Don't be too quick to say that DD- I thought that too, however Warco claim that the lathes are US built (hand assembled?) Are they really the same as the SIEG c£ or just a close copy?
Greg
Ummm. I don't know where it says that Warco lathes are US Built? They say that their circuit boards are US sourced - several years ago there was a rumour that the Chinese boards were not up to the job, so that would have been a good selling point then, but I have heard nothing about circuit board failures for some time, so whatever source is being used must be ok for these lathes now. Several lathe forums recommend US-built boards, so they're probably not uncommon...
I have not studied the Warco lathes, so I would be happy to be corrected, but I think that if it looks like a C3 and quacks like a C3 then it's a Sieg C3. I know of no one making 'copies' of C3s anywhere else in the world, though there is another smaller Chinese manufacturer, Red Bull, I think, who make a similar machine. The original design for the C3 was Russian - the Chinese took it and simplified it a bit (straight headstock bearings rather than tapered rollers...), so you may find a Russian-sourced manufacturer...
However, there certainly were good and bad C3s. I think it's less of a problem now, but in the early days shippers could buy top quality-checked machines and do their own checks, or they could buy seconds or rejects! They probably still can, so beware of really cheap C3s from an unknown shipper, but I think the main reputable names are all quite reliable now. Warco probably addressed this problem by doing their own quality control, so they can claim that their machines are 'unique' - Arc Euro have the different approach of selling either a standard machine or a specially 'tuned' one. As Sieg improve their output quality the advantage of these 'services' will become less - I have a standard machine and am quite happy with it...
A C3 will never be a Myford - they are a typical simple solid Russian lump of iron. However, I think their early poor reputation was partly because their quality was very variable when they first shipped, and partly because British lathe users were used to high-quality sophisticated finish everywhere. If high quality finish on the lathe body and precise repetition work is important to you, then don't get these lathes! But as an occasional hobbyist lathe, I think they do the job well...
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Topic: WANTED MINI OR MIDI LATHE (Read 12436 times)