Looks like they are abandoning manufacturing as they seem to be divesting themselves of their production machinery, the name will probably be kept alive by selling it to someone in the Far East, probably China. Dave W

Boxford was exhibiting at last week's Southern Manufacturing Show at Farnborough. They were showing laser cutters and engravers among other things. I asked if they were the Boxford of lathe fame and this was confirmed by the stand personnel. Show guide indicates Dewsbury Road, Elland as trading address.

Oh for gods sake give it a rest, manufacturers have been moving abroad for years!!!!

Tony

Barrie the same circumstances apply with purchasing trains for our transport system, we end up with the products being made in Germany or Spain, supposedly due to “competitive tendering” having to be applied because of EU rules. Probably won’t happen here after 29th March, not a political statement just reality, I agree that the B——t word should be filtered out of any postings on here, we are all super saturated with it, every news programme on the tv seems to drone on about it, everyone is thoroughly fed up with it.

Dave W

Not sure why you are getting upset, I’m simply suggesting a reason why Boxford are moving.

As far as business, particularly manufacturing business, goes we know very well what will happen because those businesses have told us – very clearly and for years. They are planning to downsize, move away or have already started moving away. Not sure why you think that is controversial.

“our Commonwealth countries” 😀

Agreed Dave. I think most people would agree that this current government can’t deliver that, nor the current opposition.

I just went to Boxford's website. It has the statement "The only manual lathe you can buy which is still truly made in Britain." Looks as if that will no longer be the case. I also downloaded the brochure. Nice looking and nicely appointed machines. In the U.S. building of smallish (arbitrarily defined by me as having a swing of less than 14 inches, to use the U.S. convention for describing lathe size) has largely already ceased. Not sure when the last 10 inch South Bend was built in the U.S. I have a record of one from 1999. The company was evicted from its South Bend Indiana plant in 2002. Hardinge ceased building their (manual) toolroom lathe a few years ago. Monarch Lathes still shows the 10EE available.

Weiler offers manual lathes as small as 12+ inch swing. Survival of this German line may be due in part to the dynamic Barrie suggests. The Germans do have a reputation of having a particularly robust apprenticeship system. Incidentally Monarch Lathes distributes some of the Weiler lathes in the U.S. I don't know their price here but looking at them on Monarch's website I'm sure they are way beyond the price range for a home shop machinist (with a new 10EE being an order of magnitude more so).

David

Edited By David Lindquist on 21/02/2019 18:00:43