and they want 4x the price!

Folks in my area want a fortune for crap!! These are pretty much sitting out in the pasture and look like it. I'm a fan of USA and prefer it, but nothing in my area is worth buying and best price I could get on a new lathe at the only place I could find that sells them was $12K and wouldn't fit in my shop. I don't think its so much about be a Chinese lathe crowd as it is situational.... course I'm new around here and what do i know

For example this one is $2000


this one is $1200

Shop out of State CL or other sites still less even if you ship

Also you are correct that Warner Swasy in New England is known as an anchor