Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition

[pressbrake1]

the price of pitches at these places are astronomical its getting the same at autojumbles less and less sellers . over 25 years going to them they have realy gone down the pan and hardly worth going I just keep going hoping for the odd steal you get now and then

I used to make Landrover stuff (blacksheep offroad)
I never did shows as the costs would wipe half a year out and as I hand made everything and couldn’t work any harder a insurmountable cost.
One magazine hounded me to do a advert, the cost was more than I earnt!

 

[TigTigger]

I have been going to these off and on over many years. Was going to go this year but forgot until I saw the post on here, but then decided that given the long journey and there was nothing I needed, to give it a miss. You are absolutely right about few bargains nothing like there used to be. I went last year and the only real bargains seemed to be from a couple of sellers who had a lot old aerospace materials and tooling. I used to go to a lot of RC Model Flying Shows but they also have gone the same way with regard to bargains. Most of the sellers have on-line shops and the prices are much the same. They are however, still good for the traditional builders who want to buy materials and can see / select what they are buying. Generally now when deciding whether to go to a show I add up all the costs involved and often come to the conclusion that I could spend that money on something I want.

With regard to the poor quality tap, were Tracey tools not there? They have in the past always provided decent quality drills, taps and dies etc at reasonable prices.

 

[addjunkie]

Its odd, but some shows are megga doh others are not, but it hugely depends on the pitch they give you too. A friend of my daughters does hand made stuff, at country/ shooting shows etc, I asked her what she paid for a 3x3 outside tent pitch at harrogate for the shooting show. It was far less than I thought it would be.

But I guess they need the exhibitors over and above the big trade stands or the punters wouldnt go and the show would fail.

 

[Carl Wilson]

Yes I agree. I needed an International 30 Er32 collet chuck. I got one from Bang Good. It was exactly the same as the ones for sale at Arc Euro, RDG etc. The only difference was it was a quarter of the price.

 

[Carl Wilson]

Tracy Tools were there. However I do not find them value for money in the slightest.

 

[brightspark]

Tracy Tools were there. However I do not find them value for money in the slightest.

never had any problems with there taps and dies or there drills quality and reasonably priced

 

[Carl Wilson]

Quality not an issue but I think they are expensive.

 

[ronan]

Yes I agree. I needed an International 30 Er32 collet chuck. I got one from Bang Good. It was exactly the same as the ones for sale at Arc Euro, RDG etc. The only difference was it was a quarter of the price.

Bought a collet chuck from rdg and the nut seized the first time used it. It wasn't cheap and they wouldn't refund me. I'd buy off banggood before i'd buy off them again.

 

[pressbrake1]

Tracy Tools were there. However I do not find them value for money in the slightest.

A long time ago tracy tools had bargains possibly found surplus from government etc.
Generic junk now that I couldn’t risk using on customer work.
A few years ago I bought some hacksaw blades that turned out to be carbon steel and the me40 tap n die set was junked with the exception of the box which now houses a 6-7 micrometer.
With ebay theres no point unless time is a issue, you can keep totem brand , osg for me!

 

[pressbrake1]

Bought a collet chuck from rdg and the nut seized the first time used it. It wasn't cheap and they wouldn't refund me. I'd buy off banggood before i'd buy off them again.

Bought some er32 collets today, amazon was cheaper by 30% than bang good

 

[ronan]

the price of pitches at these places are astronomical its getting the same at autojumbles less and less sellers . over 25 years going to them they have realy gone down the pan and hardly worth going I just keep going hoping for the odd steal you get now and then

Ebay has the jumbles knackered. The classic club here has one about a mile away from me and i don't bother with it anymore. Tat, parts completely rusted or worn out, one lad used to come down from the north with a large van of engineering tools, some was ok but a lot of it must have been stored at the bottom of a canal and the prices were daft.

 

[ronan]

With ebay theres no point unless time is a issue, you can keep totem brand , osg for me!

I bought some taps online a while back, they were rubbish, made in Mexico !

 

[Hood]

.....
With ebay theres no point unless time is a issue, you can keep totem brand , osg for me!

Ever tried the YG Prime taps from Cutwel? I use them all the time and think they are excellent. Most of my work is 5083/6082 Aluminium or 316 Stainless.

 

[ronan]

Ever tried the YG Prime taps from Cutwel? I use them all the time and think they are excellent. Most of my work is 5083/6082 Aluminium or 316 Stainless.

I used to find when i was working with stainless a lot, that it knackered the taps in no time.

 

[Hood]

It can do but the powdered metal of the YG Prime taps seems to stand up well.

 

[northwest]

Idolising Myford lathes - basically a Drummond Model B with a few upgrades selling for upwards of 5 grand. Like I say, bizarre.

I just cannot get my head around this whole Myford business. And don't even get me started on Quorn tool and cutter grinders. It's like a rite of passage: "he built a Quorn you know" But has anyone actually seen one being used? I can honestly say I have only seen one actually finished, and that was being exhibited.

Beyond Bizzare!

 

[pressbrake1]

I just cannot get my head around this whole Myford business. And don't even get me started on Quorn tool and cutter grinders. It's like a rite of passage: "he built a Quorn you know" But has anyone actually seen one being used? I can honestly say I have only seen one actually finished, and that was being exhibited.

Beyond Bizzare!

Myford lathes in good condition are very accurate but yes their used value is mad!
Myford also made the best small cylindrical grinder money could buy, gauge quality.
My pal made a quorn cutter grinder and its a very useful and adaptable machine and capable of grinding jobs that are a pain on my clarkson and deckel grinders

 

[northwest]

Myford also made the best small cylindrical grinder money could buy, gauge quality.

I would not disagree with you, I have access to one and sincerely wish I had room for one, but it was the ML7 and Super 7 lathes that were my focus. Nuts the prices and don't get me started with the cost of accessories.

Jury still out on the Quorn I am afraid, it may well do setups other grinders cannot, but the build time and complication offsets this somewhat.

 

[earthman]

the price of pitches at these places are astronomical its getting the same at autojumbles less and less sellers . over 25 years going to them they have realy gone down the pan and hardly worth going I just keep going hoping for the odd steal you get now and then

Only today did I over hear a stall holder saying that he won't do the autojumbo at Newark due to their price increase, £22 I think he said.
I've only been there once myself, didn't like their two tier pricing approach, ripping visitors off who want to go in when it starts basically,....I doubt that I'll ever go there again.

 

[Carl Wilson]

Home and Workshop Machinery have recently had a Myford Super 7 on their site for over 5 grand, and a Colchester Master in similar condition for just over 3. What is that about? The Colchester is 10 times the lathe.