recommend me a small lathe

[baldy]

Im after a small lathe like a hobbymat md65. Needs to be be under 900mm long to fit into a space. I didnt fancy a siht coronavirus made old piece of tat, but something a bit nicer.\
A milling machine add on would be a bonus.
what would you recommend?

 

[gaz1]

i would have said the hobbymat was just as bad as the chinese lathes

however optima has proven it can be done well with a machine like that

myford ml7 is your next good option

myford ml10 is another option

ml10 occupied 35.75" in length (an ML7 was 42") and around 22" in width

@Richard.

 

[baldy]

Thanks Gaz, theres a reet nice ml10 on ebay which im dribbling over right now.

 

[gaz1]

richards asked and bought ?

https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/feeling-a-little-restricted.63991/

 

[optima21]

I'd go for a hobbymat, but then again I got one new in the early 1990's and its still the one that I use. forget about milling attachments for the hobbymat as the base isn't rigid enough to support its weight, and the bases are cast aluminium. Mine has had a few tweaks over the years to make it more suited to my needs, and if you get a second hand one, get it with all the bits that it came with as quiet often they are missing important parts. I got a hobbymat as a boxford or myford were too big for the space I had available.

a standard the hobbymat can be used for milling in the lathe with the topslide set up on an angle plate, but its a bit difficult to see what you're doing compared to a milling machine.

 

[frank horton]

as optima says....always better to get a seperate mill.....the small ones can be placed under the bench if necc......
better tho to have it bolted down to something solid....
both my mills, Bridgeport and a Myford VMF are on heavy frames so that I can move em about with a pallet truck when needs arise...........

 

[God mode restorations]

I totally recommend something like one these.

 

[Ped]

I totally recommend something like one these.View attachment 210720

I think he meant 900mm long not 900mm swing.

 

[Hopefuldave]

Decent small lathes are Premium Price items, you're competing with the model engineers...
Myfords aren't bad, in another league compared to the Chinese offerings, a bit old-fashioned and a bit flimsy compared to small industrial/precision toolroom lathes.

If I were looking for something small but perfectly formed I'd wait for a little Rivett like a 608 (rare in the UK) or Holbrook B8 or CB8 (rarer than rocking-horse droppings) and add a 3-phase motor and VFD if/when I eventually found one!

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[pressbrake1]

i would have said the hobbymat was just as bad as the chinese lathes

however optima has proven it can be done well with a machine like that

myford ml7 is your next good option

myford ml10 is another option

ml10 occupied 35.75" in length (an ML7 was 42") and around 22" in width

@Richard.

A hobbymat lathe is very accurate
Quite far from being chinesium made in the former east Germany by wmw.
I got one when I was at school and got so used to the accuracy when I started my apprenticeship and got access to ‘real’ lathes I was quite disappointed with them!

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I totally recommend something like one these

Now you're just being silly .

You're obviously feeling better, well, I hope you are?

 

[Hopefuldave]

I totally recommend something like one these.View attachment 210720

To quote Holbrook Senior... "Needs more iron in it"

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[pressbrake1]

To quote Holbrook Senior... "Needs more iron in it"

Dave H. (the other one)

A Holbrook h20 with 48” centres weighs over a ton more than my 108” centres monarch!

 

[Hopefuldave]

A Holbrook h20 with 48” centres weighs over a ton more than my 108” centres monarch!

They are a bit... Overbuilt? How many makers would use high-precision taper roller bearings - in the QCGB? My C13 is two and a quarter tons with the same work envelope as a Colchester Student at 800 kg (16 cwt in real money)...

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[mrsbruce]

This may sound a silly question, but is the 900mm the space available, or the maximum length of the lathe. I ask because I wasn’t sure if you’ve included ‘getting into the gears’ space, and/or removing tailstock space.

 

[God mode restorations]

To quote Holbrook Senior... "Needs more iron in it"

Dave H. (the other one)

This headstock on my monarch has a good amount of overkill mass

 

[Hood]

What about an Emco, the Maximats looked a decent wee lathe when I saw one in the flesh although I have never used one so...

 

[MetalMonkey]

There is a Cromwell on eBlag, has been for a while, no idea on condition and it isn't cheap but it looks fairly well equipped - they are a lovely small lathe.
Not benchtop though, I think mine weighs around 600kg!

 

[Seadog]

Boxford VSL if you can find one in good order with steadies, chucks, etc. 5" model with L00 spindle.

 

[optima21]

I think he meant 900mm long not 900mm swing.

he's just trying to show that he's the king of the swingers