Urgent – opinions of lathe I am going to view/buy

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

I have experience of converting an old lathe into a CNC machine. You don't need power cross slide or a compound slide or a quick change gearbox or 127/120 compound gear or tumbler reverse. You just need the headstock, tailstock, carriage and bed to be in good condition and to be able to spin the chuck. This would make a good CNC project for someone who already has a lathe and wants a project to get a second lathe that can be used for CNC. As a lathe for a beginner and costing £750 I would say no. For someone wanting a project I would say yes but not at that price unless you could sell some of the unwanted parts to get a good percentage of that £750 back and that would be a gamble.

Martin C

[Paul MParticipant @paulm98238]

I recall an issue with a similar Ebay seller who was supposedly based in Inverness. I am not sure if there is a post on this forum somewhere. The general consensus was that he was unreliable and never helpful with detail. Might be worth digging around. I hope I am wrong about this person but best to be sure.

[Bob WorsleyParticipant @bobworsley31976]

Imagine seeing this lathe at an auction. You can look, but not try it. Wind the screws in and out, rotate the spindle, look at the motor. But basically you will not see any hidden faults. Now consider what this lathe is like compared to a dog in an auction sale room.

I was trying to suggest things to do to establish its condition, no one has helped by saying that you can indeed look at the motor and drive, does the top of the headstock open to look at the spindle? I don't know. The things you really need to know are the state of the bed, damaged or cracked, the spindle, does it rotate easily, the carriage, does it move smoothy.

Don't forget that if the seller is an arts graduate then their knowledge of lathes will be negative, don't expect to have your questions understood, let alone answered. Go to look with a pile of cash in your pocket and a means to bring it home, found that riffling a wodge of notes does tend to change people's minds. On the other hand I have also found that screwing the price down also is foolish, you get an irritated seller. But your primary job is to establish a value to YOU, not others on the forum who last bought a machine years ago. I buy stuff on sales, usually auctions, and NOT ebay, on a regular basis. I have found that the good and the bad do even out, but that also requires you to buy on a regular basis. It is an easy price improvement to simply clean the thing. Also have other chucks so you can swap them around etc etc.

A three hour drive is just the investment you have to make to buy a machine, or anything in fact, enjoy it!

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, looking at the photo and the price and being the seller isn't very forth coming with info, I wouldn't even consider going to look. The spindle lock is clearly missing, but what of the high / low spindle gear change lever which isn't in view, which makes me wonder why. I bought my Boxford from Glasgow without going to look at it, but photos of it represented it well and communication with the seller was good, the price even taken into account the time difference from then to the present was much lower and the condition was 3 or 4 times better and I've had no problems with it.

Regards Nick.

[Thomas CooksleyParticipant @thomascooksley79020]

Hi everyone, looks to me like the electrics have been altered as well. The light gray box on the front is a modern starter that has been fitted in the original electrical compartment. This would have had a blue door similar to the other doors on the machine with the start/stop buttons fitted in the door. It may be OK but I can't see how you start it in reverse. It could need some work to sort the electrics out. IMHO leave well alone. Tom.

[Andy Thompson 3Participant @andythompson3]

Hi guys – thanks for comments – so you deserve to know what happened – in case you are curious.

Phoned this morning and left message to ring back – no reply. Finally got him at lunchtime.

Asked where workshop was – he repeated address for a country cottage. Since I had already looked I pointed out that I could not see any workshop on streetview. At first he said it was out the back – but I said no since that is clearly visible. Then he claimed google maps takes you to the wrong place and they are a mile further up the road nearer xxx. Not obvious to me on satellite or streetview but possible I guess.

Asked about extra QC toolholders – dismissed with there is lots of tooling and more stuff we can sell you. So I asked what was actually included. Was rudely dismissed – "can't be expected to go and count them for you". Asked about missing spindle lock and backgear – "For goodness sake it is a second hand machine"

Asked if new chucks were threaded and fitted – "I can't be expected to know but machining a new back plate is a 10 min job". (Even if it does take longer I think this shows he is very familar with lathes and not just selling one for his deceased father). To be fair I asked if I could see it running – he did say "Bring a bit if steel and we can turn it".

By this time he was getting even less inclined to chat and more tetchy and rude. Eventually said "He couldnt be expected to run around and know everything if you want it come and see it for yourself if not don't bother I don't care".

At this point my suspicious aroused I declined and was called a f..ing time waster. Subsequently he has posted more pictures with a fair number of toolholders and the old chucks mounted but none of the beds or motor etc. It may be above board but I still find the whole affair fishy and suspect he deals. He is not personally on facebook or ebay I find that suscipious. Let us know if someone here does buy some if his kit.

So I will continue my quest – must spend more time with my current lathe and less time looking.

[Bill PhinnParticipant @billphinn90025]

From the sound of him I wouldn't have bought a brass washer off him, never mind a lathe.

You made the right decision, Andy.

[john barnes 4Participant @johnbarnes4]

Hi Andy, you definitely made the right choice. I am a long time Boxford owner and would highly recommend the model A. I would expect to find a decent one privately for the price you quoted. Good luck with the search.

John

[Andy Thompson 3Participant @andythompson3]

Well just to end the story on a happy note.

Thanks to the forum – I met with Martin who was very helpful and I am now the proud owner of a Mk1 AUD. There is a known issue with the gearbox, but Martin was completely honest and we think it can be fixed. It was reflected in the price (and a bacon roll and tea was thrown in as well).

I am sure I will have questions when I get into restoration so "I'll be back"

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Welcome to the AUD club. I am sure that you will be pleased that you went this route. As you may know, the Boxford is very similar to the American Southbend, just be aware (I think) that the Southbend spindle nose is 60degree thread angle and the Boxford 55 degrees.

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

Posted by Andy Thompson 3 on 13/09/2021 10:41:49:

Well just to end the story on a happy note.

Thanks to the forum – I met with Martin who was very helpful and I am now the proud owner of a Mk1 AUD. There is a known issue with the gearbox, but Martin was completely honest and we think it can be fixed. It was reflected in the price (and a bacon roll and tea was thrown in as well).

I am sure I will have questions when I get into restoration so "I'll be back"

Look up mrpete on Youtube. He had a series on rebuiling a SouthBend 9" gearbox which is almost identical to the Boxford one. It may be of help to you. Glad you found a Boxford to suit you they are excellent machines.

regards

[Bob WorsleyParticipant @bobworsley31976]

Well, how much did you pay for it?

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Bob Worsley on 13/09/2021 19:27:24:

Well, how much did you pay for it?

.

Is that important ?

Andy has bought a secondhand machine, with which he is happy

… The next one on offer will inevitably be different.

MichaelG.

[Andy Thompson 3Participant @andythompson3]

Thanks guys – and those videos of Tubal Cain doing the south bend were very helpful.

I will be a bit coy on the price – in case people think either I or Martin were foolish. Let me say that it is a better machine for a lot less money than the one from our fishy friend above. Martin bought the machine in its current state and has not used it. He was intending to fix for himself but he already has a Viceroy and with other projects was happy to pass it on to me. I am very happy with the price and the straight dealing – even if the gearbox cannot be fully fixed.

When I get sorted I will take pictures and start a thread on the restoration.

[Author]

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