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Steve, you don't need a 3/4HP motor, but you do need a reversible motor. My TH42 has a 1/2HP motor from the factory, and it will probably be cheaper to find a 1/2HP & reversible motor. If you have 220 or 240 VAC power, that would be a bit better, and if you can get a VFD & 3phase motor, that will be better still.?

Not saying you can't have one if that's what you want, but the Atlas lathes are not as rigid as heavier lathes, and they can't take as much advantage of the extra power. Those motors are also more expensive.?

The lighter motors will not cause as much wear on your switch, and are less likely to cause severe damage if you crash the lathe. A 3/4HP motor at 120VAC draws about 4.67amps, for about 560watts of power. The same motor on 220VAC draws about 2.5 amps for the same power. A 1/2HP motor draws about 373 watts of power at 120VAC and about 3.1amps, where the same motor at 220VAC draws about 1.7amps.?

And you can do anything on a smaller/more flexible lathe you can on a big stiff lathe except take deep cuts quickly. You're trading smaller size and weight for speed. There are folks with 1HP motors, and folks with 1/4HP & 1/3HP motors, too. If you don't mess up something else, any of them will do for you. But the lower the HP rating, the less the motor will cost, and lighter it will be.?

HTH!

Bill in OKC