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Metal Hobby Lathes


la bala
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Pick away, I can give you some recommendations and advice.

 

This is a pretty comprehensive review of them all though, and can be trusted as it's taken from a combination of owner review and 3D hubs review. I opted for 'Plug and Play' Robox, as it's a UK company with a good track record and, whilst manufacturing and assembly still takes place in the far east, the design, support, servicing and development is British.

 

https://www.3dhubs.com/best-3d-printer-guide

Edited by mick miller
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  • 1 month later...

Thinking of buying a lathe for my home garage workshop. Rather than start a new thread thought I'd ask on here asivd lookecon some lathe and turning forums and it makes your head spin as they all seem to slate anything Chinese or hobby stuff.

 

Are the hobby lathes any good,do they have through chucks so you can nearly double the length of your work piece, are they ok second hand buys or are you better off looking for a smaller older Myford engineering type lathe like the photos in postes above?

 

Not used a lathe in years but I'm not daft so would like to be able the play and make things I need like airgun silencers, bolts nuts make spindles and shafts etc and if I fancy it chuck a bit of tree on it and a rest and make sawdust.

 

Sorry for hijacking piggybacking this thread just seemed silly to start a new one.

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Work out what it is you want to do on the lathe. then you can narrow down your search.

 

I spent a year or so before i bought the Boxford AUD. Only down side was i did not know back then that one day i might be back into shooting and need a lather with a larger though hole. on the boxford its almost 20mm. pain in the bum when i want to screwcut a barrel.

 

I no engineer, more of a shed dweller. I want a colchester student but no room left in shedshop. at the moment i have 3 lathes running. one, the chester, will be up for sale very soon as i dont use it, it cuts both metric and imperial, but never worked it out, plus has the over head mill, put it in last year, used the mill a few time, bought second hand to try doing a job, ended up doing it a different way so never set it up properly, i just use as a drill press.

my boxford metric that will also cut imperial threads. use it most days, runs 3ph with a transwave inverter.

also a 1960 derbyshire watchmakers lathe. only ever been used for making compass points. i dont use it now, its in storage at the moment. my father in law gave it me and so will keep it, been offered good money for it but ill keep it.

 

 

i have looked at the chinese one but all the plastic gearing put me off, there are a few that have cast gears and they will be the ones i look for. on watching one local to me at the moment so i might just end up buying one.

 

67d9b9be.jpg

 

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Cheers for the suggestions, not sure there is s perfect lathe for my needs as occasional use. Want all the benefits of a mill lathe but not the cost or size so compromise is s must.

 

I have a cheap drill press that will do most of my drilling needs.

 

Just seen on eBay metal gear sets for under £50.00 so you could do away with the plastic ones.

Edited by figgy
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After looking around I think a Myford super seven or boxford similar will do all I need. Seems about the right size and parts are easy to get..

Some silly prices around on eBay. I've seen full size engineers industrial toolmaker turners lathes go cheaper at industrial auctions.

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