What's the consensus on Precision Matthews lathe? I'm looking at their China-made 1130V. I like the 1 1/2" spindle bore, short head stock, VFD, and 120 V power.
My purpose for this machine would be muzzle threading, general turning and boring of small parts.
https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/pm-1130v-lathe/Not bottom of the barrel, but close.
Which similar/in-class lathe is better?
"Similar/in-class" meaning another Chinese lathe? I wouldn't know. But you're almost always better off buying a quality used lathe with tooling, for the same money (or less, by the time you buy the tooling). These Chinese lathes seem very appealing to beginners who have not yet taken the time to learn about lathes, and therefore fear the risk of assessing a used one. Taking comfort, instead, on the shiny "newness" of a cheaply made copy.
Checkout:
http://www.lathes.co.uk/page21.html
