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Metalworking lathe recommendations?

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Fergus OMore:
I've just spoken to another modeller with TWO almost new Myford Super7B's but the going rate is £3000+ whereas a new Sieg 4 is £1.6K and you add the bits new to make it do something- but mine arrived at £350 and I bought chucks and steadies to get somewhere with perhaps a £600 or £700 all told.
 A decent- well my Myford ML10 with chucks etc, fancy dials etc might bring £5 or 6 hundred.

Of course, you have to buy or make tooling and tools but you would get a lot for a grand all up.

OK both lathes are relatively unworn and you don't want to get a 'basket case' which might turn bananas and little else.

If you follow current articles there are tales of woe about Myfords with 8thous slack in the cross slide and you have to ask the question of whether you can accept or correct to get more peace of mind.

Others may offer different advice but the question of why people are getting rid of things must remain  uppermost in your mind.

I hope that this helps a bit

Norm

awemawson:
Here is a copy of my reply to a similar request on another forum:

A big lathe will make small parts, a small lathe will only make small parts !

Check spindle bore - a big hole 'up the spout' is essential for long shafts and such, this is a BIG failing of Myfords.

A screw cutting gear box personally I'd consider essential.

A full set of tooling will cost almost as much as the machine so if a used machine comes well tooled it's a huge bonus when starting off.

A three jaw chuck, a four jaw chuck, and a tailstock chuck are pretty much essential. Fixed and moving steadies a bonus. Taper turning attachments a luxury. Ainjest threading attachments very nice but imply it's been used in production so beware of wear.

Don't choose something 'oddball' that you can't get accessories for - it's a bit like choosing a car - Ford bits are everywhere and cheap(ish) whereas Porche may be nicer but not so easy to find or afford bits.

In my view you can't go too wrong with a Colchester Student 1800 or Master 2500 if in decent condition. The older Student and Master 1000's and 1200's are good solid machines as well but again you need to assess their state of wear.

Nice as it may be to have a Dean Smith and Grace or similar tool room lathe, accessories cost a fortune and are as rare as hens teeth.

John Rudd:
I mentioned earlier about your budget, as others have mentioned different machines all varying in size....

But how much room do you have?.....you could probably shoehorm an ML7 into an 8 x 6 shed but summat like a Colchester might need a bit more support.....

I have 3 lathes, a mini lathe, a Chester 9 x 20 and something that resembles the Warco wm290 that is approaching 300 kg....

hopefuldave:
I couldn't see a location, so I'll give an English perspective...

My first was very cheap (£70), a 1940s Challenger (http://www.lathes.co.uk/challenger/) as I wanted something a bit bigger than a minilathe (my interest is "full scale", motorbikes) - it was a piece of junk, but it did teach me what I wanted and all the tooling that came with it (but didn't fit...) turned out to fit my next, which I still have and won't be parting with, a Holbrook C13 (http://www.lathes.co.uk/holbrook/page7.html) which has all the features I could want, apart from the dog-clutch leadscrew reverse its bigger brothers have.

It' not a lot bigger than e.g. a Colchester Student, but weighs three or four times as much, and is in a whole other league. It cost me less than a secondhand minilathe, but needed some work getting it fitted with a VFD and modern (read safe, not exposed high-voltage parts) electrics. And hiring a plant trailer and 4x4 to move it home (scaffold pole rollers to load and unload)!

As has been said, oddballs are hard to find parts for - I've spent several years looking for genuine steadies, for instance, and gave up and have the CAD drawings awaiting Circular Tuits, some of the flanged roller bearings are "unobtainium" (but can be safely replaced by affordable commodity bearings in "top hat" carriers). Worth it though!

Older industrial / toolroom lathes, as long as they aren't already worn out, are a joy to use, have a lot more features to make using them easier and quicker, if you can accommodate them? Don't be scared off by 3-phase motors, a rotary converter's fairly simple to build or a ready-made VFD can be bought for less than a meal for 2 with drinks and a cab home, will give you variable speed, rapid stops, all sorts of useful features from a domestic socket (unless you go a bit over the top...)

Dave H. (the other one)

Starhead:
Thanks folks, very useful to hear your experiences, would be glad to hear any more. I am going to spend quite a while looking, and hopefully save up a bit more in the meantime.

I've just been eyeing up a new 10x30" model from Amadeal which looks like a peach, well above my current budget :
https://www.amadeal.co.uk/acatalog/AMA250AVF-550-Lathe-10x22-Variable-Speed-with-2-axis-DRO-AMA250AVF_550DROWE.html

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