Member postings for NikleBigHorn

I think brazing is the route I’d prefer. But in the short term I might just bite the bullet and buy a new one as it’s pretty worn out by the looks of it. ill post some pics tomorrow.

Well I’ve come home with a clean and tidy bench mounted model A with imp gearbox, powered cross slide, 3 phase variable speed, fixed and travelling steadies 3jaw, 4jaw, live and fixed tail stocks + chuck face plates and a tool box full of new drill bits and cutting tools. The bronze head bearings and lead screw have been replaced. The bad bits are a broken tooth on rev tumbler, no change gears and a sticky tool slide. The beds look clean with only a single dink and appear to be true in first inspection. It seems to be in reasonable condition. Time will tell. Tomorrow will be getting it levelled and tested.
Thanks again for all your thoughts and advice.
Nick

Thanks for all your advice, it has been very helpful. I’m off tomorrow to see an early Model A with gearbox. I’ll let you know how I get on.

Nick

This is a fascinating option and possibly a game changer. Thanks for sharing the links. What would you estimate the total cost is to set the Clough option up?

thanks

nick

This is tricky as some of the machines are std imperial, some proprietary, some metric. I also do work with 316 in metric only. So I’m not sure this helps other that it needs to be very adaptable.

Thanks for the welcome and thank you all for your thoughts on this. I can begin to see the sense in going with the gearbox.

@oldmart you are right about the threads on sewing machines. I have all sorts of machines with all sorts of threads.

looks like the gearbox route is better for all the reasons mentioned.

my budget is max £2k. Fingers crossed.

I’m looking at buying either a Myford 7, Boxford Model A,B or C or maybe a Colchester bantam. I’m trying to decide whether the gear box options are worth the extra. The lathe with be used for vintage sewing machine parts so quite a few different thread types but all as one offs rather than production. Any thoughts? Change gears or gearbox?