Thinking of buying a small lathe, suggestions welcomed

[LondonZ1]

I have been getting a few bits made for my sanctuary replica and it has been 1) a bit slow and 2) quite expensive. I last used a lathe at college but am tempted to buy a small one ideally with some limited milling facility. I saw this on ebay and would appreciate comments on whether it would be a sensible buy. I know I can probably get a cheaper used one but I quite like the idea of a warranty and less chance of problems. Current need is for things like wheel spacers, speedo sensor brackets, skimming caliper adaptors etc. i.e. fairly small and simple jobs.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-CLARKE-6-SPEED-TOOL-ROOM-LATHE-MILL-DRILL-COMBO-/400297282764?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item5d3393cccc#ht_1756wt_1396

[zed1015]

Small lathes like that are ok for learning on and model engineering but you will soon get frustrated by the very limited capacity.
Those clark/chester combo mill-drills are a compromise and in my opinion a waste of money (monkey metal) and not a good investment or very good at either task.
I'd go for a Myford ML7 at the very least if you still want small , It will hold it's money when you come to trade for something bigger ( which you will in a very short time ).
If you have the space a Harrison L5 or 140 is ideal (they are bullet proof) and are on ebay regular from £450 to £1000ish.
They sell fairly cheap as the weight and transport issues put people off.
I have a 140 that i paid £600 for and its the best thing i ever did.
It's paid for itself ten times over at least.

[ruffle]

A Milford or Harrison is nice (although an awful lot of them are projects in their own right) but some of the Chinese stuff isn't at all bad now. Tis a bit like everyone in the sixties and seventies sneering at Jap Crap motorcycles; they got better in about 1972

Having said that, the Clarke lathe/mill combo is a bit of a toy.

I bought an AMA250V from amadeal.co.uk which cost me around £750 a few years back and it's done everything I've wanted. Yes I could have just about got a servicable Milford for that money but I'd been down the very second hand lathe road and didn't want another project.

[LondonZ1]

Thanks zed, that's really helpful. I shall check the size/space, raise my sights and look out for a Harrison. The other reason for wanting my own is that I have learnt the hard way that it's easy to get a dimension slightly out when getting things like wheel spacers made. It would be so much better to be able to make my own slightly oversize and and then machine them down as necessary. The Brembo calipers I have chosen have a side-to-side mounting tolerance of less than 0.2mm and the lower Ohlins fork legs are asymmetrical, and the combination has been driving me slightly mad.

[Ginger Bear]

I had a Clarke lathe..................... Total Shite, couldn't fit anything bigger than 30mm in the chuck, so that went on ebay & did quite nicely.

I bought a Myford ML7 from Big Fluff on here. I have since fitted a 1 hp 3 phase motor and inverter which makes it very controllable. it doesn't take up much more room than the Clarke shitter, but you can fit much bigger work pieces on it + if you buy well you'll always get your money back.

I too hadn't used a lathe since my college days, but it soon comes back.

[zed1015]

Thanks zed, that's really helpful. I shall check the size/space, raise my sights and look out for a Harrison. The other reason for wanting my own is that I have learnt the hard way that it's easy to get a dimension slightly out when getting things like wheel spacers made. It would be so much better to be able to make my own slightly oversize and and then machine them down as necessary. The Brembo calipers I have chosen have a side-to-side mounting tolerance of less than 0.2mm and the lower Ohlins fork legs are asymmetrical, and the combination has been driving me slightly mad.

Used to do my head in travelling 15 miles to the engineers to alter some part then wait a week for them to do it in then get it home and it was just not quite right.
Spent over £500 on getting small odds 'n' ends done on one bike + add all the time travelling and fuel and it was a no brainer to get my own machine.
There's nothing like a good session on the big spinny thing to make the hours disappear .
Get the biggest you can afford / fit in, it will be better than money in the bank.
Bear in mind that most big lathes are 3 phase so look out for ones that have been converted to 240v.
You can get phase converters though or just buy a 240v motor for it but i found a 3hp motor from an electric pressure washer was perfect for the harrison.
When it comes to tooling, don't buy those cheap £30 sets off ebay they are soft as shit.
Go for GLANZE tooling ( look on ebay or Chronos engineering ).
They do various shank sizes that all take a common tip.
Last ones i bought was a 16mm shank, seven piece set with boring bar for around £100, very good value for professional gear.

[Rich]

I have a Boxford BUD, more limited to mill in than my old Myford, but you can make a bolting plate to go on to cross slide. Good use of space if it is limited plus you have a suds system built in. If you get a 3 phase buy an inverter and just change the suds pump.

[nanno]

The chaps are quite right in what they say, but I have to admit, for the last two years I have mostly been working on a minilathe and although it is neither a ML7 (I used to have on before I got divorced a couple o' years ago) or even a Harrison, but it gets the job done quite nicely, if you work within the limits.

I have now worked myself up to an old Matra lathe from the 1940ies again and I knew it was going to be a big difference as this is a real tool room lathe, but I digress.

Calculate at least 300 - 400 Euros for PROPER tooling, which is a quick change toolpost (that will leave you no excuse for not setting the tools up properly), a set of proper carbide tools with inserts and some money for a proper vernier and some drills.

Practise on some softer stock, e.g. POM and try to work out the speeds and feeds.

And finally talking about value: I was shocked to see, which prices minilathes fetch on ebay.

Cheers,
Greg

[jimmock]

I've got a Boxford AUD MK2, imperial. I bought all the change wheels needed to cut matric threads using the imp gearbox. 1968.

I sold a 1964 Boxford B series after I bought it. COULDN'T GIVE IT AWAY!!!! Took 1 year to sell for £550.

I also have a 1945 WINFIELD MK3 I'm restoring.

Boxford, Myford, Harrison I'd say is your best option.

Keep away from CLARKE shite from Machine Mart. Made of chocolate and disposable!!!

If you want some advice, help, assistance give me a pm and we will exchange tel numbers.


Jimmock.