Feeling a little restricted.

[Richard.]

Well I've had a tot up and decided it might be a good idea to look into a lathe.
I've done a number of jobs this year where I've needed to have pins made, tubes bored, threads cut and I've passed on quite a few little jobs to a college of mine in order to provide certain finished products. So this is a recommendation please thread.
Now before you chuck away can I ask this doesn't turn into a myford vs Harrison war because that doesn't help me knowing very little about them.
I'm also not equipped to take on a 1/2 ton unit either it's just not needed.
I don't understand all the lathe lingo like I do with welding so keep it simple for me.
I'm not interested in been a full time turner taking heavy cuts or cutting hard big lumps.
I've allowed £1000 for this
I want as much as needed so not to feel restricted if pos.
400-600 between centres is gonna cover my needs easily.
What do you experts think.
Also if anyone local is interested in earning some squids after the purchase in helping me get going that's on the cards too. Cheers

 

[MattF]

What's the maximum diameter you're planning on turning? If you're after 2' or so between centres, it's going to have to be a fair size lathe if you want any rigidity in it. The bench top and similar sizes will only give you around 12" or thereabouts, so the smaller, lighter units are out of the equation before you start. Plus, as Wendel' mentioned regarding spindle bore, they won't be large bore on the smaller units, so they'll cripple you in that regard too.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Definitely go for something with a gearbox if you can, it saves faffing about with change wheels etc.
A screw cutting gearbox is essential in my belief and also a powered cross slide is useful, as is a big headstock diameter so shafts can be held near the end rather than between centres.

 

[Richard.]

What's the maximum diameter you're planning on turning? If you're after 2' or so between centres, it's going to have to be a fair size lathe if you want any rigidity in it. The bench top and similar sizes will only give you around 12" or thereabouts, so the smaller, lighter units are out of the equation before you start.

50 MM say should cover all my needs I've only been having small parts made
I'm not up for buying a new one as I want best bang for buck. I know it will be a fair size I just don't want a monster.

 

[MattF]

No idea what models of the Boxford's, Colchester's, Harrison's etc. have between centres, (there are others far more familiar with those makes), but something along those lines may be your best bet. Myford, you'll end up paying through the nose for unless you're extremely lucky, and the likes of the ML7 has a maximum of about 20" between centres, if I recall correctly, so that would be a tad too small anyhows. Diameter wise, pretty much anything will cover that requirement, but it's always the length which tends to kill a job. You're best off going overkill for your requirements if possible, because you will eventually come across the odd job where you need or appreciate that extra capacity you have available. IMHO, overall condition, abilities/spec's and robustness are far more important than brand when it's going to be a worker, so one of those three I mentioned above will likely be where you're headed. I'll leave the specific suggestions to the chaps who are familiar with them though.

 

[Richard.]

Thanks Matt. I did look at ml7's and super 7s and 20inch would cover me nicely. I doubt I'd use that much tbh.
Problem is they do fetch a lot of brass and a grand would be absorbed in it quickly with all the extras, chucks tooling etc.
I'd rather not have a stand with it as I'm going to build my own.

 

[Kent]

Lathes are quite similar to welding plant. A good big Un beats a good Lil one! Go for as big as you can fit and power, in the best condition ( it's not urgent right?) - but most importantly check out what comes with it
A steady, 4 jaw, revolving centres etc etc etc and say tooling / tool steel. With a sh lathe they dont cost much separate they can be hard to find and expensive

Oh just check it all over for cracks and excessive play
I suppose that goes without saying but it's best said anyway

 

[ronan]

You say you don't want a 1/2 ton machine, but even a relatively small lathe like my colchester master short bed, weighs 800 kg. As Kent says get one as big as you can, because its easy to outgrow a small hobby machine like a myford. Also the smaller hobby machines cost more as there are thousands of model makers who don't have the need for larger lathes, but snap up the smaller ones, driving up the prices.

 

[Rudi McAnichal]

..... pins made, tubes bored, threads cut .....

Headstock diameter would be top priority for me. Boring tubes is a horrible job if they are too large to pass through.

Would there be any large diameter, short length jobs (eg boring pulleys/sprockets) that might require a gap-bed lathe ?

I have never personally experienced a screw cutting gearbox failure, but I do wonder whether this could be a risk at the low price end of the market, or with any uncommon model of lathe. Change wheels are fiddly to use, but perhaps easier/cheaper to fix if they anything goes wrong?

 

[Richard.]

Wow thanks guys.
Kent. It's not urgent I'll be researching a while.
I cannot have a huge machine I simply couldn't store it so it will be ml7 sized but open to all suggestions. Could maybe go a tad bigger.
Regarding screw cutting gears, face plates, 4 jaws, virtical slides etc etc that's what you guys are needed for. You tell me what I need and I'll probably buy it. I can't see me out growing it in a hurry its for simple small cutting and threading jobs. Like I say I don't need and cannot accommodate a big one.
I'm not going to using it much. No where near as much as the welder, saw, sheet folder etc. It's just a tool for when a bit of machining is involved in some fabrication jobs.

 

[WorkshopChris]

For the sort of jobs you have in mind will you need to cut big or no standard threads with the lathe. Or would you be able to turn to size and use a die in the tail stock?

 

[Kent]

Richard, I did 18 months in the machine shop. I could say I have space but frankly fabrication stuff is more the priority taker

When I build my bigger shop I will have a good mill and lathe of size. Before that I have a favour for favour deal with a machine shop and free use of thier stuff if it ain't busy. Far better if you got this set up - especially as your all set up for ali and stainless machining error fixes

 

[Richard.]

I think I'm struggling to get the point over.
A big lathe simply won't fit.
Physically won't fit .
If your telling me I can't turn Alu,steel, brass and copper down on a smaller machine then there is no point in me buying one.
Telling me to use or get a big lathe doesn't help me as I made clear in the 1st post.
Are the smaller machines no good for my needs.

 

[roofman]

A harrison all day long Richard and a nice one easy got for a bag of sand...money in the bank as you will always be gauranteed to sell it at the purchase price iff its looked after too.

 

[Richard.]

A harrison all day long Richard and a nice one easy got for a bag of sand...money in the bank as you will always be gauranteed to sell it at the purchase price iff its looked after too.

Thanks roof man. Can you reccommend a model that fits in my size bracket please mate.

 

[Tom Orrow L]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331841346249
Richard, I don't know if that's any use to you or will do what you need it to but I've been considering it for myself as it is literally 2 minutes down the road from me, I know the guy selling it as he is one of our on call service engineers.

Got 340mm between centres, no play, power feed and looks in okay Nick. Worth a gander?

 

[Richard.]

Not for me tom.
I'm looking for something bigger than that. And I'll be aiming to spend most of the budget to get all the required extras with it.

 

[roofman]

Thanks roof man. Can you reccommend a model that fits in my size bracket please mate.

Ime sure others will imput mate but i have the 11",this comes in many dresses like the L5 and others as per doubleboosts lathe but there all the same diamensions more or less. few pics of mine which iirc i paid £470 off a seller from ebay. When you do buy its very important that the machine comes with steadys,couple of chucks and other bits that normaly follow a machine through its life and owners as they can work out expensive to buy later.

 

[Barlidge]

PM Sent

 

[ford34/2]

I`m a converted Harrison man as well, same lathe as John Mills-DOUBLEBOOST with the metric Norton 36 speed gearbox, Or should I realy say Johns is the same as mine as I had mine first, E Bay has many on at the moment, if at all possible get one with the gearbox, and the odd few changewheels, steadies, faceplates, catch plate, reducing bush, 4 jaw chuck and you will be well on your way as if you need them later they all cost money and take time to find. Tooling can burn a hole in your pocket so try and get a few bits with a lathe. Majority of Harrison will be 415V 3 Phase so its a motor swap or a converter/inverter, they are not megga cheap and all add cost to you investment.
Heres a beauty, price is very tops for Harrisons but it does look canny
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Harrison-...626470?hash=item1eb02afe26:g:fasAAOSwQNRXLGf7

Stan