I have come into a fair bit of Amazon gift money that is kinda burning a hole in my pocket. The best part is that the wife is pretty much okay with me spending the majority of it. Pinch me, eh?!
So I've been surfing away today trying to decide what to splurge on ...
I'm having a tough time coming up with woodworking desires. I already have most of the big tools that interest me. I've even already got a vacuum press coming - that's how obscure the wish list has gotten. So ... i start leaning a little toward the metalworking side of things ...
I've kinda been kickin around this metal lathe idea for about a year now. And there's enough in the fund to cover one of the many 7x lathes available on amazon. So far, I think I've gotten it narrowed between two models:
Grizzly:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DCZ7D/
Cummins/ToolsNow:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FJEW5K/ - which i'm pretty sure is all this: http://www.toolsnow.com/browse.cfm/4,876.html
There's a little difference in price, but I'm also a proven satisfied Grizzly customer already. The ToolsNow lathe has a couple other accessories like the follower rest and some cutters and is a little cheaper, though. I'm sure i'd be happy with either, and I wonder if I could convince toolsnow to put the amazon one on sale like they have on their site. That'd probably clinch it for me. I'll send 'em an email...
So ... now I just have to make up my mind. Heck, I could chicken out completely and just buy a bunch of little things, too. But it feels like it might be the right time ... then again, i'm still getting the woodworking shop set up (lots of organizing takes lots of time). I don't really need another obsession right now ... oy!
it's a good problem to have ...
What do you guys think of those two lathe choices? Maybe you can suggest alternatives? I've got little need for anything bigger and the budget is near the top-end anyway. Eventually, I plan to get a CNC router someday, which I'll use for the few milling tasks i'd have (aluminum, plastics, soft stuff, etc) but that's a long long way off. Any other mini lathes on amazon ya'll like?
... OR ... a welder?
I've been considering a MIG welder, also - but i'm less interested in welding, still. So it's probably lower on the list but it's also something I've been kicking around for about a year, too. I'm more interested in the lathe, though.