hooknladderno1 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Aaron, What machine did you finally get? David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scale-Master Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Yeah, those tires were a score! Good points are being made about both machines and I'm in agreement with Pete as I use Sherline products too and have for well over 15 years. The customer support (although rarely needed) from Sherline has been nothing less than excellent. The price being higher is an understandable concept to buy the cheaper machine. But the reality is in the long run the Sherline would turn out to be a better value and more cost effective, possibly even cheaper. The Sherline products are easy to maintain and upgrade if needed. Also, being easy to use means you'll use it more and get more value from your investment. Why not buy something that is proven to work right out of the box than getting a cheaper product that might need be modified by installing parts from the proven machine at an increased cost? The value of quality lasts far longer than the twinge of the higher initial cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaronw Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 Sadly unexpected and untimely major car expenses took precedence and the hobby budget got raided hard. I'm pretty sold on the Sherline after talking with Pete J and a few others off board. Given a real apples to apples comparison (the packages I compared were not equal) the price difference is not as pronounced, and while the Taig seems quite adequate for my current interests, nobody seems to disagree that the Sherline is a more refined product with more growth potential. I was making final adjustments to my shopping cart when I got the news about the car. Barring further catastrophes I'm hoping to revisit the idea when we get our tax return in a month or two. I swear cars have a sense for when you have a little money squirreled away to spend on something else and they get jealous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooknladderno1 Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Aaron, I hear ya! Some day I would love to be able to invest in a lathe and mill - some day... David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1930fordpickup Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Aaron and David if you can find a Model Engineering Show by your house it is a must visit. Sherline are always at the Michigan show. The old timers will help you out with anything you need for advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Anderson Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Sadly unexpected and untimely major car expenses took precedence and the hobby budget got raided hard. I'm pretty sold on the Sherline after talking with Pete J and a few others off board. Given a real apples to apples comparison (the packages I compared were not equal) the price difference is not as pronounced, and while the Taig seems quite adequate for my current interests, nobody seems to disagree that the Sherline is a more refined product with more growth potential. I was making final adjustments to my shopping cart when I got the news about the car. Barring further catastrophes I'm hoping to revisit the idea when we get our tax return in a month or two. I swear cars have a sense for when you have a little money squirreled away to spend on something else and they get jealous. Aaron, Having owned and used a Sherline lathe since 1982, I am certain you will be most satisfied with their products. In addition, back in 2009, I bought a Sherline mill and most of the attachments I might need for model work--again, an excellent machine, and one that gets called on quite frequently at my bench. Art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSB Racing Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 I've been looking into a micro lathe for the past year and am at the point I want to get one. I'm looking at Sherline and Taig, which both have a good reputation and are made in the US. The Sherline looks nicer (looks like a miniature mtal shop lathe rather than a cobbled together hobby tool) but is about 50% more expensive and other than cosmetic appeal doesn't seem to offer anything I actually need. The various Chinese built lathes do not offer any significant savings so I have no interest in them, it is Sherline or Taig at this point. I'm 99% sold on the Taig Micro Lathe, they are currently offering a starter package with the following Package #3 - Micro lathe assembled unit - Collet set with 8 collets and closer - 3 jaw self centering chuckl - 0 to 1/4 inch Jacobs chuck - 6 piece tool bit set - Drilling tailstock with 3/8-24 thread - 12 x 18 mounting board - motor mount bracket - 1/2 inch pulley set (3M 500 belt) - 1/4 hp Marathon Motor (1725 RPM) wired with switch and cord. which looks like everything I'd need to get started. At the moment I'm primarily looking at making wheels, emergency beacon light bases, siren housings etc. Fairly simply things to start with. They also offer a power feed option for an additional $75 which I'm leaning towards getting, but not positive it is really something I will be needing. I'll probably make my decision this week so any last minute comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. It is a good chunk of money that will cut into the model budget for sometime, so I want to get this right. I'd also like to thank those of you that have chimed in on this subject in the past. I have this exact lathe. (TAIG) It is very good for some things, but a little on the light weight side for some applications. I use it for making 1 gram pinewood derby wheels out of acrylic. It's a great lathe for that sort of thing. I have been a machinist for 46 years and this lathe took some getting used to. I do have issues with the graduations on the in feed dial and there is NO compound on the carriage which is a huge disadvantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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