Which lathe to purchase

To throw my tuppence in having not long been through the process...

If you're in a hurry, or not entirely sure what features you want/need, buy the cheapest functional thing that will service your needs sizewise. Then, if it warrants it, bide your time and look out for the one that ticks all your boxes and bid like you mean it...

For my part I was quite happy doing small models and light work for a while, so a second hand CJ18 that'd had the spindle and bearings upgraded, a few other mods and some tooling was a good punt for £350. That then gave me time to wait for the perfect lump of old metal to come about in the form of my 10" Logan, on which I bid every penny I had to my name and won for a steal.

Good luck in your search!

Jay

Hi I bought a Chester craftsman 2 years ago brand new paid £2501

had quite a few problems at first took me a couple of weeks to get them sorted

you get a guarantee from Chester but you have to return the machine to them

to have it repaired couldn’t be bothered do dismantle a put back on pallet

so had it sorted my self at my expense as it turned out it’s quite a nice machine

i also bought a warco wm180 for small work very nice machine

good luck with your search

The Chester craftsman, still avaiolable new, is a generic Taiwanese design, like the Warco BH600 and the rarer Engineers Tool Room BL12 -24, and many other brands outside the UK.

They are good versatile, and from new, well equipped machines.

Not perfect, but a little of fettling and adjustment, and quite acceptable.

Mine came with a 1.5 hp VFD, and so far have never had problems, other than of my own making.

Howard

A close friend has recently died and his widow has asked me to sell all his tools including a Zyto (?) made by S Zyteck & Co approx 1920/30s which is in very good condition but I have no idea what sort of value to put on it. Is there anyone who would like to give me an estimate?

I have tried posting a photo but every time it is upside down and cant rectify it.

I've been using a Warco WM250V for 7 years now, both as a lathe, and with a Myford vertical slide, as a small milling and co-ordinate drilling machine.

It works well and any problems have been of my own making and resolved by my own fixing. I previously owned a Myford Speed 10 for 20 years, and I think the Warco is at least as well-designed.

Best to start yor own thread on this subject. You will get more answers. BUT price depends on condition & features.

A lot more info will be required eg swing/between centres length/change gears available or is it even able to cut threads/ motor size etc etc.

regards

Edited By Oldiron on 20/09/2022 19:24:59

I would have liked to have a 330 swing lathe with high precision and no gear changes to cut threads, but the weight & cost was too much. The Chinese is an old nation and still there, I think they pretty much make anything for you to your "agents-requirements".....So I blame my agent, then my lack of enough money.

Edited By Chris Mate on 21/09/2022 02:15:22