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Is it possible to purchase a good metal lathe for between £300 and £400?

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bogstandard:
P,


--- Quote ---To be completely honest I know nothing about lathes
--- End quote ---

Every person on here has been in your situation, so you are not alone. You are not born with the knowledge, so you must learn it on your journey to wherever you want to go.


--- Quote ---I have asked similar questions on other forums; however, I usually end up with snide remarks.
--- End quote ---

I think you are in safe hands here, no hi fliers or holier than thou types with machine fetishes. Just a great bunch of chaps dedicated to helping each other out, with down to earth, common sense help.

Even your most simple and naive questions will be treated with respect. So just enjoy it and join in when you feel like it.

Also a little humour is compulsory at times


John

reel jon:
my personal experience means i would answer yes to your question, learning the basics of the machinists craft is what is required to get the best from the machine.

jemglen:
Underlining what other, more experienced machinists have already suggested, my 7x12 lathe came from Hugh at Amadeal (www.amadeal.co.uk) priced around £270 IIRC two years ago and I'm very happy with it. Though I've yet to make anything more substantial than studs for my BSA Winged Wheel, thumbscrews for the Myford and so on, it's inaccuracies seem on a par with (ie no worse than  ::)) other, more expensive 7x12 Chinese lathes (from Chester, Warco, Machine Mart and so on).

One thing I've noticed: second hand, these lathes fetch almost as much on Ebay as they do new.  :bugeye:

One other thing I've noticed: there are two distinct styles of cross slide, one is rectangular and the other H-shaped (the lathes sourced from Sieg and allied works). Each, presumably, has its merits but only the H-shaped cross slide will take the popular vertical slide as sold by Chester (Small Type 1 www.chesteruk.net/store/vertical_slides.htm) if you're planning on using the machine for milling.

An alternative, though, is the Warco vertical slide (www.warco.co.uk/Vertical-Slide-C53AACDF7A.aspx) which doesn't look as substantial but is a simple replacement for the topslide.

David: your engine is truly lovely  :clap:

Jerry

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