As far as manual lathes go I partial to sharps and acers (new). They represent a good buy. Its hard to bother with used equipment these days... sellers dont like A-holes seeking the truth about their machines.

The newsgroup rec.crafts.metalworking has scores of guys who sit around thinking about their next lathe purchase.

link to google search of archived rec.crafts.metalworking posts with "lathe" in the topic

Smallfry,

I am specifically speaking about manual lathes, aka, bench lathes, toolroom lathes, or engine lathes. I am not speaking about CNC.

Thanks for the responses, keep them coming.

ASS_CLOWN

I've had a SouthBend Heavy 10 for about 10 years. Great for all the barrel work I do. Will handle anything I throw at it. The spindle bore of 1 3/8 inches is adequate for most everything. All barrels will fit through the headstock unless you are using it for some outlandish bbl. diameter. It has the same spindle id as a SouthBend 16 inch. They both use 5 C collets.
My .02

Which lathe, MADE IN AMERICA, would you consider the very best. A short explanation of why, to support your choice would be much appreciated. Finally, if you think there is a better foreign made lathe based STRICKLY performance, speak up.

ASS_CLOWN

I've owned a Clausing 59XX series for seven years now. I have been able to turn out some very accuarate barrel work on it plus all the many other jobs required of it in a gun shop.

One very valuable feature is the hydraulic variable speed drive that you can adjust while it is running.

The only negative I can think of is it uses an L-00 head instead of the popular cam lock series.

Are the Clausing 5900 series American made?

ASS_CLOWN

This is a fun thread, AC, and it's a subject that has been dear to my heart for a long time, since college, in fact. The problem is this. Lathes ain't cheap! I have had to consider how much use I would really get out of one to justify the cost of the machine, the setup, additional tools, etc., etc. Since I have no dreams of becoming a working custom gunsmith the number of rifles that I would build myself simply does not justify the cost of an acceptable lathe that would just sit under a cover for years at a time. Machining is fun, but the number of things that you can make at home that are useful to an individual that has no interest in model making, turning out three or four new custom rifles a year or building his own machine tools just for the challenge is very low. I write this with my lower lip stuck out a block! Unless you're going into business, even on a small scale, it is much cheaper to have the barrel fitting done by someone who does it for a living. That will give you (and me) a lot more money to spend on hunting trips, quality M98 actions, inletted good stocks, etc. Think this idea over very hard.