Advice on lathe machines

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jkull
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 2:06 am

Advice on lathe machines

Post: # 48963Unread post jkull
Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:08 am

This is my very first post, so first off, hello to fellow residents of this board.

I am contemplating purchasing a lathe, obviously. I am starting to research a bit, to collect info on what equipment would suffice for starting out with this.

'Currently' there are two lathes available. Very different in both design and cost. I would ultimately, optimally love to cut in stereo, this I realize would require a stereo headcutter which I have concluded would be an expensive piece. The two lathes I am seeing available currently are the Presto K-8 portable lathe, or an older big 1940's RCA 70C lathe. I 'presume' the RCA has more functionality or 'adjustability' but I am not certain of this. The RCA is also asking a far higher asking price.

I have concluded that for the portable realm of lathes, the pesto's and rek o cut's are the decent ones to look at. I would just like confirmation on the presto K8 as a feasible starting lathe. Essentially I do not want to opt for a lathe that will be very limited in its ability for adjustability for experimenting with things like groove depth in order to yield optimal sound.

I appreciate any guidance. I am also greatful for any referal towards any lathes that may be for sale that I am unaware of. This far I've looked on eBay, reverb, on in the classifieds on here. Thanks- justin

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Gridlock
Posts: 286
Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:41 pm
Location: eugene oregon

Re: Advice on lathe machines

Post: # 48964Unread post Gridlock
Wed Jan 17, 2018 1:24 pm

K8 is a great lathe for beginners. You can learn all the stuff you need to with it without destroying thousands of dollars of equipment and make some bad ass funky cuts while you're at it. Don't expect your first cuts to even be playable or sound good. But you will learn.
<\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\[[[[[[[\/]]]]]]]\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\>
Recordette Sr.......Presto K-8

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jkull
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 2:06 am

Re: Advice on lathe machines

Post: # 48965Unread post jkull
Wed Jan 17, 2018 2:24 pm

Gridlock wrote:K8 is a great lathe for beginners. You can learn all the stuff you need to with it without destroying thousands of dollars of equipment and make some bad ass funky cuts while you're at it. Don't expect your first cuts to even be playable or sound good. But you will learn.
Thank you gridlock. I do not expect instant success. However, with a properly setup K8, once I get the hang of things, i will be able to infact yield some listenable and practical cuts , yes ?

Also.. While I've got your help on the line.. I have inquired on the k8, here is what the owner has told me - "the turntable runs, the head is low volume and distorted, but not blown, so it probably needs to be taken apart and have the armature cleaned, I'm assuming the amp doesnt work (you would replace it with a modern solid state amp anyway for traveling), and the rubber tire is cracked and bumpy (somebody on tlathe trolls found pool filters that fit, they're somewhere on the search). She'll definitely need new tubes and caps, as well."

He has sent me a video of the lathe plugged in, and the table spinning. Tubes and caps my local guitar amp repair guy can handle. Not a big deal.. The rubber tire seems like an easy fix to address considering what he mentioned to do. then I've just got the head to have addressed. Over not ready to go out of the box, but IMO, not to beat up to where I can't have it operable fairly quick. I told the seller I would be offering a good chunk under his asking price due to the things that need to be addressed, and he was open to that. Just would like your 2 cents on this matter as well, if you would not mind.

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Gridlock
Posts: 286
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Location: eugene oregon

Re: Advice on lathe machines

Post: # 48966Unread post Gridlock
Wed Jan 17, 2018 3:38 pm

Man that sounds like a lot kinda. Personally I think a good outside amp with a proper fuse should make the head sound ok but yeah, chances are that you might have to get it cleaned up. A few people on here fix those for cheap....so the turntable spins but the ring is all messed up? That sucks but apparently the hot tub thing works? Really as long as the tt spins, you should be able to do something with it. Sounds like a project. Where are you located? And YES you can make good cuts with these. Talk to Alan graves (prestofan) or give Len Horowitz a call. He loves these machines
<\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\[[[[[[[\/]]]]]]]\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\>
Recordette Sr.......Presto K-8

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jkull
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Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 2:06 am

Re: Advice on lathe machines

Post: # 48970Unread post jkull
Wed Jan 17, 2018 4:58 pm

Gridlock wrote:Man that sounds like a lot kinda. Personally I think a good outside amp with a proper fuse should make the head sound ok but yeah, chances are that you might have to get it cleaned up. A few people on here fix those for cheap....so the turntable spins but the ring is all messed up? That sucks but apparently the hot tub thing works? Really as long as the tt spins, you should be able to do something with it. Sounds like a project. Where are you located? And YES you can make good cuts with these. Talk to Alan graves (prestofan) or give Len Horowitz a call. He loves these machines

Hope you do not mind, I've just pm'd you.

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Jesus H Chrysler
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Location: Asheville, NC

Re: Advice on lathe machines

Post: # 49071Unread post Jesus H Chrysler
Mon Jan 22, 2018 8:33 pm

I'm guessing the low output and distortion is due to bad capacitors in the amp and not necessarily the cutterhead itself. A bad head would be more likely to produce no sound at all.
If you can solder, the schematics are available on this site and the caps are available fairly cheap. The tubes can be pricey, especially the 45 triodes.If you search here for my post on recapping my k-10, I'm pretty sure I linked my supplier for the caps.
As for the the tire, a Pentair Challenger Pump Seal is very close, but not exact. You will have to mess around with it a little to get the dimensions perfect. I found a few wraps of plumbers Teflon tape underneath the pump gasket got it really close to 33 1/3, but your results may vary.

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piaptk
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Re: Advice on lathe machines

Post: # 49072Unread post piaptk
Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:14 pm

I've owned plenty of those Presto 5c heads that sound distorted and low volume, and it was not an amp problem, it was a problem with the innerds of the head being gunked up and/or pieces being bent. In fact, I've probably owned 10 or more 5cs and only 3 or 4 of them sounded decent straight outta the basement. The worst part is that, unlike a 1c or 1d, you can't clean or adjust the armature on those, I've always had to send them to ToddCo for "the treatment".
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