Rexvalter VF-118 lathe (was: old Myford Ml7)

[Richiew]

Did you obtain a decent finish? Looked a bit coarse in the photos. So many variables apply here though.

 

[DennisCA]

Just my luck but I can't find the PDF manual I had found earlier, I wanted to see what types of bearing it was, if it mentions it. Apparently one owner bought spare gears from bearingboys.co.uk according to a thread on a swedish forum I am looking at.

The Arboga here was an E100 model, older model that you change gears on by hand. My friend has a more modern G2508 he renovated.

 

[DennisCA]

Did you obtain a decent finish? Looked a bit coarse in the photos. So many variables apply here though.

I didn't think I got that good a result, but I don't know in what condition the cutting steel was, was also the first time ever I turned anything on a metal lathe.

 

[Hood]

The Arboga here was an E100 model, older model that you change gears on by hand. My friend has a more modern G2508 he renovated.

Just did a google for G2508 and mine is similar but the levers are on the right hand side on mine where the ones in the images I saw are on the left.

 

[Hood]

I didn't think I got that good a result, but I don't know in what condition the cutting steel was, was also the first time ever I turned anything on a metal lathe.

The tool doesn't look great to be honest and I would be surprised if you could get a decent finish with it.

 

[gaz1]

different model but same type of lathe

also found this

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...-noisy-feed-direction-selection-gears-262761/

https://translate.google.com/transl...inisten.net/viewtopic.php?t=32675&prev=search

 

[Hood]

different model but same type of lathe

also found this

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...-noisy-feed-direction-selection-gears-262761/

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=sv&u=https://www.maskinisten.net/viewtopic.php?t=32675&prev=search

That one in the vid doesn't sound to healthy, still a lot better than my Triumph is/was though

Bit more googling and it looks like my Arboga is an E825

 

[gaz1]

anyway found this info on the bearing

The company that sells the spare parts says that VF118 and VF140 should have the same bearings, but he is not 100% shure. VF140 has 30209 in front (chuck end) and 30207 in rear.

/ Ola

https://translate.google.com/transl...k.forum24.se/teknik-about911.html&prev=search

extra info on norton gearbox for 140 model

https://translate.google.com/transl...inisten.net/viewtopic.php?t=51431&prev=search

 

[Richiew]

I've bought three lathes over the years and currently own two. The first was local, small and very cheap. I carried it to the car. The second was large, local, full retail price (and maybe then some) but the seller had suitable transport and helped deliver it. The third was purchased very recently through a good friend when I didn't really want one but his family member was selling up due to age/health etc. It really is a bit of nightmare buying these things. I got the best deal from someone selling for the right reasons and not from a dealer, all I would suggest is don't rush into it if you're not happy. Take your time, otherwise repent at leisure. Rare lathes are hard to get spare parts for, that's where I found problems with second one I bought. In future I would ask the dealer to confirm the run out (if any) at the spindle as he is sure to have to checked it himself if only to knock down the price when he bought it.

 

[Richiew]

Bearings seem reasonably priced if that link is correct.

 

[DennisCA]

Spares is something I've considered but in that regard this lathe is common in sweden, iirc what I've read on swedish sites asys it's good in that regard. The original company still around. The bed damage might've been the thing I was most worried about, I am not particularly worried about a worn bearing, if it's a 30209 it's a cheap one. It's just the 1700€... it was even 100€ lower I would buy it. The quick change tool posts are really appreciated, I don't know how common they are or how valuable, maybe it's not worth getting exited over.

I was told this lathe had been observed to go for over 2000€ in sweden, but it was in even better shape and more and according to me friend this lathe looked to have been little abused, he wonders if it was mostly used in an electrical workshop for winding spools, since there are some odd chuck tool that might be for that. But I have also seen people in sweden get one for 900€, but in worse shape. I think you can add 300€ on any swedish price for a fair finnish price. So if this lathe was 1400€ in sweden it would be fair.

 

[DennisCA]

I was trying to figure out how many changewheels there are and if any are missing, based on this I counted 11 different wheels, and we counted 7 spares as pictured earlier.

1. 20
2. 40
3. 56
4. 32
5. 127
6. 100
7. 24
8. 28
9. 32
10.36
11.44

Some of the wheels are mounted in the lathe for it to run, but I am not sure how many, if there are 4 wheels in use, then it indicates the changewheel set is complete.

 

[DennisCA]

Actually scratch that, my eye spotted a new gear, 48 so the total is 12 gears now. And if I read the plate correctly, 4 gears should be required to run the lathe at any time, 12 - 4 = 8 so it indicates one missing gear.

1. 20
2. 40
3. 56
4. 32
5. 127
6. 100
7. 24
8. 28
9. 32
10.36
11.44
12.48

Also there are 3 fiber wheels, maybe they are part of this set, I wasn't sureso I only counted the metal gears.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Were those pics supplied on request by the Seller or were you there?

I'd go [if it's within easy reaching distance] with cash in hand so he can see it [cash is King ,] offer him 1,500 Euros and if he baulks at that say "1,600's my absolute maximum offer" and refer to the cost of transport and the missing gear, and be prepared to turn [slowly] and walk away. If he's a committed seller he may well cal you back.

Good luck, it looks a decent example.

 

[DennisCA]

I took all the pictures myself and at the moment I am leaning towards buying it. I offered cash in hand but no deal. We were both there in person last night and both tried to work the guy over.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I took all the pictures myself and at the moment I am leaning towards buying it. I offered cash in hand but no deal. We were both there in person last night and both tried to work the guy over.

Well, you have a question to ask yourself. It's "Is it worth missing this one for the sake of 100 Euros?" [you've been looking for a while, yes?]
Or will it be "Why did I let that one go for the sake of 100 Euros?"

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

If it was an old lathe he had had sitting in the garage then a deal would have been likely. He's sourced bought transported cleaned and serviced then advertised to sell and needs a return on the investment.

 

[DennisCA]

Well I told the seller I'll take it so now I got a lathe

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Well I told the seller I'll take it so now I got a lathe

Did you have to stretch to the extra funds asked? And now the fun begins

 

[DennisCA]

Yeah no budging, eLuSiVeMiTe hit the nail on the head in his last post. I can cover it but I don't like going below a self-set buffer in my bank account so I'll be farting inwards (local saying) for a few months now to build up funds again. I believe before I start using the lathe seriously I'll give it a proper go over, cleanup and the like, maybe even a repaint. Might a whole winter project that.