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Which Lathe

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Barry S16/12/2009 19:48:32
2 forum posts
Hello there,
I am new to this hobby and am looking to buy a lathe. I have a budget of up to £1200 or so to get everything I need to get started turning a variety of things (i.e four jaw chuck, faceplate, steadies, cutting tools etc).
Second hand is not really an option for me as I would likely buy a lemon, so new machines only. The ones I have looked at so far include the Warco WMT300, Warco 918, Warco BV20, Axminster SIEG C4.warco 918 C4
I realise that I can't have everything I want for my budget, and any machine at this price point will be a compromise, but it is finding the compromises I can live with. Ideally I would like both R/h and l/h screw threading in metric and imperial (preferably without changing gear sets), ability to cut multi-start threads, decent accuracy, easy speed changes and ease of maintenance.
 
Are any of the machines I have mentioned decent enough, or does anyone have any better suggestions?
 
Thanks in advance.
 
Barry.
mgj16/12/2009 20:27:47
1017 forum posts
14 photos
Have a look at Excel lathes - Google them. They are supposed to be better quality.
 
Screwcutting in metric and imperial without changing gears. Normally you need to put a conversion cluster in . There are various standard clusters that do the conversion, and it is usually a pretty simple job.
 
Cutting multistarts. Well in theory any lathe will cut a multistart, so long as you disengage the gear train and index the job round the right amount. However, the problem is that the  lead on a multistart is very long, so the leadscrew gearing is very high and that means a fast traverse under power and the need for slow minimum RPM. Also if you want to threadcut with a gearbox, that generally makes oddball pitches less easy to achieve - not impossible, but a good deal less convenient - simply because of the layout of the machine.(though you do gain the convenience of a "multi -pitch" leadscrew).
 
As a matter of interest why the enthusiasm for multistarts particularly. Do you have some specific project in mind? Most people would not need to cut a multistart in years and years and years of modelling. In fact for many models almost all threads can be die cut or die finished, and thats as far as one needs to go 99% of the time.
Martin W17/12/2009 00:16:34
940 forum posts
30 photos
Barry
 
Have you looked at the Chester range of lathes. Something like the DB10V with electronic speed control and a gearbox looks to be in the cost range you have given. I only mention this as I have the baby of this range and it is a good workhorse considering its size. Also Chester I, and others, have found are extremely good when support is needed. See comments from users on the Chester forum board.
 
Even when I set the speed to its lowest setting 50rpm there is still a good amount of torque from the motor so slow thread cutting etc is fine.
 
Meyrick the Excel lathes look nice but unfortunately there's no price list even EX VAT.
 
Hope this helps
 
Martin W

Edited By Martin W on 17/12/2009 00:17:46

mgj17/12/2009 01:00:49
1017 forum posts
14 photos
mscjlindustrial.co.uk
 
That Warco seems to be bolted down with a single bolt at each end  - so I'm wondering how they think it is to be accurately set to cut straight.
 
Might be worth checking that it can be done

Edited By meyrick griffith-jones on 17/12/2009 01:06:04

Redpiperbob17/12/2009 07:03:19
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92 forum posts
41 photos
Hi all
I had a 918 and yes it is screwed down with one bolt at either end . But I soon got it to turn accurately by shiming when tighhtening down. I thought it was a great lathe and comes with all you need to start with. If you do not have a milling machine buy a verticle slide at the same time you wont regret it. I build a G.T. divideing head and most of my Quorn on it.  and a chassis for a Rob Roy.  You can also get a lot of good tips for modifing the lathe at.
 
 
 
 
I thought the lathe was an excellent buy and the service from Warco was good
 
Bob
mgj17/12/2009 11:31:09
1017 forum posts
14 photos
Fair enough. Its just as well to be sure before you buy!
 
i agree about Warco - the odd occasion when I have wanted help they have been very good.
JasonB17/12/2009 16:50:20
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25215 forum posts
3105 photos
1 articles
The DB10V DOES NOT have a gearbox, thread cutting is done by changewheels.
 
Also the Variable speed lathes of this type lack slow speed torque as the diameter increases so you have to take lighter cuts. Not such an issue on smaller threads but you can stall them with large dia iron flywheels etc. And watch out for overheating if running at low speed for a long time as the motor fan does not move a lot of air at low rpm.
 
Apart from that they do the job, at least my Warco WM280VF does.
 
Jason
mgj17/12/2009 17:48:16
1017 forum posts
14 photos
I must admit, I like a belt head or a geared head. The electronic varispeed is cheaper to make and that's the only advantage.
 
You just cannot beat having a motor running at full chat, geared well down for low speed torque and control cutting big diameters and large screw threads (which are the ones one is most likely to have to cut. Littl'uns have taps and dies.
 
I agree that changing belts on pulleys is a tad awkward, or can be, but you get pretty used to it. At least the belt always goes on. With a geared head you sometimes have to hit the jog switch to nudge it if a couple of gear teeth are dead in line. 
 
I don't know if its in budget, but that Chester Craftsman is tremendous value. Good size, plus a gap. Good range of speeds and feeds, do all the screwcutting you want, well equipped. Belt head - no varispeed thank god, and a norton gearbox. moderately compact, tee slotted x slide so you can mill up to a point. Not sophisticated, but difficult to beat for a modeller.  the Warco equivalent is hte BH600/900

Edited By meyrick griffith-jones on 17/12/2009 17:52:32

Barry S17/12/2009 19:51:28
2 forum posts
Great replies so far. Thanks.
Definitely given me some food for thought. Maybe a belt change wouldn't be so bad after all. As I said, it's finding the compromises I can live with, rather than the ones that make me regret my purchase. As a lowly tractor mechanic you will understand that £1200 is a fairly sizeable chunk of money to me!
The Excel and Chester ranges had not made my radar, but I will check them out. Some of the Lower range Excel models do look quite familiar though!
The Warco WM280B also looks quite good. The VF is just a bit out of my range.
I have some books on the way, so a fair bit more research to do before hopefully ordering in January.
One quick question. I see with the Warco range the specs say thread cutting in both metric and imperial but the purchasing options then give a metric machine and a separate imperial machine. Does that mean I would have to get a separate gear set to cut the other range of threads?
Cheers,
Barry.
 
P.S. the reason I  want to be able to cut multi-starts is because I intend to do some fountain pen turning (as well as a lot of other stuff) and most screw on caps have multi starts so one full turn threads/unthreads the cap.
JasonB17/12/2009 20:12:14
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25215 forum posts
3105 photos
1 articles
The metric/imperial option refers to what the dials on the handwheels are calibrated in, the lead screws will also be imperial say 8tpi or metric 3mm pitch.
 
The change gears supplied will allow you to cut both metric and imperial pitches ( though there may be a very slight error as some of the ratios are not exact but its a very small difference.
 
Jason

Edited By JasonB on 17/12/2009 20:12:51

mgj17/12/2009 20:34:24
1017 forum posts
14 photos
Multistarts - get Martin Cleeves book Screwcutting in the Lathe. Its one of the WP series and it tells you how to do it. Its not difficult in principle - all the extra kit consists of is a dab of paint or a bit of chalk! But if you don't get the dimensions dead right it right it's a bit fiddly in practise!!!!!!!!(to work out where the thing is binding and on which of hte starts the errors lie.
 
Its the sort of thing you approach with a light hearted air and a generosity of spirit.
 
Actually its a b'stard,a real sod,  but at least a pen cap is not critical so you can make all tolerably slack.
John Whitby28/12/2009 20:21:02
5 forum posts
When it comes to lathes I would suggest, where possible, to get a second hand old UK industrial lathe or a Myford!

You could get hold of a Bantam through a dealer for your budget. This would be solidly built and, even after industrial use as good as many new lathes.

I must admit to being disappointed when looking at new kit at exhibitions, the backlash and the roughness of the lathe controls just makes me glad I bought second hand!

Have a look at the various dealers. E-bay is also a good source most of the year, something like a Boxford, Harrison, Myford or Colchester is very likely to be a good buy.
Ian Lee29/12/2009 18:37:03
53 forum posts
One of the easiest ways of cutting multi start threads is to have a screwcutting indicator dial fitted. I have a Chester Crusader lathe which has one as standard, All it is is a small attachment on the side on the lathe saddle which is engaged to the lead screw, the dial on mine has 8 marks scribed on it which I mark of with a felt tipped pen to indicate each thread starting point when I cut multi start threads.
 
Have a look at this link for a Chester lathe costing about 1120 quid, for 2009 it now comes with a thread cutting indicator fitted.
 
 
Ian

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