Mini lathe prices?

[Dodgyiti]

I've had so many lathes slip through my fingers! I've wanted one for years,but...but.I'll get one yet.I keep looking at the Boxfords - these are old school lathes,as in High School and the most abuse they got was a 3rd former making plumbobs.But for the same price as a 40 year old Boxford you can get a new Chinese lathe....agh,good old old British machinery,or new Chinese cheap shit.

One place I worked we had an old Glochester lathe and drill - the drill was freaking huge,and as well as a stepped gear train it had a Bedford truck gearbox! Then you had reverse,and even more ratios.I could make my own manifolds - it could drill a 1 1/4in hole in 1/4in plate like pushing a CB750 over off it's sidestand....

The biggest problem with the Boxfords is as you said Mr Motu, almost all of the single phase ones are Ex-NZ Education, meaning every one has suffered abuse.
The mini Chinese lathes are in my view- crap.
The best bet is an older hobby lathe, Myford make a good one as do Hercus
Stay away from Trademe as they go for very inflated prices, I looked all last year and ended up going to McDonald Machinery - www.machinery.co.nz and got a nice Hercus 260 with a fair amount of extras for $1200 they have others and deliver too.

[Motu]

I served my time on the site where McDonald Machinery now sits,I often go in for a look around,it feels kinda strange to be there and rember how it used to be - a different building of course.Their old premises was on the site of my foremans old workshop - Fodens.

[Dodgyiti]

I served my time on the site where McDonald Machinery now sits,I often go in for a look around,it feels kinda strange to be there and rember how it used to be - a different building of course.Their old premises was on the site of my foremans old workshop - Fodens.

You really have been around Mr Motu. It is a not too bad place for second hand stuff eh?
But the cheapie Chinese stuff is creeping in now...

I had to resist saying 'I served my time at Mt Eden, guess that was built afterwards'
But declined due to the following reasons;
1, We live in the same city
2, You drive a big f**k off 4WD
3, There are only 6 Moto-Guzzi Griso's in this town and you are a man who plays the odds

[geoffm]

The mini lathes are crap. Even the Chinese can't build a lathe that retails so cheaply and is any good. Stepping up in size makes a big difference in rigidity and accuracy and features.
It depends on your budget, but I have a Colchester Chipmaster () which would be the sort of thing you want. There is not much I haven't been able to do on it and it doesn't take much space. A Taiwanese 13"*40" gearhead lather would be a good alternative, and sell new for the same price as a thrashed Harrison or Boxford
IMO, Myfords are grossly overpriced for what you get, and so are most Bosxfords.
Tooling is an additional cost - buying second hand you might be able to get some tool holders, chucks, centres, etc, which are normally extra.
Geoff
PS, you will be wanting a milling machine after that ;-)

[Dodgyiti]

PS, you will be wanting a milling machine after that ;-)

I hear you!
That is the risky part of it. I got my lathe home, set it up and went in the house, got on the computer and...started looking for a mill

[imdying]

It's also worth noting what you plan on doing with it... a cheap Chinese (God bless them) will make mounting points for subframes out of alloy bar almost as well as a more expensive lathe. You could probably even turn up lightweight brake caliper pistons and the like without too much trouble.

As the thread somewhat illustrates, there's always a good market for lathes in New Zealand, we're traditionally 'that sort of people'. Once you out grow your cheap Chinese lathe, it should be a relatively trivial task to sell it and upgrade.

[degrom]

It's also worth noting what you plan on doing with it... a cheap Chinese (God bless them) will make mounting points for subframes out of alloy bar almost as well as a more expensive lathe. You could probably even turn up lightweight brake caliper pistons and the like without too much trouble.

As the thread somewhat illustrates, there's always a good market for lathes in New Zealand, we're traditionally 'that sort of people'. Once you out grow your cheap Chinese lathe, it should be a relatively trivial task to sell it and upgrade.

There are three options for me at the moment if I go new.

Cheapest : http://www.topmaq.co.nz/product_detail.aspx?id=MELA1200
Cheaper in the long run : http://www.topmaq.co.nz/product_detail.aspx?id=MELA1300

Best machine for buck : http://www.topmaq.co.nz/product_detail.aspx?id=MEMD1100


The last one sounds good. But it might have it's limitations. (Other thing,have you seen mill prices!!!!)

What do you think?

[Pixie]

Old piece of crap-
But I got it for $150 in '85
Bought it off an old guy who used to make knitting needles on it and it was caked in linseed oil

[Kflasher]

"Get the lathe with the biggest spindle bore and swing you can afford (and it will still be to small at some stage)"

This is true I have a German 2 foot between centers and a 1 inch bore in the spindle I have found the limitations, the bouns is the tailstock slides off to alow me to attach the end mill. I would consider attachments with your purchase...oh year metric and imperial is also handy.

[bungbung]

What about a small emco? there are some pretty well featured models appearing here and there. You can buy taiwanese emco clones too, but the whole point is the build quality.

[TLDV8]

Please don't post pictures like that on here TLDV8. That's how things like mini mills and lathes end up in my garage

Being a supporter of "crap" Chinese lathes,it is my duty to post pic's

I love those conversation's that go something like this.

Chinese lathes are crap !!

That's cool,so you had one ?

No.

Ohhh,you used one and it was not very good then.

No

How do you know they are crap ?

Well,its Chinese so it must be crap.


Of course don't leave out 1985 crap Taiwanese Mill/Drills, you could never make anything on one of those POS.
In a lot of cases as far as home use,the limiting factor is not the machine but the person standing in front of it.

I have no formal training as far as machining but i did not let that stop me.
I simply went out and bought some machines one day and had a lash,over a period of time (practise) some of the luck was replaced with a little skill.

A Chinese lathe and Taiwanese Mill/Drill will do me.
Not mention when you are first starting out, like a super expensive lathe means a lightning bolt of knowledge will hit you.
It is all a learning curve and it starts at the bottom regardless of the tool. ?

[SixPackBack]

Only a few years ago anything coming out of Tiawan was considered rubbish, not anymore they manufacture some fine machine tools now and are fast catching up on both South Korean and Japanese quality and functionality.

As far as Chinese machine tools are concerned; they can and do manufacture to a very high level, but quality is spotty even from machine-machine in the same factory. It is possible to purchase an excellent machine but generally unless you are an expert with many years Engineering behind you it can be difficult to judge.

Generally if you are looking to purchase a small home/hobby lathe the following will be of some help in choosing.

• Hardened bedways
• More weight=more rigidity [generally]
• Case hardened headstock gears
• Compare models and look for 'sturdiness'
• Oiling system
• Ball bearing [not plain bearings] carrying the lead screws
• Cooling fluid
• wide range of screw pitches available
• Compare output [bigger is better]
• 3-4 and face plate attachments
• If buying from a dealer get them to throw in carbide tooling, live/dead center, chuck and some drills.
• Traveling and stationary stead

To many things to list

If you are considering purchase and need some advice let me know. I am a toolmaker with nearly 30 years Engineering experience currently running a research workshop.

Below is a little job I recently completed.

[Pixie]

Being a supporter of "crap" Chinese lathes,it is my duty to post pic's

I agree.
A machinist friend of mine,with 50 years experience says the chinese products are very good value for money and by no means rubbish in quality.

[jonbuoy]

Degrom - did you ever buy a mini lathe? I'm tempted by one of these - I can only think of about $400's worth of stuff to make on it though...


http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-fa...202430.htm?p=3

[nudemetalz]

Degrom - did you ever buy a mini lathe? I'm tempted by one of these - I can only think of about $400's worth of stuff to make on it though...


http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-fa...202430.htm?p=3

Oh man !!!! I think Nudemetalz Limited should invest in one of these.
I can think of far more than $400 worth of stuff to make !!!

I know Bert would love that one.