Lathe choice help plz

[Piero]

Ok
So here are a few facts.
The floor space I have free for the lathe is 8 x 4

I am not going to be working the lathe day in day out so don't necessarily need the best in terms of quality.

What I want more then that is versability.
Ease of spare parts and servicing.

I am on the thinking that 3 hp is my happy size in the motor department.

The biggest swing over center. The biggest center bore etc etc for my 8 x 4 floor space

 

[Northumbrian]

I would suggest you need to firm up what you require in terms of spindle bore, swing and distance between centres, this will them allow you to discount unsuitable machines.

While there may well be 'better quality' lathes from the likes of Hardinge, S&B etc don't discount Harrison or Colchester either as they are good machines but do focus on how much wear is present and what additional tooling and other accessories they come with

3HP machines would probably be big enough for everything you would chuck on it if you are working on classic cars, even if the motor requires replacing for a dual voltage 3ph jobbie it's not the end of the world

Completely agree, a good condition Harry or Colchester is better than a worn out Hardinge or S&B
Thinking about it, have you considered a harrison M300, can be acquired for a reasonable amount, and is (last time I looked) still in production, so parts will not be an issue.

 

[Screwdriver]

The best lathe you can buy is the one that comes with the most accessories.

Just keep an eye out on sales, not forgetting to make it known among your mates you're looking for a lathe.

You need to have a list in your head for the basic requirements (metric/imperial, 2ph/3ph, swing, bore etc) but most mid size lathes will be pretty much the same in terms of spec (Colchester student, Harrison M300). What you want is a lifelong hobby machinist whose selling his lathe complete with a selection of tooling, travelling steady, full collet collection and collet chuck(s), toolpost grinder, oh and he lives round the corner and is willing to deliver.

Seriously, if you're going secondhand, you don't want to get hung up on a specific machine. What you DON'T want is a "bargin" supadoopa lathe with no tooling or accessories, collection only from the Shetland Isles at the end of a long muddy path with no access to vehicles.

 

[Pete.]

Why is 3hp your upper limit? Surely that is determined by your incoming supply, and the draw of other items in use.
...and size of wallet

I am sure that I read somewhere online that there was some kind of regulation making 3hp the biggest vfd you're supposed to sell for use on a domestic supply but I am damned if I can find it in a search now.

 

[Piero]

still none the wiser as to what lathe to get???

What model of lathe will best fit in a floor area of 8 x 4 and be imperial for screw cutting, have a 3 hp motor ????

 

[MattH]

still none the wiser as to what lathe to get???

What model of lathe will best fit in a floor area of 8 x 4 and be imperial for screw cutting, have a 3 hp motor ????

There's no diffinative answer to that question, myself and others have made suggestions but no one is going to have a black and white "buy is" answer for you.

Lathes.co.uk is your friend. Start reading up on all the names you recognise.

 

[addjunkie]

This is a never ending question. i wanted a gap bed colchester master. Every one I looked at was either knackered or over priced with no extras.. still want one, but my imported 14/40 does everthing Ill ever need so doubt Ill get a colchester.

Good machines are outthere, but you need cash, patience and transport.

 

[Piero]

I have the cash the transport but lack the patients lol

 

[Screwdriver]

I got lucky with my gap bed Colchester Student. I daren't say how little I paid for it but put it this way, I bought a secondhand van to collect it!

 

[indy4x]

With 8' x 4' available you can get a tidy size lathe, the Harrison M300 long bed with 40" between centres or the Colchetser Student long bed will fit in that space as they are both around 7' long.

 

[Piero]

Grate .

That's the kind of info I need.

What's the biggest Colchester with imperial cutting gearbox that will fit my 8 x 4 floor space

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I am sure that I read somewhere online that there was some kind of regulation making 3hp the biggest vfd you're supposed to sell for use on a domestic supply but I am damned if I can find it in a search now.

Do you mean 3hp or 3kw?
My VFD, Chinese £90 job from eBay, is 3kw or 4hp.

 

[Pete.]

Not sure but I think it was 3hp.

Can't really use ebay as a yardstick yo can buy loads of stuff from there that would get you in hot water selling it as a UK retailer.

 

[Northumbrian]

Grate .

That's the kind of info I need.

What's the biggest Colchester with imperial cutting gearbox that will fit my 8 x 4 floor space

That'll be the Triumph, 15" swing, 24" in the gap, 48/50" between the centres, 2" bore
If you can find an old round head, that has a 5HP motor.
The newer square head, has a 7.5HP motor.

Otherwise it's the Master, 12" swing, 20" in the gap, 24-36" between the centres, 1.5" bore iirc,
Round head 3HP, Square head 5HP

 

[Shox Dr]

I am sure that I read somewhere online that there was some kind of regulation making 3hp the biggest vfd you're supposed to sell for use on a domestic supply but I am damned if I can find it in a search now.

Never heard that one before. Has it been mentioned on here?

 

[daleyd]

Never heard that one before. Has it been mentioned on here?

I'm not sure it's a regulation (Or at least it's one I've not heard of, not that means anything...) but "most" manufacturers (At least the big name ones, though you can get the bigger varieties in the generic Chinese brand ones, plus the odd smaller manufacturer here and there will do them) tend to stop making 1-3ph vfd's around the 2.2 kw/3kw mark. After that you tend to find they are 3phase that can accept single phase but need derating.

I would hazard a guess that most manufacturers of industrial kit bank on there being 3 phase for the larger ones and there's not enough of a market for larger 1ph drives?

 

[Pete.]

Never heard that one before. Has it been mentioned on here?

No and it was so long ago I can't even remember the context it was given in I just remember it sticking on my head as 'hm I didn't know that' and the fellow seemed to be quite clued in.

 

[MattH]

No and it was so long ago I can't even remember the context it was given in I just remember it sticking on my head as 'hm I didn't know that' and the fellow seemed to be quite clued in.

It rings a bell with me, the same as bigger welders not being officially allowed on domestic supplies.

 

[daleyd]

No and it was so long ago I can't even remember the context it was given in I just remember it sticking on my head as 'hm I didn't know that' and the fellow seemed to be quite clued in.

Deffo not me then!!

 

[Wendelspanswick]

It rings a bell with me, the same as bigger welders not being officially allowed on domestic supplies.

Yet you can have a 10.5kw shower on a domestic supply!