South Bend 8K photos

[Tanshanomi]

Sorry if I'm hijacking the conversation, but does anybody have recommendations on a milling attachment that might be a good match for the 8K?

 

[gambit_mb]

I have not used one on my 8K yet. If I was to get one, I would try this one out http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1681&category=
I believe you would still need to make an adapter for it to mount to the cross slide.

Also, you could check out these in the UK http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/Lathe_Milling_Slides.html
These look like better quality and more accuracy when adding other attachments to it.

UK sources have a much larger selection of small lathe attachments and goodies. Model engine building seems to be extremely popular in the UK which helps with the supply of these types of products. You can find some other goodies in the UK you may have never seen before.

 

[ibuildstuff4u]

I see I missed the boat and Grizzly no longer sells this lathe due to the lack of sales. I really wish I would have found a way to buy one, but funds were tight last year. I'm really sick of messing around with my 9x20 lathe and want something better.

Thanks for posting all the picts and the wonderful review.

Dale P.

 

[Wizard69]

I see I missed the boat and Grizzly no longer sells this lathe due to the lack of sales. I really wish I would have found a way to buy one, but funds were tight last year. I'm really sick of messing around with my 9x20 lathe and want something better.



Thanks for posting all the picts and the wonderful review.



Dale P.

I'm not sure why Griz stopped sales but right at the moment there really isn't anything on the market, that I know of, that is reasonably priced. You would be better off rebuilding a Chinese lathe, a 9x20 maybe, into a decent machine.

 

[Tanshanomi]

I'm not sure why Griz stopped sales but right at the moment there really isn't anything on the market, that I know of, that is reasonably priced. You would be better off rebuilding a Chinese lathe, a 9x20 maybe, into a decent machine.

The reason why the 8K was so much better than everything else in its price range was the same reason Grizzly discontinued it. The 8K was originally designed to retail for $3295, but it sold very poorly at that price. They sold off the remaining stock at a huge discount, and even then it took a while to run through. The price was dropped first to $2995 (sometime in 2012, IIRC) and eventually to $1965 by the fall of 2013. I am sure by then they were either losing money or at the very least not making anything. Further production wouldn't make sense at that point, because the product had proven itself unprofitable. Those of us who got one were just fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time to take advantage of their marketing miscalculation.

 

[Wizard69]

There reason why the 8K was so much better than everything else in its price range was the same reason Grizzly discontinued it. The 8K was originally designed to retail for $3295, but it sold very poorly at that price. They sold off the remaining stock at a huge discount, and even then it took a while to run through. The price was dropped first to $2995 (sometime in 2012, IIRC) and eventually to $1965 by the fall of 2013. I am sure by then they were either losing money or at the very least not making anything. Further production wouldn't make sense at that point, because the product had proven itself unprofitable. Those of us who got one were just fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time to take advantage of their marketing miscalculation.

I was most impressed with the machine when looking it over in Muncy years ago. Unfortunately I purchased a 9x20 a couple of years earlier. The problem is, as I see it anyways, is that people don't want to pay for quality. That and the economy having sucked so badly for the last 8-10 years. Comments in the current Griz catalog leaves with the impression that things haven't gone well for them. There actually seems to be less machinery that before in the catalog.

In any event it is pretty sad to see the model fail, but then again my experience with Griz has been very mixed.

 

[tlfamm]

A significant percentage of the market for a small lathe like this(1) would be those baby-boomers who are interested in the HSM, or allied, hobbies. As that market approaches saturation, (or shrinkage because of BB ageing and death), it could only be sustained by younger generations stepping in. I don't see evidence of that happening in great numbers.(2)

I don't have data for a statistical argument - just a suspicion that the market that Grizzly serves has gone "soft", and may not recover. (In related news, has lathemaster shut down?)




(1) I'm excluding higher-cost industrial-oriented lathes.
(2) It is happening in my own family: my eldest son is an avid HSM'er - but we do not personally know of a single other young person so interested.

 

[Tanshanomi]

I think the two things that hurt the 8K were the limited swing over the bed and the lack of a quick-change gearbox. Those were notable disadvantages compared to other options buyers had at the price it was originally design to sell for.

 

[mikbul]

Want a better MT4.5-MT3 adapter than the piece of crap Grizzly included with your SB1001 (8K)? I have a Miller Machine precision ground adapter for $50.00 + shipping ($6.00)
Mikbul

 

[tlfamm]

It appears that Mikbul has put his SB 8K lathe on the market:

http://albany.craigslist.org/tls/5424751193.html

 

[deek]

Thought I'd post my chess set project that I did on the 8K. I think I've got the 8K dialed in pretty well now. I'm a big fan of pafana insert holders. I tried one out and was very pleasantly surprised. They are about twice what the AR Warner holders are, but they are really rigid. I could see a big difference in the finish.

Here are some thoughts on the lathe...

On aluminum, a .005 cut is doable, but about at the limit for this lathe. For steel .002 is the deepest I'd go, but the finish is not great. I've used both HSS and carbide inserts on this lathe and I have to say I like the carbide better. I've found on a 5/8 round, I need a live center after about 3 inches, which seems to be more a product of the material than the lathe. There seems to be some slop in the compound that I can't seem to eliminate. Gibs are tight. Maybe it's just inherent flex. On light cuts, the finish is fine with no chatter.

I got the AR Warner single point thread cutting tool. Wow. Works great. I was using carbide for threading. HSS is way better.

I'm still enjoying the machine and it seems to be running find.

 

[Steve Bergeron]

Well, I just got my Aloris MXA QCTP a couple of days ago. Aloris is having a pretty good sale on a set.

I have to say the fit and finish is outstanding. I originally purchased and OXA from LMS. It worked, but I had trouble keeping it tightened down. It was about 1/2 the cost of the discounted Aloris, but I have to say I'd gladly pay for the Aloris again.

The Aloris grabs the tool holder tightly. The worm mechanism is smooth and tight. Everything moves smoothly. The screws for holding the tool piece are beefier than the one I had. In fact, everything is beefier on the Aloris.

The MXA requires either that you bore the post hole to accommodate the metric post or that you replace the post with the 3/8 variety. I elected to bore the post hole.

Remove the post sleeve from the tool and chuck it in the lathe. Then bore and ream. I reamed to .4009. I measured the post at .4002. It seems to fit nicely.

When I need to adjust the angle of the post, it tightens down nicely and stays put.

On past posts with warranty issues: Griz sent out a quill lock. I polished the quill and quill housing, cleaned everything up, and reinstalled the quill on the tailstock. Works fine. I got a piece of brass. I think I'm going to replace the cast lock with a brass one, but I've got a couple of other small projects ahead of it.

Peace

Can the Aloris MXA use OXA tool holders?

 

[SmithDoor]

Here's some test turning and facing cuts and other photos on an SB1001 with a 5" D1-3 camlock chuck. Around 600 rpms in high range with a carbide insert.



View attachment 66040

Looks great.

Dave

 

[packrat]

I remember when Grizzly brought out that South Bend 8K lathe and the price, there was a lot of talk
on the South Bend forum, like was said sales were slow because of the price.

 

[SmithDoor]

I remember when Grizzly brought out that South Bend 8K lathe and the price, there was a lot of talk
on the South Bend forum, like was said sales were slow because of the price.

It not same lathe as old south bend. The first was low cost mini lathe. Today they have improved with width belts and up front reverse feed.

I planning on upgrading my mini lathe with a wider belt for low speed.

Dave

 

[packrat]

{It not same lathe as old south bend.} Yes I know, I am pretty sure they were made In Taiwan.
I saw one of Grizzlys gun smith lathes, a 14 inch at a trade show, also made in Taiwan it was a very impressive lathe.

 

[SmithDoor]

{It not same lathe as old south bend.} Yes I know, I am pretty sure they were made In Taiwan.
I saw one of Grizzlys gun smith lathes, a 14 inch at a trade show, also made in Taiwan it was a very impressive lathe.

It not same as a good American made lathe.
But price is adorable.

I look Grizzly back in November and still price was higher than Walmart. So purchased from Walmart and do work for improvement. It gives me a few projects to do too.
I was looking for lighter weight lathe to so could move lathe easily. My old South Bend 9A was 700 pounds the new lathe is 120 pounds. The 8K is about 300 pounds.

Dave