avoid; ebay "Mini Quick Change Tool Post Blade Holder Kit Set"

[MattF]

In my experience no. They are arrogant and think their instructions are perfect.. They dont like paying out money for things they think they can do them selves..

They do a damn sight better job of writing instructions in English than most of us could do in reverse.

 

[I'm getting on a bit]

To all our Chinese friends

你讓垃圾

 

[ukracer]

They do a damn sight better job of writing instructions in English than most of us could do in reverse.

That's not the point.....I was not in China selling to Chinese people.

 

[addjunkie]

Where mr skhol is thislong awaited video.......looks a tad small from what i remember of your lathe......you are tightening it up arnt you.....one the tool is in place?

 

[Member 66061]

I have a clarke cl250m (i was given it) and have been thinking about buying one of these for it for a while now.
I know these lathes are crap but i have found it very useful.

 

[addjunkie]

I have a clarke cl250m (i was given it) and have been thinking about buying one of these for it for a while now.
I know these lathes are crap but i have found it very useful.

May be said to be crap, by some, but some swear by them...all relative

 

[Neckieman]

I have something that looks very similar to this on my lathe, although I got mine from the states so it may not be exactly the same make In fact it is entirely possible this is the chinese copy of the US original.
Mine works brilliantly, although mine is fitted to a watchmakers lathe and this is really what it is intended for............

 

[ukracer]

May be said to be crap, by some, but some swear by them...all relative

I guess that if you have never used a lathe a cheap Chinese one will not have to live up to expectations. I purchased one for my unit so I could use it on the mezzanine floor.

I tried a few pieces of metal to turn and as they all would not turn well I blamed the tool.

I tried a not her tipped tool and that wax crap too.

I then went back to my garage and stuck the same metal in fitted the first tool and my Raglan 5 inch handled it with ease. I knew the Chinese machine was not brilliant but expected it to be as good as a myford.
Sadly it was no where near.

I then sold it and got a colchester master 2500........obviously chalk and cheese but testing the Raglan recently while taking pics etc I ws amazed how good it turned.
What it did show me was how bad the chuck is on my colchester master 2500.

This is why I bit the bullet and purchased an hydraulic collet chuck.

It's not until you test like for like and/ side by side you realise what is good and bad.

 

[Member 66061]

Are you comparing a lathe that could be carried in a suitcase against two lathes the size of an upright piano?

 

[ukracer]

Are you comparing a lathe that could be carried in a suitcase against two lathes the size of an upright piano?

Yes.....but my point was I found the Chinese lathe vertu ally useless as I had been spoilt by my raglan 5 inch lathe for years. The Chinese one was the same size but crap in comparison.

Obviously the colchester is infinitely better BUT not with a ****e bell ended chuck.

I was running up my 5 inch to check it before selling it and it reminded me how good it was and that it was significantly better than a myford considering it's a reasonably similar size...

So I shelled out for a new collet chuck on that basis. I had toyed with keeping the Raglan but for what I do with it I need the bore size...

 

[MattF]

Yes.....but my point was I found the Chinese lathe vertu ally useless as I had been spoilt by my raglan 5 inch lathe for years. The Chinese one was the same size but crap in comparison.

They're in a totally different league from the outset though. It's like comparing a 16oz claw hammer to a sledge hammer at breaking up concrete slabs. Price, intended audience etc.; All dictate to what level a machine will be designed and built. End of the day, even a lathe which isn't great can do some fine work. It's simply that a more rugged, heavier lathe will make the same work easier. Most drawbacks with lathes are more due to either the operators abilities else flawed expectations of what a machine is capable of. Perseverance, patience and adaptation to what's available can make any but the most knacked of machines usable.

 

[Maker]

Look up "Clickspring" on YT, he's got a tiny, Chinese looking lathe yet he produces absolutely stunning work.

 

[Shox Dr]

Most drawbacks with lathes are more due to either the operators abilities else flawed expectations of what a machine is capable of. Perseverance, patience and adaptation to what's available can make any but the most knacked of machines usable.

That statement needs making a sticky.

 

[ukracer]

They're in a totally different league from the outset though. It's like comparing a 16oz claw hammer to a sledge hammer at breaking up concrete slabs. .

To be honest that's not really the case. The size of my raglan 5 inch is very close to the Chinese one I purchased.
I knew what to expect but it did not come anywhere near.........

I accept a master 2500 and Chinese bench top are like chalk and cheese though.

 

[MattF]

That statement needs making a sticky.

You're making me blush.

 

[skotl]

OK - went out and had another shot at it tonight and, who knew... all of the dire warnings regarding operator lack-of-competence turned out to be spot-on

It's a lot more solid now that I've tightened it up properly, plus it seems that the toolpost mounting bolt is loose, which can't have helped

I still have mixed feelings - I doubt how useful it will be to me so may stick with the original toolpost till I can afford a bigger QTP. Comments welcome and, of course, I know my turning technique is barely even amateurish at the moment - all to be learned!

 

[Kram]

Thats a lot of overhang and is going to be very annoying when you are working near chuck. I would be using the standard (which is bigger than your chuck?!), move the mounting bolt closer... or even cut the dovetail sections off and bolt/pin it on the back of the standard tool post You'd need another way to lock the piston... and access to a mill if you want both dovetails.

Im tempted by the 250 size qctp's on ebay, but they are not cheap and the 250-100 takes smaller tools than mine, 200 costs more... Then I'd like to buy some carbides. and need holders. If I make holders to fit a normal toolpost, I wont need to shim them..? so thats my plan.

 

[skotl]

Thats a lot of overhang and is going to be very annoying when you are working near chuck. I would be using the standard (which is bigger than your chuck?!), move the mounting bolt closer... or even cut the dovetail sections off and bolt/pin it on the back of the standard tool post You'd need another way to lock the piston... and access to a mill if you want both dovetails.

Im tempted by the 250 size qctp's on ebay, but they are not cheap and the 250-100 takes smaller tools than mine, 200 costs more... Then I'd like to buy some carbides. and need holders. If I make holders to fit a normal toolpost, I wont need to shim them..? so thats my plan.

Well, that pretty much confirms my thoughts - probably not worth farting around much more with the £33 one.
Thanks for that

 

[I'm getting on a bit]

Well, that pretty much confirms my thoughts - probably not worth farting around much more with the £33 one.
Thanks for that

Don't shoot the messenger

 

[skotl]

...I would be using the standard (which is bigger than your chuck?!)...

Just on this point, it's not really - that's just the perspective of the camera The chuck is probably ~5 times the cross-sectional size of the tool holder.