Warco verses Chester lathes

hi all I have 2 lathes a Harrison L5 and a Mitchell of Keithley ( very large ) 18 ins dia chuck and 10 ft bed but due to health reasons I'm unable to spend time in the cold workshop as my electrical supply will not run to heating if machines are in use but I have a spare bedroom in the new year I was going to purchase a small lathe size about 18 ins between centres and 4 in chuck with a weight of about 120 kg I have been looking at a Warco or Chester website but unable to decide which firm any advice would be appreciated Derek

I've had several machines including 3 lathes from Warco and all I can say is I have no complaints about quality or service. They are local to me so that also influences my choice of supplier. No affiliation, just a satisfied customer.

Hi derek,

My interest in this is as I have a warco machine. Forgive my ignorance but I was under the impression the machines were almost the same as each other bar a few changes here and there?

Michael W

Personally i would get your heating in your shed sorted out, ive got a harrison lathe and have also had several chester and warco smaller machines, still have got a chester coventry lathe, chalk and cheese compared to the harrison, dont get me wrong they turn ok, but cheaply made, rubbish motors and switches , and fasteners made of cheese, put them right and you have a ok machine, im not slating the warco, chester machines there good value, but not a patch on your harrison,unless of course its wore out.

I have equipment from both in my workshop and really like my Chester 626 VMC.

I was on the brink of buying the Chester Crusader Deluxe ( almost put a  deposit at the Doncaster show ) when a not to be missed deal became available on my Harrison M300 which became a no brainer at the time.

My choice of the Chester over the Warco equivelent earlier on in the year was based on two things:

1. As daft as it sounds, the colour. I very much dislike the green they insist on using at Warco and if in fact I could live with it or have to repaint. To me ( and this is only opinion ) the Chester machines colour schemes look more modern and acceptable. But for looks the Amadeal machines would take the lead.

2. As Graeme has mentioned i.e. location, Chester are about 45 mls away. Warco are about 4 x that distance away. It is more convenient if needed. I think that the Warco has a slight edge on build finish which they then spoil with the green.

Good luck with your choice.

Edited By MalcB on 19/12/2016 19:39:30

Many thanks for your advice the reason I'm unable to use heating and machines is my supply unable to cope I had a survey done by a sparks a new supply would have to be put in but with digging a trench 30 metres long to fit a cable and a new consumer unit and all the upheaval cost £1450 for 3 months use that's my thinking on Warco vChester to machine some small parts in winter

Hi. I have a Chester crusader deluxe, 2009 model, to sum it up I sold a 5" Boxford to buy it. I wish I had never bothered. There rubbish compared to old English made machines.

The handles drop off, the tailstock is not at the same height as the chuck spindle, the cross slide works it way backwards, the indents on the gear selectors are poor fitting and many times have I crashed the gears.

I could go on but I am waiting to unload my anger when the results of the trials come out in model engineer after they have taken place.

Brian

Hi no the Harrison is in good condition complete with dro as is the Mitchell although some 50 years old, when I was an apprentice my first job was to clean the Mitchell each day as it was brand new some 40 years later when the factory closed I purchased it a good buy at £400-00 as I had used it most weeks but at 3 ton plus I wondered had I done the correct thing in the 10 years I had it in my workshop it has been invaluable sorry I didn't now that the lathes were the same except colour

Any chance non electric heating might be worth a try? e.g. Wood burner with chimney? Or a gas fire which vents the exhaust to outside. Also if it can be really well insulated and draught proofed the heat requirement goes right down. Good luck either way.

Wow, could have had a lucky escape then.

Unless you do your machining in the early hours, why not install an electric storage heater or two, which you could "charge" when you're not using the workshop? The power will also be cheaper if you have Economy 7.

Hi,

After veiwing and playing with both Warco and Chester lathes at the Warwick Model Engineering show I chose the Chester. Several of the Warco machines were rough on the cross slide and I am guessing that the spindles were either slightly bent or inorrectly assembled. Both machines are essentially the same with cosmetic differences to seperate the branding.

To date my lathe has been good and no problems to report, but it is early days.

I have a Warco 25V-F lathe & a WM16 mill bought at the Harrogate exhib' in 2012; Initially they sent me the wrong lathe but that was resolved easily enough just had to wait a bit longer for the new stock to come in. From day one they both worked out of the box. I did have a few tweaks to do on the lathe but nothing that affected the running of it. I have blown the fuses a couple of times but that was purely down to me i.e. stopping then starting immediately again, but once I got used to allowing it to come to a complete stop then restarting all is fine.

​Colour is no bother too me but that is a personal choice whether 'tis blue, grey, green, it doesn't affect the operation of the machines & to date both machines have done what I've given them. You've got to remember that this size of machines are for 'hobby use' & not accepting of the types of d.o.c. that you ask a Harrison / Colchester etc to take, but as far as value for money goes you'd be hard put to match them.

George.

His issue is he can't afford the cabling, trench etc to get power in for the electric heating.

I like the previous idea of a woodburner with a chimney. I know a guy near me who has a big shed in his garden that is his motorbike restoration workshop. He has made himself a woodburning stove to heat it, with a chimney.

Wood burners are Ace.

I have quite a large shop and it's uninsulated. I had a problem years ago of getting a business up and running with as much space as I could build and as many machines as I could afford but little funds.

The result was i built uninsulated with the idea to go back later and insulate but you never do.

Fitted the big wood burner and now warm as toast as quite a few on here who have visited will confirm.

Up side is no condensation with wood and no rust. I never cover or oil my machines and the beds and chucks are rust free all year but it does get daily use.

Being in the heart of the chair frame making industry we have no problems getting seasoned beech wood.

In fact one local company drop me two skips a week off, all I have to do is tip it and then either take the skip back or ring them to collect it.

Middle of winter.

Sometimes it CAN get a bit out of hand !!!!!

The point of a storage heater is that you heat it up before you go into the workshop, so you're not using the machines at the same time, so no extra load. There must be some kind of electricity to run the machines

Fair point.

Please read again. There is power for the machines.

Anyway, why go underground? B&Q sell 25m of 27amp outdoor cable, armoured, for 25 squids. Run that along a strainer wire above head height. Must be cheaper than underground and certainly cheaper than a new lathe!