my first lathe – is it worth it, what do you think?

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

As some of you are probably aware, I've been floating about and mulling over ideas for a few months – since I joined up here! I'm about to take the plunge and invest in a beginners lathe, which I expect to last me 1-2+ years while I get my hand in – but I don't feel I'll need anything bigger. My first model projects will likely be the BollAero 18 and the Firefly 46 – and I'd like to continue down the route of IC engines hopefully getting more complex as I go.

I weaned it down to 2 lathes and I'm leaning towards the more expensive…
The budget RealBull 7×14 from Amadeal or the Weiss WM180V from Chester. I ruled out the Sieg machines on price alone as they are £600 with no accessories

To summarise the 7×14 with delivery, a 4 jaw chuck, a faceplate and some turning tools will come to around £580. The WM180V will cost about £100 more and comes with all that the 7×14 has, and a fixed and travelling steady, and a friend has a faceplate I can have for it.

I've read through many reviews – here's a summary of my findings (as far as I can gather and hone to the specific variants on offer!)

For the WM180V

1. Motor 700w vs 550w
2. Width of bed 100mm vs 85mm
3. net weight 60kg vs 40kg
4. ​Chester are at Harrogate and may have a deal – Amadeal are not!

​For the RealBull CJ0618B

1. ​350mm between centres vs 300mm
2. ​£580 for my options vs £699 (maybe less if there's a bit of show discount)
3. Amadeal's version of the 7×14 has a neat 4" spindle plate, and comes with 4" chucks, making full use of its 20mm spindle bore so it matches the WM180V unlike versions available from other suppliers which would require an adaptor or new spindle to take 4" chucks, which just adds to the cost – I do want that 20mm spindle bore.

Would anyone care to add or amend the Pros-Cons list – and what would your choice be?

I'm thinking the WM180V is for me – not sure if I value the steadies but they close the price gap and I like the idea of a bigger heavier machine. I also have a Weiss WMD20VS from Chester so it will look nice sat next to that.

Edited By Russ B on 25/04/2014 11:48:14

Edited By Russ B on 25/04/2014 11:51:21

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Starting model engineering

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Don't forget delivery cost.

Contact the vendors for a detailed list of included extras. It is unusual now for new lathes not to include both steadies, both 3 & 4 jaw chucks and faceplate as standard. The variable is normally a the drill chuck. They are often very sloppy at getting it right and clear on their websites.

The bigger machine is better of course and another £100 will be better still and so on up to thousands. You could look at second hand machines. If you are going to sell it in a couple of years then you will lose £100 or so even though it will not have had much wear in the time.. That means someone else may be doing the same and upgrading now so making a better lathe with minimal use available in your budget. Perhaps there is someone on here ready to make you an offer.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

well, they say no news is good news – I'm fairly happy to push ahead with the DB7VS (WM180V) and I'm really looking forward to it.

Bazyle thanks for the input I've talked to the suppliers to confirm and it looks like the budget RealBull 7×14's come with almost nothing from Chester, Warco and Amadeal etc- I think this is the norm. The Weiss type machines from Chester and Warco come with a great selection of accessories and steadies, which close the gap quite a bit – I could save £100 and go for the 7×14 but I like the sound of the wider bed on the Weiss!

I think I'll try to "loan" out the DB7 if I upgrade to something else, I'm trying to get a few friends who I know are interested in to model engineering, I'll be buying stock for the BollAero in multiples of 5 so I can hand a few out

 

If anyone's wondering what happened to my Rollo Elf, nothing happened to it…. I used it for turning a few bushes and odd jobs and its now sold, it needed someone with more experience to look at it and get it set up and it had no accessories which are not exactly off the shelf. I'm sure an experienced operator could make them but that's not me!

Edited By Russ B on 30/04/2014 10:18:50

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by Russ B on 30/04/2014 10:11:00:

Bazyle thanks for the input I've talked to the suppliers to confirm and it looks like the budget RealBull 7×14's come with almost nothing from Chester, Warco and Amadeal etc- I think this is the norm.

.

When you bought a new Myford in the late 60's it was that incomplete it was unuseable.

Motor and all chucks were extras. You got a faceplate, catchplate and motor belt and pulley.

But hey it was a Myford…………

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

I'll consider myself very lucky then!

Can't wait – I've already started looking at bits and bobs I'll need to start working on a little BollAero – starting with a list of required stock while thinking of how I might make certain bits…….. then starting to think, one of "those" would be useful….. I should definitely buy one of "these"…. I could use "that"………

my annual salary is quickly diminishing

[Bob PerkinsParticipant @bobperkins67044]

Hi Russ

i bought my SIEG from Axminster and didn't pay the overall ticket price. They threw in some additional accessories and gave me a discount on some others as a package. It's worth having a chat and a haggle

bob

[magpieParticipant @magpie]

Hi Russ.

I have had a DB10VS for about 3 years now and only had one small problem which was solved with a quick phone call. I collected the lathe,( and a Champion 20V mill) myself from the head office in Chester where they loaded the two into the back of my mates transit with a forklift. Getting them out and into the workshop was a task and a half, I was 70 and my mate 71, both of slight build so I leave it to you to have a good laugh thinking about it. Both were still in the unopened crates and after set-up have been a joy to use.

Cheers Derek.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Posted by John Stevenson on 30/04/2014 10:28:02:

When you bought a new Myford in the late 60's it was that incomplete it was unuseable.

Motor and all chucks were extras. You got a faceplate, catchplate and motor belt and pulley.

But hey it was a Myford…………

and still the same in the eighties. I think it was at the '81 ME show the ML10 still had no chuck or motor then I saw the 'complete' Hobbymat and within days I was picking mine up from Chronos when they were just in a wooden shed in a yard.

[Wolfgang Schulze-ZachauParticipant @wolfgangschulze-zachau24580]

It's probably too late now, but I'll post this anyway. I bought the bigger brother to the WM180 (I have a WM250VF), and after long and careful consideration and comparison of all the options, prices, etc, I went for Warco as a supplier. I have to tell you, I was not disappointed. Their prices (which always include delivery) beat everybody else, and there's good service, too.

I can't judge the WM180 since I don't have it. However, I can tell you that the WM250VF was and is worth every single penny I paid for it.

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