# Anybody familiar with this lathe?



## Sean1539 (Jun 13, 2010)

I was perusing Craigslist and stumbled across this lathe. I'm not really in the market for a lathe just yet but the deal seems pretty good. Taking a big leap and assuming everything is as the seller says and it "works great", does anyone have a reason why I shouldn't buy this? I've never heard of the brand and when I did a quick google search it came up with a company called JCI.

Anyway, what do you think?

Sean


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## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

*Well...*

I'm not saying yes, I'm not saying no. I'm just saying....
I think Cal-Hawk is a southern version of Harbor Fright. But cheaper. 
I have never seen a lathe with ways like that. I guess if they are solid bar-stock and hardened they might hold up but otherwise one ding and your tailstock is going to be a PIA to slide. 
Is that a metalworking lathe chuck on there? Seems a bit out of place on a wood lathe. 

Maybe you could take a long blank over to the guys house, chuck it up and see how it runs - check the runout, tailstock/headstock alignment, vibration etc. Does the motor sound like a Harley or a rice-burner etc.


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## dodgeboy77 (Mar 18, 2009)

I have that lathe with the Buffalo name on it. I just wanted something basic to turn some spindles and this popped up right near me for $40. Harbor Freight sells a similar model http://www.harborfreight.com/14-inch-x-41-inch-wood-lathe-38515.html and I've seen the same unit pop up under other names, too. Here's one with the Grizzly moniker on it: http://cnj.craigslist.org/tls/2826018166.html

The bed ways are tubular and frankly, it's a very basic and kind of flimsy piece of equipment. The tailstock doesn't have a Morse taper socket in it so if there is a way of getting a drill chuck on there I don't know what it is. Mine has 3/4x10 spindle threads and I got an adapter so I could put a 4-jaw chuck on it with a standard 1x8 thread.

If I ever do any serious turning I plan to upgrade. I may get something old and solid and restore it.

Bill


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## Sean1539 (Jun 13, 2010)

I appreciate the responses, thank you.

I tried twice to contact the seller but never received an email or call back.

Sean


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