Lathes - what would you buy

[Ian]

I went through this about 2 years ago. I wanted a lathe and mill for building model steam engines (and the odd part for the Westfield).

In the end I bought a Chester model B (combined lathe and mill), second hand from a chap on here. I would have been equally happy with the similar Warco, Clarke etc. The Chester is similar to the Warco / Machine mart combined tools, but with a massively higher centre height. Should you need to, it will (I believe) spin an alloy wheel.

So far, it's been fine and done everything I want to (although I'm only a beginner). I hear everywhere that the Myfords are much better machines, but they are an awful lot more cash. They can also be very old, and unless you're capable of assessing wear on the bearings, slides etc potentially a massive money pit.

By the way - you do want a mill! Mine gets used about half as much as the lathe. Some of these operations could be done on the lathe, but it's much easier on the mill.

Ian

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

I went through this about 2 years ago. I wanted a lathe and mill for building model steam engines (and the odd part for the Westfield).

In the end I bought a Chester model B (combined lathe and mill), second hand from a chap on here. I would have been equally happy with the similar Warco, Clarke etc. The Chester is similar to the Warco / Machine mart combined tools, but with a massively higher centre height. Should you need to, it will (I believe) spin an alloy wheel.

So far, it's been fine and done everything I want to (although I'm only a beginner). I hear everywhere that the Myfords are much better machines, but they are an awful lot more cash. They can also be very old, and unless you're capable of assessing wear on the bearings, slides etc potentially a massive money pit.

By the way - you do want a mill! Mine gets used about half as much as the lathe. Some of these operations could be done on the lathe, but it's much easier on the mill.

Ian

with you on that one - do I potentially ride around the country looking for a good myford (when I dont really know what is a good un) or get a new lathe that probably wont produce the end results in the same way a good condition myford will

mmm - in no rush to buy so will delve a bit deeper and keep my eye out for what comes up on ebay

thanks for all your comments  

[B5234FT]

Another BIG issue to bear in mind is the cost of tooling. With my £500 lathe I got large and small 3 and 4 jaw chucks, a large faceplate, two big boxes of conventional tools, 8 3/4 square indexible holders....

Easily another 5-700 if Id bought it all separately, more if new in a decent size.

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

I must admit the thought of spending too much more than 6-700 quid for sumtin that wont get much use is concerning

like you say it's all the additional stuff that mounts up - not sure what the Clarke/Sealey type ones come with

will have a look in machine mart next time I visit

[KerryS]

I have to amend my post about these lathes all being made by Sieg in China, they only make the small hobby lathes. As Normal says the bigger ones come from other Chinese makers.

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

well watching and bidding on a couple of myford ML7's over the last few days I see that they are going for 600- 800 quid depending upon condition and accesories

any of you local lads got a myford that I can come and check out so I know what to look for when buying one?

[Blatman]

www.lathes.co.uk will have what you need to know...

www.lathes.co.uk/myford/index.html

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

www.lathes.co.uk will have what you need to know...

www.lathes.co.uk/myford/index.html

funnily enough I was having a route around in there earlier before I put some bids in  

[Norman Verona]

Kerry, I've been called lots of things but never Normal  

[KerryS]

Oops ...sorry. Was my Dad's name too

[Nomexnomad]

My Dad used to have a Boxford Lathe until recently and he used it all the time, a fantastic lathe and just sold it for £600 with Chucks etc...in favour of a Colchester which he tells me is nicer. Boxford was belt drive, Colchester is gear drive, which is something else you may want to consider..

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

thanks for the PM Stu

Seen quite a few Boxford and Colchester lathes on ebay - they seem to be bigger and the next step up

[KerryS]

My Dad - who was called Norman    was a metalwork teacher and he said that Boxfords were better than Myfords but he's been dead for 40 years so what would he know  

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

went to have a look at a Clarke one today at machine mart - looked ok but seemed to be more play than I would have expected

seemed like a great size though as where a myford is gonna be a squeeze in the garage unless the missus dont mind me using it on the kitchen table  

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

this is my new purchase - yet to see it - have no idea of the condition but hope being in one persons hands for twenty years it wont have had too much use

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws....EWAX:IT

got it for 465 quid inc stand and some tools which is not bad - just hope there's not too much wear on it

from looking at what they sell for over the last few months it does not look as though you could loose money on one unless you got a real dog