Over a Year Later: A Full G0765 7x14 Mini Lathe Review!

[@alanhutchison4207]

My hobby is all 1/25th scale, brass, resin, plastic! This machine is magic. Big surprise for me was the accuracy! I would certainly recommend for this purpose.

[@Zen_Modeling]

Exactly what my needs are!! Are these available for $550 -600’ish range?

[@jameskellam2980]

About cutting left handed threads on the biggrr lathe. Put the tool in the holder upside down and spin the lathe chuck in reverse, using the ssme leadscrew nut engaging and direction(towards chuck). That is the way we used to make left handed acme threads.

[@John-of5sh]

This video is going on 2 1/2 years old and it is still just as useful and informative as the day it was first put on You Tube. I am in the process of purchasing my first metal lathe, I don't have a ton of money or the space for a large metal lathe and will most likely purchase a small or mini lathe. Not going to say I am ordering a Grizzly but it sure looks promising, especially after watching and listening to your in-depth video. You spoke using words that I understand and as such I learned a lot ! I will be watching more of your video's. Again THANK YOU SIR for taking the time to make this video !!!

[@larryschweitzer4904]

This is an old video, quite well done. The standard answer to which lathe should I buy was his statement "the biggest you can afford." I very much agree with that. The cost of a lathe is less than half the cost of getting setup to do machining on it. Not only will you find it needs some improvements but you will be buying lots of accessories, tooling, measuring devices, etc. that may or may not be usable with your next lathe. I bought a much bigger first lathe. Had the space, power & $ to do so. No regrets. You will soon learn that you'd really like to have some way of milling. You can get, very limited, milling attachments for a lathe, to get started. But soon a little mill will be on your Xmas list.

[@jccviking]

Thanks for a very thorough review. My father was a machinist and I've been using a lathe since I was five years old (and that was more than 60 years ago). I have a very old Craftsman 12 x 36 lathe in my hangar and I've been considering the purchase of a very small lathe for my home shop (hence the impetus to watch your video). Based on your comments, I think I will give some serious consideration to the G0602. One item to note: The centering of the chuck should be enforced by the fit of spindle flange shoulder into the bore on the chuck's mounting plate. If you're getting runout, it's because that fit is sloppy. Note two: English and grammar seem to have gone the way of the dinosaur. It was really refreshing (for a change) to listen to someone with decent grasp if these items.

[@leebatt7964]

Wouldnt most of us be more upset if we got a machine that DIDN’T require us to do some fiddling and fine tuning? It seems to be in our DNA to tinker and improve things. Great review, keep tinkering.

[@freon500]

I can't believe I watched the whole video. It is exhaustively complete. Very well presented, thank you very much.

[@gtxhemi67]

Great review and walk through of the machine. About a year ago i almost bought this lathe i was in need of a small lathe to build parts to convert my car to fuel injection. Just before i pulled the trigger on purchases i found a 6x18 atlas with tooling and milling attachment. It might be 40 years old but it a great little machine. Accurate and runs as true as the day she left the factory. favorite part of machine is the thread speed 55 rpm. Keep up the good work.

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

Very thorough review. That should give a prospective buyer some things to think about and sound footing for making a decision. Keep on keeping on.

[@PracticalRenaissance]

Thanks Harold!

[@uploadJ]

Yes. Excellent presentation. I'm a newbie so this was VERY informative.

[@anthonyferreira5233]

An easy way to keep the cover for the gears in place is to simply epoxy some magnets on the body and on the cover.

[@uploadJ]

Thread winner! Good idea ...

[@WrenchToolTribute]

Dude, that's ingenious. I was just thinking that a hinged "door" style cover would be inconvenient any time you had to replace the gears or work on/adjust anything behind the cover. Magnets would make it easy to remove the cover in less than a second. Simply brilliant.

[@Turk380]

Yeah magnets BITCH!

[@kimber1958]

Anthony Ferreira I have to agree with everybody else thank you very much for your comment and advice also thank you for watching my videos

[@MF175mp]

If you turn any steel, some chips will find their way into the magnets and you will spend the same time cleaning them up

[@richmac918]

Great video, very thorough and objective. I'm looking at a small lathe and I am at the same point you were when you bought this one so this is a great reference for me.

[@BubbleOnPlumb]

Great review! I think you summed it up nicely at the end when you said "always buy the biggest lathe you can afford".

[@RickSaunders13]

Personally, many years ago I went with the Big Dog Machine unit as their chucks are larger (4") and the unit has all that you have. I also added a 5" 5C chuck and collets for versatility. The Big Dog comes standard with both Steady and Follow rests and the tailstock is cam action as yours.

[@TimNummy]

Hey! I really enjoy your videos and this one in particular was pivotal in my decision to both buying one of these mini lathes and making a youtube video which fast forward 5 months has led to weekly videos and (at this point) 11k+ subscribers. So thanks :)

[@PracticalRenaissance]

That's awesome man, so glad to hear it!!

[@wxfield]

You can bond several neodymium magnets to the gear cover and lathe body. Makes detaching and reattaching fairly easy.

[@DavidBaumgarner]

whoops, i shoulda read the comments. i just said this... and on a video thats AGES old. LOL

[@3347861]

Thanks for a rational, reasonable review. I'd wondered how those little lathes performed. I run a full size WWII era iron monster, but can see the appeal of the small machines.

[@davidpetersonharvey]

I have a Sheldon lathe I want to rebuild. I'm a n00b, so I'm thinking of learning on a mini first. Your thoughts are appreciated and welcome.

[@TwistedSisterHaratiofales]

I have a slightly smaller mode of grizzly lathe and it works ok for me. I would like to put a longer and more robust compound slide on it though. I do agree with you on that the compounder could be way better.

[@AM-dn4lk]

Thank you for the great review and comments.

[@edanwild7329]

For people wondering how to get the lathe bolted down. What my shop ended up doing was we drilled clamps into the table and clamped it down to the chip tray. Works really well for these light machines.

[@luckysevenairammo1217]

I fixed my F/R/N threading bar detent lever by drilling shallow 3/16 holes where the dimples are on the body and then I turned the detent pin square on the end and brought it down to slightly under 3/16 and now I have a nice positive lock on it.

[@qrptoqro7834]

Great video. I see it is from 2016 so several years old. Still great info. It was very thorough and I very much appreciate your honesty in how you approached your review with both the pluses and minuses. The detail in the minuses you explained was excellent. I have wanted a lathe in my own shop arsenal for years. I had the opportunity to get a large floor mount 3-phase lathe for cheap back in 2009 but, unfortunately, had no where to put it, nor a way to provide 3-phase power. I'm toying with the idea of what would be reasonable and these mini lathes have been an interesting idea. However - as you said very well towards the end as to if you would recommend it or if you would buy it again - you out-grew it. That's exactly what I don't want - getting something "basic" that I grow out of, instead of grow in to. The quick-change tool holder is a no-brainer on any lathe, in my book. I would have never given any thought to the flex in an aluminum quick-change base. Thank you for pointing that out as well. Very well-done review!

[@flyingpeter]

Hey, maybe would be possible to drive the power feed with a stepper motor and use a sensor in the spindle to keep track of the revolutions, that way you eliminate the need of changing gears

[@ORflycaster]

Excellent review sir! You outlined your review at the beginning, stuck to it, and wasted zero time in expressing your opinions. I’m at the dreamer stage (no space or coin for a huge lathe), and learned a great deal about the “mini world” from this video. I’m subscribing and watching your other videos now!

[@MAndersenbamboorods]

I know this is a 4 year old video but it sure gives me a idea of what I want. I basically am going to make knives and need to turn down stainless stain nuts for the pommels on the end of the knife. and maybe some other small items. I like how you give us a place to get parts and upgrades. I hope there still available at the time I see this. But again thank you for taking the time for this video.

[@NickFerry]

8:58 - stickers from dema, steve and wes - i got three, that ain't bad

[@PracticalRenaissance]

lol hi Nick!! channel name at Gmail if you wanna exchange stickers, would love to have yours on the toolbox :D

[@NickFerry]

Practical Renaissance sent

[@RobertFrisbeeTAM]

Great video! Thank you. I also have one of these. The transmission has plastic gears, coupled with the powerful motor, mine ate the transmission and stripped out the key to the pulley gear on the motor. For about $100 you can upgrade all the gears to metal, and it takes about 2 hours to strip down the lathe and replace all the gears. I would have some way to press out the gear shaft bearings. I also had the power switch go Tango Uniform. It cost about $16 to get that fixed. I have also had to fix the RPM gauge wire which in the transmission area, as it got tangled in the gears, and got eaten. The power switch cover which has the RPM gauge is made of real cheap plastic. All my screw holes are cracking. I am going to have to beef it up soon. Other then that.. The metal parts are pretty nice. I am seeing roughly everything you point out.

[@wolfitirol8347]

There are three points at the electronic board where you can change the tork power beside one with the speed power and beside these two one that makes the relation between tork and speed. If you mark the starting position to set it back afterwards playing with them can improve the tork but the the high speed goes down a little.. You have to try if you don't like it set it back to where it was.

[@artm7411]

What I would recommend to make this lathe a bit more ridged to to purchase a piece of 1" or 3/4" thick steel the width and length of your lathe and bolt the lathe to it. You should not bolt a lathe to a wood table. As the humidity changes the wood moves twisting the lathes' bed cutting a taper. If you really want to get into it first bolt the head end down. Put a good level (Starrett or Brown & Sharp) on the ways at the head stock end. Shim under the steel plate until the bubble touches one of the lines. Now move the level to the tail stock end and shim under the lathe at the tail stock. This will compensate for any twist in the steel. I did this on my 9" South Bend, Iron legs, bolted to a concrete floor. It is accurate to .0005" over 24".

[@peterjones6945]

Better not bolt to a steel plate as bed will probably twist/distort, you would need 'feet and bed machined parallel plus a precision plate which makes a cheap lathe more expensive than a full size one. Much better thing to do with a mini machine is bolt some 2x4 'stabilisers' extending to rear to prevent tipping and allow it to just stand on bench

[@MrRatkilr]

The best accessories for my mini lathe... 5" chuck, live center and a live bullnose center for tailstock for doing larger stock and tubing. Plus of course quick change tool post and lots of tool holders. Saves so much time.

[@nataliepotter3635]

well it's a lathe kzbin.infoUgkxN9zrzkkhnjUF5PQbuA_B1gYdsfCu9k6z but it wasn't what i would have anticipated. Headstock, tailstock, carriage apron are manufactured from aluminum now not cast iron. The spindle diameter for the bearings is too small allowing for a few play in the spindle so I am using some blue Loctite to take out the play.

[@philoso377]

Page 12:00 compound scale limited span. My first generation Grizzly 7x14 has two of zero reference markings in front of the angle scale. The first is for 0-45 degrees. The second is for 30-75 degrees. The two markings are separated by 30 degrees. When use the second, minus 30 degree from a target angle then set it to 15 degrees on scale. If we can’t find the second reference, make one our selves. Blue ink then scribe, verify it give us 60 degrees and finish it with a permanent punch mark.

[@darrellvasquez7147]

Ok honestly i think that lathe is what you said it was, a good training machine to help you run a bigger lathe. What i basically see is smaller parts, smaller threads, etc. What i would like to see is its maximum capability. What kind of cut can it take? Does it turn threads with out chatter??? I can take your word for it but i would like to see some proof backing it up, but still some nice info on the modifications.

[@cri8tor]

Hey Jeff. It's been over two-years since we've seen anything on this great little lathe of yours. Please consider a short tear down video of the control box, view of the panel and layout of the control switches. Would also like to see how the motor is mounted and wired to the panel. Cheers brother

[@RPrice_OG]

Great video, thanks. I'm thinking about getting one as an entry to the rabbit hole of machining. Wish me luck.

[@thatguythatdoesstuff7448]

For the gear cover, sand off the green paint in an appropriate spot, weld or rivet a couple tabs to the inside or outside of it where it doesn't interfere with anything. Get a couple magnets with the countersink in the center, such as www.amazon.com/Manic-Magnets-Force-CounterSunk-Neodymium/dp/B01DYL12WQ/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1475808458&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=countersunk+magnet Attach those magnets to the tabs you added to the gear cover and you have your quick access cover that holds itself to the lathe.

[@thatguythatdoesstuff7448]

And also, the magnets I chose are just an example. The pull force on those are going to be really strong. Something much smaller with less potential to interfere with the hall sensor or electronics in the box would be more appropriate. Not sure how small they make the ones with the countersinks, but you could always epoxy a small fridge sized neodymium to the tab.

[@PracticalRenaissance]

+Theball Player that's a really clever idea, I like it!

[@TheRebelmanone]

Good ideal, could even use those magnets on the entire cover too, just put them where the screws go on the original cover. Do it to both covers(the motor cover and the gear cover) because he has a hard time changing gears without removing both covers.

[@amanofmanyparts9120]

Depending on which type of 'horse power' you're talking about, my 550 watt version of this lathe is 3/4 horse power, so yours is about 17% more powerful. Since I bought mine barely used, and it's one of the 'deluxe kit' versions, it came with a lot of toys/tools that bump the new price close to $1,000. Fortunately for me (but not the seller) I paid just 1/3 of that! Overall my use of it will be to make new parts for not so new steam toys and miniature scale traction engines/steam rollers, mostly in brass and copper. Although it's capable of making new/improved parts in steel to make itself more precise! In the near future I intend to add the milling function to it. Then (fingers strongly crossed) I might be able to machine some metal gears to replace the silly plastic ones. My lathe came with a quick change tool post, but it's not much better than the standard one, so I've got a better one on order with extra inserts. The word on the street is, if you have the later metal headstock gears, the main bearings are now of the taper roller flavour. Mine has the gears, but I'm not going to strip it down to check the bearings. We should be thankful that China is still uprating/ugrading tools like this, rather than cutting corners - and quality - like a lot of Western companies. All I need to do now is move all that wood and the, now unnecessary, wood turning lathe to bolt this one to the same bench.

[@dembowskied]

I've been able to bolt mine down. The way I did it was to take short bolts (I think they're M6) and screw from the top down through the feet for positioning. When they pass through the feet, use that to mark your workbench and drill through. Then once the holes are done, use bolts that are long enough to pass through the bench to the lathe feet and screw from the bottom. Use washers, lock washers and nuts to secure from the to secure from the bottom. I'm using the rubber feet for vibration dampening as well.

[@MrRatkilr]

Easy to re-gear the lathe for even more torque. Kit on ebay comes with both gears and a new belt that is easier to get than the original belt. Lowers the rpms of the lathe but you almost never need the full speed. After you re-gear the motor you can make way bigger cuts with no stalling.

[@jimmyfavereau]

Thanks for sharing Jeff! @ 13:12 can you drill access holes and fab some magnetic plugs? @ 19:10 magnets on the shield @28:10 make a steel version .. def steel gears : ) any thoughts or knowledge on the Smithy Granite XT? ... Be Blessed

[@anthonyhartman5586]

great video! i just bought this lathe and am learning. i found that two utility knife blades dulled down on the grinder make perfect height shims for the 5/16" tools i bought lol probably not actually perfect but i am new

[@MichaelBen-Yehuda]

On observation that might be useful is that these lathes usually have castings that are really quite good. What they lack is proper finishing and fitting. Parts that are milled or machined are neither smooth nor flat even if they look good to the untrained eye. People that buy these lathes typically don't yet know enough to identify this as the cause of issues nor how to fix it. The problems with parts moving against each other are all related to this issue. It doesn't take much lapping time to flatten and smooth contact surfaces but it makes a world of difference in how it works. Your cross slide is a prime example. Gib screws are either too tight or too loose and never seen to hold when you've adjusted them to "just right". Pull it apart, clean everything really well. Fatten and smooth the shim and all mating surfaces. Apply light lubricant and reassemble. Run slide up so that the bearing block for the lead screw is all the way in closest to the captive nut, loosen and retighten the pillow block screws to align the lead screw with the nut. It's most critical when they're closest together. If there is only a washer or spacer fixed against the bearing, install a needle roller thrust bearing. They're cheap and will make a huge difference in adjusting out backlash while keeping smooth rotation. Check out YT vids on lapping and creating flat smooth surfaces. For areas you can't smooth consider a Teflon shim or tape. It's also a quick substitute for some of the above work. Once you have smooth flat bearing surfaces you'll be and to adjust the gib screws to eliminate free play and still have smooth movement more easily and abruptly. Hard to explain the feel. What you'll notice is the lack of that mixed "moves but drags too much" state that causes you to to loosen up more to move freely but then suffer too much free play. The simple explanation is that the flatter and smother the two surfaces are the greater the surface area that's in contact when they first touch. Conversely, the thinner the gap that is needed between them to ensure they are not touching at any point. Only a thin film of lubricant is needed to float between two smooth flat surfaces. The greater the hills and valleys the thicker film must be to fill the difference. Sometimes it is suggested to work part against part to wear them in to each other. It will smooth the surfaces but it will not solve flatness issues over distance. As you spoke about fixes and repairs I figured about 400 to 500 was spent in replacing plastic with metal, better bearings and hardware fasteners. If you put that money in up front would you look to buy a lathe without these problems? Budgets though are a consideration. At least you can fix things over a bit of time. The questions in my mind is how much time was lost to downtime? How much confusion or frustration learning to use the lathe to figure out which problems were yours and which the lathe itself? Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[@JShel14]

This was an awesome review. I was originally thinking of buying the equivalent harbor freight version, but after your in-depth review I'm gonna go with Sieg.

[@philoso377]

Page 34:00. Conical roller bearings? Catches: there are two. (1) not permanent lube, requires routine lubricant. (2) no chip guard front and back. Other than that is OK.

[@tracycurtright2671]

I wish I had know of little Machine shop when IK owned the earlier version of this lathe. I made most of the upgrades by my own design. I remove the chip pan and welded the lathe to a piece of 8 inch channel iron to study it up.

[@SigneOtter]

You can replace the nuts on the gibbs with ones that have holes drilled for safety wire. Then safety wire and tension against the direction in which they would unscrew. Same method used in high vibration applications on aircraft.

[@Amunrad]

Thanks! Plan on getting a mini lathe soon (learning the craft). I live about 90 minutes from Springfield (NW AR) so if the have it on sale it'll be an easy trip for me. Good luck.

[@josephcrowshaw950]

Thank you. I appreciate the work you put into this review, and your realistic approach.

[@Apathymiller]

thank you. this was what i could afford when i bought mine. i mainly work with delrin, copper, aluminum, and acrylics and it is more than adequate for anything ive thrown at it, but again it has ONLY been used for very light work. i am going to be purchasing a few of grizzlys & little machines "upgrades" for mine so that i can do some work with steel and put heavy loads on it. i really appreciate all the the videos youve put out. you definitely helped me learn how to use mine. Very well done review, pretty thorough. I personally think the biggest "pro" for me is that if you own one of these, you can purchase or make any upgrade or replacement part for it, and to me thats a huge deal.

[@uploadJ]

Thank you for your input too. As you write, not everybody is into cutting steel or working cast iron ...

[@DaSquirrelHunter]

Hi: I used a 1 inch thick piece of pine just a little larger then the footprint of the lathe to help hold it still on my workbench. I can still slide the lathe around when I need to. This base wood really stops the wiggle of the machine. I hope this helps as you stated that you didn't know what to do about the lathe moving around.

[@andydobkins5012]

got one yesterday off craigslist in Springfield 500.00 new. Now to get it cleaned up and adjusted and start using it

[@switch11b]

Very great introduction to the machine. This will absolutely help with making a decision on what to buy. Thanks for your effort with this.

[@elias_nichols]

8 years later. Still a great video.

[@yosmith1]

Hi Jeff, very nice thorough review! I purchased the G0752 this year, and unfortunately, I'm not sure I could provide as many "Pro's" about mine. Thanks for sharing!

[@chrisjones6165]

Neil Smith agreed just purchased an x y table and had missing parts day 1, sent parts that were wrong and now 3 weeks later of a non useable tool there method of fixing issue was wait another week while they ship there chinesium parts and hope there right smh. Spend more buy american and the $ u save in down time and trying to get parts will pay for itself in no time yet alone the quality diff

[@jockellis]

You haven’t noticed the negativity on KZbin?

[@larryschweitzer4904]

@@chrisjones6165, Even if you could find a US made lathe for this ultra cheap price, it would be worn out. 2 years ago I decided to buy a lathe. I'm retired from my manufacturing business so have a lot of experience with tools. I ended up buying a much heavier lathe but still a Chinese made one. It does what I wanted but is not a production level machine, doesn't need to be for my use. He said he could hold .003 to .005 tolerance. In metal work that is pretty poor. That means you will likely not be able to do a press fit. Maybe with enough trail & error? If I had this machine, I'd try to mount it to a ridged base so I could true the ways. That can be done by shimming and bolting to a good stiff steel base. I wouldn't use inserted carbide tools because they add considerable stress to the machine. HSS tooling works very well for anything this lathe is capable of. Personally, I prefer to make stuff rather than fix my tools. Something else to consider, You will end up buying a lot of "accessories." This was a very straight forward review.

[@engelbob8402]

Good review. I've had my 7x12 LMS for over a year and like it a lot. I do recommend these lathes for beginners and they still have a place even after upgrading to something larger. I found a 10K South Bend on Craig's List which is terrific. Still, my 7x is not for sale as I continue to use it often. They are so fast to set up for a quick project. To anyone watching this review I can say it is quite thorough and the man has done an excellent job with the good and not so good. If someone thinks these are too small, check out what people are doing with the even smaller Sherlines. Thanks for taking the time to do this and keep your excellent videos coming.

[@henryostman5740]

I've only watched a few of your videos so I might be missing a lot of background but since a lot depends on what one wants to do with a tool the question might be what you do with it and is it more of a hobby or a business. What direction are you moving in the future in terms of your tool needs? i think you gave the tool a very fair review, clearly the tool has limitations related to size and the need to reach (down) to meet a price point and an overall weight consideration. It would be nice if somebody did some of the upgrades before the purchase such as the steel internal gears, roller bearings, and maybe the alternative tool post. I've owned a number of things especially cars, where I wished that the manufacturer had put in a few hundred extra into it moving it from say acceptable to the good column. At least make that an option.

[@Dutchmadness1]

Great review . Everyone should start on a mini lathe. They are more forgiving then the bigger units.

[@PracticalRenaissance]

That's a good point! There's a lot of things they're more forgiving of, and it's funny because there's also things that they are more difficult with, which I think makes for a better training tool.

[@timmsmiithgm557]

15:40 You discuss the low-torque at low speeds. Would the addition of a flywheel on the other end of the spindle help with that?

[@andrewtody1966]

Hi, great vid. I'm a pretty HC DIYr but am new to machining. I've been limited so far to my drill press/mill conversion. I've considered buying a lathe on and off for almost a year...and every time I start to order one I always wonder "what am I missing" obviously...this is not a cheap hobby...but honestly...there aren't many guy hobbies that are. All told, I'd like to dabble in some barrel cutting/turning/threading and other gunsmith type projects...maybe some custom replacement baffles for my suppressors? Do you have a video explaining what all extras are a necessary for such an undertaking? Perhaps a total start-up costs point? I'm really interested in this unit as I'm in a rental for the next yr or two, but am unsure what else I would need.

[@nasssarb13]

Thank you for sharing the internal metal gears, i'll buy those immediately. i have the same lathe for 6 months and I always complains why those gears are plastic and I had the same issue that you had first on the low gear.

[@PracticalRenaissance]

+Nassar Mansour the steel gears are a must! Here's the video where I install them and the tapered roller bearings kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZjEn5hpebt6o7s

[@DavidBaumgarner]

I had an idea you might consider for the covers you want to be able to remove quickly.. What do you think about putting some magnets on brackets? I have started using magnets more and find they come in handy for so many things. Anyways, thanks for the review. Very helpful points to consider.

[@adventureskulldraws]

Fantastic review! im starting to get the machining bug and i found this video very informative and helpful. thanks for posting!! subbed

[@DrifterDavid]

One mod I got to thinking about after you mentioned the door for your gear changes that you leave off. Why not drill out the screw holes and drop in a magnet down the shaft and then countersink one into the cover. That way you can pop it on and off really quick. My grizzly hasn't arrived yet but it's exactly what I did for my micro mill rear cover. Just a thought!

[@PracticalRenaissance]

Hey that's a pretty good idea! I like it, I might try it out (Or I might just continue leaving the cover off, haha) Thanks for the input and thanks for watching!

[@paulkoomen5262]

Good review, I have one that I bought at Busy Bee, and I have also installed a larger chuck. I believe Little Machine shop Has a small Latch like ours with power cross feed.

[@Australia-ky7kx]

Excellent professional quality review which shows the lathe as anything but professional. I guess one gets what one pays for.

[@alanorear7111]

I'm looking for a small lathe that will allow me to re-line a .22 rifle barrel. Most small lathes have too small of a bore, but this one has 22mm, which is big enough to handle the barrel diameter. Standard practice is to re-bore the barrel half-way, then turn it around and finish through the other side. It seems this lathe would handle the task but you're obviously more familiar with this machine. Do you think it would work? Your video was impressive and I have subscribed. Thanks

[@bretnmannn]

7x14 mini lathe 32mm bore www.aliexpress.com/item/Mini-lathe-machine-hobby-lathe-micro-lathe-Mini-Bench-Lathe-Machine-C2/1458092639.html

[@IvanRossS]

No lol.. it will never work ... how in the world are you going to do rifling in the barrel?

[@kd5yut]

I hope there are screens on those motor vents

[@olympia007]

My lathe has a stand but if I want to add a lot of weight to it I was going to mount a 100ltr drum and fill with cutting fluid. you get a lot of rigidity and just dump the fluid if you need to to move later.

[@codelicious6590]

I think I would build a dedicated workbench and pour a 3-4" slab for the top to bolt this machine to. I have used this method for my drill press and grinder to fantastic success.

[@minskmade]

the hex nut stripped out the first set i got from them,...they replaced them quickly with updated screws...LMS rock

[@fnordhorn]

I been looking at getting a 2nd Lathe and have been looking at different reviews on youtube, Yours is a very nice review the Lathe i have now is a Watchmakers Lathe from my Father. One of the items i am looking at cutting is HDPT #2 Plastic and Alum.

[@Je3perscre3pers]

I can't thank you so much for this review. this is gunna be my first lathe

[@pjmillah2172]

A small amount (and I mean a small amount) of blue loctite is amazing for holding your hardware in place but forgiving enough to make adjustments when needed.

[@fedderback1]

To anchor the machine to that bench you can buy or make 1/4" J bolts. Just drill holes along the perimeter and bolt down from the bottom.

[@hudson5344]

Great review. Covered everything most people need to know about buying a small lathe.

[@davidboyce1905]

Good honest review. As with most things like that though if you do enjoy using them you will tend to grow out of them relatively quickly.

[@johnbell7703]

Look at the 'Steve Jordan' KZbin videos on the mini lathe. He has some great modifications!

[@pjmillah2172]

Thank you for this video! I'm looking at buying one if these tomorrow. I have a watchmakers lathe I have been using for a while and I do love it for what I do but it would be nice to step into the 21rst century.

[@MyOwnLanguage]

great video, im getting it. super excited about it

[@micromachine7954]

Something that may help with your forward and reverse lever is altering the tip shape of the piece that engages with the metal on the machine and drilling the detents deeper. You may also try some high quality nuts and set-screws without the big heads on your gibs.

[@fierceflyer5]

Jeff, another great video. Thanks for the in depth review and opinions. Even with its "limitations" you put out nice work and I enjoy watching you working on it. Also been enjoying your mill work. How's the CNC conversion going?

[@PracticalRenaissance]

+Fierceflyer55 thank you! That means an awful lot. The CNC conversions are moving, slowly right now because I'll be switching houses here in a month, but I've got the plans sorted out and have began sourcing parts and materials! Thanks for watching!

[@jb121993]

Great video! I'd been considering getting the Harbor "Flake" model 'till I found your video. Thanks a bunch!

[@MrOliverock]

They are made at the chinese dump factory only difference is the stickers.

[@MrRatkilr]

Almost all the parts are interchangeable between the brands. True story.

[@BeckTools]

I'm worried about the low end torque on this machine vs the little machine shop with the brushless motor. Brushless motors have a lot more low end torque then brushed motors. What's your opinion on this? OK never mind. I just got to the part in this video were you talk about this. :) Great video.

[@Robert-ko6wr]

Very comprehensive review. Well done video with great sound quality. Super recommendation at the end there, "get the biggest lathe you can afford". Question: It's been a few more years ... do you still have and use this lathe? Have you gotten a bigger lathe and kept this one for small jobs? Enjoyed this one very much. Thank you.

[@Romans--bo7br]

Jeff.... and anyone watching this video, FYI - instead of buying the individual headstock gears, you can now (also) have the option of getting either both in one package from Little Machine Shop (as Jeff mentioned) under Part.No. 3448... Or, you can get the whole steel gear set, including the headstock gears under Part No. 3446 for $209.95 but is currently back-ordered but expected to be back in stock after April 19th, 2018. This conversion kit changes ALL the plastic gears in the 7X10/12 & 14" - X2 Series Lathes. The Headstock gearset (2 gears - LMS Part No.3448 as mentioned above) also works with several Mini-Mills as well... ie; Grizzly G8689, and other branded, same mills.

[@miketheknife2]

cool video thanks for explaining so well. this is probably the lathe im getting to replace my harbor fright 7x10

[@samykamkar]

Great video, thanks!

[@GunsWithGage]

Thank you for this video. I really like alot of stuff on your channel. I am going to buy a mill soon, I'm trying to decide if I want to get a lathe mill combo or save up and buy 2 machines. They will most likely be grizzly. For gunsmithing

[@mrclark10001]

Awesome review. I'm thinking of getting something similar, PL2102 which I think is out of the same place as this one. I'm well aware of the Chinese setup of these things, having got a 3040 CNC router that I spent time and money upgrading, but for the size and the initial outlay, there's not much that can touch it. I just want mine to allow me to do bearings and bushes for an old Lister CS 6/1 stationary engine. I figured just doing 4 or 5 bushes and a few other bits that could do with sprucing up, it would have paid for itself... Thanks

[@uploadJ]

Wow ... for a Lister. Don't see many ppl who know what those are nowadays.

[@davidluthy2607]

I Suggest if you are not happy with the rigidity of your machine, get a mettle plate and bolt it below the catch plate. I suggest a 1/4" thick 12" wide and about 4" longer than your catch plate and place it under the catch plate, directly on your bench. this will add weight and rigidity to your machine

[@andrewcowan9066]

Great review of the Grizzly. Thanks for posting.

[@johnm2369]

Best review of tool ive seen on KZbin. Good job man.. engineer i assume.

[@Jm4steam]

Good video/information. I will be purchasing this model soon.

[@migalito1955]

Very nice review. Thanks!

[@Hairguyme]

I have heard that by adding the heavy 5" 4 piece chuck that it helps a ton for keeping tork at low RPM's...

[@RVJimD]

Nice review, thanks for the video! Jim

[@dosbox907]

great review man. best one I've seen on a mini lathe

[@ruppi42]

Hi Jeff, thank you for your great review of your mini lathe! I´m located in germany and started with hobby machining last year. I`m using a sieg C2 7x12 mini lathe and a sieg mini mill SX2 (brushless, high torque 500 W) Both sold by our local internet reseller in germany, trade mark ROTWERK. I really enjoy your tutorials, Many thanks again. Greetings from Frankfurt /Main Germany, Armin

[@PracticalRenaissance]

Armin, Thank you for watching! It's always very interesting to me to hear from other people around the entire world, it is always incredible to me how connected the entire planet is! I'm glad you enjoy the videos and it's interesting to hear that there are even more different suppliers of these machines in various countries. Thank you for the input and thanks for watching!!

[@brwhyon]

Thanks for the review, great to see a real review from a guy who really uses the tool. BTW, what Bass do you play ?

[@samalverio3157]

That's a nice little lathe you have i see son pros and cons...first I like the plastic change gears for being less noisy than the ones on my lathe..but hate them because they are chinsy (plastic) i do like the 2 speed change I wish I had that.by the way I have a harbor freight 8x12.I have to change pulley position no big deal but pain in ass... I do like the speed control but truly understand ur no low torque problem. I'll make this part 1