mini lathe recomendations

[Badger1bear]

Hi guys, space in my cellar (as well as access) is at a premium. Does anyone have any recomendations with regards to mini lathes ? if i had the room I would buy summat decent but sadly its a mini lathe for now

badger

 

[addjunkie]

Ml 10

 

[Badger1bear]

Ml 10

I feel underhelmed by your reply, care to elaborate a little ??

 

[Richard.]

Mines a ml10.
Gotta say from my veeeeeeeeeeeery limited experience in lathes it performs well. I'm far from best person to say what's good and not but the baby Myford spits out some accurate work even with a plonker like me at the wheel.

 

[brightspark]

a myford model ml10 smaller than a 7

 

[Richard.]

I feel underhelmed by your reply, care to elaborate a little ??

Myford ml10

 

[Richard.]

Again others will be able to help better than I but myfords are very popular in the hobby lathe world and shopping around is vital because even the baby ml10 can be £600-£1000 as a bear lathe. I was lucky and bought mine through someone who knew someone and I got fully kitted for £600 with all the essentials. Plus the help of a certain forum member with some extra tooling.
I got a great deal with all the extras which is what you need to look for as all this separate would cost way more than the lathe.

 

[cumbriasteve]

I had a Warco in the workshop for a while and was impressed with that, even my mate who uses lathes in his trade said he was surprised by it's performance and really rated it.

 

[Richard.]

I'd personally rate something like a randa as pretty much equal to an ml10, but because name you can pick them up for under a fifth of the price... And yes, I've used both.

They look decent old lathes but unless it was a full package I wouldn't buy one. Cheaper yes but un common for the extras and I don't know enough about them to know what's compatible.

 

[Badger1bear]

are there any other lathes smaller than that which are still "semi" useable. I would only be looking at turning end caps for air/hydraulic pullers, pins and bushes can vary from machine to machine and a variety of end caps would come in very usefull

 

[Richard.]

Then a myford is surely a better mini lathe to buy.
Most people start on a mini lathe and most step up to a bigger one.
Sounds to me like if you want a couple years use then sell up a myford is gonna give you your money back and if you get it cheap in the first place you'll make on one.
You can't blame anyone for the price of such things other than the person selling.
Then we have a choice we buy or we don't.

 

[Richard.]

Lol. You know as well as I do. It won't stop at puller caps.

 

[Badger1bear]

Lol. You know as well as I do. It won't stop at puller caps.

Size of the cellar dictates im afraid

I know this looks cheap and tacky and as a rule I wont buy this kind of stuff for that very reason but space being the issue what do you reckon on this ? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Amadeal-M...828995?hash=item3d26f88fc3:g:zzAAAMXQTghRVdLT

 

[Richard.]

Well it's ml10 money. And pretty much ml10 size.
I'm sure it will do your job mate.
If your ever up my way bring some material and have a play on mine. I can't teach you much but you'd be welcome to turn a couple caps and see if the size fits.

 

[Badger1bear]

Well it's ml10 money. And pretty much ml10 size.
I'm sure it will do your job mate.
If your ever up my way bring some material and have a play on mine. I can't teach you much but you'd be welcome to turn a couple caps and see if the size fits.

Now, not knowing anything about these chuck jaws, can the slides be turned around ? to grasp in the opposite direction ?

 

[brightspark]

Now, not knowing anything about these chuck jaws, can the slides be turned around ? to grasp in the opposite direction ?

not in a 3 jaw u need the external jaws as well. 4 jaw are reversible though

 

[Badger1bear]

size is the issue not the price

 

[Chris Stevens]

Get a Myford............far far better than ROC machines from Ebay! Take a look on Lathes UK for machines up for sale.

 

[Richard.]

Plastic change gears.
Oh lovely!!!!!!!

 

[doubleboost]

If you have the room a Boxford is a bit bigger than a myford but you get more for your money
The mini lathes are great for modelling ect