Advice on buying a lathe

[Bobupndown]

I hate this forum! I've coped all my life since I last used a lathe at tech in 1992 without ever needing or wanting one of my own. Now reading the posts on here I'm thinking I could actually need one

 

[RobCox]

This lathe is not going to go for a cheap price.

Agreed. Several bidders interested.

 

[Arc Tourist]

When purchased, my lathe came with just the basics, 3 & 4 jaw chucks, steady & follower rests. It took me several years to acquire a complete set of tooling, which when added up, cost more than the lathe. Sometimes I wish I'd brought the lathe I had overseas, but the Boxford is a nice machine that fits my retirement hobby needs nicely.

 

[Munkul]

I have one piece of advice for you.

No matter what lathe you buy, you will always have one or two people telling you how they got their mint condition lathe for tuppence-hapenny.

Don't listen to them, they will drag you down! Just buy the best one you can find for your budget and look long and hard first.

 

[Mike Pinches]

I would say to think carefully about whether you want a bit of a project or want to get on with using the lathe. I bought a lathe for £100 which seemed like a bargain. Since getting it I have ended up having to completely strip the lathe down, try and find replacements for castings that were cracked (the lathe is 101 years old), have a very worn leadscrew that I need to figure out what to do with, build a new countershaft as when I got it it was running directly off the motor. The upshot of all this is that I have owned the lathe for 3 years and not made a single part on it, and have spent as much on replacement parts as a better condition lathe would have cost to start with. If you want to get on with using the lathe I would recommend spending more and getting something in good condition straight off.

 

[Hopefuldave]

I expect my lathe (neither a boxford nor a fymord) will turn out to have been cheaper than this lathe will finish at.

Ditto, even after adding the VFD and bits, replacing a few bearings, filler and paint - and new it would have been about the same price as a decent house...

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[Arc Tourist]

Lathe Boxford AUD Imp single phase with tooling

Lathe Boxford AUD Imp single phase with tooling. | eBay

Very good clean lathe with tooling and accessories, single phase. and hardly any play on slides, all in all a very good aud. As requested by a couple of viewers, I can palletise it, strap and shrink wrap it for a small extra if need be.

www.ebay.co.uk

Noticed today there are over 200 people watching this auction. Just a few hours left.
I'm guessing it will go for around £1200.oo > £1400.oo ?

 

[Arc Tourist]

£1300,oo anyone here get it ?

 

[Onoff]

I drove from Sevenoaks to Pontefract one day to get mine.



Mind you I've been married nearly 30 years.

Still haven't set the lathe up yet, that's a whole other excuse to escape for a bit.

 

[7oaks]

Noticed today there are over 200 people watching this auction. Just a few hours left.
I'm guessing it will go for around £1200.oo > £1400.oo ?

good guess, was interested at £400!

 

[Arc Tourist]

@7oaks Heads Up: > a Model C Boxford lathe just came up for sale on this forum. A good basic lathe, but doesn't appear to be set up to do threading.

Edited.

 

[northwest]

That went for serious money, worth half what it sold for.

 

[addjunkie]

That went for serious money, worth half what it sold for.

Things are only worth what someone will pay! Dear I agree, but its a sensible size, single phase, with all the widgets. Unlike many of the projects forsale is a usable package.

 

[Keith 66]

Im not so sure "it was worth half what it sold for", Boxfords were very often ex school machines so would have had relatively light use, and regular maintenance, true they might have ham fisted operators crashing saddles into chucks but that happens in factories too.
People pay that money for myfords & i know which i would rather have!

 

[Onoff]

Think I paid £200 for my old Grayson 3.5" lathe. The seller knocked off I think £20 when he heard I'd driven from Sevenoaks. There's lateral play in mine which I think might be to do with the white metal bearings. Won't know until I set it up. I knew that mind before parting with the cash. I see it as a project.

It was a nice road trip tbh. I learnt a few things too. That there are Costa drive thrus, that some Northerners are real people and that Pontefract isn't in Wales.....