need advice on buying a metal lathe

[Walter Hall]

Hi Merv

The motor plate will show the voltage rating. If it shows something like 220-240/380-415 then it can be wired for an inverter. If it only shows the higher voltage range then it probably can't and you will need to buy an inverter as wizard says.

There is more info on wiring motors to inverters here:

http://www.powercaps.co.uk/wp-content/u ... -guide.pdf

 

[Farmer Giles]

You can change an old motor from star to delta if your careful - I did it on my milling machine

 

[feathermypen]

Thanks for the replies guys, the Boxford A model was not that good for the money they were asking £1150.00 in an un-cleaned condition then I would have to add an inverter to the cost plus a few tools so it would have totalled around £1350.00 - £1450.00.

Have anyone any thoughts on the http://www.warco.co.uk/metal-lathes-met ... lathe.html
Again this would have to cut stainless steel 303 grade on a regular basis... just wondering if this machine is up to the job, I’m sceptical about mini lathes but I keep on looking at this thinking it might do, this machine retails at £1350.00

I would be looking to buy the stand at at some point QCTP



Features include:

Two speed bands allow maximum torque in the lower speeds
Infinitely variable from 50 to 2,000 rpm
Double vee bedway - hardened and ground
Adjustable gibs to slideways
Offset facility to tailstock
Tailstock quill engraved metric and imperial
Reversible motor
Metric and imperial thread cutting
Reversible leadscrew for left hand threading
Thread dial indicator
Zero / friction dials

Huge torque in the low speed range.

New! Now fitted with powerful 1.1kw (1100w) motor

 

[feathermypen]

Thanks for the replies guys, the Boxford A model was not that good for the money they were asking £1150.00 in an un-cleaned condition then I would have to add an inverter to the cost plus a few tools so it would have totalled around £1350.00 - £1450.00.

Have anyone any thoughts on the http://www.warco.co.uk/metal-lathes-met ... lathe.html
Again this would have to cut stainless steel 303 grade on a regular basis... just wondering if this machine is up to the job, I’m sceptical about mini lathes but I keep on looking at this thinking it might do, this machine retails at £1350.00

I would be looking to buy the stand at at some point QCTP and a coolant system, any ideas or exsperience using Warco lathes.

Features include:

Two speed bands allow maximum torque in the lower speeds
Infinitely variable from 50 to 2,000 rpm
Double vee bedway - hardened and ground
Adjustable gibs to slideways
Offset facility to tailstock
Tailstock quill engraved metric and imperial
Reversible motor
Metric and imperial thread cutting
Reversible leadscrew for left hand threading
Thread dial indicator
Zero / friction dials

Huge torque in the low speed range.

New! Now fitted with powerful 1.1kw (1100w) motor

 

[wizard]

I bought a new warco and it was rubbish kept going wrong and after a year i scraped it and sold some of it for spares, keep looking on ebay one will come along, if you get a model C at the right price you can upgrade it, if its 3 phase and back drive its easy to change the motor.

 

[bellringer]

I have used there milling machines and they are a joke the are badly built they are not built to the standard of the old machines they also are not as accurate as some old machines but that there mills i have not used there lathe but if there mill are any thing to go by i would not touch them with a barge pole

 

[bellringer]

also they are belt driven you want a gear driven lathe more power you don't need the variable speed that the belt drive offers

 

[wizard]

The warco belt is not much bigger than an elastic band and cost £24.00 and do not last very long

 

[wizard]

The warco tool post will flop around after a few hours of work

 

[wizard]

The warco plastic gears strip

 

[wizard]

If i was given a warco lathe i would take it to the scrap yard as i would not sell junk like that

 

[wizard]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/boxford-l...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item233730206a
buy it

 

[feathermypen]

LOL well that settles that then!

This is the Boxford I'm looking at
http://www.homeandworkshop.co.uk/boxford.htm?59527

That’s being honest, thanks Guys I'm not going to touch it then, I have found one Boxford CUD that looks in an ok condition and it is 240v I have enquired about a coolant system to go with this lathe, including delivery and VAT = £1350.00 which I'm OK about I would upgrade to a Dixson QCTP at some point.

If I could get a Boxford BUD I would but there like gold dust

 

[feathermypen]

Thanks Wizard looking at it now... do you know what model that is

 

[wizard]

model C

 

[wizard]

This is a good one
BOXFORD CUD MK 111 5" x 22", 3 jaw chuck, tools, cabinet stand, drill chuck + thread dial indicator £1400

 

[Farmer Giles]

I bought a new warco and it was rubbish

+1, they are definitely the Silverline/Rolson/Blackspur of the lathe world. I would go for an older British lathe any day. Other lathes that may be in your size/price bracket are Harrison and Colchester. I have a Colchester chipmaster, cost me 300 quid plus about 300 to convert it. I swapped out the old variator for a 3 phase motor and inverter so I still have speed control.

In retrospect I wished I had spent a bit more and bought a later one with a few less miles on the clock as I have a bit of backlash to fettle however it was very local to me so easy to pick up. You can still get a very decent one and convert it for less than a grand. The winner for me was it has power feed for both the apron and cross feed.

Regards
Andy

 

[bellringer]

My godfather own a precision engineering works in Manchester and he says if you going to buy a lathe buy a colchester he hold 6 microns on his colchester lathes

 

[jasonB]

I've had the slightly large Warco 280 VF for about 4 years, can't really fault what comes off of it, maybe its just the way its used or people expect too much from them. The one you are looking at does not have plastic gears and uses teh same Poly V belt a smine which is the original so lasting fine.

If they were rubbish I don't think I could make these

Its fine to play about with an old commercial lathe and getting it up and running for a hobby but as you want this for business can you afford a week (or more) tinkering with it, to me that lost time is lost earnings and would easily add over £1000 to the true cost of the machine.

J

 

[wizard]

i spent weeks with mine in bits and it was you who told me to buy it