Lathes

[Error404]

I find myself continually looking at lathes on ebay, I have used them before and really enjoyed it. There is a lot of things I like to make and I'd love a decent quality little lathe in the garage - been looking at little Myfords, the ML7 and Super7s.
Any of you guys use one at home? Recommendations?

[SteveH]

Same here, I would love an old Myford or a milling machine.

[Error404]

Milling machines seem to cost big bucks, but to be fair you can do a lot of little milling jobs with a vertical slide on the lathe

[Thuppu]

Every man should have a lathe... and a milling machine. That should be writen in the law.

[Error404]

[DJones]

Myford 7 every time... Great bit of kit. Keep looking at them my self...

[V6quattro]

I have a EMCO compact 8.6 at home. Really happy with it! But when i have some more space i like to have a bigger one.

[Tonks4x4]

I have an old 1960's Colchester Student lathe, and a Bridgeport Miller. They are not the most used 2 bits of machinery I have but they have both paid for themselves 10 fold over the years that I have had them.

If would say that a lathe comes in more useful than a Miller.

A Myford is spot on for a hobby lathe and there is many attachments, spares for sale on ebay. But generally the old stuff is still more acurate and long lasting compared to the modern stuff like Machine mart sell.

[europeanme]

I have an old 1960's Colchester Student lathe, and a Bridgeport Miller. They are not the most used 2 bits of machinery I have but they have both paid for themselves 10 fold over the years that I have had them.

excuse me.....your miller has had plenty of use this last few weeks!!....

[europeanme]

they are trying to scrap off a sweet CNC lathe at work...anyone fancy clubbing together to buy it?...

[Tonks4x4]

I would but its space...... How many 1000's is it?

[Error404]

it would be like sharing a dog.. who's house does it live at?

[europeanme]

lots....

its the machine I ended my apprenticeship on....

[TimE-J]

We've got a Colchester student in work, only really gets used for minor skimming jobs but still works well.

[pasbogdan]

Lathe and milling machine can be good things to have even if working as a hoby.
Those 2 models of lathes seem a little to hoby.Around 1000-1500 eur you can find a little masive lathes.They have auto move on both axes with a special screw for that and another screw for threading.A little biger parts can be machined with no vibrations.We say that we do not need more than 250mm diameter of piece that can be machined but it seems we have.A lathe should be as masive as it could,not to heavy and all mechanisms mechanical.No hidro/electric magnets involved.
When buying a lathe should be ceched a fiew things:
Alignment of tailstock with rotating chuck on all axis lenght
Alignment of longitudinal axle with chuck axle(they can be align,but if they are worn special repairs should be done)It must have all gears for threading mm,inch,square etc.
For milling machine things are like in the lathes case.Robust enough but not to heavy to be abble to relocate it.At milling machines great care has to be taken for the tools and holders.You can do nothing with a milling machine if you do not have tool holders.Also tilting table is a good thing to have,dividing head for gears,rotary table,and if possible the tool for making internal key slots head(i do not know english name for that)
Both tools are full mechanical,no electro/hidraulic operated systems.They have auto movements,but all is with gears.End stops of automatic movements are also mechanical.
Well,they are not cnc,if you get in business with machining they are not what you need.But for a shop,or house tools they are perfect.
I payed 1000 eur for that lathe 1000 eur for milling machine.The milling machine had no equipment,my father had all tools,tables,dividings etc.If to buy a compleete equiped milling machine it is not 1000 eur it is 2000 eur.
Theese are both Romanian 1980 generation tools.Both are "universal" tools i can say.Lathe was called mobile workshop lathe,and it was put in a van.
The milling machine is the smalest version of the machines designated for maintenance of any kind,but also used in small production.Both machines haev 1000kg each,I used a VW van to move them.
You should have some versions of those tools there too.
If you need some advices when buying please ask.
Do not waste your money for to small tools,+ a little to have something good,but do not buy a 10 ton lathe with 500mm diameter machining posibility and 10kw engine.
Or maybe you will "mod" your flywheel and you will need it.Or not.You can put your flywheel on your milling machine rotary table(or dividing head) and give a refacing That is the advantage of a milling amchine.You can put everything into it in any position.You only need imagination.You can do everything that a cnc milling will do but you will have to be an expert in calculations especialy with rotary/dividing head.
Pff...did i wrote a little to much?