Gear head or belt driven lathe?

[CEJM]

Currently, I am in the market for a lathe and a mill. It should run on single phase as I have no sensible option of getting 3 phase into my garage.

The last time I used a mill or a lathe is just shy of 30 years ago. So quite a steep learning curve ahead. With this in mind, I am reluctant to go the second hand route as I just don’t have the knowledge to judge if I am buying a good machine or a lemon.

Hence, why I have been looking at new chinese machines.

Contenders are;

Warco D320 vario/geared lathe.

D320 Vario/Geared Lathe (with stand and DRO)

10% off when you pre-order today!Vario Geared hobby lathe Stand & DRO included! Powerful 1.5kw motor Includes FREE Accessories Tested for Accuracy - Report Supplied Excellent Spare-Parts Availability 12-Month Warranty Fast & FREE DELIVERY to UK mainland BUY NOW PAY LATER with PayPal (subject to...

www.warco.co.uk

Warco GH Universal mill

Warco GH Universal Milling Drilling Machine - Gear Head Mill

Versatile milling-drilling machine See DRO version here > Gear head with excellent precision Tested for Accuracy Excellent Spare-Parts Availability 12-Month Warranty Fast & FREE DELIVERY to UK mainland Optional stand sold separately > Optional wide coolant tray sold separately > Questions &...

www.warco.co.uk

Chester Crusader - Deluxe Lathe

Crusader Lathe - Metalworking Hobby Engineer Lathe

Our Crusader lathe is built to last, providing outstanding reliability and quality. Ideal for performing various operations including turning and boring. Featuring all the benefits of our range of hobby metal lathes, including tapered roller bearings, hardened and ground gears.

www.chesterhobbystore.com

Chester Super Lux B mill

Super Lux Mill - High Quality Milling Machine

Our Super Lux Mill is suitable for a variety of milling applications, featuring all the benefits of our range of mills including powered head elevation, dovetail column and tilting head, making it ideal for the hobby engineer.

www.chesterhobbystore.com

The Chester is a proper gear head lathe, whilst the Warco is a combinationof.

Price, including delivery charges, is roughly the same when all is said and done.

Any drawbacks to any of these machines that the more experienced operators can see? All the listed machines will do more then I need them for.

Many thanks.

 

[BrokenBiker]

my lathe has a gearbox driven by a belt from the motor, the gearbox then drives a belt to the spindle...i have 6 available 'gears' plus back gear in each and only really ever find myself moving the belt for parting larger items.

that reminds me, i havent turned anything in a while, should probably run the lathe for a bit tomorrow to get the fluids moving a bit

 

[mightymig]

You'd get a lot of used lathe / mill for 7k budget - and for the sizes you're looking at a VFD for 3 phase replacement wouldn't be an issue very straight forward

 

[Mark Davison]

As above, get a vfd, limiting yourself to single phase is unnecessary. And you will get good second hand machines for that sort of money.

 

[Mark Davison]

What about something like this https://ostiatools.co.uk/product/ha...-gear-head-metal-centre-lathe-3-phase-qctp-2/

 

[mightymig]

Aciera F3 still on lathes shop!

Aciera F3 High-precision Milling Machine | lathes.co.uk

store.lathes.co.uk

There's a deal to be done there, VFD already done too!

 

[addjunkie]

The Aceria F3 is a superb machine if you find a good one with all the bits, they have a fairly small capacity for a mill.

I have a Warco GH mill, quite a large capacity for the size/ price, mines 15 years old now so there have been a few improvement's. But pay the extra and get the base and DRO. What I will say before buying a mill….you will possibly spend the same again buying a full suite of tooling and widgets for it. Decide on the biggest th8ng you are goin* to make and work from there. I bought the GH as the spindle to nose measurement is bigger than many, once you put a boring head in, and a vice, you eat up distance quickly. Check shed roof height if buying a mill….some are quite tall.

Both the lathes youve linked will do a job, reasonably well, but Id suggest a geared head machine, so look at the GH machines from Warco. Again decide whats the biggest you want to make and work from there. If your learning to screw cut a low minimum speed is a god send. Big advantage of a warco / chester machine you get all the bits, you dont usually with used machines. There are other top speed on the chester looks a bit low to me,

There are other importers of similar machines if you look around.

For your total spend, there will be some good used kit to be had.

For quality used Blue Diamond Machine tools worth a look.

 

[RichardM]

Having had geared head and belt drive lathes I wouldn't like to go back the belts, it's so much easier with geared head.
Get three phase machines, run them from vfds and have infinitely variable speeds.

 

[CEJM]

Thanks for all the replies. I will have to reconsider my options.
More questions will follow when I have a moment of spare time to think about it.

 

[iNf]

I think @roofman has a 11" lathe for sale.

 

[Brad93]

You only need a belt driven spindle for a toolroom lathe.

Like Hardinge etc.

A standard gearbox driving the spindle directly will be fine for 99% of peoples projects