lathe

[Wedg1e]

how I wish I had the money now

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Boxford-B...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item43d188e4aa

BUC? He means BUD. IMHO not worth a lot more than the current bid.

 

[Wedg1e]

I have a Boxford VSL500 (1978) and a Colchester Student Mk2 (1970) and would struggle to make a decision on which to sell. The VSL has the larger bore spindle than the AUD, BUD etc (which were a todger under an inch if I recall rightly), is metric and has continuously variable speed via the spring-loaded pulleys drive - plus I run it from an inverter so can vary the speed that way as well. I paid about £800; it's not perfect but they rarely are - this one came out of a school in Retford.
The Student has a mixed Imperial/ Metric gearbox as standard but there are several Metric pitches it can't do without additional gears. It also has a gap bed so can turn car brake discs (which the Boxie can't) and a spindle bore big enough to get an elephant's trunk in. After using the Boxford's varispeed drive for several years I initially got all snobbish and thought the Student's 6-speed spindle was a bit limiting but of course it isn't . I handed over a thousand Queens but it had been reconditioned so minimal bed wear and gear lash etc., plus it was local and as it needed a trailer to move, buying one from a distance away would make up any price difference of a cheaper lathe in fuel costs.
A bit of lash here and there is immaterial; like an old car or clunky motorbike you adapt to it and once the cut is on the lash is taken out anyway. Slack slides will ruin the finish more than a worn leadscrew/ nut.

 

[Rig Pig]

Smart and Brown are a nice machine, mine is a Sable ~ a South Bend clone like the Boxford but with a different headstock & a bigger bore spindle. It's a handy little machine.

 

[Maker]

There's a few southbends and smart and browns on ebay for less than £550

 

[jackjosh]

Raglan Littlejohn mk2 or the Raglan 5 inch. Myford bought them in th late 60s and could not afford to put out such a good machine for the money so stopped making them. Variable speed and cut both threads. A quality machine.

 

[DanielW]

Raglan Littlejohn mk2 or the Raglan 5 inch. Myford bought them in th late 60s and could not afford to put out such a good machine for the money so stopped making them. Variable speed and cut both threads. A quality machine.

About 1968/69

 

[Maker]

Raglan Littlejohn mk2 or the Raglan 5 inch. Myford bought them in th late 60s and could not afford to put out such a good machine for the money so stopped making them. Variable speed and cut both threads. A quality machine.

@ukracer, You've got a raglan you want gone haven't you?

 

[BrokenBiker]

@ukracer, You've got a raglan you want gone haven't you?

unless its on offer for a tenner I haven't got the cash yet lol

 

[jackjosh]

Unfortunately not selling mine, hard to come by a good one.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Unfortunately not selling mine, hard to come by a good one.

that's why I want to get one now (well soon) as they are getting harder to find, people don't let them go easily

 

[mr migwire]

i sold my ragland littlejohn to a chap in north west scotland somewhere, he came down and collected it in person. to this day i still regret selling it..

 

[BrokenBiker]

if I was desperate for another lathe I would buy another chester conquest as I know it can do the work I want and need, but would prefer something more substantial. plus I notice the hobby side of the chester machine tools site is no longer there and none of the hobby products such as lathes and bench top ills are there anymore, only the industrial gear