Jump to content

Lathe lust


Recommended Posts

I have a tiny Zyto lathe, it's probably 70+ years old, the tool post and cross slide are worn out and wobbly, the feed control is dodgy, the belt drive to the head stock slips and can't be changed to vary speed    - but it's a gorgeous piece of Victorian design and manufacture!

And now I see this: https://www.yeumano.com/product/auto-mini-metal-lathe-8-x-16-1100w-1-5hp-metal-gear-brushless-2250rpm-2-chucks/?fbclid=IwAR2zZwAAHm35LNqlSL3pUjs2CSnhj0_20iPPdVBjQyI3Bu1AjogDT5KR5Xs

image.png.4f060f383b445b4d818f05ed89a74a03.png

Clearly a Chinese product, but that's not necessarily bad.  Its the price that makes me doubtful. $180 when the cheapest small lathe I've seen before is about £600, and on special offer(?) for $100.   Would this be rubbish, or worth a punt?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Folks,

I have one of these  https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cl430-metal-lathe/  cost about £600 12 years ago,  Now is is £1300

This is smaller but still £900  https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/draper-lathe-300-variable-speed-metal-work-lat/

This is a little cheaper but thankfully not Draper  https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cl300m-metal-lathe/

 

I think John's must have the decimal point in the wrong place

 

Roger

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all!    The video posted by DeTRacted features a man who bought one of these for $898!   So a tenth of that seems too good to be true.

And thank you, Nick & Son!  For confirming that.

   I shall lock my wallet away. Too good to be true = Not True.

John

Edited by JohnD
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

@JohnD You've got a Zyto too! We have one which we've just about got working. Bit of wobble in the toolpost, one of the cast feet has snapped off so I've made a little angle-iron bolt-on replacement, and the belt has snapped (which needs sorting). Oh, and it's got one of those chucks that have a knurled ring to clamp with, which isn't really man enough for steel. The job we were doing when the belt snapped was facing a 7/8" 9tpi nut to make a backplate for another chuck. It's a dinky little thing. Proper model-maker's lathe.

On the subject of scams I've found a couple of places offering things like Milwaulkee impact guns and other such pricy but dead useful things for cut price offers. I'd messaged one of them just in case, but they want you to buy a token to use on their website to buy the tool. My guess is that they just never ship the tool, and because they've provided the token you paid for they're in a better stead legally as they've provided what they said they'd provide (even if that wouldn't actually hold up in a court of law).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Roger, that looks identical to the £50 jobbie that I originally looked at!

Which shows what a bust that was.  Yes, I know, if it looks to good to be true ....    If I  want a small lathe, that's the minimum price!

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I asked what people thought of the Chinese "Minilathe", and to be honest got what I expected - if it looks to good to be true, it is.

But today, I came across a four year old video from "This Old Tony" who has many sensible workshop videos online and has analysed the tool.     I won't try to precis his opinion, he's very clear and he doesn't discount the gadget altogether, but I'm  not going to get one, even at  full UK price, let alone at $50!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You really do get what you pay for.

I have a MachineMart  (Chinese) metal lathe and separate Mill.

The Mill is very good and works well - but has no refinements.  If you need to adjust your height on the pillar then you will lose your centre on the job. 

The lathe is very good for what I pair for it at the time (2009 C £600) that only repeated failing is the backlash on the cross slide.

Is it better than a Boxford or Myford -no way but then £££££££

If you want quality then you must pay for it.

 

Roger

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello all,

 

for what it's worth, my view is it is far better to buy old machines than new less rigid and lower power machines. That said I haven't looked at the price of lathes and mills for a very long time.

My Colchester Student cost £500 but that was twenty years ago. My Bridgeport mill was bought again for not much more, about four years ago but cost more to refurbish in spares.  This was after buying (and selling on a medium sized new  Chester mill, even with a column extender it soon became apparent it was too small and limiting in scope.

Both now have digital readouts which are excellent I find, that and buying tools and accesories also eat up money but spread over time is less noticeable. I have a face plate and four jaw chuck, fixed and travelling steadies for the lathe, Vice, rotary table and dividing head for the mill plus varios cutters etc. One useful use of the mill is notching tubes, for which I made up two mandrels for the two sizes of hole saws. (There is no need for a pilot drill when used in a mill).

They are worn and in practice this does not really pose any accuracy problems for what I use them, which is not tool room work. You learn to compensate and work around the wear.

Alec

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been looking a lathes for the several years, just don't know enough, but prices have stayed more or less the same, if anything gone down a bit. Boxfords look like good machines, and vary from under a few hundred up to around £1500.  Lack of space, has held me back so far. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...