The 6 Best Metal Lathes
Updated by · How we research
Six benchtop metal lathes for home shops compared on capacity, threading and support, from a low-cost mini lathe to the Shop Fox M1099, our top pick. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A lathe's size is quoted as swing by length, but its weight decides what it can cut: a 90-pound mini lathe flexes on deep cuts in steel that a bench lathe several times heavier takes in stride. Cheap imports also arrive needing cleanup. This guide helps hobbyists and home-shop owners choose a first or second machine.
From the manual
- Run the break-in first: 10 minutes at each belt speed, then fresh headstock oil. Cutting before that risks damaging the gearbox. pp. 13-15
- It draws 13.6 amps. The spec page asks for a 20-amp circuit, the wiring page 15 amps, and extension cords are discouraged. pp. 3, 9-10
- Threading takes the gearbox dials plus change gears from a chart; metric threads can't use the thread dial, so the half nut stays engaged. pp. 30-31
- Clean the shipping grease with a citrus degreaser, not brake cleaner or acetone, then oil the 11 ball oilers daily with 10W oil. pp. 12, 32
Why the Shop Fox M1099 is our top pick
Our pick is more lathe where it counts. It holds work up to 26 inches between centers, against 15-3/4 on our runner-up, the Grizzly G0769, and over the cross slide, where most cutting happens, it swings 6-1/8 inches to the runner-up's 4-5/8.2,3 It also weighs 330 pounds to 234 and sits on a bed half again as wide,2,3,4 and mass is what lets a lathe take deeper cuts in steel without chatter.5
Threading is the other gap. The M1099's gearbox and change gears reach 33 inch pitches from 8 to 72 TPI plus 26 metric ones, while the runner-up offers 15 inch and 12 metric pitches.2,3 Its 1 HP induction motor has no brushes to wear, but both of the G0769's motors use carbon brushes that its manual treats as consumables.2,3 The warranty also runs two years instead of one.1,3
The runner-up wins on convenience: speed is a dial with a digital readout, while our pick changes among six speeds by moving a belt with the power off,3,1 and its milling head drills and mills on the same base. Buy it for that second machine; buy our pick for capacity and threading range.
| Shop Fox M1099 | Grizzly G0769 | |
|---|---|---|
| Between centers / over cross slide | 26 in / 6-1/8 in | 15-3/4 in / 4-5/8 in |
| Machine weight | 330 lb | 234 lb |
| Thread pitches, inch / metric | 33 / 26 | 15 / 12 |
| Speed control | 6 belt speeds, 150-2400 RPM | Variable dial, 50-2000 RPM |
| Warranty | 2 years | 1 year |
Sources
- Shop Fox M1099 1Owner's manual, rev. September 2020 (PDF), pp. 28, 59 2Machine specifications (PDF), pp. 1–2, 1, 2
- Grizzly G0769 3G0768/G0769 owner's manual with data sheet (PDF), pp. 3, 11, 12, 86, 115 4Product page and specifications
- 5Hobby-Machinist: How small of a lathe? (page 2)
From the manual
- Setup calls for helpers, a forklift and lifting slings rated for at least 300 pounds; the machine alone weighs 234. pp. 11, 20
- The spindle break-in, stepping from 50 to 2000 RPM, is required to keep the warranty, and the mill head has its own. p. 29
- A selector switch puts the machine in lathe or mill mode, so the two halves never run at the same time. p. 6
- Both motors use carbon brushes, sold as wear items; replace them when they measure under a quarter inch or power fades. p. 86
Compare the specs
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Product | Swing over bed (in) | Between centers (in) | Machine weight (lb) | Spindle speed (RPM) | Motor | Inch threads (TPI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Shop Fox M1099 | 9.63 | 26 | 330 | 150-2400, 6 belt steps | 1 HP induction | 8-72 |
| 2. Grizzly G0769 | 8.25 | 15.75 | 234 | 50-2000, two ranges | 3/4 HP brushed | 9-44 |
| 3. VEVOR 7x14 | 7.09 | 13.78 | 88 | 50-2500, variable | 550 W DC | 12-52 |
| 4. INTSUPERMAI 8x32 | 8.27 | 31.5 | — | 50-2500, variable | 1,100 W brushless | — |
| 5. WEN ML712 | 7 | 12 | 79 | 100-2500, two ranges | 250 W output, brushed | 12-52 |
| 6. Techtongda WM210V | 8 (nominal) | 16 (nominal) | — | 50-2500, two ranges | 900 W brushless | — |
Swing over the cross slide, where most cutting happens, is smaller than swing over the bed. The INTSUPERMAI and Techtongda publish no manual, so their figures come from seller listings; the Techtongda sizes are its listing's 8x16 class name.
Sources
- Shop Fox M1099 Machine specifications (PDF)
- Grizzly G0769 G0768/G0769 owner's manual with data sheet (PDF)
- VEVOR 7x14 Product page
- INTSUPERMAI 8x32 Seller's spec listing at VXB
- WEN ML712 Instruction manual (PDF)
- Techtongda WM210V Seller's listing at Tilga
From the manual
- The change gears are plastic on purpose: if the leadscrew binds, a cheap gear breaks instead of the motor. p. 15
- Never switch the high-low speed range or the spindle direction while it runs; the manual says that damages the lathe. pp. 9, 11
- Strip the rust-protectant coating with kerosene or acetone, wax the machined surfaces, and bolt it to a heavy bench. pp. 10-11
- The two-year home-use warranty replaces parts only, excludes brushes and belts, and is void for secondhand buys; WEN's web terms add a 500-hour cap. p. 32; warranty statement
Editor's Notes
November 5, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
We read the owner's manuals for the Shop Fox M1099, Grizzly G0769 and WEN ML712 and added a spec table, a section on why the M1099 leads, and setup notes from those manuals. We corrected the guide's claim that all mid-size lathes use brushless motors, matched two forum citations to what the threads say, and updated the Sherline honor now that Sherline has paused new orders. We also fixed an older note's claim that the M1099 has a six-speed gearbox.
October 23, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The Shop Fox M1099 keeps the top spot. It's still the full-size bench lathe that runs on household power and comes with real factory support, which matters more than any spec when a slide needs a part. The Grizzly G0769 joins it for people who want a small mill on the same base.
A lot has changed below that. The Grizzly G9729, Jet BDB-1340A, Jectse Mini and Mophorn Precision left the list, and the Sherline Sher-4000 moved to a special honor. [2026 update: this note first said all four had gone from sale, but Grizzly still sells the G9729 and tool dealers still list the Jet.] We cut the Techtongda Bench 8x31 as a near-twin of the INTSUPERMAI 8x32, and the Shop Fox M1015 because it's small for its price. The VEVOR 7x14 and WEN ML712 now cover beginners.
We found no published lab tests of hobby lathes, so we went by Grizzly's and WEN's spec pages, machinists' forum threads on setting up import mini lathes, and university shop safety rules. The list stops at six because most other lathes sold today are unbranded look-alikes with no track record.
Earlier notes
February 17, 2021, by Chris Gillespie:
Metal lathes are highly versatile machines that, depending on their size, can cut a wide variety of materials, from the hardest metals such as stainless steel, and carbon steel, to soft, non-ferrous, and precious metals. This makes them useful not only within the metalworking and manufacturing industry, but also for hobbyists, jewelry makers, and novices who want to hone their skills. In this update, we found that several older models have been discontinued, therefore we broadened the spectrum to include both large floor standing options, suitable for commercial use, and smaller benchtop models that can produce accurate shaping and cutting, to decorative work such as rings and pens.
The largest lathes in this ranking are the Jet BDB-1340A and the Grizzly G9729. Both are professional-grade machines that can stand up to the rigors of a busy workshop. The Jet can accept large stock of up to 40 inches long and features a 2 Horsepower motor with a wide speed range that allows for turning a variety of metals. The Grizzly, on the other hand, is a combination machine that integrates a pillar drill, making it ideal if floor space is an issue while increasing its functionality.
Benchtop models come in a range of sizes, from the Sherline Sher-4000, which is only eight inches in length and boasts pinpoint accuracy and an electronic speed control ranging from 70-2800 RPM, to the Techtongda Bench, which has 31-inch centers, equal to that of many floor-standing models. It also has hardened gears and a brushless motor making it suitable for turning stainless or carbon steel. The Shop Fox M1099 is another notable addition as, although compact, it has many of the features found on professional models, such as a six-speed gearbox, a reversible chuck, a four-way tool post, and a full range of carriage and apron assemblies. [2026 update: the M1099's six spindle speeds are set by moving a belt; its gearbox sets the feed rates and thread pitches.]
November 27, 2018, by Brett Dvoretz:
Considering that a lathe is one of the most important tools in any workshop, we knew that it was prudent to filter out all the low-quality machines that are known to break, overheat, or bog down when cutting. We also realize that while a 1,000-pound behemoth might be a great addition to a commercial shop, the average weekend hobbyist would find that to be overkill, not to mention it might take up all of their valuable floor space. For this reason, we have included both large and small models to suit a variety of needs.
Special Honors
Sherline Sherline has built small tabletop lathes in California for decades, including the 4000 series, for watch parts, models, jewelry and other fine work. They're tiny next to a bench lathe, but precise. In October 2026 the company stopped taking new orders while it negotiates a sale of its designs and remaining stock to an American manufacturer, so check its site for the latest. sherline.com
Precision Matthews Precision Matthews sells bench and floor lathes direct from Pennsylvania, and its PM-1022V and PM-1030V come up again and again when hobby machinists recommend a first serious lathe. They're heavier and better equipped than most benchtop imports, with variable speed and power cross feed. precisionmatthews.com
Swing, Length And Weight: Reading A Lathe's Size
So a 7x14 swings 7 inches over a 14-inch length, and a 10x26 swings 10 inches over 26.
Lathes are sold by two numbers. The first is the swing, the largest diameter that clears the bed; Travers explains that it's twice the distance from the spindle center to the bed. The second is the distance between centers, the longest piece you can hold between the headstock and tailstock. So a 7x14 swings 7 inches over a 14-inch length, and a 10x26 swings 10 inches over 26.
Real capacity is smaller. Over the cross slide, which is where most cutting happens, a lathe swings far less than its bed number, and a chuck and drill chuck eat several inches of length. Colchester's guide to lathe terms also covers spindle bore, the hole through the headstock that lets long bar stock pass through; on the four picks whose makers list it, it runs from 20 to 25 millimeters.
Weight matters as much as size. Mass is what stops a lathe from flexing and chattering in steel, which is why a 90-pound mini lathe needs light cuts while the Shop Fox M1099, at about 470 pounds shipped, can take heavier ones. In a Hobby-Machinist thread on small lathes, one member who has belonged to several machinists' clubs says he has never heard anyone complain about buying too much lathe, only too little.
Mini Lathe, Bench Lathe Or Combo Machine
Mini lathes (7x12 to 7x16) are cheap and fit on a workbench. They suit pens, model parts, small bushings and learning. Most use plastic change gears and light castings, and a Hobby-Machinist discussion of mini lathes argues that the importer's quality control decides how much fixing a given machine needs before it cuts well.
Bench lathes in the 10x22 to 10x26 range, like the Shop Fox M1099, weigh three to five times as much, include more tooling and come from companies with parts departments. Forum machinists also rate the Precision Matthews PM-1022V highly; a Hobby-Machinist owner thread covers its strengths and quirks. Some newer 8-inch lathes, such as the INTSUPERMAI 8x32 and Techtongda WM210V, use brushless motors, and the INTSUPERMAI sets thread pitches electronically instead of with change gears. Grizzly's 8x16 G0769 still uses a brushed motor.
A combination machine like the Grizzly G0769 puts a drill-mill on the lathe's base. It saves space and money over two machines, but both halves are smaller and lighter than standalone tools, and you can't run them at once. Before buying anything heavy, check the power: most of these run on a standard 120-volt outlet, but some larger import lathes need 220 volts.
Setup And Safety Before The First Cut
Budget a weekend for setup, especially with an import mini lathe. Expect to clean off shipping grease, oil the ways, adjust the gibs that keep the slides snug, and check the chuck for wobble. Owners in a Hobby-Machinist VEVOR 7x14 thread report needing shims and adjustments, though some machines arrive in good shape. You'll also want cutting tools, a dial indicator and calipers, which can add a few hundred dollars.
University shop rules agree on the basics. Cal State Northridge's metal lathe procedure warns that hair, clothing or gloves caught in a spinning chuck can cause entanglement or amputation. The University of Waterloo bans gloves at the lathe, and UNC's lathe hazard analysis lists the same core rules.
Wear safety glasses with side shields. Skip gloves, rings, watches and loose sleeves, and tie back long hair. Take the chuck key out before every start, since a key thrown from a spinning chuck hits hard. Never slow the chuck with your hand, and stop the machine before you measure or adjust anything.
How we researched this
We screened more than 40 metal lathes sold today and studied 14 closely, then read the Shop Fox M1099 owner's manual (September 2020 revision) and spec sheet, Grizzly's G0768/G0769 owner's manual with its data sheet, and WEN's ML712/ML716 instruction manual. VEVOR, INTSUPERMAI and Techtongda publish no manual we could find, so their figures come from VEVOR's product page and seller listings, while Hobby-Machinist owner threads and lathe safety procedures from CSUN, the University of Waterloo and UNC shaped the setup and safety advice. A search of the CPSC recall database in November 2026 found no recall of any of these six lathes or of any metal lathe; the only lathe recall, in 2023, covered Grizzly and Shop Fox wood lathes.
Sources (19)
- Grizzly: Shop Fox M1099 10 x 26 bench metal lathe
- Grizzly: G0769 combination lathe/mill
- Shop Fox M1099 owner's manual, rev. September 2020 (PDF)
- Shop Fox M1099 machine specifications (PDF)
- Grizzly G0768/G0769 owner's manual (PDF)
- WEN ML712/ML716 instruction manual (PDF)
- WEN warranty statement
- VEVOR 7x14 mini metal lathe product page
- Travers: how to measure lathe swing
- Colchester: understanding lathe terminology and specifications
- Hobby-Machinist: How small of a lathe? (page 2)
- Hobby-Machinist: Thoughts on mini-lathes
- Hobby-Machinist: VEVOR 7x14 lathe
- Hobby-Machinist: Precision Matthews PM-1022V owner feedback
- CSUN: SOP metal lathe
- University of Waterloo: metal lathe SOP
- UNC EHS: metal lathe hazard analysis
- U.S. CPSC recalls
- CPSC: Grizzly and Shop Fox wood lathe recall (2023)
Frequently asked questions
What is a metal lathe?
A metal lathe spins a piece of metal while a fixed cutting tool moves along it. It turns shafts to size, faces ends flat, drills and bores holes on center, and, with a leadscrew, cuts threads.
Should a beginner buy a mini lathe or a full-size bench lathe?
A mini lathe is a cheaper way to learn and handles small parts. If you already know you'll work on steel or bigger parts, a heavier bench lathe like the Shop Fox M1099 saves an upgrade later.
Can these lathes cut threads?
Yes. Most use change gears or a gearbox driving a leadscrew. The INTSUPERMAI 8x32 sets the pitch electronically from a panel. Check which pitches each one covers, since some small lathes handle only common inch threads without extra gears.
Do I need 220-volt power?
Not for the Shop Fox, Grizzly or WEN, which their makers specify for 110-volt household power, and the Techtongda's listing also says 110 volts. Check the voltage on the VEVOR and INTSUPERMAI listings. The Shop Fox draws about 13.6 amps, so give it a circuit of its own.
Are cheap import mini lathes worth it?
They can be, if you enjoy tuning. Expect cleanup, gib adjustment and some shimming before they cut well. Buyers who want a machine that works out of the crate should pay more for a brand with parts and support.
What else do I need to buy?
Plan for cutting tools, a dial indicator, calipers, way oil and safety glasses. A sturdy bench matters too, since even small lathes are heavy and big ones weigh several hundred pounds.
