Dan the Man

iTrader: (41)

Just about to buy a comm lathe, bit confused as to which brand, and whether to get one with a carbide blade or splash out for a diamond one? Looking for opinions......about the lathe!!

BillTheMong

hey dan it really depends on how much you want to spend! if you want a good leathe with dimond bit you can spend up to $900 but thats unnecissary i would say go for the hudy if your budget allows or the eagle if not

WC

iTrader: (28)

Before deciding you should really find a shop with more than 1 brand, so you can choose your favourite. Hudy, Orion, Eagle, Reedy... there's a few candidates. They differ in build quality, machining, materials and price - but they all do the same job.

V-guides or bearings? Your choice!

Most of them have interchangeable bits anyway, so you don't have to buy a bit from the same brand.

Diamond tips last a lifetime unless they're broken prematurely through careless use, then its trash. Carbide tips need re-sharpening regularly so you'll need to know someone who can do that + budget for the $$. Haven't compared them side-by-side but I'd say a new carbide tip should cut as well as a diamond; but results may differ as it blunts.

LHS here has Hudy's diamond blade for A$240... ouch!!


Some come with drive motor, some don't. Most run off 4-cells, but there are some motors designed for 15000rpm @12V too.

Dragonfire

iTrader: (1)

I got an orion lathe for $450. it does its job well but does seem to allow the arm to vibrate a bit while workin. I sharpen the carbide bit at work on a grinder (very fine) and get approx 10 arms before it starts to lose performance...

If I were to buy a new lathe, I wouldn't be fused about a diamond blade but I would want bearing guides to eliminate the vibration, and a dual belt...

Thats my exp.. hope it helps...

WC

iTrader: (28)

Bearing guides vs V-guides shouldn't perform any differently when they're both new... perhaps you haven't lubed yours enough? Or your drive o-ring has issues.

fastolfart

Here's a few tips

If you have to buy a lathe, definately include the cost of a diamond tip cutter, it does make a difference

"V" block V's Bearings ???

I bought on the advice of a mate who's an engineer, I went too the "V" block !!, The reason being, the swarf from the cut you are doing won't run through the bearing area with "V" blocks, bearings may allow the swarf too run under the support of the arm (yet too have some one tell me it has happened ?)

I have an old Cobra lathe that serves very well and is cheap compared to some on the market to-day, I use 4 cells and an old 540 Johnson motor.

Thats my 2 cents worth any way

twocan1

I have an Eagle Mod Fashion with carbide bit. The only thing I would like to see on the Eagle is an end stop.
I'll try and make my own one day, tape does the same job currently.

Mine has bearings and I do occassionally have problem with the cut material building up on the bearing but I have been using cotton buds to clean it away as I cut.

Sam

ScottyP

iTrader: (11)

I also have an Eagle lathe and I have the same issue as twocan ie swarf build-up contaminating the bearings.

It's not a major drama, but I'd probably prefer 'V' blocks instead.

As for tips, I am not yet able to justify the purchase price of a diamond. I have a local supplier of carbide tips for $7 and they do about 10 good cuts.

Scotty

WC

iTrader: (28)

I believe Hudy has an option of a 3rd bearing that "clamps" onto the arm shaft from the top to stop any bouncing.

Hudy's machining work on all their tools is just fantastic too. They just look so much better than everything else, but you pay for it I guess.

Steevo

On my comm lathe I have a carbon/carbide bit.
It does cut as well as a diamond bit in my opinion. I get it sharpened professionally by an engineering place around the corner from me. I have struck a deal and they only charge 5 Bucks a hit and they do it immediately.
The only time I ever had the comm bounce around was when I first got the lathe and I did not have the bit shimmed right. I now have it set up perfectly with absolutely no vibration what so ever.

For me, having the bit sharpened when necessary is no problem. If I was a professional racer who skimmed my comm after every race or every few races then it might be a problem.
In the end, I think it comes down to how well your lathe is set up and how you use it.

Steevo

WC

iTrader: (28)

Just wondering what's the overall cost of Diamond vs Carbon. How many times can you sharpen a carbon blade x$? to equal the life of a diamond one?


From what I hear the diamond bit "lasts forever"... there are active racers who buy a new lathe and still reuse their old diamond bits.

(Just don't loan your lathe out!! )

Tom

hey

i got me a hudy advanced with bearings and a diamond bit

i also took the time to set it up perfectly and made sure the arm holders were perfectly square to the slides. i also shimined the bit with calapers to get it just right

as a result i can make very fine cuts

the motor i have been using has been cut regulary by mod drivers who should know how to use a lath but, when i got my own and cut my motor correctly the performance jumped from when other people had cut it.

i would go the diamond bit, you will be suprised how many cuts you will end up making. i cut my stock motor every 2 meetings (club, 5 racers each meet so 10 runs to a cut)

Steevo

Hi Tom,
I agree with your points. I think that if you have the money to spare go the diamond bit. But if money is an issue you can do just as well with the carbide bid. You will just have to find someone with a green stone who knows how to sharpen it for you cheaply, most engineering places will do it but price will vary so ask a few until the price is right..

Steevo

WC

iTrader: (28)

Can it be sharpened by hand, or do you need a machine?

(thinking of the old days when we could hone a woodworking chisel to razor-sharp using just an oiled sharpening stone)





Other headsup is... lathe bits are small and tiny objects. They are ideal candidates for international mailorder should they be significantly cheaper overseas.

And it does NOT have to be same brand as your lathe.

Steevo

Yes good points WC. Ebay is a good source of cheap diamond bits.
As far as sharpening by hand well it can be done with a diamond file but the best is using a greenstone wheel. Most people won't have one of these and they are a bit expensive.
To be honest I am happy taking it down to the engineer down the road and giving him $5 for his efforts. He puts a great edge on the bit and with the amount I use my lathe its good value.

Steevo