# Newbie Question...Has Anyone Got An Opinion on This Lathe



## hobdayd (21 Aug 2018)

Hi all...

Struggling with a decision on a lathe.

All I want to know is does anyone have an opinion on this lathe listed on eBay 273180845940

Thanks.

Don


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## Lazurus (21 Aug 2018)

its not for wood, its a metal lathe.


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## Boatfixer (21 Aug 2018)

I would imagine thats why the op posted in the metalwork section......


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## Lazurus (21 Aug 2018)

lol....
R.T.F.Q. as I was told at school!!!!


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## hobdayd (21 Aug 2018)

I see lots advertised on eBay with the sellers in Germany / Belgium (China) but no sellers in the UK.

Lots sold also...jyst want to know if anyone here parted with cash for one and their opinion...


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## TFrench (21 Aug 2018)

Does it have to be a mini lathe? I'll soon (as soon as I can get to the back of the shed) be selling one of these:
http://www.lathes.co.uk/ehrlich/
for substantially less than a mini lathe!


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## Fergal (22 Aug 2018)

I have a similar lathe (Amadeal CJ18) which is one of the generic Chinese mini-lathes available with various badges on them. They are all very similar in spec, just vary in colour and included accessories. I'm quite happy with it, although it did require some fettling to get it cutting accurately. Although, that could also be due to my inexperience and poor tooling. 

I'd be more inclined to buy from one of the better-known UK dealers like Arc Eurotrade, Chester, Warco or Amadeal rather some random dealer on ebay. The support will be better and the price is similar.

Lots of info about mini-lathes here:
http://www.mini-lathe.com/


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## DTR (22 Aug 2018)

The merits of modern mini-lathes versus vintage are often debated on the model engineering forums. I've only used vintage lathes so I can't really comment on that. It's often suggested that the safest "new" option is to go with a Sieg lathe supplied by Arc Euro Trade. Their quality control and customer service is highly regarded in comparison to some other vendors. 

https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogu ... ies/Lathes

Warco are also highly regarded:

https://www.warco.co.uk/12-metal-lathes ... he-machine

(no connection to either company)

*edit:* Out of curiosity, I just had a look at the spec of the smallest Warco offering. The capacity isn't far off of my Myford..... :shock:

*edit 2:* I just saw that Fergal beat me to it


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## Bale (23 Aug 2018)

Yes, generic Chinese mini-lathe as the others have said. Buy from a UK supplier, Arceurotrade and Warco have good track records when it comes to customer service. I have a mini mill from Arc and it's great. I bought a mini-lathe from Warco about 10 years ago. It was fine, but full of casting sand which I had to clean out. It used to be said that these Chinese lathes should be regarded as a kit of parts to strip down and rebuild, sorting out any problems and setting it up properly as you went. However, machine preparation seems to be better these days and there is probably no reason why it shouldn't work straight out of the box. If it doesn't, you'll be glad you didn't buy it from Germany. Just bear in mind that, as with so many things in life, you get what you pay for, and for engineering machinery, you are starting at the very bottom of the ladder.
If you are new to working with a metal lathe, be prepared for a steep learning curve. Also allow a sum equivalent to the lathe's purchase price to buy further tooling that you will need. This is not a cheap pastime.

Hope this helps

Pete

Edit: Just noticed your username. You might find this link useful https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums ... ?th=137487 :wink:. I would be surprised if you find anyone in this country who's owned this particular machine as there are plenty of equivalents available here without the worry and danger of importing from another country.


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## Fergal (23 Aug 2018)

I have to agree with Bale's comments above about allowing plenty of budget for tooling and materials. Tooling doesn't have to be expensive if you get it from places like banggood.com or ebay. Also try to buy tooling wisely, that is only buy what you need and select the most versatile tools.

Small quantities of steel, brass or aluminium stock can be very expensive when postage is factored in, so look for bundles of offcuts from engineering firms on ebay. I'm always on the lookout for metal things that can be repurposed in charity shops, car boot sales etc.


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