Well I’m looking for a lathe, but this isn’t a “what lathe is ideal” thread. Building a garage is 2-3 years down our to do list, so what I’m looking for is something that I can get down a flight of stairs into my basement, then get out of the basement one day. I’m going to be looking to do mainly bolts & internal pieces and nelson tube sized components. I’m buying this fully knowing that I’ll have to buy a new unit down the road if it becomes a serious hobby.
I’ve gone through all the previous threads, but they all focus around getting the best sized lathe, as opposed to the smallest that you can deal with. In the specs on these models, the 9x19 has a shipping weight of 300 lbs which is a little much in my situation. Some of the older craftsman lathes that have been mentioned here are 180 lbs or so, but have been unable to find one locally (Calgary a great place to buy surplus industrial machines, but not so much on the hobby/recreational use side for some reason). I’ve also found the 7x12 in a 7x14 version for a similar price.
G8688 7" x 12" Mini Metal Lathe House of Tools - Force Precision Mini Lathe - Metalworking Machines Metalworking Machinery Lathes, MetalMetal Lathes - Item Description
I’m also in Canada so not everyone will ship up here, especially used items, so I’m looking for something that’s readily available and as big as possible staying under the 200 lb mark. Anyone know of an 8x + unit that's not 300 lbs?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!