Topic: What metal working lathe? (Read 47809 times)

ian kennedy · « **Reply #50 on:** January 27, 2009, 10:57:25 pm »

Thanks John,

I am leaning more towards the Chester machine i think, and your help and advice in this little debate has been most appreciated, the mini lathe site is excellent and gives a complete run down of how to prep these machines....i will follow it like the bible when i purchase one at the Harrogate show .

Once again many thanks to all who have contributed to this thread

Ian

bogstandard · « **Reply #51 on:** January 27, 2009, 11:38:59 pm »

Any time Ian.

BTW, when attending the Harrogate Chester stand, ask for Gareth to be your salesman. He is the one you should deal with.

If the weather is nice, I will be there on the Saturday, giving them some grief.

Have a look at these links.

http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=564.0

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=3570.0

and because you are thinking of CNC, this one

http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=690.0

John

ian kennedy · « **Reply #52 on:** January 27, 2009, 11:44:51 pm »

Thanks John,

I will be there both days i think, my usual scout round on saturday and then wallet bashing on sunday!!!

As i mentioned earlier on in the thread CNC may be an option later on, but all i really want is something better than my modified peatol/taig and it has to look more like a lathe rather than mechano i hope the comet is good enough to start with so who knows where it will end?

Cheers mate

Ian

rockets · « **Reply #53 on:** April 20, 2010, 05:16:32 pm »

Just seen this one. I have the Chester Model B, multi purpose machine. It is a good all round machine although the mill/drill head is a bit limited.

It's probably going to have to go as I'm moving, so I too am looking at a mini lathe to replace it.

Rockets.

The Vanity · « **Reply #54 on:** April 20, 2010, 06:59:25 pm »

If you want a mini lathe that is beautifully built and not Chinese, try the Peatol/Taig. Best check the Carter tools website for the American Taig side of it. I've had one for years and do everything I need on it. It would certainly produce a small steam plant and very many have. It's also amazingly inexpensive. For a bigger lathe there are loads of websites of machinery dealers selling everything under the sun second hand. South Bend, Lorch, Wolfjahn, Boxford, you name it. All at reasonable prices.
What I object to is the mass acceptance of all these monkey metal chinese things. The very people who are proposing them and singing quite grudging praises at them are probably those who would regret the passing of any British industry worth a toss.
The British insistence on cheap above all has got us where we are today. Up an industrial creek without a decent British paddle, just some Chinese thing that'll bend as soon as you put any weight on it.
A nation gets what it deserves, ultimately.
Now that the mass panic buying of the cheap and nasty has developed into its current frenzy, the Chinese can afford to start getting clever and knocking out some half decent stuff until in the end there'll be no point in bringing any British industry back, just like the Japs who now make everything we aspire to yet also once made ourselves. Remember those grotty little transistor radios made for the proverbial "bowl of rice"? Not any more. The Japanese now buy from the Chinese!

Is that too political?...well, it is election season

V

boatmadman · « **Reply #55 on:** April 20, 2010, 10:14:57 pm »

I also have a peatol, and am happy with it.

There is one for sale here:

http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=3002.0

No connection, just a forum user.

Ian

rockets · « **Reply #56 on:** April 22, 2010, 04:15:33 pm »

My Chester lathe is actually a very robust machine, it has taken all that I can throw at it at any rate. I have mostly used it for doing motorcycle components on, so the peatol style lathes are a bit too basic for me. More suited I think to smaller model engineering tasks and watch making. I do wish that there was a reasonably priced British alternative but sadly there isn't. I don't think that you can blame other countries for exporting their goods here, we destroyed our own industries so lets not be quick to judge Johhny Foreigner. As for monkey metal, I say try using a Chester machine and you will be surprised.
We seem to be only too glad to sell our companies to the Chinese (Landrover for example) and then bitch when they are doing better than us. They have a space program and we can't make a can of beans. Who have we got to blame?
Just my thoughts of course!

Rockets.

The Vanity · « **Reply #57 on:** April 22, 2010, 07:37:50 pm »

Absolutely rocket, I agree with you. All those "we's" and "our's" you mention being the people so far who have bought cheap rubbish from the outset because they are cheap minded people. They had no thought how the country would end up. My Dad who was in the radio and TV business realised it would be like this, but either followed the flow of how his hard won business was going or changed and that was not feasable at his time of life, so he moved more into council work and contracting to try not to be forced to sell cheap foreign muck AS IT WAS THEN. Now, like I said, we've all made them rich enough to start showing off a bit and sourcing and making better materials until they'll are like the Japanese who can't afford to make their own stuff and are now assembling bits made in China. Exactly the same path as us, also well within a generation.
If we can't sustain an industry which we can afford, we should at least tell the Chinese to up their game immediately or we won't buy their ghastly machines. They'd soon realise that they either did that OFFENSIVE, RACIST REMARK DELETED ( the author has been contacted directly) , Moderator but instead we've let them get away with years of useless tripe, so they could get rich enough to start cherry picking markets. Soon, their stuff WILL be good, maybe your Chester is proof of that, but I wouldn't buy one on principle.
I'd always go s/h British or American quality, maybe an early Unimat SL90.

Regards,
V

firedup · « **Reply #58 on:** April 22, 2010, 11:15:59 pm »

Vanity I find your comments offensive and bordering on racist.
I have long wished to enjoy using lathe but was long unable to do so.
Now I am ab;e to buy a Chinese lathe at a very reasonable cost with a performance well within the ranges I need to work to.

rockets · « **Reply #59 on:** April 23, 2010, 12:02:48 am »

I have to say Vanity, I really have nothing against the Chinese or anyone else for that matter. I don't condone your racist remark (modified by Moderator to remove quotation by previous contributor,not a criticism of "Rockets"). Your principles are your own and you can buy whatever you like of course but its not right to slur a whole race of people because you don't like the quality of their goods.

I work on aircraft in the military and I've worked with many nationalities, Americans, Polish, Czechs, French, Germans, Italians, Russians, Romanians, Singarporeans, the list goes on.

I found out that we aren't the only ones who can build and maintain aircraft. Same goes for many other industries too I'm sure.

Rockets.

tigertiger · « **Reply #60 on:** April 23, 2010, 09:51:11 am »

I don't think comments about monkey metal are valid with regards to Chinese goods anymore. The Chinese have learned about metalurgy, Chinese made machinery, at the low to middle end of the market, has been the equal of western made for more than 10 years now. Maybe even 20 years.
And as has been pointed out, they are half the price in most instances.

That is why they are so popular with tradesmen.

Circlip · « **Reply #61 on:** April 23, 2010, 01:01:39 pm »

Japanese,Taiwanese,Chinese and Indian, all in succession are/have followed the same route in the supply of c**p and have had to up the quality to maintain sales. Unfortunatley increased quality means an increase in price , so the accountants have to outsource to ANOTHER developing country and the process repeats. Tool gloats usually fall into two brackets, in the case of second hand "Quality" old machinery, the demise of another manufacturing facility and "New" tooling from the East.

It's not many years ago that the first batch of bench grinders became "Available" to all and sundry at "Affordable" prices, so the succession of more exotica has only meant that those who had a genuine leaning to the mech. part of the hobby would ALWAYS buy quality gear. The throw away disposable income flight of fancy gang just had a new hobby to "Try".

Regards Ian.

derekwarner · « **Reply #62 on:** April 23, 2010, 01:55:26 pm »

A few years ago my finincial $ allowed me a 4"combination belt sander with a 6"disk sander .....

A check @ our local e'cheapo machinery store provided the goods......however when I turned it on

the belt would not adjust & track

Went to the next store which only sold "Brand" named product & found the same sander complete with the same casting marking number in the base for say 15% more.....but to my suprise the belt tracked perfectly....naturally I purchased the latter....both made in China

here is a .snap.......

You will also notice another Ryobi carton below & a Makita box above.........both from China.........

What you cannot see is my PROXON FKSE table saw which the Chinese have not yet reverse engineered....it will only be a few years

Our moderators........Peter [F] in OZ & Richard [BB] in UK both attest to the quality of the PROXON machinery...........

......Derek

tigertiger · « **Reply #63 on:** April 23, 2010, 02:21:30 pm »

As an aside.
My brother took in my dad's old B&D orbital sander for a part. It was purchased in about 1970. The engineers response was, B&D don't make 'em like they used to.

We do live in a more disposable age. But as a hobbyist I can at least afford to buy tools, even if they would not stand up to the rigours of the trade. For the way I work I do not need engineering quality tools. But my modelling is not engineering, unlike other chaps on here.

As another aside. My mate used to do kitchens. Worktops are tough, and they would destroy even a quality saw. They would buy cheapo diamond saws for £3.50 (in 1990), cut 3 worktops and throw them away. It worked out cheaper than the labour cost of setting a good saw, that would soon be knackered due to the nature of what they were cutting.

On the flip side.
If I had not had access to 'affordable' tools, I would not be attempting scratch building. For the money I would have bought a few kits instead and have more boats in my fleet.

rockets · « **Reply #64 on:** April 23, 2010, 02:38:13 pm »

Circlip, I have to take issue. I have been in engineering for over 20 years and have served in the RAF as an engineer for 11 years. I have been involved in classic bike restoration as well as model making and I do like to buy quality tools. Some of my tools I inherited from my Grandfather who was an engineer on the railways after he came out of the Army. All of these tools are still going strong as they were obviously of a very high quality.

So am I someone 'just trying out the mech side of a new hobby'? No I am a professional tradesman who also likes to build models. Yet I have a Chester lathe. I am happy with the quality of the machine and I don't feel the need to join the Myford Mafia to prove that I'm British enough to be taken seriously in model engineering circles.

Let it go, not only the Brits and the Americans can make quality stuff.

Rockets.

rats · « **Reply #65 on:** April 23, 2010, 02:56:59 pm »

"Myford Mafia"- excellent and very apt phrase !

HS93 (RIP) · « **Reply #66 on:** April 23, 2010, 04:07:52 pm »

I got hold of a Emco the one with the two round rails, that did me for a long long time then I decided to go a bit bigger and bought a MD65 nice bit of kit again very cheap and second hand a bit of work and its nice to use, a couple of years ago I got a NEW mill an X1 as its all I will ever need, the machines have been cheap compared to the tooling , that is mainly from China or old eastern block without cheap tooling i would not have been able to do half of what I do, I tend to go for the better stuff as there is a lot of very cheap stuff but its like getting something from Aldi you may only use it a few times like router cutters but it,s great to find you don't have to go hunting and paying a fortune for a one of job, I to am a time served tradesman and Like good tools and have some very old tools but if I had to buy the tooling for the likes of Myford I would prob never turn a thing , so if its for modelemaking small one or two of jobs Chinese is great.

rockets · « **Reply #67 on:** April 23, 2010, 05:06:23 pm »

Well said HS93. We all appreciate good quality tools, but quality doesn't always mean the highest price. A tool is of good enough quality if it is fit for the purpose it is used for.

Rockets.

Circlip · « **Reply #68 on:** April 23, 2010, 07:00:47 pm »

Rockets, I don't think I rote what you think you red. I was in ingineering for over forty years and ALSO make models, most of which in the main have had to work in the thinnest of the elements. My frequent excursions into Marine steam were made by being allowed to use the machinery I was taught to use as an apprentice (£2-5s-3d) toolmaker. Not untill my mid fortys did I purchase the lathe which I had used at lunch times to make Stainless bits for my Itallian classic. I purchased it cos the firm was closing down and had it not been available "Cheap", although it took most of my redundancy money, I wouldn't have been able to afford it, but AUSTRIAN quality doesn't come cheap.

I can't see where I mentioned Myford???? I'm sorry you think you should feel inferior cos you don't have one but don't knock those that think they HAVE to have one to make any sort of impression on mere mortals such as us, THEY'RE keeping a piece of quality BRITISH engineering in business. In the early days of the Taiwanese imports that started the cheap tooling trade off, I had to purchase machinery for specific jobs for the firm I worked for at the time. What can go wrong with a drill press? Well, first they can't be bothered to clean the casting sand out so it turns into grinding paste in the bearings. Second, the castings are of such a low quality of cast iron that when you tighten jobs down on the drill table the castings bend. Third, the "Singing" coming from the motor is due to the windings not being vacuum impregnated so they resonate and crack.

This probably won't mean a thing to you because the standard of quality of Taiwanese manufactured machine tools NOW is classed as high as the Japanese ones, because we had to fight for quality standards to be enforced but Taiwanese quality is now too expensive so the Chinese items are more attractive. Isn't that wot I allreddy posted?? I wonder why EXACTLY the same machine from three suppliers has three different price tags???

Silk purses and sows ears?? Or as the collonials so aptly put it "You can't polish a t**d"

Regards Ian

rockets · « **Reply #69 on:** April 23, 2010, 07:26:32 pm »

Circlip,

Fair comment I think. I don't have any experience of the earlier far eastern machines so I accept your point of view over their poor quality. My point is that many people can't afford a Myford or a Colchester or whatever, but still get bloody good resuls from lesser known brands. You can have all the best brands, a lack of talent will produce a lack of results.

Unfortunatey if you pick up one of the well know model engineering magazines you will find that the Myford Mafia are alive and well.

I have clearly misjudged what you meant and for that I apologise.

Regards,
Rockets.

rockets · « **Reply #70 on:** April 23, 2010, 08:55:40 pm »

PS,

I don't feel inferior, I feel it's a little sad that those who HAVE to have the name feel so superior.

Best regards,

Rockets.

Greggy1964 · « **Reply #71 on:** April 23, 2010, 09:22:17 pm »

Here's my numb beast, 3/4 of a ton of cast iron

78" bed with a 10" swing with power feed on saddle and cross slide.

She's a Colchester Triumph built in the 1930's

75 years old and still going strong.

I picked it up cheap because the guy who owned it was scrapping it for a much smaller Myford?

Couldn't pass it up

They sure don't build em like they used to, fun finding parts for it though!

rockets · « **Reply #72 on:** April 23, 2010, 09:37:46 pm »

Every credit mate. Lovely machine.

boatmadman · « **Reply #73 on:** April 23, 2010, 10:12:00 pm »

Nice machine Greggy - I spotted the deliberate mistake - the chuck key left in the chuck. I had it drummed into me doing that was one of the most dangerous things to do on a lathe.

Ian

HS93 (RIP) · « **Reply #74 on:** April 23, 2010, 10:47:26 pm »

Quote from: Circlip on April 23, 2010, 07:00:47 pm

Silk purses and sows ears?? Or as the collonials so aptly put it "You can't polish a t**d"

Regards Ian

And I hought you coul do anthing Ian. change, supplier snd get some off this

Peter

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Author Topic: What metal working lathe? (Read 47809 times)

ian kennedy

bogstandard

ian kennedy

rockets

The Vanity

rockets

The Vanity

firedup

rockets

rockets

rockets

rockets

rockets

Greggy1964

rockets