First Chips from New Harbor Freight 8x12 Lathe

It took me months to get my lathe set up, but I finally got it into my tiny shed this morning. I still haven't put the wall back on, but that provided better lighting anyways. My speed is too high and my feed probably too fast, but whatever. It was a test.

The lathe is a Harbor Freight 8x12 (#44859), which actually offers 14" between centers. It arrived in perfect condition in a nice wooden crate. All I did was clean the shipping grease off with some WD-40 and mount it on a highly customized (specifically, miniaturized) Sears workbench.

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[TheMrmagnetophon]

how big of diameter can you put in here?

[jfbrink]

@TheMrmagnetophon - I've turned an 8" diameter aluminum disk on a faceplate. That is the maximum.

[ihoppy]

What was your technique in moving the lathe up onto the table?

[jfbrink]

@ihoppy - I used a 2-ton hoist (also from HF) with a home-made arm extension (standard stock from the steel store telescoped into the hoist tubing perfectly) and some carefully tied 4-ton rope.

[PhxSt0rmz]

So..Does this lathe still work good? Good precision? Things not too noisy? I may get it..

[jfbrink]

@PhxSt0rmz - I use it daily, mostly on aluminum stock, usually .25" to 4" (although I've gone as large as the full 8") . I generally run a 5" 4-jaw chuck, and occasionally a 7" faceplate. I get .0005" accuracy time after time with no modification to the lathe. It's not very noisy: certainly no louder than any other lathe I've encountered. The prices are higher these days at HF, and with the accessories you get with the LatheMaster, it may actually be cheaper than the HF.

[motomnbvc]

Hello, I have fervi bv-20, should be equal.

[flguy32501]

They have a 25% one item easter coupon. Click on the eggs on their homepage.

[concombrefrais]

@KevinMillard68

Actually, it is about 200pounds! The 7 by 12 is toy compare to this one.

[KevinMillard68]

8x12 cant be that heavy, my old 7x12 was like 90 lbs carried that one in my arms easy,,now my 10x18 thats a 3 man job to lift and wont carry it to far lol