metal lathe chat beginners help needed

metal lathe chat beginners help needed

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Discussion

allegro

Original Poster:

1,180 posts

212 months

Loved using them back in school and have decided to get a small one to get my arm back in.
Not ready and don't have the dedicated space yet for a myford or similar but looking at smaller bench top stuff like hobbymat, Clarke etc.

I know the Clarke stuff and other offspring are likely to be Chinese and need some "tweaking" but would welcome some advice in finding something that won't leave me annoyed at build quality, lack of power etc.

I know it's a big question but I'm looking at spending a few hundred and would mainly be turning Ali or Brass to begin with.

Mercdriver

2,647 posts

41 months

Considered Myford 10?

allegro

Original Poster:

1,180 posts

212 months

Ooh that looks promising. Didn't know they did a small one. Looks like they may be above my start up budget. Definitely will keep an eye out for one though

Edited by allegro on Monday 2nd December 20:07

JoshSm

436 posts

45 months

When I was randomly looking the other day the Sieg SC3 came up, at least after a few upgrades to bearings etc. it looked pretty reasonable.

https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/ has all the machines and the bits, other sources exist. As ever the same machines are also rebadged and sold by others.

Lesgrandepotato

376 posts

107 months

I have an Amadeal mini lathe and a Sieg mini mill. Both have been fine. You can make some nice stuff with then. But you’ll not be making any heavy cuts.

smokey mow

1,122 posts

208 months

JoshSm said:
When I was randomly looking the other day the Sieg SC3 came up, at least after a few upgrades to bearings etc. it looked pretty reasonable.

https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/ has all the machines and the bits, other sources exist. As ever the same machines are also rebadged and sold by others.
I have the same lathe but from a different manufacturer, and am very happy with it. You’ll also find similar clones from Sieg, Axminster and Clarke etc.

Some of the gears are plastic but don’t let that put you off. They’re very robust and parts are readily available and reasonably inexpensive should anything fail.

https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machine-S...


Arnold Cunningham

3,889 posts

261 months

I made this TB adaptor on my Clarke lathe. Came out OK.


xstian

2,032 posts

154 months

Are you looking for new or used?

Emco made some lovely little lathes, but as with all old equipment you have to bide your time waiting for the right one to come along.

Unfortunately the lathe is only half the cost, the tooling ids where a lot of money goes. So if buying used the more tooling the better.


You don’t say what sort of stuff you are hoping to make?