Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Try Enco if you are on a budget. My throw away tools are from HF. I would never buy anything from HF that I would use to try to make a living...meh, maybe shoprags. I will not carry on about their pneumatic tools.
I have purchased many tools from Enco. Much of the items are from factories overseas. I would say that the quality is much better than HF.
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPDFF?PMPAGE=501&PARTPG=INLMK3&PMITEM=110-0800
If you so buy HF, don't skimp on the warranty or insurance.
If you intend to cut stainless, find a tool distributor near you and cozy up to them. You don't want to burn through tools and harden your workpiece. The correct tool for the job can last a long time.
I was looking at one of the lathe's they put up on ebray... Wanted to know the warranty on it... 30 frakin days... No way am I dropping over $500 on a piece of machinery with a frakin 30 day warranty on it. My P-C drill press has a 3 YEAR warranty on it.
99% chance I'll end up with the Grizzly lathe at this point. Unless I can find a solid [used] one before then. With what I've been seeing in the listings, that's probably not going to happen.
I'm already planning on getting carbide tooling for use with the lathe. Probably start off with two of each of the tools I think I'll use more. That way when one wears, I have a spare already. Or I'll just get the ones that use the replaceable inserts. Have a full set of spare inserts on hand for when I need to change them (doubt I'll ever go through them all before being able to order more up).
I am looking at threading a piece of 1/2" pipe both inside at one end (I can use my tap for that) and on the outside at the other. This is so I can get a fake suppressor and use it as a tap handle. :rockin: Just need 3/8"-16 inside it and 1/2"-28 on the outside (opposite ends).