Shop Fox M1049 Review: Read Before You Buy One!

Last Updated on December 21, 2023 by Charles Wilson

Update 2022: The Shop Fox M1049 has been discontinued. I recommend checking out my other article, Best Metal Lathes for an updated review of available lathes. Or click here to continue your research on Amazon.

All lathe lovers know that Shop Fox is considered one of the top brands in the woodturning and metal turning community. But there are varieties out there, of course.

So what should you go for and which one will be the most suitable metal lathe for you? Well, the answer is- It depends on your project, workspace, experience, and finally, the budget.

Today we will review the Shop Fox M1049 that ensures precision metal works with many of the added features in the lathe.

Let’s move on to the main part and talk about some real deals.

Disclaimer: As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases. This means no extra cost to you. I will only promote products that I trusted for years.

Shop Fox M1049 9-Inch by 19-Inch Bench Lathe Review

If you are looking for a lathe that focuses on precision and pretty user-friendliness at the same time, then you might be looking for the M1049 version.

It is compact, and lightweight and the operation is silky smooth.

Design and Construction

The Construction of the lathe is very nicely made with the premium iron cast.

The iron cast is the material that eliminates the vibrations during the operation of the lathe. The bed, base, headstock, and gears are all made out of the iron cast.

The lathe weighs 150kgs, and it stays on a benchtop for operation. Being a benchtop small lathe, it features all the advantages a big lathe has.

Also, the paint job or the finish is done with epoxy, so it stays intact for ages. The machine’s dimension is 22 x 37 x 15.

Powerful Motor

The motors inside the lathe have a horsepower of 3/4. The motor needs a power of 110 volts with a single phase. Shop Fox has ensured to provide the lathe with an ultra-smooth operation.

The gears are well-tuned accordingly, with the ability to have the lowest rpm of 130 and the highest it can go up to 2000 rpm.

Not only does it give forward to feedback, but it can also deliver reverse feedback as well.

Don’t get confused with the low horsepower. It can make you deliver an awesome crafting experience altogether.

Compound Slide

In the Shop Fox M1049, there is a compound slide that can be used for controlling the tools’ position, which cuts the workpiece.

This is designed in such a way as to keep the users’ minds at ease.

The customization level of the lathe is always on point. To make more customization, there are two hex type nuts that control the angle of the cutting tool.

As they are used for cutting, lengths are precisely cut when in a parallel position to the spindle.

Tool Post

Shop Fox M1049 is the master of precision and efficiency. One of the key features of the lathe is the four-way tool post.

When the handle turns anticlockwise, it enables quick indexing of the new tools. You can simultaneously load four of the tools at a time for better efficiency.

It is mounted at the top of the compound slide.

Also, if there is a need for locking the tool into position all you got to do is rotate the handle clockwise precisely.

However, if you are thinking about buying different sets of tool posts, you can check my recommended article.

Handwheel

Few handwheels are present in the lathe for precision tuning of the tools or discarding the tools.

Longitudinal Handwheel:
The longitudinal Handwheel is present in the lathe so that we can move the carriage to the left or right of the M1049 bed.

Not only that, but it also has the function of tweaking the machine while threading and setting angles in the correct position.

The Crossfeed Handwheel:
This is another addition to the Shop Fox M1049. For convenience, the feed handwheel is designed in a way that helps the top slide to move away or to get toward the project that you are doing.

If you turn the handwheel in a clockwise manner, the slide will move towards the working project. And if the handwheel is pushed in an anti-clockwise fashion, the top slide will move away from the project. It’s effortless. Also, there is a dial in the machine, which indicates the movements with super precision.

As we are talking about Shop Fox here, you can check out this article too about Shop Fox M1112.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What is the carriage travel of the lathe?
The Shop Fox M1049 features carriage travel of 16 inches.

Question: Does it have variable speed control? Can you specify the different speeds in detail?
Yes, the lathe has variable six-speed controls. The speeds are 130, 300, 400, 600, 1000, and 2000 RPM.

Question: What is the longitudinal feed range and the thread range?
The longitudinal feed range is 4 at 0.0047 inches to 0.012 inches and the thread range(inch)- 27 at 8-56 TPI.

Question: What is the size of the spindle bore?
The size of the spindle bore is a ¾ inch.

Note That Worth

Very famous supplier Woodstock International established in the year of 1989 are the supplier of Shop fox.

The M1049 model of Shop Fox gives the ability to customize on a whole new level. That means even the handwheels are on point with precision.

Despite having less horsepower on the motor, the metal turning is done without any hassle.

We get to see lathes now having more power in the motors section. Also, keep in mind, the lathe is not capable of doing massive projects but is incredible at small projects and DIYs.

Beginners can adapt to use a lathe with no issues. We hope that you have a clear vision now, and our Shop Fox M1049 review has enlightened you.

Let’s meet in another episode.