pulleys for x1 mill

Too right, I have come across people who have bought machines that I wouldn't trust with any implements other than a blunt spoon.

Too often what happens is they see an article, pictures or a model at a show and think "wow I'd like to do that "

Then they rush out buy the cheapest thing they can buy with no advise off anyone, then wonder why the first bit they turn or mill comes out looking like something Mad Mountain Dean has chewed on.

But it has to be the machine doesn't it ? Years ago I owned a Drummond round bed lathe, what a piece of crap, you had to close all the doors so there was no draught or it would turn a taper.

Having said that many people have build some serious gear on them. Take a look back thru ME and see how many posts were complaining posts given that most of the machines on the market like the Winfield, Zyto, Pooles, left a lot to be desired.

So were the machines better than we thought or was Grandad "Fit for purpose " ?

John S.

Hey John, I'm a bloody grandad 6 times over, but i suppose it depends what purpose you are talking about.

Cheers Derek.

"Plastic gears are crap"

I have a conquest mini-lathe from new, it must be over 10 year old, it came with plastic gears. I did the taper roller bearing upgrade I also have a 5" 3 jaw chuck fitted because I got fed up of changing jaws, this will indicate the size of material I am cutting. I purchased the internal metal gear upgrade from ARC just in case, those gears are still in their box!

Plastic gears are crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are they fit for purpose???????????????????????????????????????????????????

Cheers Michael

Graham,

Doesn't actually surprise me. many of the cheaper end products were operating one step away from bankruptcy, basically because they had to sell to a price. It's all right people saying there will always be a market for class goods but how big is that market compared to operating costs ?

Perhaps Myfords would be a good company to ask ?

The Winfield lathe was made close to me in Long Eaton. The 'works' were some stables at the back of two houses, they are still there.

One old boy who pops in most weeks for a coffee and chat used to know and knock about with Frank Winfield. He mentions that the spindle nose thread was put on in a big old lathe with a Coventry Die box. Wonder how accurate they were ?

The Winfield is a classic example of cutting costs where the carriage goes the wrong way due to not having an idler gear between the handwheel and the leadscrew, no rack, that like the idler gear costs money and the punter would like it but doesn't want to pay for it.

Now if that design was brought out today by the Chinese oh dear what a can of worms this would raise. You are right Graham, it's rose coloured glasses time.

John S.