Hare and Forbes Lathe Model AL-50GB

[the fabricator]

Hi all, before i get started, just letting you know that this is different to my other thread started about a week ago.

First Question. Is Hafco and Hare and Forbes the same thing?

Second Question. To all those who OWN or have USED the AL-50GB METRIC leadscrew lathe, could you let give me a brief ( or detailed if your feelign generous:2tsup:) review of it, problems, troubleshooting, screw cutting, quick fixes, projects, etc

sorry to ask so much:-

[Retromilling]

Unfortunately Hafco is Hare & Forbes brand machines.
If you are thinking of buying a machine from H&F don't under any circumstances take a machine in a sealed crate . Negotiate before yo pay to see the actual machine you are buying and have it removed from the crate so you can inspect it.
This just cuts down on the obvious external faults , leaks and missing parts etc that can catch you.
If the machine looks crook refuse to take it and demand another one . I wish I had done this.
PS My family used to go on holidays a lot to Easts Beach Kiama , had a lot of good times down Kiama way in the old days.

[new_guy90]

not sure where you are but have you had a look at Asset machinery? (http://www.assetplant.com/epages/shop.sf) Big shed raves about them

[4-6-4]

:D Dear Fabricator, The suggestion to see the machine you are purchasing built up and out of the box is a good one. As long as you can shift the beastie after purchase. I have dealt with Asian built machines for many years now and they do not finish them off to a good standard. My two latest adventures were a bench drill where the table was not square to the column of the machine. At first I thought it was the table mounting. I remachined and bushed the mounting and found the table was not flat so this was faced square. I did not like the table finish anyway. This improved the squareness problem bit it turned out that the hole for the table mounting for the column was the real problem. I built this up and rebored it. now when the table clamp is done up the table is square.
Adventure No 2 was with a 10 inch table saw . This did not come with an arbor long enough for a Dado cutter so I made an extended arbor it was either 16 mm

[Big Shed]

Dear Fabricator, The suggestion to see the machine you are purchasing built up and out of the box is a good one. As long as you can shift the beastie after purchase. I have dealt with Asian built machines for many years now and they do not finish them off to a good standard. My two latest adventures were a bench drill where the table was not square to the column of the machine. At first I thought it was the table mounting. I remachined and bushed the mounting and found the table was not flat so this was faced square. I did not like the table finish anyway. This improved the squareness problem bit it turned out that the hole for the table mounting for the column was the real problem. I built this up and rebored it. now when the table clamp is done up the table is square.
Adventure No 2 was with a 10 inch table saw . This did not come with an arbor long enough for a Dado cutter so I made an extended arbor it was either 16 mm

Adventure No 2 has more to do with RTFM than with the finishing off, or lack thereof, of Asian machines. A tablesaw is either made with an arbor that takes a dado, or it isn't.

Either way it is normally described in the specifications, if not, a simple inspection before purchase will reveal whether it does or not.

[Grahame Collins]

Hi
And heres my 20 cents worth,

Some thing that must be understood is that while retailers will happily offer warranty they will not pay return freight on Warranty claims.

Hare & Forbes sold me a bandsaw several years ago.

When it was assembled the top arm casting was several degrees out of pumb where the adjustable guide worked.

The top wheel was 3mm out of diameter.

Both the conditions made the saw unusable.

While they did offer warranty ,I had to return the whole UNIT at my freight cost to get it. I could not afford it at the time and had to repair it my self.
Bear in mind these companies get freight at a much better rate than you or I can

The advice of selecting your equipment in person is good and would apply to all retailers not just HAFCO.

CHEERS

GRAHAME