Lathe & Mill

Hi.

I am very new to making models.

I would like to start off with Stuart models. I think the Proxxon Lathe PD400 & Proxxon FF230 Mill would be suitable.

I would like any advise on this question

Doug (Jersey)

Hi Doug,

I was in this position in 2009......wanting to make a start with no tools at all.

It's only my opinion, but you'd be best finding good used equipment (some with tooling). There are loads about. Bide your time and a great machine(s) will come along with beautiful tooling!

I think you would soon outgrow the Proxxons. I quite admire their tools, but to me they are over-priced.

Good luck.

Mike.

but you'd be best finding good used equipment (some with tooling). There are loads about. Bide your time and a great machine(s) will come along with beautiful tooling!

I think you would soon outgrow the Proxxons. I quite admire their tools, but to me they are over-priced.

-----

I agree.

The worst thing you can do if you've never done this sport before is to buy brand new

Get some good relatively cheap second hand stuff, with tooling

Then see what you think after 12months or so

(marry in haste, repent at leisure)

Smudge

It's also a matter of space. My workshop is my garage (well until next year when funds should allow a bespoke wooden workshop in the back garden) which everyone said was not ideal (moisture, rust) but it is all I have. But it did have space so I was able to buy an old lathe on a cabinet (Barker round bar bed 1947) and mill/drill (Chester Champion round column) to get me started. One advantage is the Morse Taper #3 in the mill quill and the lathe tailstock which allows for the interchanging of tools. Cost me about £350 each and then tooling must have added a further £500-£1000

I'm making tooling, not models, but these have proved robust during my learning time (smashing tools into chucks and taking too heavy cuts with endmills) to the point now where I am concentrating on accuracy and finish.

So if space permits buy the biggest you can afford

My 2p's worth

John

Hi Ady 1

Should that be 'repent forever'?

regards David

Could even be 'repeat forever' ...

Steve W

If you must buy new, I'd look at something like a Sieg C3, or Super C3, you could buy four of them and have some changeleft over. Similar goes for mills, the equivalent Sieg one is the X0 at about UK150 pounds, although I would not recomend any thing smaller than the Sieg X2.

A good Myford 10, second hand would possibly cost as much as the Sieg C3, but would have a little more capacity, and you could get your money back on resale. Ian S C

Hi,

I agree with others about the wisdom of buying second hand. Most lathes are available and a good choice would be a Boxford AUD or similar Myford. They usually arrive with a good amount of tooling which you will need. Remember that tooling for a machine can easily cost more than the original machine itself. A good second hand one will retain it's resale value and can often be sold at a small profit if yiou need to move on. Most of this smaller machinery has been used in schools where it will have had little wear, it mostly suffers from dings and paint wear where students have made minor mistakes.

The same applies to other machines such as millers where good second hand ones are available. For example, i managed to obtain a little used milling machine, the equivalent of the Warco WM18 (here) including a stand, Coolant pump and coolant, sets of end mills and slot drills, collet chuck and collets as well as a very nice small rotary table with a set of dividing plates for way less than the cost of a new machine without tooling.

It certainly pays to look around, but take a knowledgeable friend along as well. It may be worth visiting or joining a local ME club to get a bit of advice and experience - that can save a fortune.

Best regards

Terry

Hi Guys

I would be happy to purchase 2nd equipment. As i live in Jersey, i can not just pop down the road and have a look. I was looking at Myford Lathes on E-Bay. But it is so hard working out who you can trust.

If you had £2000 for a lathe and £2000 for a Mill (in my dreams). What should i be looking at.

Chester V Warco V Axminster.

Thanks guys for taking the time to answer my questions

Smudge

Hi Smudge,

For that sort of budget, with a bit of patience (and if you have space) you could be looking at a Colchester Student / Harrison M300 lathe and a Bridgeport Mill. These would tackle pretty much everything you can throw at it, and as Terry mentioned, should you need to sell later on you would get your money back, maybe more.

Remember you can do small work on a big lathe / mill, but not the other way round.

Might be a problem getting it back to Jersey in your hand luggage though...

Good luck!

James

You don't need a mill or even a vertical slide for the small Stuarts. Don't be put off by "£500-£1000" for tooling as again a Stuart can be built with <£50 if you don't get carried away with boxed sets of taps and dies and sets of carbide tools. Actually the 10V can be built without a lathe just hand tools if you find the article in ME with instructions.

Depends on your location but there are often adequate lathes going at auction for <£200 but you might need the advice of a club member on some of the strange stuff out there. Basic tools are probably also available from a club bring and buy, and some club exhibitions.

I bought a warco 3024YZ (type) bench mill last autumn from a friend in our club. After a lot of winding of the traverse i have just bought another machine. Harrison vetical mill with POWER traverse. Much easier. £750 and a bargain. So The Warco will be going.

My lathe is a Boxford model A as descibed above. This is a lovely machine. Not too big not too small.

As for trust: Home and workshop machinery who advertise in the model engineer are pretty genuine. Visited them when i was looking for a lathe. They certainly know how to present a second hand machine. All shiney and well oiled. They are a bit expensive, as us up north flat hat wearers and porkpie eaters are used to but the kit is good.

What ever you end up with, have fun.

Bri

There is a lot of sense Doug in what Bazyle says, taking that approach would give you time to gain some experience of metalworking in the home workshop when eventually you would be better placed to decide on a suitable mill to complement the lathe you have been using.

I also agree that a second hand lathe of a well respected make is a better choice.

If you need any help in deciding the lathe only route to making a small Stuart, with just a small drilling machine if possible, see my web pages that describe such an approach.

The page is at **LINK**

Perhaps I should add that I will be away from my PC for the next four weeks should any questions come up

Harold

Hi Doug,

Not much more I can add to the advice above but the market for second hand machines over here is (in my experience) virtually non-existant.

I bit the bullet years ago and had an Axminster 918 (identical to a warco 920 but had a myford threaded spindle). This worked fine for me to learn on and after a few years I bought a Super 7 but this was all done 'blind' so to speak. i don't think there has been a ME club over here for many years now so as you say it's not as easy as just popping down the road to have a look.

If I can help with anything at all just PM me.

Regards,

Paul (also in Jersey )