Deal Or No Deal?

[Kevin Stockwell]

The ad says Delta 12" Variable speed lathe, includes tools and accessories($300), along with Delta Lathe Duplicator($75). I think I could get another hundred off this price with some haggling. I couldn't find these exact models on Amazon, so I wonder if this is a deal or not? I figured this would be the place that would know!

Thanks

[Gary Max]

Heck that's a good deal at $300.00

[Dennis Ford]

That lathe often sells for $300 (sometimes more) in good used condition so this is a good deal if the tools are quality. If the tools are from harbor freight, it is an OK (but not great) deal.

[Roger Chandler]

Kevin,

That setup does not excite me very much...........however, if funds are limited, and one is looking for a way to get into turning, without jeapordizing their finiances, then if it is in good condition, then maybe it is a deal.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

The ad says Delta 12" Variable speed lathe, includes tools and accessories($300), along with Delta Lathe Duplicator($75). I think I could get another hundred off this price with some haggling. I couldn't find these exact models on Amazon, so I wonder if this is a deal or not? I figured this would be the place that would know!

Thanks

Kevin, unless you can't afford anymore than a few hundred for a lathe, I would stay away from this model lathe, they come in all kinds of colors with different name plates on them.
Build with a very pour quality reeves drive that keeps giving trouble and eat belts, it also has a high, lowest speed possible of somewhere around 600rpm, OK for spindle turning, but too fast for any size bowl turning especially if it is a bit off balance, as the lathe is quite light weight.
Other than that the fit is pour on all the ones I have ever seen, checked out or worked on.
It is a lathe that is frustrating to work on very often, get something better if you can afford it is my advice :)

[Bernie Weishapl]

I would look at another lathe. I agree with Leo that they are poorly made and the reeves drive is a pain in the backside. My neighbor bought one after he trashed his palmgren lathe. The only thing left are the tools he got with it. He had it less than a year and cleaned the reeves drive twice and rebuilt it once. There are some good lathes out there with 12" swings for about the same or maybe slightly more. Rikon, PSI Turncrafter Pro, Jet 1220, Delta 46-460 are just some that also have a 12" swing and are better than what you are looking at. Just my $1.298.

[Kevin Stockwell]

Thanks guys--I finally got a model number from the seller and read up on it. I was already passing, and now I am double passing with all your great advice.


Take care.

[Bob Hamilton]

It looks like a Delta 46-700 to me. That was my first lathe and I used it for about 12 years. The reeves drive is the weakest point of the lathe. It had several features that I liked and a couple that I wish I still had, but it was kind of noisy and the reeves drive pulleys on the motor end of the system needed to replaced about every 3 years.

Carl Jacobsen uses one in most of his Youtube videos at: http://www.youtube.com/user/haydenHD His has the plastic shroud around the headstock removed.

Take care
Bob