Were these lathe/mill any good?

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Warco WMT800

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

I’ve just seen this on gum tree. Looks like it could be an impressive machine with turning and both vertical and (quite limited) horizontal operations all combined in the one machine.**LINK**

Might be an option for some. It just looks a possible better alternative to the average chinese lathe with mill/drills available at the present time?

Was it any good or anyone with any experience of them? Why did Warco drop it from their lines? Where was it made – China or Taiwan?

Just interested, not even thinking of buying!

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

It may, or may not, be mechanically sound … but it’s an Ergonomist’s nightmare !!

MichaelG.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Avoid at all costs.

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

A compromise at best and you can buy a NEW Chester Centurian for less!

John

Edited By Journeyman on 06/03/2020 09:11:51

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

I know I did not get on well with my cm500 – it has provided me with an innate dislike of this type of ‘multi-purpose’ machines such as these. I just used the CM500 as a lathe/drill really.

Multi-purpose and Chinese were not a good combination, for sure. I just wondered whether this machine was any different – like better if made in Taiwan.

Does it have two motors? The change-over was, and presumably likely still is, poor on the cm500. This one has even more centre height, so possibly even less rigid.

Go on, John, give your reasons for avoidance at all costs.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

The headstock and tailstock seem too tall for the length in contact with the bed. I imagine the tailstock tending to lean if asked to apply any force for drilling duty. The proportion of things would not seem to indicate much rigidity in the machine so only really suitable for light duty.

Mike

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Mike has said it all really.

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

Posted by John Haine on 06/03/2020 10:40:48:

Mike has said it all really.

+1 for that. It's true that the geometry looks as if rigidity has been the subject of unrestricted sacrifice in exchange for theoretical capacity.

I looked at a similar machine in Machine Mart once, and it had been so casually assembled that I could make no estimate of how much work it would take to put it into useful condition. I walked.

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