Grab yourself a bargain!

Sorry I saw this on Ebay and nearly fell off my chair.

**LINK**

Still you have to admire the optimism of the seller.

David.

I'm sure Neil is cracking open his piggy bank at this very moment, it's those solid gold pullies he can't resist

He dosen't say it's rare or super precision or high accuracy................

It looks OK to me , and probably one of the better Adepts I have seen.

Richard.

It is rare to see one so nicely treated, alot of them are in appauling condition. Like they've been buried underground for 50 years.

"You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig." - Barack Obama (noted lathe expert).

Non original chuck and pulleys, has it just been blinged up or is it in good nick?

Neil

P.S. This might be the bargain someone is looking for:

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Myford-lathe/322093457066

OI! Rainbows! Where are you?

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 08/05/2016 16:19:55

Poor thing. Somebody's chopped half the bed off - you have to wonder why. It must be something like 4" between centres now.

Is it an ML2 - or something earlier?

This one is probably a better option than any of the above - they actually used bearings even when they were tightened up with the usual crack the casting adjustment bolts on one side of the spindle as the back gear prevented them from splitting the other side.

**LINK**

I'm often utterly amazed on the number of bids some old similar lathes on ebay get. Maybe lots of people like a challenge or like many sellers think if things spin round all is ok. The description Precision Lathe for those that lack a leadscrew is interesting too.

John

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There is a bit of a fad at the moment for old lathes among the 'lathe fanciers'....treadle powered models have added cache. MEW has done it's part in pushing prices up by featuring one on the current cover.....

We had one on our stand (Epping Forest Horology Club) at the Ally Paley show in January but had no idea we would be such arbiters of fashion and it's really taken off now!

Any lathe fancier wanting a Brittania in working condition, PM me. Especially if you think an Adept is worth £195. PS: The Brittania is in black too -

Here is another if you fancy a treadle? I'm sure I can rustle one up, it's in need of a bit of TLC though:

Steve

Edited By Steve Withnell on 08/05/2016 19:57:39

Lathes with cracked beds are my speciality.

Probably would have paid £57 too. Working motor and 4 jaw chuck are worth that. I'm sure its possible to think of something to use the trunctucated bed for other than ornate doorstop.

I have an old Grayson kicking around somewhere that I seriously thought about cutting short. Even the lathes.co.uk site says it is a bad design. The plan was to cut off the foot at the tailstock end and just have it as a cantilever bed.

David.

"it is a Winfield like the myford ml 7"

.

... a bit ... in some respects

There are some bargains about at times. My father reckoned these were pretty good.

**LINK**

It's pretty well equipped too. However just like ML7's condition can vary. All lathes wear out over time.

My dad reckoned that slant beds worked out well. More or less automatic rigidity and a decent swing.

If some one wants to restore a lathe it's generally best to go for one that doesn't use plain bearings in the headstock - especially where the spindle runs in cast iron. The winfield looks to use phos bronze plain bearings. These unlike the run in cast iron types can be replaced but there is likely to be spindle wear as well which will make that difficult. There is always a chance that these lathes are ok but in my experience that is rare. Lathes that use various roller bearings generally can be changed and the remaining problem is bed wear which is likely to cause the lathe to turn a taper. Cross slides also wear so will generally tighten up as they are wound out or have to be set pretty loosely.

John

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17 quid per inch. Bargain indeed.