Advice on lathe purchase

Ian P posted...

I'm sure you are correct, but until my motors (and spares) go phutt with magic smoke I can't comment. I will eventually go the 3 phase VFD route as the price of a suitable replacement single phase motor can be quite high.

My requirement is for small work so the S7 fits the bill quite well, and is not as intimidating as some larger machines can be for a self taught ME - but not if I had to pay current asking prices.

Phil

Martin,
Take a very close look at the threading charts.  I don't know about the 1236 but I was looking at the Grizzly G0750 which is a very similar style knob SCGB and found it needed umpteen gear changes for just about every imperial thread so even going from 18 to 20 tpi needed a fiddle around. Made the gearbox almost pointless. I think it might have been designed more for a metric leadscrew. Unfortuanately Warco don't put up an online manual or even a decent photo of the headstock so can't see if this is the same but definately any lathe which has these knobs needs checking to avoid masive frustration.

edit : The Crusader is knob too. Thought it wasn't. Can the users above advise on the thread selection? I hope these are rather better appointed than the above mentioned American one. Really need to see the manuals.

Have a look a their Craftsman which is the equivalent of the discontinued Warco BH600  and has a Norton or lever style SCGB with good range.  Atthough a belt drive so not as 'fancy' as a gearhead if you factor in the cost of a 3 phase + inverter you could still end up with a better package.

Edited By Bazyle on 21/04/2015 18:41:51

Wow, such a lot of info to take in! I wasn't expecting so many answers, thanks to everyone who has responded. There's loads for me to absorb and think about. For the projects I'm thinking about, I need at least 1.5" spindle bore and 36" centers, that's why I'm looking at these lathes. I don't really know how to assess a used lathe, so that's why I thought a new one would be better for me (can't afford a new M300 either!). In the dim distant past (when at school) I did use a Kerry and have owned a Holbrook SC1 ( a large beast that started it's life at Cammel Lairds), an ex school Boxford (with change wheels and a bit chewed up) and now a Myford (it's been great up to now but a bit small). Now I'm retired, I want to start on some projects that have been in mind for a while. I'm not going to be using the lathe all day every day - too many other interests!!

I've been to look at the Chester lathes and was advised that the Crusader Deluxe would be a good choice, so now i'll have to make a decision.

I've also got a miller (an old Richmond series 01 with Halco head) which is a solid machine, so I just need to learn how to use them properly!

Thanks again to everyone who's provided information, I really appreciate it.

Martin

It's been several months since I asked for advice on a lathe purchase. I decided on a Chester Crusader Deluxe after weighing up all the advice and it's being delivered on Wednesday (4 Nov). I've had to put an extension on my workshop which has taken a while and, as always, other things have got in the way. After I've got the lathe in place, the miller has to be moved and benching, cupboards and shelves made - should be a busy time!

So, hopefully, I will be up and running soon.

Thanks again to all who gave advice, it's really appreciated.

Martin

A lot of lathe for £3000. Interesting to compare with a Harrison with less bits at £14,500 probably plus vat or £6K for a used one that at that price should be in very good condition but in new lathe terms probably wont be due to industrial use although some probably finish up as Boxfords often do as work shop lathes and may have only had "occasional" use making odd bits an pieces from time to time.

2morse chinese 5/8 chuck pillar drills? They were mainly aimed at wood workers and at times came with a free morticer. The person who sold me mine rather a long time ago wouldn't supply the size that the adds offered for free in case I broke the drill and went down a size. It's served me well and I don't expect too much of it and don't care that larger holes need drilling slowly. I noticed yesterday that the chuck jaws don't run true any more with smaller drills in it - easily fixed via a replacement chuck of a more suitable size and make for metal work. 2 morse 1/2" I have black smith drills for the lathe. They are fine in a good quality industrial key chuck. Results with say a Rohm keyless can be a bit mixed. I don't use that for bigger sizes.

Chipmasters were mentioned, I have a tail about those. Circa 20 often less apprentices making round bits for their make a depth mic exercise. One intake a year and maybe 2 days work on the lathe for each person. It was the only lathe around that could run at 3,000 rpm to allow the work to be done quickly and not cause a bottle neck. Not many years of use and it was still accurate but the finish was a big let down as the bearings had worn. The only lathe we were allowed to use emery cloth on to improve the finish. Most lathes used in a toolroom get like this pretty quickly and not long after loose accuracy too which doesn't matter to them as accurate work is done on a grinder, work is often going to be hardened anyway. Later they wont be suitable for work like that so they get rid of them.

I did buy a chines lathe once. The one that can take a milling head on top of the headstock. One good thing to say about it - the finish was good. Bad things, the scraped tailstock was a very badly miss aligned joke and the headstcok alignment was awful too. Couldn't turn up to a centre so a morse extension sleeve had to be used leaving less between centres than was available before they increased it by 2". Things seem to have improved these days but if some one buys one with sufficient rigidity the finish should be good even if it lacks the over all work accuracy of a Harrison which cost n times as much. It might also be better than a well worn lathe of the same ilk.

Meant to add I'm sticking with my Boxford. I happened on a pretty decent one with lots of equipment. As I have used lathes capable of doing insanely accurate work I want it to do that - conclusion - too much to expect really but it's not that far off.

John

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Edited By John W1 on 01/11/2015 13:38:02

Martin.

Glad to hear you have made a decision and made a purchase. Pictures of newly delivered brand new machine tools being uncrated, and your thoughts when using it for the first time are always interesting.

The lathe arrived yesterday at about 10.00am, the driver got near to the workshop before the pallet truck grounded - he should have waited for me to lay out the next OSB board and it would have got even closer. Phoned my 2 'recruits' and they arrived half an hour later, I got all my steel bar rollers, large wooden blocks and 'persuader' bar ready for action (had these from a few years ago when I moved my Richmond miller). The lathe was on a wooden base with 3 'skids' which in turn was on a pallet, there was a plywood case covering it and 2 boxes on top held together with plastic strapping.

My neighbour wasn't at work yesterday, so he came to check on things. He then became involved on the operation, good to have his help as he used to work in heavy haulage!

The base of the pallet was in bad condition, so it was decided to get the lathe off and use the rollers under the 'skids'. So strapping cut, boxes removed, plywood case removed, inside the case was the catchplate, faceplate, drip tray, backpanels, footbrake bar and several boxes - all of which were removed to reduce weight.

So we now had the lathe on it's wooden delivery base with skids, using OSB sheets to 'level' the ground it was rollered to the door. At the end, it had to be turned through 90deg to be inline with the door. Now. it was raised about 10" to go over the door threshold using wooden blocks and levers. My neighbour controlling the operation!

It's now in the workshop, with case panels, OSB boards, wooden blocks and rollers abandoned all around - my job for today is to tidy up!

I'll have to move the miller and do some other jobs before it's put on the stand and 'commissioned'. Unfortunately this could take a few weeks because of other commitments. At least the lathe is in he workshop and it didn't rain!

I took a few photos, which I'll post when I get time later.

Don't buy an optimum !!!!?

Care to elaborate Martin, I know where there is one new and unused.....

.

37 pages of elaboration here

'though many of those problems may not be relevant to the bigger models

caveat emptor

MichaelG.

Thnx Michael, yes I did read that thread, thought I'd missed something else...

True but on larger lathes that might well be comparing chalk and cheese. Actually I have seen "used" as new larger chinese lathes sold as seen. I wonder how that happened. Others with a guarantee.

John

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