s/h lathe

[Dick_Turpin_99]

What are your recommendations for a s/h lathe - like something off e-bay - suitable for a farm workshop, perhaps holding material up to about 6" > 8", no thread cutting, just turning down and facing off material nicely.

I am trying to recall the ones from the old school metalwork classroom and have an idea they would probably be a bit small for what I had in mind......but I seem to recall Myford and Colchester lathes.

I guess they are all as good as each other providing they don't have too much wear in them, but would like a better definition to help the e-bay search.....any clues?

 

[Shox Dr]

Price?
Single phase or 3 ph?
I take you have lifting/moving gear

 

[Pete.]

What about this one:

http://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&view=show_ad&adid=13594&catid=2

 

[julianthegypsy]

Myford would be too small. Colchester, Harrison, boxford, atlas, southbend, anything like those. Look on eBay then look on lathes.co.uk to see what it says. Any old sturdy lathe would probably do what you want, you just need to research likely looking ones.

 

[piman]

Hello Dick,

E Bay always seems to have a selection, and I would also suggest going for a Colchester Student, Harrison etc rather than a Myford. Apart from location it's also worth looking at what tooling comes with the machine, chucks, tool posts and a steady are worth paying a bit extra for as it will cost a lot more to buy them individually afterwards.

Alec

 

[brightspark]

if your on a farm and have the room a decent moderate size lathe can had cheaply just look to see if the motor can be converted from 3 phase to a single phase relatively easy

 

[scott0031]

What about this one:

http://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&view=show_ad&adid=13594&catid=2

Avoid like the plague. Not one of colchesters best efforts and they have a horrible variable speed drive. You wont want to pay to have that put right i can promise you! Horse for courses of course, if its 500 quid you are prepared to say bye bye to if the drive goes down, then its all good.



Kind regards,


Scott

 

[brightspark]

Avoid like the plague. Not one of colchesters best efforts and they have a horrible variable speed drive. You wont want to pay to have that put right i can promise you! Horse for courses of course, if its 500 quid you are prepared to say bye bye to if the drive goes down, then its all good.



Kind regards,


Scott

il second that

 

[madkayaker]

But surely with the price of inverter drives that would be a cheep way of fixing a bust drive?

 

[Dick_Turpin_99]

we're OK for 3 phase so that would work.

Price? well I had in mind something around the 800 > 1k mark.

We have room, but not oodles of it where I have in mind to put it.

 

[brightspark]

But surely with the price of inverter drives that would be a cheep way of fixing a bust drive?

take a look at the guts and workings on a chipmaster variable speed and u will think diffrently http://www.lathes.co.uk/chipmaster/

 

[Pete.]

It's listed as having a refurbished variator, which is a separate unit in any case so could be junked in favour of a VFD quite handily. At £500 with both 3 and 4 jaw chucks it's at least worth a link.

 

[@Turbo]

for a few hundred more could get a Colchester student 1800.

no gap on it but a good lathe.

 

[zzr1200]

Have a look here.

http://www.homeandworkshop.co.uk/harrison.htm?23056

 

[scott0031]

It's listed as having a refurbished variator, which is a separate unit in any case so could be junked in favour of a VFD quite handily. At £500 with both 3 and 4 jaw chucks it's at least worth a link.

I do agree with you there Pete, I think it would mean scrapping the motor unit totally though. It does say refurbished, by my experiences of them is they break down pretty often. The problems is they were still not the best effort of a lathe from colchester. Horrid coarse lead screw on the cross slide, not a very strong head stock. Just a horrible machine all round really. For farm style work I would not look at a chipmaster personally.



Kind regards,


Scott

 

[julianthegypsy]

If you have three phase you're laughing. Three phase is better and generally cheaper as the market is limited, most people not having access to it. You should be able to get something decent for your budget.

 

[Keith 66]

Plenty of choice out there, Myfords are too small & overpriced.
Things to remember when buying a lathe are, Condition! if its worn out you will be disapointed & parts for something like a Colchester are eye wateringly expensive, for example a bantam with a worn out cross slide screw & nut will set you back just under £700 for the parts.
Secondly what comes with it in the way of accessories & tooling?
Many of the machines in dealers & on ebay will have been stripped of accessories & will cost the same again to replace.
Searching for the right lathe with its original tooling is worth doing.
Something like a Harrison L5 would do you, as it happens i will be picking one up out a school in a few weeks & it has a lot of tooling & has not seen a huge amont of use.

 

[brightspark]

Plenty of choice out there, Myfords are too small & overpriced.
Things to remember when buying a lathe are, Condition! if its worn out you will be disapointed & parts for something like a Colchester are eye wateringly expensive, for example a bantam with a worn out cross slide screw & nut will set you back just under £700 for the parts.
Secondly what comes with it in the way of accessories & tooling?
Many of the machines in dealers & on ebay will have been stripped of accessories & will cost the same again to replace.
Searching for the right lathe with its original tooling is worth doing.
Something like a Harrison L5 would do you, as it happens i will be picking one up out a school in a few weeks & it has a lot of tooling & has not seen a huge amont of use.

buying a lathe at the right price is a waiting game . one will come up sooner or later i bought a nice unworn l5 harrison with both chucks for 350 quid and the metric change wheel .its no big deal not having the gearbox as i have acess to a larger lathe that has

 

[hareng]

Good machines the Harrison L5, 11" and had a 140 for 10 years.
Love the clutch can t bare the lever start ala M300.
When new Harrisons were much dearer than Colchester,newer ones M300 on share some parts across the range and with Colchester both in the 600 Group.

Other than that something like a big old Viceroy for scrap value, bide your time.
Ebay is one way to get rid of junk and exorbitant prices.