Originally Posted by JoshJThePit

the 9x12 lathe is very popular and has a huge yahoo group and such, but it weighs no more than these little 7x machines, I would be scared to swing a 9 inch piece in it actually.

Ravill. Take a piece of stock and face one side till there is no nipple, making sure to start to low and work you way up. if you start too high you will rub it off not cut it off. when you are "on canter" measure to the flats on the slide. now flip the stock around and mark it and cut it to that length. make it as acurate as you can get but you would rather be a couple thouh under sized than over. There now you have a tool height setting block to make tool change and set-up's even quicker.