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Thread: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

  1. #1
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    Default Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    Anyone used a Planetary lathe i been considering getting one but im a little unsure these due to the lack of info i can find. Looking to get some reviews/feedback from people who have seen or used one first handwith .I know the Bore size /chuck sizes with upgrades ,between chuck space ,length and wieght.I read there was concern that the chucks will not hold glass properly,have no idea if there is any truth to that.
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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    I don't know what a planetary lathe is. Do you mean planetary chucks? Litton uses planetary chucks & they work great.

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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    they look pretty small and have a tiny bore. id hold off for something with a bigger bore. dont be impressed by there high rpm. glass lathes need to go slow anyway. unless you have a specific purpose in mind, these are not great for bongs.

    -m

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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    anyone used one of these
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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    Looking at the site ( http://www.planetaryglasslathes.com/ ) I wouldn't even consider it.

    It LOOKS like someone went to a factory that makes machinist lathes for metal work and said "hey, can you make a glass lathe?" and the factory, having no experience with glass lathes, but being able to make just about any machine a customer wants, said "yes, we make glass lathes" and then got someone to google "glass lathe" and all they took away from the research was that a glass lathe has a linked rotating tail stock....

    Few things that stand out about this lathe, by no means a comprehensive list:

    *1800rpm is not a speed you'd see on a purpose built glass lathe unless it was being built off stock parts for a metal lathe by someone who didn't really know what a glass lathe is for..in which case it's NOT purpose built, just converted really.
    *Machinist chucks, while a type of "scroll" chuck, are for holing metal, not glass... they're inferior at best, and there's no practical use for the "inside" jaws that would hold tubing from the inside... how would you blow air into a tube open at one end?
    *no fire carriage
    *no cover over the ways

    They boast 100% TIG welded, but the welds look like shit... obviously either someone with very little welding experience that doesn't understand why that wouldn't really matter, or marketing speak trying to exploit the public lack of welding knowledge... I hate that kind of stuff.

    The lathe pictured on the site seem to have a made in USA sticker on it yet that's the first and hardest thing I would promote about my lathes, so why doesn't it mention it on their website? I suspect the lathe in the picture it a US made prototype or design concept, and the production facility turning out lathes for sale is over seas...

    So while I haven't used these lathes, I wouldn't consider purchasing one unless the price was under $500, then you might find some use for it.... even then I don't think it would be worth it.
    Doug Harroun
    Greymatter Glass
    Albuquerque, NM
    (505) 884-0318

    A̿̐͒ͥ̏̅͋ͤͮ́́̒͢͏̨͙̩̦͔̫̠̲̤ͅ ̑ͨ̎͆͐̉̍̐ͤͮͨ͐̇ͩͦ̏ͣ̚͏̷̶̭̝̠͓̞̱̭̫͙̜̮̫͔̤̱͕͢b̓̓ͭ̿̓ͥ̐̒͂͂ͧ ̡̓͋̐ͥ҉̧̹͎̺̳̩̬̘̯̮̜̼̻͝ͅē̵̹̯̦̟͔͊̓̔͗͊̀͆͗̀ͭͭ̀̇͋͋ͩ̓̓͞͞͞ ̘̰̘͈a̧̹͙͇̫̲̻̳̦̦͛͑͂̌̊́̌̂̅ͤ̿͠ͅų̷̶̡̺̤̳͐̂ͣ̋̀ͅͅt̍̀͋̽͗̚ ̶͎͎̳̤͈̘̞͕̣̲̣̼͙͎̬̪̜͎̯ͤ̃̈́ͬͧ͒͟͞͝͡iͪ̋̌̄̎ͪ́̚҉̶̰͎̣̥͉̙̘̬͝ ͍͈̻̻f̡̟̤̥̝̞̈̋ͧͮ̂ͣͬͨ͆͊̌̇ͨ̚͠͞u̵ͥͦ̑ͧ̆͂͐̊̏̍̋̓͗ͭͫ͆́̃͊͘̕ ̛̱̳͓̠͖̕ḹ̢̧̦̬̲̟̳̉ͯͫ̊̏ͪͫ͝ͅ ̵̺̫͙̗̦̠̯̞̫̪̩͐ͭͮ̏̓͒̏͊͋̚̚͘ͅḧ̨̛̭̼̘ͤͥ̿ͫ̊ͦͧͮͮ̀̓̔͌̉̓̀̀͡ ̺͚e̷̦̤̘̯͎̜͇͚͔̱̙͖ͪ͛ͤͮͬ͆͆̾̾͂̑͆̓͜ȧ̴̋ͨ͂ͣͬ̓̆͐̾̿̐̃̒͊͌́͝ ̷͇̮̙̗͉͍r̵̜̰̣̫͙̦̻̖͕͎̘̲̗̘ͦ̋̑̀̌̎̓ͭ̚͞tͨ̅̇͛ͫͫ̆ͪ̌͋ͩ̉ͯ͊͌̌ ̴̨̢̭͚̳̦͖̻̮̬̣̮̟͓͉̪͈̍ ̷̷̫̬͈͓̞͈̞̬̹̟̯͚̹͇̩̏͋ͬ̍͛̎̑̄̽ͦ̆̔̈́̀͆ͩ̓


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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    It sux because I want a lathe that small. I'm not making large bore tubes. I am making rigs with 25m necks. I could spin out 3k of promo rigs in a week and pay for one. Disappointed I've only seen janky ones that look like my metal lathe. It can't be that hard to make one. Why isn't anyone jumping on this NEED for a affordable small home glass lathe?

    "Never open your mouth, unless you're in the dentist chair."
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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    Quote Originally Posted by Bulletproof
    It can't be that hard to make one.
    "hard" is a relative term. Relative to the LHC a glass lathe is simple. Relative to making toast, they're very difficult to make.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bulletproof
    Why isn't anyone jumping on this NEED for a affordable small home glass lathe?
    look around they exist.

    of course I take issue with the word "need", I would argue "want" is a much more applicable term...

    and also the word "affordable" .... again it's a subjective term, some people can't afford food, others find $1,000,000 cars to be affordable...

    I think in the context of a glass lathe, anything under $15,000 is relatively affordable, and it's not hard to find used lathes under $10,000, sometimes under $5,000....

    so yeah.
    Doug Harroun
    Greymatter Glass
    Albuquerque, NM
    (505) 884-0318

    A̿̐͒ͥ̏̅͋ͤͮ́́̒͢͏̨͙̩̦͔̫̠̲̤ͅ ̑ͨ̎͆͐̉̍̐ͤͮͨ͐̇ͩͦ̏ͣ̚͏̷̶̭̝̠͓̞̱̭̫͙̜̮̫͔̤̱͕͢b̓̓ͭ̿̓ͥ̐̒͂͂ͧ ̡̓͋̐ͥ҉̧̹͎̺̳̩̬̘̯̮̜̼̻͝ͅē̵̹̯̦̟͔͊̓̔͗͊̀͆͗̀ͭͭ̀̇͋͋ͩ̓̓͞͞͞ ̘̰̘͈a̧̹͙͇̫̲̻̳̦̦͛͑͂̌̊́̌̂̅ͤ̿͠ͅų̷̶̡̺̤̳͐̂ͣ̋̀ͅͅt̍̀͋̽͗̚ ̶͎͎̳̤͈̘̞͕̣̲̣̼͙͎̬̪̜͎̯ͤ̃̈́ͬͧ͒͟͞͝͡iͪ̋̌̄̎ͪ́̚҉̶̰͎̣̥͉̙̘̬͝ ͍͈̻̻f̡̟̤̥̝̞̈̋ͧͮ̂ͣͬͨ͆͊̌̇ͨ̚͠͞u̵ͥͦ̑ͧ̆͂͐̊̏̍̋̓͗ͭͫ͆́̃͊͘̕ ̛̱̳͓̠͖̕ḹ̢̧̦̬̲̟̳̉ͯͫ̊̏ͪͫ͝ͅ ̵̺̫͙̗̦̠̯̞̫̪̩͐ͭͮ̏̓͒̏͊͋̚̚͘ͅḧ̨̛̭̼̘ͤͥ̿ͫ̊ͦͧͮͮ̀̓̔͌̉̓̀̀͡ ̺͚e̷̦̤̘̯͎̜͇͚͔̱̙͖ͪ͛ͤͮͬ͆͆̾̾͂̑͆̓͜ȧ̴̋ͨ͂ͣͬ̓̆͐̾̿̐̃̒͊͌́͝ ̷͇̮̙̗͉͍r̵̜̰̣̫͙̦̻̖͕͎̘̲̗̘ͦ̋̑̀̌̎̓ͭ̚͞tͨ̅̇͛ͫͫ̆ͪ̌͋ͩ̉ͯ͊͌̌ ̴̨̢̭͚̳̦͖̻̮̬̣̮̟͓͉̪͈̍ ̷̷̫̬͈͓̞͈̞̬̹̟̯͚̹͇̩̏͋ͬ̍͛̎̑̄̽ͦ̆̔̈́̀͆ͩ̓


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  8. #8
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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    I want a small glass lathe. I don't need a 8 foot long one. And 3000 is reasonable for me on a lathe.
    If that lathe wAsnt junk I would be all over it. But it looks like crap to me. It seems like someone could build and sell a small glass lathe for 3-5000 new. I'm not educated on making lathes. Ill state that. I might look dumb for saying what I want. With all these threads popping up with the same lathe I think there is a need for this item. I'm not using need as a personal phrase. I'm using it in a business sense. I see a need for an item that isn't available.
    Does a reliable company make a small table top lathe I don't know about? I would love to find one. All of them I see are huge.
    A lathe you could throw on a bench. Maybe 24-30" long with a 50m max bore. I could use the shit out of one of those.

    "Never open your mouth, unless you're in the dentist chair."
    -Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano

    Bulletproof Glassworks LLC
    http://bulletproofboro.bigcartel.com
    BulletproofGlassworks@Gmail.com
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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    When you talk about making 3k a week on a lathe why wouldn't you step up bite the bullet and spend 10k+ on one seeing how you could pay it off in under 2 months and still have money left over to live off of? There are new lathes out there old lathes out there and so on. Its not a matter of being difficult to make but there is some engineering involved as well as over head and so on people want brand new lathes for 6k when you have 4k+ tied up into basic supplies and materials before you even put it together. SEM industries has their lathe out and its a great lathe at a great value. I have mine coming out as well soon after a year and a half of R&D. Personally I know how much money in raw materials I have involved into them and its not cheap. Like Doug said "affordable" is kind of an open ended statement spending 10-12 grand on something that's going to make you hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run is quite affordable......
    hashmasta-kut "i love my buttplug on a stick ass well."

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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    I just can't come up with the money for a 10k lathe. I've been trying for 5 years. Sold my car, sold a bunch of stuff. Life gets in the way. I always get to the 3-4k mark and something happens like my g/f car gets wrecked and we need her income. There went my lathe money again. I know about spending money to make money. I just can't keep money long enough to invest it. I wish I had swagger like you guys with lathes. I've been trying. But it doesn't work out. If there was a cheaper small lathe I could start on, that would be perfect. I have a metal lathe exactly like this OP one. Looks identical. Even the cover is the same. It's just red. It's not a glass lathe by any means. But it's the size I want one that is.

    "Never open your mouth, unless you're in the dentist chair."
    -Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano

    Bulletproof Glassworks LLC
    http://bulletproofboro.bigcartel.com
    BulletproofGlassworks@Gmail.com
    www.instagram.com/BulletproofGlassworks
    #BulletproofGlassworks @BulletproofGlassworks

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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    its def an investment. Once you buy one its not like that moneys gone, you use it to make money, AND have the machine you could sell at any time; sometimes for a profit. I saved up for almost 2 years for mine and am by no means a "baller" that was the most id every spent on anything untill my wife and I put a down payment on a house, which is also a good investment.

    -m
    Last edited by misticglass; 05-01-2013 at 12:39 PM.

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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    I got the house and mortgage. That was one of the lathe fund killers a while back. I got another one going. Hopefully everything goes right and I can spend it on a lathe this time. Time will tell.

    "Never open your mouth, unless you're in the dentist chair."
    -Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano

    Bulletproof Glassworks LLC
    http://bulletproofboro.bigcartel.com
    BulletproofGlassworks@Gmail.com
    www.instagram.com/BulletproofGlassworks
    #BulletproofGlassworks @BulletproofGlassworks

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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    Swaggar? Dude I started in a garage like most everyone else..... I built this madness it wasn't handed to me at all. I cut things out of my life I didn't need and saved and bought equipment. Took that equipment continued to bust my ass and bought more equipment. If you want it bad enough you will work hard enough to get it.
    hashmasta-kut "i love my buttplug on a stick ass well."

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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    I didn't mean it in disrespect. I meant that you worked hard for it and earned it. That word is used to much in the rap game and interpreted to something you can buy or be born with. Real swagger is earned. I meant it as a compliment. Now that you busted your ass enough you can pump shit out on 10k$ machines.
    I'm working on it. Just keep hitting bumps in the road like everyone does.

    "Never open your mouth, unless you're in the dentist chair."
    -Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano

    Bulletproof Glassworks LLC
    http://bulletproofboro.bigcartel.com
    BulletproofGlassworks@Gmail.com
    www.instagram.com/BulletproofGlassworks
    #BulletproofGlassworks @BulletproofGlassworks

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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    Dont buy one. A friend picked one up thinking nice small lathe. It is a piece of junk. Two small to do anything. The bore size is the biggest problem. Chucks are not for glass. If you know lathe work, the chucks dont have enough grip on the glass. I hope that makes sence but dont waste your money. My buddy actually returned it after I went down and just looked at it. NOT WORTH IT AT ALL!!!

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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    I would totally buy one of those but it doesn't spin fast enough for the work I do!

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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    What I think all of you are overlooking is the incredible speed at which you could produce prodo flared foots @ 1800 RPM... Of course, occasionally molten glass would get slung all over the shop, but hey, that's why they make face guards, right?

  18. #18

    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    Greymatter, I understand each person is entitled to their own opinion. I'm here to set a few things straight, so you know. It may not change your opinion, but I don't think you really care, and that's just my opinion. Being a Scientific glass blower for well over 10 years, I can tell you a few things about lathes. We are producing these lathes right here in sunny Florida, and they are Made in the USA. And yes 1800 RPM is a very fast motor to have, we use these motors to help keep costs down for our customers. It doesn't mean you have to blow at 1800 RPM. Most small Littons only go up to 400 RPM, but those are DC motors with converters. Those are very expensive. Lets hope most glass blowers know that 1800 RPM isnt a good working speed. Yes, the chucks we use on our lathes, most glassblowers don't like. But most experienced Blowers can get away using them. We are suggesting to them to get the inserts machined to better there glass tube holding, like machining them longer and to hold graphite or tape. If you look at older Littons our size, they use our style chucks. I have used smaller lathes with our style chucks on them, also. Actually, is not really the our "chucks" most glassblowers don't like its the inserts and the easy to tighten them. If you want a cover over the ways, throw a fireproof blanket over them. And we do not make a fire carriage for our lathe, because on most small lathes you want to use a hand torch. Publicity spot..." WE will be offering 7, 14, and 36 jet hand torches made out of Quartz, in the very near future". They are 100% Tig welded. Not the best welding, but they are built solid. They are built for small tube use. 1 mil to 20 mil. We are start up company like most people these days, that saw a need for these machines. We are constantly refining and improving design. We will one day be at the top of the game making high dollar lathes for the many 50 mm guys out there. Just wanted to set things straight, nothing less, nothing more. Sometimes LOOKS can be deceiving.


    Planetary Glass Lathes

  19. #19

    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    Lone Wolf and Son, You are the guy that I talked to on the phone when you were at their shop. As I recall.....I had asked you about what you thought about the lathe and you said "its a alright machine, just not what these guys need." Its Not what these guys needed, and they didnt know what they needed. They were trying to blow 50 mm tubes on this small lathe. They had a very inexperienced glass blower, nothing against him, cool guy. But, come on bro. Thanks alot for the disrespect. You even said it would be perfect for small stuff, Am I Right? Your Cool

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    Default Re: Planetary Lathes Anyone used one before

    Quote Originally Posted by Planetary Glass View Post
    Most small Littons only go up to 400 RPM
    "only" go up to 400 RPM?

    I was screwing around with a drill a couple weeks back and thought, 'hey, I'll flare open a foot with it'. After the molten glass went flying past my head I stopped doing that. How fast do you think these need to go?

    I looked at your site, I even checked out the lathe "in use". If I wanted to only spin some glass, sure, it does a lovely job spinning that 12 mm tube around. Let's see someone actually make something on it though, because frankly Graymatter's right on all the points above.

    Incidentally, the page with your video brings up other videos under it. I thought they were yours until I realized they were of real glass lathes being used with actual fire.

    Most folks go to 25mm at the minimum, you've flat out admitted even that won't work. Sure, I could maybe put a blowtube on a piece of 25 and chuck *that* in the machine, but at that point, why bother?

    If you can make a glass lathe that can actually be useful, more power to you, please do. I'd love a small table top lathe because I don't have the power source or space for a full size machine. But your machine as is is all but useless.
    Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down. Never gonna run around, and desert you.

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