Hi everyone !

Just starting out in model engineering. Partitioned Garage off, and built a nice strong bench, now ready for kitting out. Thinking a Myford super 7 sounds about the best bet !

Welcome Derek, I'm sure you will find lots to inspire and help you on here.

Brian

Welcome to the forum Derek,

Neil

Hi Derek, welcome to the forum. I don't agree with your comment that " Myford super 7 sounds about the best bet ". It can be a good machine if you buy a good second hand or a refurbished machine but they don't come cheap. For me they are not value for money. Also used machines can be in poor condition (as can other second hand lathes) and still be relatively expensive to purchase and more cost to bring them up to a good standard. Keep an open mind when making your choice of machine and don't restrict yourself to a Myford. If you are considering second hand British made machines think about Boxford, Harrison, Colchester, etc. The same comments, regarding condition, apply but if you get a good one they are worth it and in my humble opinion better than a Myford. Also don't discount the new Chinese machines. Plenty of choice of UK suppliers with good after sales support, well specked, plenty of tooling and very competitively priced. At the end of the day it is all down to how much you want to spend, space available and what you want to use it for.

Hope this gives you something to think about.

Good luck,

Alan.

Derek, if you were going to buy a new car, would you buy one designed 70 years ago, and produced with little modification until it ended production?

Ian S C

As a somewhat hasty purchaser of an ML7 I can whole-heartedly concur with Alan and Ian's comments.

I think I more or less got away with it but I think my money would have gone further with a more open mind.

As they say other makes of lathe are available.

HTH

Jon

What are you planning on making mostly and do you intend to get a mill?

regards Martin

Thank you all ! Have read on some sites that Myford was the best for model engineering, also the the chinese machines were not very good or up to the same standard. Have had a look at Chester machine tools, am assuming these are chinese machines, but they do look quite robust. What would you recommend ?

Speaking theoretically here, but so what if a Myford lathe was designed 70 years ago? All lathes follow principles set by Henry Maudslay, but the basic design dates back thousands of years. The old hobbyists created great models from treadle lathes, or motorised them with i/c engines as in Greenly's book. With electric motors they became self-contained and stayed that way. Build quality surely matters more, and the lathes coming from the Far East have made our hobby much more affordable.

Geoff

Thinking of starting out with a few Stuart kits first then take it from there. Also will be getting a mill/drill ! Am a manual miller by trade, now a cnc setter operator programmer ( Still prefer manual machining though).

Here is a brief cost benifit analysis of the Super7. It's is based on my workshop needs which are small scale steam (5" guage and moderate stationary engines) and clocks and workshop tooling. I have a vertical mill.

1. Ease of headstock dividing.

2. Boring table for clock wheel cutting, milling and obviously between centres boring.

3. Size.

4. Full support for spares (including second hand)

5. Amount of tooling based on the Myford

6. Precision when in good condition.

7. Open to self improvements (Slide locks, better micrometer dials, saddle stops etc)

Drawbacks

1. Can be pricey although my 1st one was £700 and I have just replaced it with a works reconditioned machine with power cross feed and gearbox for just over £3000.

2. Small bore up the spout. Spindle only passes 5/8" for the small bore.

3. If you want to build big stuff (4" traction engines etc) it's too small.

4. Metal removal rate is not huge. (well it's a toolroom lathe)

regards Martin

PS I'm sure others could add to the list.

You can buy a new Myford if you have the money, a big bore headstock and variable speed drive are available. Many useful accessories were and still are available for the Myford. It was possible to have a Myford as your only machine. Today the Chinese have upped their game, and you can buy a lathe and milling machine and tool up both for the cost of a new Myford. I chose the Myford option 17 years ago and it was a close run choice which was partly swayed by a very good Myford coming up at a good price. Today I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Chinese machine but I would choose my supplier carefully rather than hunt the rock bottom price. Supplier support in the unlikely event of a problem can make all the difference to the ownership experience. If you choose a preowned machine you are very much on your own once you have purchased,if it is a private sale.

Mike

If you don't want to get a Chinese lathe consider Boxford AUD over Myford. Just that little bit bigger but a whole lot more solid though the problems of good/bad used machines still exist. Unless you are specifically making small models like 1/24 scale and clocks then the Myfords really are a bit small though still capable do you want to be operating always in the top half of their range or the middle of a bigger lathes range?

I sold my ML7 because: 2MT Headstock bore was often too small;, (later models overcame this limitation) did not like how it shook when I used the Rodney milling attachment.

Thirteen years ago, the price of a new Super 7, (ca £8K) with Norton box , Chucks, and Steadies made me feel faint, and could not be justified. The successor is a larger Chinese lathe with MT5 spindle, hardened bed, Chucks, Steadies, and a retro fitted British VFD came to £2K. It weighs 300Kg and will swing 12 over the bed, and 18" in the gap(Not yet used)

Like any machine, it is not perfect, but it has done all that I have asked of it, so far, despite my carelessness.

From what I read, small Chinese lathes are not tolerant of abuse, and Model Engineers tend to achieve things that the designers of the machines never envisaged.

You can do small work on a big lathe, but not the other way round.

FWIW, my advice would be to choose a lathe which is larger, and heavier (more rigid) than you initially think that you will need. The extra outlay will buy a lot of peace of mind and confidence. If you can find a British lathe in good condition, go for it. If not, do look at more recent larger and heavier Chinese machines. My preference for changing speeds would be belt or gear head rather than original equipment variable speed drives. BUT that is just my prejudice, although I continue to be happy with my British retrofit VFD.

Howard