Lathes

[Pete.]

You can take a look here to have a laugh at dealer prices.......... I would not recommend taking those prices as gospel as home and workshop is now famous for very over inflated prices. A lot better deals are to be had else where, patience and keeping your eyes open are the key.

http://www.homeandworkshop.co.uk/



Kind regards,

Scott (ward eng)

I got my lathe from there, though it wasn't a Myford. Still got it and I'm happy with the price I paid.

EDIT: - okay, fair play I just looked and they have a near-identical machine to the one I bought but it's double what I paid.

 

[1.8T]

Gav you would be surprised at how packed my garage already is, its going to have to be a bench top machine as i have no spare floor space

 

[brightspark]

heres an L 5 harrison bought for under£ 400 with 4 jaw chuck and metric 127t gear wheel owned by an old guy for the last 45 years hardly used . about £800will buy a decent colchester or more modern harrison as long as u can get transport have the room and shell out for a 3 phase converter .model makers want the smaller lathes and milling machines so fetch a high price .larger machines go for not a lot of money as harder to sell as most engineering firms want cnc

 

[scott0031]

I got my lathe from there, though it wasn't a Myford. Still got it and I'm happy with the price I paid.

EDIT: - okay, fair play I just looked and they have a near-identical machine to the one I bought but it's double what I paid.

Hi Pete,

It really depends when you got it, he used to price fairly well and yes you could pick up the odd bargain if something had been sitting around for a while. Dont get me wrong they are nice guys. It just seemed to me the greed monster took over. Take a good look about the site and the prices of some stuff I have in the past actually priced against them for clearing places, so i know what they can or did typically pay for stuff. Why people cant be happy making reasonable living i shall never understand. That's the UK for ya i guess.

I think i best shut up now


All the best,


Scott

 

[Pete.]

That's a nice solid-looking machine. I sold my dad's 1930's Drummond M last week on eBay for just over £200. Guy was very happy with it. I'd liked to have got a bit more but that's eBay for you.

 

[brightspark]

e. bays a bit of a lottery for selling and buying .best time for buying is when theres a lot for sale best time to sell is when theres hardly anyone else sellin the same item the trick is be patient dont rush in. it takes months or even a year to turn stuff up at the right price

 

[hotrodder]

Re home and workshop... Don't know far they'd move pricewise on larger items but in my experience as long as you deal with the correct brother (Chris IIRC, typically wearing overalls. Steve/the guy dressed as a salesman is much harder work to have a deal with) prices are open to quite a bit of negotiation. Obviously a mute point considering what they typically ask for Myfords (and most of the machinery) but then if people are prepared to pay that for them can't really blame 'em...

 

[Pete.]

I've dealt with both and they're both friendly guys. TBH I haven't got a bad word to say about them - they've always done right by me!

 

[hareng]

This can be a bit of a lottery unless you know exactly what to look for.
As has been mentioned backlash in the hand wheels etc, dependant on where worn it could just be a matter of tightening up one screw or slapping beleville washers in.
I would be more concerned about the bed and slideways. Move carriage close to chuck, lift, and try to move it off the bed- note any movement. Now wind carriage towards tailstock and see if it gets tighter, if it does walk away.

As also mentioned it depends what you want to do, although an ML7 is a good learner and British i am not fond of them. I have owned one cost me £400 after some bargaining, run it into the ground, rebuilt and then run it into the ground again. Sold what was any good got around £250 plus retained 1hp motor, switchgear and tooling that would be worth £400 alone.
I keep looking at the *****ies, they look nice but they dont last or theres something missing from the equation, plus assembled by slave labour and quality control or lack of. Also you will not get the parts!

I'm in the same boat, plan the workshop and build benches to suit. You wouldnt believe what i have in mine and its partioned off to keep heat in in winter.
This is a Harrison 140 single phase with Norton gearbox, small chuck on but can lassoo 1 1/4" up the spout. Taking 1/2" cut off in aluminium powered cross feed, no moaning.
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL15/728921/1252422/14582043.jpg
I did in my opinion pay over the odds 10 years ago for mine, but needed something fast as in weeks losing dosh not producing, not months for ****** then let down so be warned.

 

[Wedg1e]

I'm a Boxford man but you have to pick the right one; snapping up the first thing you see on Ebay will almost certainly not result in a good purchase.

 

[1.8T]

Any thoughts on the colchester bantam? such as http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Colchester-Ba...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3a5ba24c0e having had a measure if i lose a cabinet and stick my engine crane and blasting pot in the shed i could just get one of these in, can they easily be converted to single phase or am i looking at having to buy an inverter

 

[Shox Dr]

I keep looking at the *****ies, ...... Also you will not get the parts!

.......


I did in my opinion pay over the odds 10 years ago for mine, but needed something fast as in weeks losing dosh not producing, not months for ****** then let down so be warned.

I think that is grossly unfair on some of the Distributor/importers of Far east machines. I have a Warco and one of the lads broke a part on the saddle. I thought I would be weeks waiting on the part. It was here in 2 days. And cheap as chips to boot. Could you say the same for a British machine that might of been out of production for twenty yrs plus. No.


Why go buy a machine with V belts hanging out of every corner when for under a grand you can buy a brand mew Chester/Warco etc etc machine with cert, and minimum of 2 yrs warranty.

 

[1.8T]

Shox no offense but i would rather buy british, putting asside my personal feelings about stuff from china its nice to know that you can still get parts for a british machine after the company has folded, not sure you could say the same for chinese stuff, stuff from china may be getting better but its still not as good

 

[Archie]

My only experience of Warco lathes is with this one. Used within its limits I didn't think it was too bad but its limits are pretty limiting! Take too big a cut and it'll practically stall on you. Plus the chuck on the one I used was fractionally eccentric so turning something round in the chuck was a no-go. For less money than they're asking for that (admittedly that's list) I bought and had delivered a Colchester Student. The vast majority of my lathe experience has been on Colchesters (Student, Triumph and Mascot) and I'd recommend them to anyone. That said they're sought after and the prices can get a little silly, particularly on eBay. The best bet is to buy one direct from a closing factory or University but you could be waiting ages for one. To give you a bit of perspective my Uni just sold a Bantam exactly as you have in the picture for around £500 (I can't remember exactly how much I'm afraid). In fact, given that that one is located near Bristol I wondered if it was one and the same but looking at the pics I don't remember there being instructions on the one I'm thinking of.

 

[hareng]

I think that is grossly unfair on some of the Distributor/importers of Far east machines. I have a Warco and one of the lads broke a part on the saddle. I thought I would be weeks waiting on the part. It was here in 2 days. And cheap as chips to boot. Could you say the same for a British machine that might of been out of production for twenty yrs plus. No.

Probably Warco stripped a brand new machine just to nick the part required, they all have to inc Chester, have a look out the back container after container stacked two in height. So no.

Why go buy a machine with V belts hanging out of every corner when for under a grand you can buy a brand mew Chester/Warco etc etc machine with cert, and minimum of 2 yrs warranty.

Warranties no much use when it wont last that long if it gets used, ok to learn on, there again could turn people off having to take things apart just to change speeds etc.
Castings and general materials used are of low quality to British and US thats why they still command a price and not subsidising cheap labour countries as in balance of payments and jobs.
As regards V belts, theres two on mine both from motor, its geared head.
Nothing any good for less than £1500 at Warco/Chester unless dont know any better.

When i was stuck for a lathe i couldnt get a reasonable one from any where. If actually in stock i would have ordered ****** and we all know what they do to get the sale- promise the earth be with you in two weeks and production in China hasnt started! 6 months later! Been there numerous times over the years.

****** 1/2hp motor for the round column miller £280 plus postage, tell me thats cheap as chips, could get a British for same or less.

 

[hareng]

From the piccies 1800 looks like a decent machine but you really must go and see it, whats more guarantee getting back what you paid for it rather than scrapping a ****** in a few years.
Many get rid of junk on that site, there again good stuff can be found.
I will be highly surprised if that goes for less than £1200.
You will need a phase converter as well being 3 phase. Mitsubishi could be used to vary speed was around £220 plus plug but lost the link.

 

[Shox Dr]

If something you purchased does not last 2 yrs then take it back. It's as simple as that. In fact you are legally untitled to claim warranty for 6yrs from the date of purchase. Subject to certain criteria.

 

[brightspark]

Any thoughts on the colchester bantam? such as http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Colchester-Ba...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3a5ba24c0e having had a measure if i lose a cabinet and stick my engine crane and blasting pot in the shed i could just get one of these in, can they easily be converted to single phase or am i looking at having to buy an inverter

the lathe would probably convert to a 240v motor and wiring would have to be altered . or a 230v 3 phase inverter could be used with the dual voltage motor thats fitted .down side is the contactors are run from a 415v transformer down to 110v coils .and cant be run of the 230v inverter unless contactors renewed and a bit of rewiring . the other option is a 415v static converter .basicaly plug and play .there not totaly ideal but do the job i run brigeport miller on one and few motors picked up cheap . it seems this thead has deviated from the original posters questions into a debate on chinese versus english which isnt hepfull would be best debated in another post

 

[busastars]

If you can go slightly bigger than the Myford you would be in the range of, Southbend, Smart & Brown, Boxford.

Depending on if they get bids can go for penuts to ££££, alot of the 9" models have the same bed and interchangable parts as im finding out.

Still if your just learning then £1k is alot of money, but im knowone to speek as ive just spent over £1k on a Mill just to learn and a whole load more on tooling.

Some to look at:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Smart-Brown-S...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item1c13055536

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Southbend-9-L...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item1c131355c0


Here is the dealer that I found selling Myfords, got one now for £400 or offers:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MYFORD-ML7-LA...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item2c54eaecbc

 

[1.8T]

I like the myford ML7 but am coming round to the fact that they arent good value and do have limitations, a lot will be pretty worn by now so will either need work or i will have to pay a premium for a good one (or get lucky), looking ahead at bigger machines than i need now im thinking something like a colchester, boxford of harrison would be better, perhaps hold fire for a bit and get a bit more cash together so i can get something better, or to get an average ML7 now to learn on and start me off and to get the current projects done then change up assuming they keep their value pretty well i shouldnt take too much of a hit