EMCO compact 8 parts

I have owned an EMCO Compact 8 lathe for almost 20 years and just recently I found that extensive cracks have developed in the lead screw mounts of the cross slide table and that of the compound. Has any Compact 8 owner experienced the same thing ?

Anyway, these two parts will need be replaced. I understand that the EMCO division making hobby machines is already out of business but is there any chance that some suppliers may still be carrying these parts ? Any information that will help to bring my compact 8 back to live again will be very much appreciated.

Hi,

The main dealer for EMCO hobby equipment in the UK was/is Pro Machine Tools Ltd. I note that they are still selling Compact 8 changegear sets on Ebay.UK so it's possible that they may have other parts. Suggest you contact them — website here:

**LINK**

Joe

Actually, looking at this page on their site :

**LINK**

— they seem to have quite an extensive range but maybe not the items you are after. Probably worth giving them a call or emailing anyway.

Joe

Hi Y C;

Very strange. I now have 2 Emco Compact 8s and both do not suffer the zinc/zamac issues you seem to have shown. Both have wear on the power drive idler pulley bearings, but nothing like you show. One is from 1976, the other from 1978, if I understand the serial number sequencing correctly.

As others have said, check out the UK emco dealer. It might be worth a direct email to them; they may have these parts from a scrapped lathe, or one or two new ones, kicking around.

I really like the Emco Compact 8, so I hope you get yours going again.

Also, both parts shown can be fabricated, but personally I'd purchase parts if available and spend my time doing what I wish to do.

Another JohnS.

I had the geared head version the Emcomat8.6 for over 20years and did nothave these problems.

As well as Pro-machine you may want to ask on the Emco users Yahoo Group if there are any sources. Infact I think there are some photos of a new part being made on there somewhere.

J

Gray;

If I do this post right:

**LINK**

I found this interesting. I wonder if Emco got a bad batch of metal, or whether there's other factors at play?

IIRC, you have an Emco lathe; any issues found on yours?

Another JohnS.

Seems to be an affliction known as 'zinc pest' — see here:

**LINK**

Only similar thing I've seen is metal rot of the 'pot metal' gear wheels supplied with Atlas lathes.

I've sometimes fretted over the 'Mazak' elements of my 45-year old Myford ML10 but they'e in good nick apart from some wear of the crosslide leadscrew bracket journal (equivalent of the OP's part). Needs bushing. I only wish they hadn't used Mazak for the leadscrew half-nuts — currently, £66 a pop!

Come to think of it, my old EMCO Unimat SL is almost wholly made of Mazak or equivalent but shows no signs of anything like this.

Joe

Oops, JohnS beat me to it.

Edited By joegib on 19/10/2012 14:41:24

Edited By joegib on 19/10/2012 14:43:05

Pro Machine do list the lead screw mount.

**LINK**

Hi Y C,

Like John Alexander I have an old Compact 8 (1976) and the olnly part exchanged is the cross feed nut. I got my spare from Austria (Emco Holz und Hobby). If you can't find a replacement part, it is not too difficult to make one. I did when making a topslide with longer movement.

Regards

Thor

I am new to this site and came a cross the problems that are occurring to the die cast parts of Emco lathes .Owning a 8.6 myself for more than 37 years I did an inspection on all die cast parts and found several cracked ones.The two bearing blocks and the locking block from the tumbler gears.These parts are no longer available.The replacements I made are of solid bronze see pictures.There was want thing I noticed that only the parts that where market with something that looks like a little bear were cracked all others are fine.

Sorry forgot the pictures

Edited By David Clark 1 on 06/12/2012 14:51:51

Frank; Nice work.

My 2 Compact-8 lathes are ok in this regard, but the motor/drive train idler pulley has friction bearings, and these wear, creating lots of noise.

I have replaced friction bearings once in my old Compact-8, but my "new" Compact-8 also has this problem. It's on the list to make ball-bearing idlers for both lathes. I note that the Asian Compact-8 clone (eg, Grizzly 9x19 lathe) has a ball bearing idler - obviously they have run across this problem in the original and have fixed it.

Another JohnS

Hi Graham

I just sprayed them black with some left over paint may not the best job,but needed my lathe to get up and ready

Hi, I have an asian copy compact 8 (named TOP 450). It seems to be pretty identical, even improved in some ways (changeable tool post, ball bearing idler etc). It doesnt seem to have any of the metal deterioration problems either.

But i would like to give it a service, and tighten it up if possible. There is some slop in the axes which i would like to remove.

If anyone could give me some tips as to what to check / replace that would be great.

You EMCO Compact 8 /8E men will probably all now be aware that replacement Cross Slide Leadscrew Mount BA4 020020, which falls apart in its original die cast Mazak form, is now replaced by a "machined from solid" version .In stock at PRO MACHINE TOOLS. Ive just ordered one at £58.20 inc VAT /Postage

Does anyone make an adapter flange for the 8 (with its special DIN Nose /hole centres)to enable fitment of cheaper oriental chucks etc

Cheers

Brian

Brian, its not hard to machine a backplate to fit the Emco spindle nose, I did it a couple of times when I had mine. The Yahoo group has details of the size of taper etc. Then just mount any chuck with a recessed back to the backplate.

Hi Brian,

Like Jason I have made several backplates/adapter flanges for my Compact 8, both for SC chucks and independant ones. It is not that difficult. I also made an ER-32 chuck for the C8.

Thor

Edited By Thor on 15/02/2016 17:29:48