"Precision" or "does NOT do what it says on the tin"

Actually the only machine I have bought which ran true ‘straight from the box’ within its limits which were imposed by its design and materials was my Emcomat SL.  This was over 65 yesrs ago.   All the others (including my Myford Super7) have had to be ‘prepared for use’ after delivery. With the big Chinese lathe this took over 3 months of work. This work included evicting a piece of pink paper with Chinese characters on it which had jammed up and damaged part of cross slide feed. I do not read Chinese but I think it was part of a pestilence paper (or the curse of Ho Lin Wun the Chinese golfer).  In other words ir was stripped cleaned and re-buitl.

I now have to sort out a little problem on the cross slide which has developed too much ‘spring’. About 0.005”, from the look of it, this is annoying. I think it may be due to the plastic bed sweepers but I have not tracked it down yet, but I will.

Machines built in the Far East are produced by mass productions. If the QC people do not get after changes in production methods which are causing rejection you will get a bad product.

All machines need servicing to take up wear, looseness which develops with time etc. I do what I call a 6 months ‘clean’ and re-set everything with lots of ‘clocking’ and the use of the micrometers.  The next one is scheduled for the beginning of October when the weather cools but before it becomes too cold.

I admit none of my tooling is up to exhibition quality but it is accurate within the limits and my ability to measure this accuracy.