Fozzie Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Asked this on other forums so will ask here too.I am buying a lathe next month as I've accumulated a good budget for one.Not firstly, none of this: "Get a myford". They are £3000, I dont want to spend my entire remaining budget on one piece of kit I know theyre good, my grandad has had one for 40 years! But its off the cards!I've looked at this:http://www.machinemart.co.uk/images/library/product/huge/06/060712510.jpgSpoken to owners who say all the bad reviews of it are from people putting oversized chucks onto it and doing too much, its for light fabrication, so more than suits my needs as the components i'll be building will be fairly small!But I am open to alternatives, so I'm asking around Thanks for the help, hopefully ill be helping people fabricate stuff soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredc Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 how about this one, £140 more but includes a millhttp://www.machinemart.co.uk/images/library/product/large/06/060712520.jpg?2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_589 Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 If I was getting one now I'd go with a Chester lathe, much improved from the early ones they did plus lots of toys and a decent price, plus the after care is excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted February 3, 2013 Author Share Posted February 3, 2013 If I was getting one now I'd go with a Chester lathe, much improved from the early ones they did plus lots of toys and a decent price, plus the after care is excellent! Brilliant!Looks like ive found a new lathe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin the Bear Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Colchester used to be good to work with when I was using them. You might be better with an old second hand machine than a flimsy new one. The clarke looks like a toy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Colchester used to be good to work with when I was using them. You might be better with an old second hand machine than a flimsy new one. The clarke looks like a toy. I nearly had my Grandads lathe but he decided against it until I have my own house and proper workshop!It does but I only need it for hobby purposes, I have been told a few times that building bits for motorbikes doesnt require a big lathe.I'll be building spacers, sub-frames, crash bungs, seat supports, latch systems, and so on. I am looking for these amazing 2nd hand lathes that supposedly exist I hear good reviews of the clarke and chester lathes. Cheap, chinese imports, but they are apparently very good, they seem to be solid, peoples only concerns is they have a tad bit of play in the handles and so cant be deadly precise all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin the Bear Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 You may start thinking you want to do only simple things but as you get into it you'll want more. Wasn't the bike like this? You want a 125 lathe? http://www.newmac.com.au/lathe/lathe.htmlhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/colchester-ba ... 4d0902df54http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Colchester-la ... 4d09097b66 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 I do see your point!I can certainly see myself wanting to do more complex things, its the scale I wonder about. Whether I will make bigger things or if I will stay around a certain size.If anyone sees a Myford going for around £1000 let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeman Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Use your lathe to make a new lathe... Although, if we allow machines to reproduce, its only a matter of time before they try to take over! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Can anyone explain what this:http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f-cr7VFckpg/TXkerlTHI6I/AAAAAAAACbw/cYgFhxrDi8A/s400/MYFORD_ML7.jpgA Myford ML7 can do that this cannot:http://www.machinemart.co.uk/images/library/product/huge/06/060712510.jpgBoth with similar sized chucks, both with similar compound tables. However both identical in cost though one has to be about 10 years used to match it!This is where I need details, chiefly as when I ask experts they default to saying "its dead better that one". Im sure it is... But why Like if you line up an RS125 and YZF-R125 and ask which is better. Someone new to it all will say they look as good as each other, someone in the know will have all the details! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Old Git Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Slightly 'off the wall' but have you tried the on-line auction houses which specialise in liquidation stocks? - Try Eddisons Machinery & Business Assets.There was a couple of decent lathes on an auction pre Christmas - One sold for £170, the other for £400 (ish) - both lots included 'an assortment of tools'.Downside is that you MUST collect on a cetain date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin the Bear Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 The top one is obviously the more expensive one. One is a hobby lathe and one is a precision made industrial tool that will probably last longer than the operator and is capable of fine work in the right hands.It's all about precision. The hobby lathe will probably be accurate to 0.001" or 0.002" but the myford with skill and experience 0.0001".It's all about the rigidity of the bed, the precision of the screw feeds and the quality of the bearings.The myford chuck probably cost more than the chinese lathe when new.Myford is good gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Glad to have found a connoisseur of lathes then I will be purchasing a used Myford ML7 next month I suspect!Seen a couple, one in mint condition for £950 with a lot of tooling. Will have to hire a van to pick it up but so be it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techno Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Do they still use the imperial system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Do they still use the imperial system Can be set up for either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megawatt Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Think about how you are gonna unload it mate. I have a 2 tonne engine lift that will go in the car boot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggie Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Do they still use the imperial system "> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin the Bear Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Who are they. If it's your lathe you work in whatever units you like. Any turner, of a certain age, can think in either metric or imperial. 1mm = 0.040"0.03937 but 40 is close enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted February 5, 2013 Author Share Posted February 5, 2013 Think about how you are gonna unload it mate. I have a 2 tonne engine lift that will go in the car boot? The thing weighs 160kg, just to test if I can indeed lift it my bike weighs 170kg, and me and my mate who will be coming along lifted it alright so we'll see. If it gets close to the time and its just me going in a van to pick it up is it ok if I borrow it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megawatt Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Anytime mate. Try a local hire shop first, but it's here if you need it. Hoping to sell it soon though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 Good stuff, can't believe the weight of these things!160kgs is near on my bikes weight. I can lift that from the handlebars and get the front off the floor by a foot but it takes some doing. Good thing they come with stands as my bench couldn't hold that I imagine!I'm now concentrating on saving what I can for next month. So while I do the finishing touches on the garage I need to boost my budget. If I go overkill and have money spare ill buy the fzr gizzard owns on the other forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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