New ‘retro’ lathe by Warco

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

There are occasional comments about possible lack of low speed torque from the new style variable speed lathes and high minimum speed from the belt drive versions. So this might be of interest.

At the AP show Warco had a ‘new’ lathe with back gear. Standing out in darker green (wrong paint by mfr implying a different factory from normal) it was about the same size as the geared head lathes but has back gear, T-slotted slide, norton style box instead of knobs. Looks like they have been listening to the comments on here!

Unfortunately I didn’t register details as I expected to find it on their website but it isn’t there yet.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

With Myford gone this is the perfect time to bring out a “proper” lathe

 

Modern stuff isn’t too keen on low torque work, particularly if you’re doing it for hours.

 

I wanted to knock an approx 12mm x 12mm hole in a bit of square steel with my 12mm endmill last night and at high speed (300rpm!) there was miles too much vibration.

 

Engage backgear…munch munch munch…job sorted in 60 seconds with no hysterics whatsoever.

 

Saved me progressing to a 10mm drill then messing about and setting up a boring bar for making a 12mm hole.

 

Sometimes backgear can make what seem to be impossible tasks easy peasy lemon squeezy. Having experienced backgear for a year or two now, I would never look at a lathe which didn’t have it.

Mine was broken when I got the unit and fixing it transformed the unit into a far more versatile and professional machine

[JonParticipant @jon]

They might have it sawn up if the gearbox is like a Harrison M300 and above, no faffing about with changewheels imperial or metric – I wonder.

 

Also i will only be a matter of time before these are available from other sellers painted in their colours, so bring it on at last.

[Author]

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