Serious question, What is a Mini Lathe?

[Andy CarruthersParticipant @andycarruthers33275]

Isn't "quality" subjective?

Not being picky, pedantic or looking for a fight – I can't afford / justify a top quality lathe or mill yet, I set my expectations on what I can achieve accordingly and as commented, my WM180 is far more capable than I am which points to the "quality" of product this operator produces, not the "quality" of the machine I use

Taking a more extreme view, the pdf recently attached explaining what Japanese POWs produced is simply astounding and far more impressive than anything I can produce – that's what I call quality

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Barrie Lever on 08/08/2019 10:54:05:

If you don't worry about inferior then it is a race to the bottom as there is no catch point or lower quality limit.

B.

Almost everything is inferior to something else, hardly anything is the very best.

The concept of 'inferiority' is a paper tiger and if you fear it you will never be satisfied.

Neil

[Bill PhinnParticipant @billphinn90025]

Posted by Barrie Lever on 07/08/2019 20:47:46:

My family have been using machine tools since the end of WW1, my Grandfathers discharge papers after leaving the RNAS as an engineer on Handley Page 0/400's listed his profession as a fitter turner. We will continue using machine tools until at least I die, we have never needed or used a Chinese lathe or mill and out of principle I never will, I just have no need to when there are better propositions avaliable.

Everyone to there own as the saying goes, I just don't understand the enthusiasm for the Mini lathe in the way that you and many others do.

Barrie, if I were fortunate enough to be in your position with a long family history of using and owning (presumably British or European or American) machine tools, I don't think I would find it too hard to understand that very few other enthusiasts are so fortunate as to have "better propositions available" to them (unless by "available" you include having to hunt for them secondhand with all the risks and inconvenience that entails) than a Chinese mini-lathe.

In the light of the relative unavailability of older and often (but not always) better made alternatives, isn't the widespread enthusiasm for the Chinese mini-lathe completely understandable?

[ChrisBParticipant @chrisb35596]

The way I see it, I'd rather go for a new Chinese lathe knowing it will run straight out of the box (in my case it didn't – had a loose elec connection) with my mind at rest that it's covered by a warranty. Buying a second hand branded lathe is a bigger risk in my opinion, especially so if I have no prior experience of how the particular lathe works and what to look for.

If you know the machine inside out, know what to look for and find one at a good price than that's fine, it's the way to go, but surely not for a beginner. I think, were it not for the mini lathe, this hobby would be prohibitive to most.

[Mervyn Price 1Participant @mervynprice1]

In industry, I learnt that nothing is perfect. I learnt to turn on a Drummond 1912 treadle lathe aged 12, turning brass. Now lets get this correct, PLEASE. The beloved Myford ML7 series lathe was produced after WW2 as a cheap lathe for people interested in model engineering to get a lathe. This was why parts are made of zinc, to keep its cost down. No ML7 series lathe was perfect & that includes the Super 7. So it is no surprise that the better the man or woman using it is at turning, the better the work they turn out.

I have been reading about modern model making lathes. Certain things stand out. First young people have smaller houses & gardens than in the 1950s. With less space comes a need for small lathes. Second the emergence of the Mini Lathe. The first ones to grab a part of the market were the 7 x 10 lathes (actually 7" x 8&quot. The advantage they gave over the Adept lathe was an inbuilt motor. Soon they got an American circuit board for a semblance of reliability. Time tells us that these lathes are better than any baby lathe of the 1930s or 1950s. There is a big group of Americans very keen on these lathes. All manner of add-ons are available. Lots of improvements can be made to stiffen them up. They are the modern buy to improve lathe. To me they are like a basic post-war Ford side valve car with 6 volt electrics & pneumatic wipers. Lots were sold & lots were improved.

Would I want one No. They are no Lorch. Can they do a good job YES if you improve yours. Its just that I prefer a bit more weight in a serious lathe. For me you need to start with a 180 x 300 lathe with around 70 Kg weight. You still need to clean it with vigour. Chinese lathes have a reputation for being full of grit & unfinished surfaces. They are cheap & corners are cut. The minimum possible gib screws possible is normal. The better bet is to move up to a 400 mm centres lathe like a WM240 or equivalent. Still, a short lathe but heavier.

People say to me why a Chinese lathe rather than an older British lathe. To me it is simple, the Chinese lathe is new with its future in front of it, that you can improve to make it stiffer. The old Brit is, OLD, worn out & its future is behind it. People then say. There are lots of good lathes out there, yes there are, but if they are good, get there first! Best forget about them, for every good one half a dozen people will want it & pay over the odds to get it. It will also be a bigger lathe than you want to use your limited space for.

Regards,

Mervyn Price

[Author]

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