New from Essex

Hi all

I’m mick and hail from sunny Southend (lol) I’ve been retired now for 4 years now and need to purchase a lathe I haven’t got a specific use for it but I’m into quite a few hobbies and I keep wishing I had a lathe again

I run my own sliding head company for 20 years hands on with 5cnc lathes and Colchester bantam etc and when ever I needed to make something I either programmed my cnc,s or manual turned it ,boy do I miss that I keep finding I need a part turned and have to find another way .

im looking at the Warco 250v as it seems a lot of lathe and tech for the money I wouldn’t want a Myford or a mini lathe and I need to be able to get it down the garden ,

tia for any advice

Welcome to the Forum.

You will find loads of help and advice on here.

You are obviously quite familiar with lathes and their uses. Obviously, horses for courses waht you choose will depend on what you want to do with it.

You seem to think that a mini lathe is too small for you expected use. That is understandable. You can do small work in a big lathe, but it is more difficult the other way round!

When I retired in 2003, my ML7 was replaced by an Engineers Tool Room BL12-24, (A Warco BH600 or Chester Craftsman in a different paint scheme ). maybe one of it's successors would meet your needs. But I opted for a conversion to VFD, with which I am very happy.

Possible suppliers, Amadeal, Arc Euro Trade, Axminster, Chester or Warco spring to mind,as possible suppliers.

The exact package on offer and the price will vary from supplier to supplier.

Others on here will give their experiences with these suppliers, ranging from favourable through to the opposite.

I can only comment on my experiences with three of the above, but won't here. See what others say about their machines.

Howard

Welcome Mick, I can well appreciate how frustrating it would be if you had access to machinery and now you don't!

All the best with finding your ideal lathe and remember, this is the best place to ask for advice and request help with any particular problem.

Brian

Welcome to the forum, Mick,

Neil

Hi Mick and welcome to the forum

H