Lathe upgrade advice

[mattParticipant @matt27093]

Hi All

I'm thinking of upgrading my lathe. I currently have a Amadeal 920 clone, which has done everything I've asked of it and is accurate but I just fancy a change (any excuse for a new toy ).

Featurewise wishlist is

1. Brushless motor and variable speed

2. Power cross feed

3. possibly larger spindle bore ( currently approx 19mm).

4. bolt on chuck or cam lock nose ( currently threaded spindle nose).

I don't wont to restart the chinese/old english debate. I'd prefer new so any major issues can go back to supplier and as I'm an engineer by trade I don't have any issues doing a bit of fettling and tidying up which is usually necessary with the chinese offerings.

Should mention my workshop is in an upstairs room so weight is a consideration. Don't really want to go much over 150kg.

Two models I'm looking at are

1.Sieg SC4

2. Amadeal BL250AVF

Other option I've seen is Chester DB10 super but I'm not clear from their webpage whether it has a brushless or ac motor and what the rating is ( manual is for an older model) plus its out os stock.

Originally I was think SC4 but for an extra £200 or so for the Amadeal or Chester offerings I would gain a bit of capacity both in swing over bed and spindle bore ( MT4 26mm bore as opposed to MT3 20mm bore).

Has anyone any thoughs/experience of either machine ( or options I haven't found)?.

Matt

[mattParticipant @matt27093]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

One other to consider would be a Warco 250V, same capacity as the Chester but definately with AC motor driven by inverter, quite a few members with this one.

[mattParticipant @matt27093]

Thanks Jason

Had considered that one but couple of things against it.

Firstly out of stock, whilst I'm not in a desperate rush Dont want to be waiting months either.

Secondly its a bit more than I want to spend as warco include a lot of accessories that I dont need immediately / at all. I made a point when i got when my currrent amadeal lathe to order both rests and faceplate as extras and I think i've used fixed steady once and not touched the others in ten years. So makes sense to wait and buy those items once I have an actual need for them I think.

[magpieParticipant @magpie]

I have had a DB10 for about 7 or 8 years now and no problems with it at all.

[mattParticipant @matt27093]

Good to know. I'm assuming that 8years ago it would be a brushed dc motor?

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Question: Is that amadeal a brushless motor? Or did I miss any/some definitive indication of that in the specs? I don’t like to assume it will be brushless any more than whether the spec is for ‘power in’ or ‘power delivered (for the motor).

Edited By not done it yet on 19/07/2020 19:22:21

[Steve NeighbourParticipant @steveneighbour43428]

Posted by matt on 18/07/2020 10:41:25:

Thanks Jason

Had considered that one but couple of things against it.

Firstly out of stock, whilst I'm not in a desperate rush Dont want to be waiting months either.

Secondly its a bit more than I want to spend as warco include a lot of accessories that I dont need immediately / at all. I made a point when i got when my currrent amadeal lathe to order both rests and faceplate as extras and I think i've used fixed steady once and not touched the others in ten years. So makes sense to wait and buy those items once I have an actual need for them I think.

Like you I decided on treating myself to a new lathe, rather than a 2nd hand or refurbished over priced British one and after much deliberation and umming and erring over the likes of Chester, Axminster, Seig, and Amadeal (to name but a few) of which there is little to shout about in real differences, most, if not all are made in the Weiss factory in Nanjing, China.

I finally settled on a Warco 250V. mainly because they seem to get the best reviews on 'after sales support' from folk on here and other similar sites, and there are a few youtube channels from folk who use the Weiss machines and rate them as good overall. (I have NO affiliation with Warco)

I placed my order on 7th May – and it still hasn't arrived the last update on delivery was they (I assume that's a few bursting shipping containers worth) were due to be 'at sea' by 11/07, so should be due very soon into the UK (assuming the crew are rowing hard and the weather is being kind)

Your timing for placing an order might be just right.

Steve

[mattParticipant @matt27093]

The Amadeal is in a section of their web site titled brushless bench lathes so pretty certain its brushless. Plus the 1.1kw figure sounds about right when looking at weiss website.

Got to admit I'm leaning towards the warco with the VFD at the moment. At least if motor or VFD fail they are easily replaceable with off the shelf parts whereas a custom brushless motor and its control board are likely to be harder to replace. Waiting to here back from chester as to what motor is fitted to the db10super and when both they and warco are expecting stock.

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

My Warco WM250V has been in service for just over 5 years now, probably running on more than half the days since. There's been no electrical or control trouble. Such mechanical jams as I've managed to get myself into have all been fixable without help. One small component replacement required during the guarantee period was carried out promptly and without question. Staff are understanding and helpful.

If you're planning to do any milling in the lathe, the Myford vertical slides are far better than Warco's, but you have to adapt their baseplate to suit. But once you've done that, most small-scale milling jobs (say up to 100 mm or so longest dimension) are within its capabilities to the extent that my plans to buy a mill keep getting put back. Powered cross-feed is especially valuable for that purpose.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

The Amadeal is in a section of their web site titled brushless bench lathes so pretty certain its brushless. Plus the 1.1kw figure sounds about right when looking at weiss website.

Yep, missed that. Re the motor power, I would be checking for confirmation as many powers quoted are input power these days.

I like the separate power feed shaft of the amadeal but would likely go with the warco despite the extra cost ( 4 jaw, steadies, face plate, extra top slide travel and delivery included in the price reduces/cancels that difference). I’ve always had good service when I have bought items from warco.

But I will not be changing my Raglan 5”. 🙂 Much the same capacity and spec, not refurbished but still operates like near-new after 50 years (OK, took a year or more to locate a suitable example, but at approx a third of the price – and UK made – no contest).

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

The BL in the machine's model number is what Weiss use for Brushless versions.

[mattParticipant @matt27093]

Pretty much decided to go with the Amadeal. I've ruled out the chester db10 as its a brushed DC motor and they don't even have a date when they will get any stock.

IF it was available I would go with Warco 250V as it ticks most boxes and is better tooled. But estimates I've seen for Warco getting any stock vary from end of August to early October which coupled with their slow delivery could mean not seeing lathe in workshop until November. I'll ring Warco on Monday to get a firm estimate from the horses mouth but doesn't look good.

I quite like the idea of a separate shaft for feeds which Amadeal has 20mm less top-slide travel isn't a major issue for work I do. I'm not too bothered about lack of tooling as I will add it when needed If the brushless motor or its controller fail outside the warranty period, I'll just convert to AC and VFD. I've already done this on current lathe and I might strip the motor and VFD off it and revert it to its original motor before i sell it, and keep motor/VFD as a longterm upgrade for the Amadeal. Likewise I'll keep my existing 4 jaw chuck and transfer across.

[Author]

Posts