mini lathe advice

[douglas coatesParticipant @douglascoates40572]

Hello, new here! I am a furniture maker but often need small components in non-ferrous metals – finials, feet, knobs etc.

I want to get a mini lathe and would like advice. Typical work will be under 40mm dia, mainly brass and similar alloys. I can live without thread cutting I think (resort to taps, dies) but occasional milling would be very handy too.

It will get light / occasional use but I do want precision – I am fussy!

A friend recommended the Emco Unimat with mill attachment – the Austrian-built SL or the no3 (says the 3 is better…?)

Any advice please – I dont want to spend a fortune but I know quality costs – is max £500 realistic (second-hand I am thinking).

Thanks for any help.

[douglas coatesParticipant @douglascoates40572]

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

Unimat is to small.

Go for a C3 Mini Lathe or similar.

Man enough for the job and reasonably cheap.

regards David

[David ColwillParticipant @davidcolwill19261]

There is a chap on http://www.homeworkshop.org.uk selling a ML10 for £550.00 with tooling. This would do all you would need and more. Don't hang around tho it will be gone soon.

David.

Ps I don't know this chap but was trying to justify a trip to the Wirral myself!

[geoffParticipant @geoff]

hi douglas

have you thought of a peatol lathe would suit your requirements from what you say

regards geoff

[douglas coatesParticipant @douglascoates40572]

Many thanks for all the help – it's hard to know where to start. I would really like an old Myford!, but I'm in Kent… Wirrall is a treck. I shall have a look though. I've seen an ML7 close-up and I like British engineering a lot.

One reason I considered the Unimat was the mill combo – for my very light occasional use I thought it may do everything in one small space? When I say up to 40mm dia, I mean occasionally, mainly smaller and brass of course, not steels.

The Peatol is the Taig I believe – haven't been able to find one yet. I am really thinking second-hand. In my experience with woodworking machines a lot of the newer 'affordable' stuff can be disappointing quality, and it may be true with this too?

I' have looked at the C3 but worth a trip to Axminster for me (close-by) to see a real one.

And there's a Perris PL100 on ebay – looks trad British again. Any good? (Off to find the ML10 now.

[Peter HallParticipant @peterhall61789]

Unimat, Perris, Peatol, Cowells, Simat, Flexispeed, ToyoML210…. All too small and under-powered for what you want. Believe me, when that coin collector commissions a cabinet from you and you have 25 pairs of brass knobs to turn, you'll wish you'd bought something bigger.

I have a Unimat, a Perris and a small Toyo because I like small, intricate things, but the lathe I actually use all the time is a Myford Speed 10. David Clarke is spot on; C3 (Axminster C2) or similar is big enough for what you need but doesn't take up too much room and is just about small enough to store in a cupboard and bring out when you need it (if you have a strong back). Myfords will do fine, but will require their own permanent bench space. An Emco Compact 5 would do the job too; I sold one last year for £450 including tooling. That one lived under my bench. I used to make furniture, and for years used an old Chinese lathe which was sold by Axminster as the BV20. It was crude, heavy, noisy and leaked oil copiously from the gearbox, but was capable of good work in this field. Newer Chinese lathes are much better. Siegs from Arc Euro Trade are well recommended.

Occasional milling can be done perfectly well in the lathe; you'll need a vertical slide for that. There are several books in print which will show you how to do it.

£500 will get you kitted out nicely with a second-hand machine, but don't forget to allow for tooling. I think the rule of thumb round here is to allow the same amount for tooling as you paid for the lathe. Try to find one with tooling included and you will save money over having to buy stuff separately.

Good luck.

Pete

Edited By Peter Hall on 29/04/2012 09:53:50

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

I would agree with David, a C3 would be a good buy. A basic lathe and a set of cutting tools would cost less than your budget including delivery from such suppliers as Arc Eurotrade (just a satisfied customer). Extra tooling can be added as needs arrive as can upgrades thus spreading cost and not ending up with a lot of extra stuff you may never use as often happens with second hand stuff.

Chinese machines such as this are usually well built and capable of good precision despite what you may hear to the contrary. It's worth a trip out to look at and handle a variety of machines before deciding. If possible get to a show before you buy as you get to see what you can wring out of suppliers.If you buy second hand Be careful to check the machines thoroughly before purchase as, despite what many worshippers say even Myfords wear out and have problems.

'Purchase in Haste, Regret at Leisure' is probably the best advice.

Best regards

Terry

[douglas coatesParticipant @douglascoates40572]

Update: all good advice thanks, and I am trying not to do my usual – rush out and buy the first thing that I take a shine to. I missed a Myford ML10 close-by yesterday (sold an hour before). The Perris went yesterday at £220 – but Pete, points noted. 50 brass knobs hand-turned??!! I'd rather eat my own leg.

I plan to go and look at a C3, and keep my eye oout for anything good second-hand too. I can allow a small dedicated table / bench (on wheels) so don't want to rule out a Myford or other British older lathe, but I would like to find something local so I can view first.

Excellent advice, great forum, many thanks again.

Edited By douglas coates on 30/04/2012 06:32:38

[douglas coatesParticipant @douglascoates40572]

Took the plunge! Collected an ML7 last week, vintage 1953. A lot of signs it was cherished and it does seem very good so far. Also it had a large amount of bits with it, some of which I don't recognise yet but plenty I do: cutting and boring bits, vee blocks, sine bar, shims, chucks, knurling tool, various measuring tools etc

I was drawn to the Myford in the end as I think it will hold value, easy to get bits for it and only a little bigger than the ML10. And it is an interesting (and I am sure original) green-blue colour, hammer finish.

Need to get it installed and get some brass stock in!

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