Which Lathe???

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Which Lathe???

This topic has 77 replies, 23 voices, and was last updated 6 September 2020 at 19:56 by Niels Abildgaard.

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5 April 2020 at 12:10 #27257
Paul Smith 37
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@paulsmith37
I need a bit of help here.
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5 April 2020 at 12:10 #462460
Paul Smith 37
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@paulsmith37
Well this has probably been done to death, but ill ask the latest opinion.

Ive bought a Myford ML10 Metric a while ago, its a great little machine, but after a while i find myself hankering for a bigger unit. Its got a raft of extras with it, but i find myself being limited by what the unit can do. I hastily bought it without doing my research first. Im limited by the MT2 in the headstock.

The foot print of the lathe is great, small, compact and light. It makes a great finish and is very capable, to a point.

So my next route up is an ML7 with a big bore kit. Roy Milner has stopped making them, i messaged him a few days ago.Myford themselves make a big bore lathe based on the ML7 , wether they will sell me just a big bore headstock i i dont know.?They are closed at the moment. Do you know anybody else who makes one?

Roy was doing the headstock for £1500. Now you can buy a new lathe for that, but it will be chinese but 26mm capable.

I hear Warco and Chester gets good reviews, but also some terrible ones too. I prefer to stay English i think.

So i think ill change my route to an Myford ML7 and find the metric conversion for it, and try and find a big bore headstock .So the question is, which ML7?

One of the gearbox versions seems to be the way to go, whilst im changing over.

The other limiting factor is the space i dont have, the ML7 will fit, but a Boxford or similar toolroom lathe wont.

Im doing general fabrication of tools and log splitters,belt sanders etc for a hobby, i cant for one fit a 17mm shaft thru the headstock as its mt2.

Ive a 52 inch width available , slighty more if the unit can be pushed in at an angle then squared up afterwards due to a shelving support, which i could move if i have to.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to reply.

Your views are greatly received.

Edited By Paul Smith 37 on 05/04/2020 12:11:46
5 April 2020 at 14:07 #462490
Journeyman
Participant
@journeyman
See *** Journeyman's Workshop *** for my views on choosing machinery!

John
5 April 2020 at 15:48 #462509
Paul Smith 37
Participant
@paulsmith37
Thats a good and comprehensive read that. well put together !
5 April 2020 at 16:35 #462518
SillyOldDuffer
Moderator
@sillyoldduffer
Posted by Paul Smith 37 on 05/04/2020 12:10:02:

Well this has probably been done to death, but ill ask the latest opinion.

Ive bought a Myford ML10 Metric a while ago … find myself hankering for a bigger unit.

…

So my next route up is an ML7 with a big bore kit.

…

I hear Warco and Chester gets good reviews, but also some terrible ones too. I prefer to stay English i think.

…

The other limiting factor is the space i dont have, the ML7 will fit, but …

…

Tricky one, but despite objections to Chinese, one of them may be the answer. Going 'English' reduces the available choice particularly if a good condition big bore must fit into a small space. It may take a while to find a suitable classic machine, especially if metric is also important. (Buying second-hand, condition is more important than make and model.)

Myford suffer from the name attracting premium prices. If money is no object Triona list a Connoisseur at the moment. It's said to be in unused condition. Price on Application; no harm in asking, but make sure your pacemaker has a fresh battery!

Health emergency apart an important advantage of new Chinese machines is they're available off-the-shelf in a wide range of different sizes. The machine that fits best into the available space can be picked out of a catalogue.

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 05/04/2020 16:37:18
5 April 2020 at 17:08 #462529
thaiguzzi
Participant
@thaiguzzi
Posted by Journeyman on 05/04/2020 14:07:54:

See *** Journeyman's Workshop *** for my views on choosing machinery!

John

Well put together website. Well done.
5 April 2020 at 17:19 #462534
Enough!
Participant
@enough
Paul, you,of course, know your own needs but if "big-bore" is driving your choice make sure that you actually need it.

I started with an early Chinese lathe and then got an ML7. I kept the Chinese lathe as well because of the larger bore. I actually used that machine, I think, once in 7 years and then mostly "because it was there".

I finally sold that lathe and haven't missed it.

ymmv.
5 April 2020 at 19:37 #462593
Paul Smith 37
Participant
@paulsmith37
That connoisseur will be big bucks , fat end of 8k id say. But tanks for the heads up.!Im not a collector, i want to use it. Quite why you'd want to collect lathes is beyond me , watches are easier to store.
5 April 2020 at 19:38 #462594
Paul Smith 37
Participant
@paulsmith37
Ive also wondered about boring out the spindle and keeping a spare to swap back should i need to.

Edited By Paul Smith 37 on 05/04/2020 19:39:12
5 April 2020 at 19:42 #462595
Paul Smith 37
Participant
@paulsmith37
So what chinese lathes are any good?
5 April 2020 at 20:06 #462606
Dave Halford
Participant
@davehalford22513
Harrison M300, there's 4 on ebay in the UK, 2 might be OK, 2 are junk.

Prices are pretty much the same
5 April 2020 at 20:19 #462610
Andrew Evans
Participant
@andrewevans67134
My advice is go for something as big as you can fit in your space.
5 April 2020 at 20:43 #462615
Clive Brown 1
Participant
@clivebrown1
Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 05/04/2020 16:35:49:

…

Myford suffer from the name attracting premium prices. If money is no object Triona list a Connoisseur at the moment. It's said to be in unused condition. Price on Application; no harm in asking, but make sure your pacemaker has a fresh battery!

IIRC I noticed that same Myford a few days ago at £14K. Perhaps it was April 1st.
5 April 2020 at 20:49 #462616
Paul Smith 37
Participant
@paulsmith37
£14k crikey o riley. ill leave that there.

Thanks Andrew

Thanks Dave. ill check them out

Thanks Mr Banders

Thanks Mr Duffer
5 April 2020 at 21:14 #462622
Hollowpoint
Participant
@hollowpoint
What about a Boxford with the rear mounted motor. About the same size as the myford but a better machine.
5 April 2020 at 21:15 #462623
Paul Smith 37
Participant
@paulsmith37
Posted by Hollowpoint on 05/04/2020 21:14:18:

What about a Boxford with the rear mounted motor. About the same size as the myford but a better machine.

Have you a model type? whats the spindle capacity?
5 April 2020 at 21:43 #462624
Hollowpoint
Participant
@hollowpoint
Im not up on my Boxford models, but ME10 and CSB come to mind though ive seen models A, B, abd C with rear mounted motors too.

The underdrive models are CUD, BUD and AUD.

I believe the spindle bore is about 3/4"
5 April 2020 at 21:49 #462625
Clive Brown 1
Participant
@clivebrown1
The standard Boxford passes 3/4", (3MT). Bigger bore versions were made but rare.

All are screwcutting except any designated "T" which are very basic.

Model A:- Screwcutting g/box., power cross feed & long. feed

Model B:- Power cross-feed & long. feed

Model C;-Power long. feed.
5 April 2020 at 22:15 #462633
Hollowpoint
Participant
@hollowpoint
Thinking about it the under drive models probably take up less room than the rear drive models and not much more than a ML7. About comparable to a super 7.

I understand you said you don't have much room but the only difference is the cabinet rather than being bench mounted.
5 April 2020 at 22:31 #462635
Paul Smith 37
Participant
@paulsmith37
Im looking into the Boxford box lathes, they maybe very efficient in what they do, which is of course the primary goal, but lack the charisma of a myford super 7 style lathe. Or Is it me just being a tart?
5 April 2020 at 23:17 #462640
Martin Hamilton 1
Participant
@martinhamilton1
I have always thought Myfords have been way over priced, as an example Home & Workshop Machinery has a Myford Connoisseur big bore for a whopping £14000 + vat £16800 total.
5 April 2020 at 23:23 #462642
Paul Smith 37
Participant
@paulsmith37
Posted by Martin Hamilton 1 on 05/04/2020 23:17:23:

I have always thought Myfords have been way over priced, as an example Home & Workshop Machinery has a Myford Connoisseur big bore for a whopping £14000 + vat £16800 total.

Thats a lot of money for a lathe.
5 April 2020 at 23:33 #462645
Hollowpoint
Participant
@hollowpoint
Posted by Paul Smith 37 on 05/04/2020 22:31:35:

Im looking into the Boxford box lathes, they maybe very efficient in what they do, which is of course the primary goal, but lack the charisma of a myford super 7 style lathe. Or Is it me just being a tart?

Function over form for me. But I get where you're coming from. If you want charm and charisma buy a cowells me90. 😊

I don't think an ML7 is a massive upgrade over your ML10 to be honest. I had an ML10 and I actually preferred it!

I started with a very basic Raglan Loughborough training lathe which I quickly upgraded to an ML7 when one came along at a price I could not reuse with loads of accessories. I only owned the ML7 for about 12 months. I kinda regretted selling the Raglan and the ML7 actually seemed like a bit of a down grade. I gained screwcutting with the Myford but the Raglan was more rigid, had a bigger bore, bigger centre hight, was smoother and was metric. After the Myford I bought a Boxford AUD which had the best quality's of bothe the Raglan and the Myford. I can honestly say I have never looked back and I can't ever imagine parting with my Boxford now.
5 April 2020 at 23:51 #462651
Bazyle
Participant
@bazyle
As a Boxford owner I only see Myfords at exhibitions and they always strike me a 'dinky' and 'cute' as they are invariably polished up a part of a demonstration. Bit like having a fancy sports car seems nice but you still need a Landrover to pull the log trailer.
6 April 2020 at 00:09 #462656
Steviegtr
Participant
@steviegtr
I took out my headstock shaft, if that's what it is called. So I could take it to the autojumble with me to match a chuck for it. One thing I did think was if you considered opening up the bore. I.E Making a new shaft. Then all the gears would need remake , or rebore etc. Big job I guess. I have had the Super 7 a while now & it is a great machine , but I can appreciate the limits of a MT2. Not a problem for me as I have a cut off machine & bandsaw. But loading large stock a no-no.

Steve.
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