Purchasing a lathe

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Peter James - 30 Mar 2008 11:38 GMT

I would like to buy a small lathe. I want to try and make, in
particular, a stationary steam engine. I came across this lathe from an
enthusiasts site, and wondered what the very experienced modellers on
this NG thought of it.
http://www.chesteruk.net/store/conquest_lathe.htm

The price is about right for me. I'm not sure about accuracy and
tolerances. I have had a little experience of operating a lathe many
years ago and it's something I would like to do.

Can anyone advise me. If this is not worth the money, what alternatives
could anyone recomend, or point me to a site where advise is availalbe.

Thank you.
Peter

Reply to this Message

Bob Minchin - 30 Mar 2008 12:29 GMT

> I would like to buy a small lathe. I want to try and make, in
> particular, a stationary steam engine. I came across this lathe from an
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> Thank you.
> Peter

With no speed changing belts or back gear, this machine is totally
dependent on the performance of the electronic speed control. I'm
doubtful if it will produce enough power at low spindle speeds for screw
cutting.
It might just do some jobs OK but but I think I would be frustrated by
its lack of versatility. It is very cheap though.
I would strongly suggest you try one first. My guess is that it would
have low resale value if you subsequently found it was not man enough
for your needs.

Have a look at what you might pick up used on Ebay if budgets are tight.

Bob

Reply to this Message

Peter Fairbrother - 30 Mar 2008 16:16 GMT

>> I would like to buy a small lathe. I want to try and make, in
>> particular, a stationary steam engine. I came across this lathe from an
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> doubtful if it will produce enough power at low spindle speeds for screw
> cutting.

Not a problem - I have one and it's fine. Though I mostly turn by hand
when cutting threads anyway.

The times when I wish it had more power are when I'm doing things which
are really to big or too hard for such a small lathe, like parting 90 mm
cast iron or 50 mm inconel. Both of which I have done, but wouldn't want
to do again.

> It might just do some jobs OK but but I think I would be frustrated by
> its lack of versatility. It is very cheap though.
> I would strongly suggest you try one first. My guess is that it would
> have low resale value if you subsequently found it was not man enough
> for your needs.

Curiously, very few of these are available second hand. I don't know why.

You will need to strip and clean it before use, almost a complete
rebuild, and quite a lot of "fettling" is involved. I don't know the
up-to-date models, but a lever tailstock and a carriage lock are
must-haves, and a steady of some kind, preferably fixed, is almost as
essential.

The Sieg C3 is probably slightly better made than the Chester Conquest
(they are basically the same lathe), especially if the price is the
same. Avoid chinese circuit boards though.

-- Peter Fairbrother

Reply to this Message

bugbear - 31 Mar 2008 10:01 GMT

>>> I would like to buy a small lathe. I want to try and make, in
>>> Peter
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> cast iron or 50 mm inconel. Both of which I have done, but wouldn't want
> to do again.

Yes, I'd have though a "mandrel handle" would be a fine auxilliary
attachment for such a lathe, if one is trying (as per normal ME
practice) to take a tool far beyond anything its maker
ever thought of.

http://home.comcast.net/~glyford/lathe/mandrel.htm

BugBear

Reply to this Message

lemel_man - 30 Mar 2008 12:53 GMT

> I would like to buy a small lathe. I want to try and make, in
> particular, a stationary steam engine. I came across this lathe from an
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> Thank you.
> Peter

A close friend, and expert model engineer, purchased one for his 10 year
old grandson a few years back. He added a quick-change toolpost
and modified it a little by altering the tailstock clamp bolt into a
more conventional lever. With grandpa's tuition the 10 year old built a
Stuart Turner 10V which was awarded the Junior Gold Medal at the 2003
ME Exhibition.
You can interpret it how you like, but I'm certain that the lathe
wouldn't have been purchased for his grandson if he'd had any doubts as
to its usefulness. I'm afraid I can't ask him - he died a couple of
years ago.

Signature

Regards, Gary Wooding
(To reply by email, change feet to foot in my address)

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Reply to this Message

Richard Edwards - 30 Mar 2008 13:09 GMT

>I would like to buy a small lathe. I want to try and make, in
>particular, a stationary steam engine. I came across this lathe from an
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>Thank you.
>Peter

A friend of mine has one though from Arceurotrade. Well worth a look
at their site. Also sign up for the Yahoo group 7x12 minilathe lots of
info there on the pros and cons of this type of kit.
Everything that I have seen indicates that a complete strip clean and
re-build is sensible before use!

--

Richard

Email address is valid but remove burrs before sending!

Reply to this Message

Steve - 30 Mar 2008 15:11 GMT

> I would like to buy a small lathe. I want to try and make, in
> particular, a stationary steam engine. I came across this lathe from an
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> Thank you.
> Peter

Dad's got one of these and I've got a Sieg from www.arceurotrade.co.uk

I think the Sieg kit is significantly better.

Steve

Reply to this Message

Richard - 31 Mar 2008 21:28 GMT

>> I would like to buy a small lathe. I want to try and make, in
>> particular, a stationary steam engine. I came across this lathe from an
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
>Steve

All teh responses I have seen relate directly to a new mini-lathe, no
one has mentioned any alternatives. To some extent it depends on how
small is 'small' and also what you think you may want to do in future,
but IMHO you get a lot more engineering bang for your buck if you were
to consider an older probably British machine like maybe a Boxford or
a Southbend. Myfords are smaller, but go for absurd sums - I'm not
sure quite why, 'cult' I suppose. But there are other decent lathes
about for the sort of money you'd spend on the one you've mentioned.

If CNC is 'your thing' then forget the above

Richard

Reply to this Message

Norman Billingham - 30 Mar 2008 16:33 GMT

> I would like to buy a small lathe. I want to try and make, in
> particular, a stationary steam engine. I came across this lathe from an
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Can anyone advise me. If this is not worth the money, what alternatives
> could anyone recomend, or point me to a site where advise is availalbe.

I help to run the course on building a small steam engine model which SMEE
runs (see http://www.sm-ee.co.uk/index.htm for details - worth considering
if you are anywhere near London)

We use the Warco version of this little lathe for our demonstrations. It
needed a bit of work to get it all set up properly but does everything we
ask of it. You could certainly build say a Stuart 10V on one.

Arc Euro does a similar one and will do all the preparation work for you.
They also have a camlock tailstock which is a big improvement.

Opinions on Chester as a supplier seem to vary from good to absolutely
awful. I have one of their bandsaws which has been fine.

There is a huge amount of information on the little lathes on the web – look
for 7X10 lathe.

Model Engineers workshop has been running a series on setting up and using
one of these.

Bearing in mind how cheap they are, used within their limits they are nice
little machines and good value for money.

Reply to this Message

Guy Morgan - 30 Mar 2008 23:17 GMT

>Bearing in mind how cheap they are, used within their limits they are nice
>little machines and good value for money.

I have theChester version, though i've not been in a position to use it
for the last couple of years. It's OK within the limitations.
Certainly well capable of use to build a small sationary steam engine.

Try www.mini-lathe.com for lots of good info and links. I did the
cam-lock tailstock mod from info found on this site.

Cheers

Guy

Signature

Guy Morgan
nb Virgo, WFB, Stockton GU
Defend the waterways.
Visit the web site www.saveourwaterways.org.uk

Reply to this Message

Model Forum / General / Models / March 2008

Purchasing a lathe