opinions please

[BrokenBiker]

thinking of buying one of these or similar. it is plenty big enough for what I need, appears to have a good range of threads both metric and imperial (easily covers what I need) and is bigger in every way than the tooling I have now (separate lathe, drill and mill)

http://www.chestermachinetools.com/model-b-super-multifunctional-machine-3975-p.asp

just wondering if anyone has experience with this brand and this type of machinery

 

[jackjosh]

Minimum speed would be very high if you wanted to cut threads IMO too high.

 

[Davebike]

I got an older version of that very machine
I mainly use it for bushes and other small bike parts and a few small tool parts
I never used it to cut threads so cannot comment on that but otherwise it been very good not the best quality but good fro the price in my view

Dave

 

[BrokenBiker]

Minimum speed would be very high if you wanted to cut threads IMO too high.

while I was in college the only thread cutting lathe we had run on minimum of 220rpm, and my current lathe will only go down to the same as this one. ive gotten used to it now, and I usually only cut threads in brass or delrin/ptfe

there is a slightly more expensive version of this called the centurion 3 in 1 but apart from a bigger range of threads I don't think there a great deal of difference

 

[awemawson]

I've never actually used one but I've kicked the tyres once. Neither fish nor fowl in my opinion. The milling head will be very awkward to use. Better to have a decent lathe and a decent mill - and I'd go for second hand older rather than Chinese sparkly personally.

Andrew

 

[chevy2]

I have the Clarke version of that lathe which is fairly similar,
Got it for the right price from a friend and if bought new i wouldn't have bothered with the mill as i dont need one,
If i bought another lathe it would be one thats easier to change speeds,

Does an ok job of most stuff but obviously not to the standard of a colchester etc.

 

[BrokenBiker]

when you say easier to change speeds, what do you mean?

I accept it isn't going to be as good as something like a Colchester or a myford but for hobby stuff, making brass bits like safety catches for rifles, silencers and barrel shrouds for air rifles, and the occasional bike part and some small model steam engines would it do what I need?

 

[chevy2]

when you say easier to change speeds, what do you mean?

I accept it isn't going to be as good as something like a Colchester or a myford but for hobby stuff, making brass bits like safety catches for rifles, silencers and barrel shrouds for air rifles, and the occasional bike part and some small model steam engines would it do what I need?

Not simply moving a few levers on the front as the more proffesional lathes are but having to physically change the gears in the side case to alter the speed,

I tend to do must stuff at the same speed for that reason.

 

[jackjosh]

while I was in college the only thread cutting lathe we had run on minimum of 220rpm, and my current lathe will only go down to the same as this one. ive gotten used to it now, and I usually only cut threads in brass or delrin/ptfe

there is a slightly more expensive version of this called the centurion 3 in 1 but apart from a bigger range of threads I don't think there a great deal of difference

If a similar spec lathe allows you to do what you want then there should be no issue. You will get decent spares support from Chester as well.

 

[BrokenBiker]

the lathe I have has the same speed range, although It is digitally controlled not belt driven (I prefer belt driven though, less to go wrong imo) and doesn't have as much of a thread range, and is generally smaller (300mm between centres).

something like this would not only be an upgrade but would allow me to move my smaller lathe and mill into either someone elses care or into the storage shed incase they are needed again.

my current lathe is a chester db8vs and has taken some abuse in the time I have had it.

I don't get the speed range that the site advertises but that has never bothered me, they did offer to sort it but ive never really needed anything under 160 rpm or anything over around 1100 rpm.

going to look into what else is available but for the price and its specs it does seem like the right tool for me

 

[BrokenBiker]

Not simply moving a few levers on the front as the more proffesional lathes are but having to physically change the gears in the side case to alter the speed,

I tend to do must stuff at the same speed for that reason.

my current lathe has change gears as well and tbh its never bothered me. it took me ages to work out how to adjust the lathes in college with the lever system as the info plates were damaged and since then ive not been fussed on them

 

[jackjosh]

my current lathe has change gears as well and tbh its never bothered me. it took me ages to work out how to adjust the lathes in college with the lever system as the info plates were damaged and since then ive not been fussed on them

That's why I would not part with mine as it has a variable mechanical speed adjustment and a screw-cutting gearbox the only changewheel i have is for imperial to metric

 

[waddycall]

At work we have a chester DB8VS and a conquest mill. Myself and a colleague went to their showroom to have a look at small lathes and mills for making prototype stove door handles. I looked at the 3 in 1 machine and wasn't too impressed as the one in the showroom had loads of backlash. Perhaps that was just a bad one but the DB8VS seemed to be a better quality machine. It looks as if there's no rack and pinion feed for the carriage on the 3 in 1??

 

[hareng]

For £900 notes you would be far better off going for a s/h Harrison L5, 11", 140 or newer M250 and M300. Maybe even a Boxford.

Due to the extra head height theres even less rigidity and unless absolutely necessary 3 in 1 are not as good as a stand alone machine.
Further to that changing over to mill or drill ops will p you off setting up.

Thread cutting I would want to see first hand whats involved in using that machine. All similar machines take an eternity to set up faffing about with change wheels just to cut one thread. Not uncommon on similar to take hours.
40rpm at times scares me thread cutting up to a blind hole, another job for tomorrow ie 3mm pitch hole depth 4.5mm like your gonna do that on 200rpm. Better off revolving chuck by hand which would mean for op one off 1/2"unf taking 3/4hr whole finished article retails for £15.