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One way of locating a machine (and often being presented with a choice) is to place a "Wanted" advertisement on the sales and wanted pages
Keep the wording simple and non too-specific, you never know what might turn up. Don't ask for one in perfect condition - a well-used one might be inaccurate but have masses of valuable accessories included. Buy the complete outfit, save the accessories, throw the remainder into the local canal - and keep looking. Something along the following lines, tailored to your requirements, can be effective
Wanted: Boxford lathe. Any model considered, any condition. Please phone: *************
For the coverage, the costs are modest: £42 including VAT per advert for up to 150 words and - the great advantage - a display duration of 6 months and the facility to have the words changed later - any number of times you like - free of charge. For example, if you find what you are looking for you can change the advertisement to ask for accessories, or even something completely different.
To place a "Wanted" advertisement it's best to phone: 01298-871633..
Many of the more common lathes below are often to be found advertised here
For background technical guidance you might like to read: http://www.lathes.co.uk/page2.html
Having established the size and type you require, you may have been looking at the many Chinese-made small lathes are now available. However, for a good quality used backgeared and screwcutting lathe with a proper speed range and an easily-obtained range of accessories and spares - and hence able to tackle miniature and larger models and general repairs to motorcycles and cars - you can't go far wrong (in the UK) with a Myford ML10, ML7 or (preferably) the much better Super 7. All these types have a wide, backgeared speed range and so can tackle both large jobs (that require slow speeds) and smaller jobs (that need higher). http://www.lathes.co.uk/myford
However, a bigger, more versatile general-purpose workshop lathe is the well-known 4.5 and 5-inch centre height Boxford, a developed copy of the American South Bend 9-inch "Workshop". These take up hardly any more room than a stand-mounted Myford but are much stronger and with a greater capacity.
When buying a Boxford or South Bend try to get a Model A or the underdrive version, the AUD - both these have a screwcutting gearbox and power cross feed. However, if a Model B or Model C (or BUD or CUD) is for sale that would also be fine, especially the Model B which has power cross feed and, because of gearing within the apron, a much finer rate of power sliding feed. In addition, when using power feed along the bed (power sliding) you are not using the leadscrew clasp nuts and wearing them out. http://www.lathes.co.uk/boxford
The Denford Viceroy is also a good bet - http://www.lathes.co.uk/viceroy. In some respects it has a specification superior to that of the equivalent Boxford.
Most Emco lathes are also fine, but beware of the good-looking "Compact 8", it's not as effective as its appearance suggests as it lacks both backgear and tumble reverse. However, the larger geared-head Emco 7, V10, V10P and Super 11 are well-specified machines (but do read up on them first, there are one or two quirks you need to be aware of). For smaller, lighter jobs the Compact 5 is a lathe with spindle speeds fast enough to do even simple, lighter woodturning jobs and can be recommended. For really tiny work, the late-type Unimat "Basic" and PC are also effective, though relatively hard to find. An even smaller lathe is the Unimat 3; the original Austrian-built versions were of high quality, but some of the early Chinese copies - sold as the Unimat 4 - were rubbish; later ones are, however, well built and without any known drawbacks.
One interesting and widely exported machine (examples are found world-wide) is what we might refer to as the "Taiwanese Generic" - this being sold badged with a bewildering variety of often invented names.
Other easily-found and decent quality machines that fit between smaller Myford types and heavier Colchester models include the Raglan "Little John" and "Five-inch" and the Myford 254. The heavier and much more rigid Colchester Bantam also makes an excellent all-round buy, as does the high-speed Chipmaster - but do read up on the latter first, it's a well-made but relatively complex model.
Although not common in the UK, the German-made Weiler is worth seeking out as these lathes enjoy the distinct advantage of a manufacturer still in business.
To look up details of many lathes, milling machines, grinders, shaper, planers and drills etc., try the search box above the Machine Tool Archive. It looks exclusively though that section of the web site (before the answers you have to scroll down through a few Google advertisements).
I need a very small lathe - one that I could use inside a house - or even an apartment - and able to make small parts for cameras, microscopes, clocks, mechanical instruments and similar devices.
It might be that a watchmakers' lathe would be suitable. For details of these see: http://www.lathes.co.uk/watchmaker
A common machine in the UK is the Pultra. http://www.lathes.co.uk/pultra
The best are the later 1750 and 1970 models, these being made from the 1940s until very recently.
Perhaps an older Emco Unimat "Universal" might be what you need - though good ones are now "collectable" and expensive for what you get. However, if you are building a model aircraft, boat or railway layout, the numerous accessories for milling, drilling, sawing and wood shaping make life much easier: http://www.lathes.co.uk/unimat
The later Emco Unimat 3 and 4 lathes are also handy, especially if you can find an original, well-equipped Austrian-built (white paint finish) Unimat 3 http://www.lathes.co.uk/emco-unimat-3-and-4/.
Later versions of this lathe were Chinese made and sold as the Unimat and may still be available - though non of the original and very useful accessories are now listed
Others modern machines to consider are the well-built Cowells http://www.lathes.co.uk/cowells and, through slightly larger, the Hobbymat MD65, http://www.lathes.co.uk/hobbymat especially when equipped with the vertical milling head (this lathe was also sold as a Proxxon, Prazimat and Saupe & Sohn). A well-written book about using this class of lathe and getting the best from them is available - and recommended.
Similar is size to the Hobbymat is what is now referred to as the "Mini-lathe". Over several decades these have been made by numerous manufacturers and imported by a number of "box-shifting" firms. Some are of pretty decent quality, other quite appalling and my advice would be to buy from an established trader with a reputation for being knowledgeable and helpful - Arc Euro Trade in Leicester come to mind. These lathes, being inexpensive, have a strong following with a number internet groups telling you how to overcome their inbuilt faults. A useful book is also available to assist with their use.
Small, very high-precision (and, when new, very expensive) lathes
If your jobs involve lots of very close-tolerance work it might be worth seeking out a genuine ultra-precision lathe. Today the only companies currently manufacturing such machines are Derbyshire and Levin in the USA, Schaublin in Switzerland and Eguro in Japan: For the background to these lathes see:
http://www.lathes.co.uk/derbyshire
http://www.lathes.co.uk/levin
http://www.lathes.co.uk/schaublin
http://www.eguro.co.jp/english/products/05e.html
Similar used examples include the following plain-turning lathes (i.e. without screwcutting) the lovely little Lorch KD50, http://www.lathes.co.uk/lorchkd50
the long-lived, very popular Schaublin 70 http://www.lathes.co.uk/schaublin65&70 and the previously-mentioned Pultra http://www.lathes.co.uk/pultra - of the latter almost and well-cared-for version will do, from the early "P" to the later 17/50 and 17/70 Models.
Miniature, high-precision backgeared and screwcutting lathes are few in number but include:
Lorch LAS http://www.lathes.co.uk/lorch/page6.html (and associated versions)
Toyo ML1 http://www.lathes.co.uk/toyo/page3.html
TOS MN80 and SU16 http://www.lathes.co.uk/tos
….and possibly the Cowells http://www.lathes.co.uk/cowells
Not quite in the same very high precision class are the Emco PC and Emco Basic http://www.lathes.co.uk/emco/page7.html
and, below those in quality, the previously-mentioned Emco Unimat 3 and 4
Plain-turning Precision Lathes
Between miniature lathes and larger fully-specified, backgeared and screwcutting toolroom types are what is know as Bench Precision lathes, a type introduced by Stark in 1862. Popular from the 1800s until the 1950s, they were intended for one-off jobs by skilled toolmakers and, with the right accessories, for light production work. Although produced by numerous makers in Europe and America, all follow the same basic design and have a similar specification: a centre height of 3 to 5 inches and plain turning i.e. without conventional screwcutting but sometimes with a "chase" system or to the top slide though changewheels. Beautifully built without regard to cost, they normally lack a speed-reducing backgear - though sometimes an epicyclic system is built into the headstock pulley. Details of Bench Precision lathes can be found here
Toolroom Lathes
New, larger high-precision screwcutting conventional lathes are still available, though these now seem to be limited to copies of the Hardinge HLV and HLV-H by Taiwanese companies such as Feeler
Be aware, second-hand high-class lathes, can, like their automobiles equivalents, be worn out and more trouble than they're worth. However, if you can find a good one it will be a wonderful machine to use - and a joy to own (to say nothing of the delight in having a lathe would have cost, originally, not far off the price of a small house…).
Other examples in this class - some common, some rare - include:
Boley 5LZ
Cromwell
CVA
Various Lorch models
Leinen MLZ4S
Many Schaublin Models
Weiler
Cazeneuve
Holbrook and other Holbrook Models
Smart and Brown (most models)
Yamazaki (Mazak)
Mitsubishi HL300
TOS S28
Okuma LS
Dean Smith & Grace (especially Models 15, 17 and 17T)
Hembrug
Feeler
Other Hardinge HLV-H Clones
De Vallière
Holbrook Minor
Other Holbrook Models
MAS, Zbrojovka & TOS 18S-VR
Liebert-Gurtler (Unlikely outside Germany)
For General Workshop Use
For general repair, maintenance, automotive or motorcycle work the choice is simple: look for one of the following easily-found models. There are plenty of others, of course, but these are the ones you are most likely to be offered. The further down the list you go the stronger and more versatile they become (and heavier and larger too, of course):
Boxford 4.5 or 5-inch screwcutting (not the plain-turning Model T or TUD)
Boxford geared-head lathes
Viceroy TDS or 280 screwcutting (not the plain-turning training models)
Raglan Little John or "5-inch"
Kerry - either the older AG or more modern 1124 series
Colchester Bantam Mk.1, Mk. 2, Mk. 3 & Colt (all very strong, compact machines)
Colchester Student and Master Mk. 1 or 2
Colchester Student or Master 1800
Colchester Master 2500
Colchester Student 3100
Harrison L5A ,"11-inch" or 140 (but not an L5, the spindle bore is too small)
Harrison M250
Harrison M300 (a more modern machine than the L5, L5A and 140)
Woodhouse & Mitchell Junior
Larger, Heavier Lathes
Colchester Master and Triumph (older types) and the modern Triumph 2000
Colchester Mascot - older models from the 1950s and the more recent Mascot 1600
Colchester Mastiff - this is a Mascot with a raised centre height and a lower 914 r.p.m. top speed)
Harrison M350 & M390, M400, M450 and M500 - these mirror the modern Colchester machines and are just as suitable.
Other, even heavier and more industrial models can be found from makers such as Dean, Smith and Grace; Lang; Elliott-Cardiff, Denham, the Russian Stankimport IK62 (numbers were imported), etc.
All the above are strong machines, usually fitted when new with 3-phase motors. However, most can be converted to a single-phase installation or, better still, run from a phase inverter or converter.
"Vintage" Lathes
Don't think that just becase a lathe is "antique" it must be no good, the writer knows that some parts of the American Shuttles were make on a 1920s Monarch and the original tyre-pressure sensors and associated parts for Formual 1 cars on a Grayson from the 1930s. Rather like an old motorcycle, a lathe incorporates, in a compact form, a fascinating variety of engineering principles, techniques, theories and materials. While many old machines survive in splendid condition, a well worn one will still provide endless hours of fun and learning as you attempt to unravel its mechanical mysteries and restore it to working order. Since 1800, hundreds of makers have come and gone and the writer regularly receives pictures of many types - ordinary, unusual, poorly-made, well-made, simple and complex - that lack any manufacturer's mark - some of which are shown in the "Unknown" section of the Archive.
Types and sizes of older lathes vary enormously of course - but for home or light workshop use a few makers stand out including: Drummond, many Myford models of the 1930s, Portass, Britannia, Flexispeed, Granville, Grayson, Winfield, Atlas/Acorn/Halifax and the 9-inch South Bend. However, the list is rather long, and for those of UK manufacture, see this list.
For others, just dive into the Archive at random, you may well find something to surprise you...
One way of locating a machine (and often being presented with a choice) is to place a "Wanted" advertisement on the sales and wanted pages
Keep the wording simple and non too-specific, you never know what might turn up. Don't ask for one in perfect condition - a well-used one might be inaccurate but have masses of valuable accessories included. Buy the complete outfit, save the accessories, throw the remainder into the local canal - and keep looking. Something along the following lines, tailored to your requirements, can be effective
Wanted: Boxford lathe. Any model considered, any condition. Please phone: *************
For the coverage, the costs are modest: £42 including VAT per advert for up to 150 words and - the great advantage - a display duration of 6 months and the facility to have the words changed later - any number of times you like - free of charge. For example, if you find what you are looking for you can change the advertisement to ask for accessories, or even something completely different.
To place a "Wanted" advertisement it's best to phone: 01298-871633..
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