AMT Lathe

[Matthew Poeller]

There is a posting on craiglist in my area for an AMT Lathe. I tried to do some research on the web for this to no avail.

Can anyone tell me if this is a nice lathe or is it something that I would not even want to spend the $100 on?

Thanks,
Matt

[Bill White]

Not in business anymore if that helps. I bought a scroll saw from them years ago, and tyat little feller has really been a good investment (for the money). Don't know where you would find any parts though.
Bill

[Gary DeWitt]

Research well first. Jet seems a good brand. The Delta midi I have, I would not buy again, just because of the cheap plastic handles that break, and the loose fit of the tailstock on the ways, which makes it a bit inacurate. Not a bad lathe to learn on, though, for less than $300.
Welcome to the group, Matthew

[Matthew Poeller]

Bill, thanks for the info. I may have to go take a look at it to see if it is working order. I was just wondering if AMT was known for their quality or if this was a harbor freight special (nothing against HF, I know people here have had good luck with them).

Gary, I have Grizzly VS Mini that I love (especially for the price). I am always looking for a big lathe if the price is right. The price has to be right because I really have no room for it right now.

Thank you for the welcome. I have been with Sawmill since the beginning though (ever since Wayne disbanded Badger Pond and Keith started SMC). I am mostly a lurker (been wood working for 3 years and still a beginner, I am only 27 though so give me some time.) and have been so busy lately I have bearly had time to do that.

[Bill Grumbine]

Matt, run, do not walk, away from that lathe. If it is the one I am thinking, and even if it isn't, it is going to be of extremely low quality. I know. I used to own one. My very first lathe was an AMT twin tube lathe with a proprietary live center and solid headstock. It was so poorly made I have all kinds of trouble getting it to work, and you will not find accessories for it anywhere.

Even if it is their larger lathe, which is marginally better, I would not buy it. AMT has been out of the tool business for people like us for somewhere around 10 years now, and finding parts if you need them is going to be a nightmare.

Double your money and buy a Jet mini lathe. It will serve you well for years.

By the way, I owned several other AMT tools, and did good work with them. They were decent tools for what they cost, but the lathe is not one of them.

Bill

[Jim Bell]

What Bill said.
Jim

[Matthew Poeller]

Bill,

Thank you very much for your reply. Like I said I have the Grizzly VS mini that I use for my pens but I am always on the lookout for a larger lathe if it is the right price.

I think that based on the responses so far I will pass on the AMT lathe.

Thanks Again,

Matt