# HF Micro Lathe??



## RAdams (Apr 30, 2010)

Anyone have any experience with the 4" by 5" micro metal lathe from HF? 

I was thinking about getting one because they are on sale from $299 to $75. I didnt even know they existed until yesterday.

Anyway, would that be a decent place to start to decide of a bigger one is in order? I figure i could make some pen parts, and bushings and stuff on it maybe??

Any thoughts would be appreciated!


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## skiprat (Apr 30, 2010)

Hell Ron!!! That sounds like a real bargain even if it's a baby

I'd buy two of them just for the parts!!!:biggrin:

You guys get all the luck!!! Try buying that in the UK!!!

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-x-5-inch-micro-lathe-95012.html


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## RAdams (Apr 30, 2010)

that link just doesnt want to work for me. Maybe i sat staring too long...


I think i will shoot for just one of em! That will be a challenge for me, let alone two of em.


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## hewunch (Apr 30, 2010)

I read through the manual. Nothing about cutting threads. This would be the main reason I would want one. But for $75.... hmmm


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## cnirenberg (Apr 30, 2010)

Last I heard, they were discontinued after the last $79 special.  Ron, do a Google search on it, there is a review of it somewhere.


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## randyrls (Apr 30, 2010)

RAdams said:


> Anyone have any experience with the 4" by 5" micro metal lathe from HF?
> 
> Any thoughts would be appreciated!



Ron;  I have a 9x20 metal lathe.  Plan on spending as much for tooling and nick-knacks as you do on the lathe.  In this case more.

I looked at it;  It can't do threading, no auto-feed.  No compound.  You want to check and see if the headstock has a through hole and how big it is.  On a lathe it is important to be able to pass stock through the head stock.

If you are thinking of making bushings or threading custom pen bodies, I'd give this one a pass.  Look for a 7x14 at the least.  Scan Craigslist for used machines.  They can often be had cheap.  Scan the local papers for estate sales.

Hint:  Use Google to search Craigslist in your area.  It's faster than scanning the list.  Use the advanced search to restrict your hits to those within a month or so.

Buy good tool once, cry once;  Buy cheap tool, cry many times!


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## SonOfMartin (Apr 30, 2010)

Another good Craigslist search tool is

http://www.searchtempest.com/

You can search by distance from your home zip code and it brings up the results by craigslist city.  You can also put in price range, only those with pictures, etc...

Give it a try.


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## creativewriting (Apr 30, 2010)

Ron I looked at this one when I was purchasing a metal lathe.  All the reviews said to pass and save for the bigger one.  Once you put a jacobs chuck in the end you can't fit any bits into the chuck to drill.  I ended up buying a used Grizzly 7x12 and even it has it's limitations as I am finding out.  Harbor Frieght often does the 20% coupons so save up for the 7x14.  I have read some decent reviews on that machine.


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## rjwolfe3 (Apr 30, 2010)

If you can get it for the $70 I would buy it. It would work for bushings and what not. I have the bigger one but I paid almost $400 for mine.


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## RAdams (Apr 30, 2010)

Yep, no longer available. Bummer for sure. Oh well, back to saving up for a bigger one!!


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## skiprat (Apr 30, 2010)

Ron although I still think that was a bargain, you really shouldn't buy something like that as your primary metal lathe.  I would only buy something like that only to rob parts or to modify the heck out of. 
I recently bought a rotary table with index plates and that little lathe was less than half the price but would have suited my purpose just fine.

Save your money up until you have enough for at *least* a 9 x 20. Mine is a 10 x 21.5 and I frequently wish I had spent a bit more for the 10 x 30.


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## Chuck Key (Apr 30, 2010)

I ordered one on March 15, 2010 at $72.89 with $9.99 shipping.  I do quite a bit of grinding on the lathe and wanted to use this one for a dedicated grinding unit.  I would not mind all very fine grit on this one.  

I got a note in the mail form Harbor Freight about three weeks later stating this lathe is no longer in stock and they would be unable to get more from the manufracturer.

Chuckie


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## holmqer (Apr 30, 2010)

Thats the Sieg C0 micro lathe. Interestingly it even has the Red and Black Sieg paint scheme that normally gets changed for distributors like HF and Grizzly. The lathe is still in the Sieg catalog.


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## RAdams (Apr 30, 2010)

I called and the lady told me they were no longer available. I cant get the link to come up to look at it. No biggie. I cant afford it right now anyway, I just saw it and thought i might try to hustle up the cash if it wasnt too big of a hassle.


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## wolftat (Apr 30, 2010)

They took my order and then they sent me an email telling me they are unavailable.


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## thetalbott4 (Apr 30, 2010)

I have the HF 7x10 (it was FREE...sort of) and it has opened up a whole new world of capability. After using it for several months now, I wish the bed was longer. There are a lot of pen making related things that are difficult with the 10", so I cant imagine what the small one would be like. You'll be happy in the long run that it wasnt available. Also, if you havent already, dig into the small lathe resources on the net. I was shocked at how much there is to learn. And the lathes take a good amount of adjusting and modifying to get them consistant.


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## RussFairfield (May 2, 2010)

You have been given some good advice. A small machine lathe is a waste of money if it doesn't have a lead screw for cutting threads or power feed. This one has neither.


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## RAdams (May 2, 2010)

cool! Thanks for the advice! I will definately follow it and keep saving.


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## workinforwood (May 2, 2010)

http://cgi.ebay.com/7-x-10-PRECISIO...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item563c0822dc

The shipping is a killer on this..but it's an example of why you watch ebay...micro metal lathe $9.99


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## louie (May 2, 2010)

Ron, according to the link that skiprat posted, the capacity of the lathe was 7/16". I don't think you'd be happy with that limitation.


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## RAdams (May 2, 2010)

workinforwood said:


> http://cgi.ebay.com/7-x-10-PRECISIO...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item563c0822dc
> 
> The shipping is a killer on this..but it's an example of why you watch ebay...micro metal lathe $9.99


 



AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH








My mouth is OFFICIALLY WATERING! My day is coming! I guess i gotta get on the hustle! Thanks for showing me that link! I cant get that machine but i will definately look on ebay, and C-list etc. when i do get ready to get one!


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## Mark (May 2, 2010)

Good Luck. Sounds like a cool little machine. Like I said before, I'm looking for a new "mini" if I come across a Metal lathe in my searching, I'll drop you a link...


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## workinforwood (May 3, 2010)

I don't recommend these little micro lathes, I'm just saying you can find them out there really dirt cheap if that's what you want.  I recommend something in the 10+ size and a table length of 30 or more is a major pleasantry.  It's not that you would ever need to spin anything a few feet long, it's more that you have tons of space for attaching tooling to the lathe and that you can still back the tail stock way out of your work space so it isn't in the way and you don't have to remove it all the time.  My lathe's tail stock is 80 lbs, so I would not want to have to constantly take that off the machine and then put it back on.


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## DurocShark (May 9, 2010)

I'd love a decent metal lathe. I used a massive machine in high school. They were purchased when the school was built in the 50's and still chugging in the late 80's with their leather belts. Darn school had 3 of 'em. 

My next need is a better table saw. Then a new planer and a jointer. Then maybe I'll be able to slide a metal lathe in. So sometime around 2025...


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## randyrls (May 9, 2010)

workinforwood said:


> My lathe's tail stock is 80 lbs, so I would not want to have to constantly take that off the machine and then put it back on.



Jeff;  For many years my uncle worked in the machine shop at the Hershey Chocolate Factory in Hershey PA.  He helped fabricate many of the original candy and chocolate making machines.
My uncle has a Clausing in his shop.  The chuck on that thing is about 12" in diameter.  There is a hoist in the back for removing the chuck and for positioning stock to be worked on.  Looks like a miniature engine hoist.


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