Suitable lathe for 3 1/2" gauge loco building

As a complete beginner to model engineering what is a suitable lathe to build 3 1/2" gauge steam engines ? I am on a limited budget bearing in mind I have to equipt myself with various other tools . Also what is a good beginners project?

Will;

When I got an Emco Compact 8 (used) I found the "perfect" 3-1/2" gauge lathe. The Myford 7 series might be better, and readily available, though. I started with a tiny Unimat SL, then on to an old 1890s lathe that barely worked, then to the Emco.

My first project was a Tich locomotive. It worked for me, although many do not think it is a beginners locomotive, nor useful when complete.

I really like the Q1 construction article by Nick Feast in the Model Engineer over the last few years; simple, powerful, relatively inexpensive. He has a lathe that is an Emco Compact-8 "clone", and a small milling machine. Find the articles - if you want a listing of the issue numbers, feel free to ask.

Find a model engineering club and see what is around and ask questions.

Mistakes always happen in workshops, just try to minimize them and learn from them to do better next time.

Another JohnS.

I used an ML10 for my 31/2" 9F. I just about managed the various bits that matter. anything larger I would put it on the faceplate. That is for smoke box to boiler rings.

Managed a Worden Tool and Cutter grinder on it as well!

Why stop at 3 1/2"? I would go at least an 8" throw if I could but like a lot of people space is at a premium.

Clive

ML7 is the way to go for me for overall value - I use my Clarke for small high speed stuff, my drummond for big rough stuff buy the Myford is capable of doing both...and its so well made!

It all depends on your budget. Go for the best your money can buy. This may not always be a new one. I would prefer to spend £500.00 on a Myford of Boxford rather than a Clark or Warco, etc.

I have a Boxford model A 5" which i Bought for £500. and i like it better than my Colchester Bantam which was three times the cost.

This look like the kind of thing.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Boxford-Model-C-selection-screw-cutting-gears-/320894712863?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item4ab6d0bc1f#ht_760wt_1240

Bear in mind as well that in the modeling hobby a lot of suppliers sell equipment to suit the more popular brands, and if like me you do not like making tooling then its a bonus to have a popular model.

Brian

There are some very nice second hand Myfords and Boxfords going on ebay at the moment with usually lots of bits thrown in. That is what I recomend. Go look at it if you can and for the cost of the hire of a small van and a few pints in the evening (you buying) with a good strong mate it will be worth it.

Good luck

Bob

Thanks for the advice . What would be the benefit of a Myford over a new lathe like the Warco WM180?

Edited By Will D on 01/05/2012 20:54:17

Will;

There are 2 thoughts to this. First is that the Myford (and Emco, and other makes) are well made, and everything fits well. They were expensive when new; unfortunately, most of the companies are not trading now. So, any machine you get will be used. Hopefully, not abused.

Lots of people have great luck with the far eastern machine tools. Most of mine are older british/european machinery, but I recently got a "kx1" CNC mill, and other than needing some good cleaning and rethreading of holes for fasteners, and some fastener replacement, it seems to be well made. The "issues" were in the sheet metal covers, nothing structural.

If you have access to the Model Engineer digital archives, Anthony Mount has a series of articles on his far eastern machinery.

In many ways you get what you pay for. Ketan at Arc Euro Trade has, for some of his equipment, really, really good rebuilding manuals. Look closely at some of the bigger mills, for instance, and you'll find a link in them. Never having purchased anything from Arc Euro, I can't say for sure, but, you'll notice what the cleaning/rebuilding costs; if I said it added 50% I might not be far off.

I'm sure that when a new far eastern bit of machinery comes from Arc Euro, it is top notch.

I have read lots of good things about Warco, and about replacement parts. Again, never ordered. I think that Nick of Q1 article fame uses a Warco lathe, and he gets more than satisfactory results.

(I live in Canada, so we have our own equivalent distributors; might pick up a smaller asian lathe for CNC conversion tomorrow!)

Another JohnS.

"I recently got a "kx1" CNC mill, and other than needing some good cleaning and rethreading of holes for fasteners, and some fastener replacement, it seems to be well made. "

I once bought a car, apart from rust on the doors, a blown exhaust and cigarette burns on the seats it was in perfect condition.

On a more serious note I have a Conquest Super from Chester and find no problems at all on making 31/2" parts. I'm currently building "Northumbrian" which has large diameter driving wheels and have overcome the problem of holding them in a 80mm chuck by fitting soft jaws and machining them to size.

For me choice of lathe was down to budget and accessability from a wheel chair.