SurfinNev 15th April 2014, 07:54 PM I may be in a position soon to be able to purchase a lathe again. Anyone have an opinion on, or experience with the Optimum D250X550 Lathe? There's this one on eBay at the moment.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Optimum-D250X550-Lathe-German-Quality-/331174769232?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item4d1b8df250
Also does anyone know somewhere in Brisbane that has these, or similar, so I can have a look for myself?
Thanks
Nev.
PDW 15th April 2014, 08:23 PM I may be in a position soon to be able to purchase a lathe again. Anyone have an opinion on, or experience with the Optimum D250X550 Lathe? There's this one on eBay at the moment.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Optimum-D250X550-Lathe-German-Quality-/331174769232?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item4d1b8df250
Also does anyone know somewhere in Brisbane that has these, or similar, so I can have a look for myself?
Thanks
Nev.
That's in the running for the most useless ad for a new lathe I can recall in the recent past.
Let's see.....
They tell you the spindle nose type.
They tell you the spindle bore.
They tell you the spindle taper.
They tell you the tailstock taper.
They tell you the tailstock travel.
They tell you if it has power long & cross feed.
They tell you the speed range.
In fact that ad leaves absolutely nothing to desire in terms of information - provided you're clairvoyant.
I also *love* the paint job and the numerous, highly detailed pictures.
In short it's completely impossible to offer any advice about that lathe, except to observe that if the seller is so clueless about a machine tool before they've sold it, what do you reckon they'll be like after you've parted with the cash....?
PDW
Ueee 15th April 2014, 08:36 PM Not only is there no info, it seems to that it was written by someone with a limited grasp of the English language. I like that you can set the t/s over by 5. Feet? Meters? Fathoms? :no:
I think that although the company that makes the machines is German they are made in china. Same cheap crap different badge.
I just bought a new lathe of about that capacity, paid less for it than that for it too and it didn't need a stand for an extra $300 :D
Ew
mahgnia 15th April 2014, 09:03 PM Judging by the youtube video about this lathe, it looks almost the same as the Sieg C6B with a different shape headstock sheet metal and a few minor changed details and extra features like a lever lock for the tailstock, and hardened bed.
Probably similar in capabilities and limitations.
Andrew
ventureoverland 15th April 2014, 09:35 PM I came very close to buying an Optimum lathe, but bought a Hercus instead. Let me tell you why...
The support in Germany appears to be excellent, both from my experience in talking to them and also from feedback from people in Europe and one bloke here in Oz that bought a lathe and a mill from them (in Germany). However, they have no distributors in Australia (yet). They will sell you the lathes and ship them over though. I also spoke to the (Asian) bloke selling them on eBay, got very interested and then double checked with Optimum in Germany. The guy on eBay is selling (or was a few months ago) Optimum models that Optimum don't make, and never have! Granted they do look like Optimum's but they aren't, or more accurately weren't a few months ago. My advice, proceed with caution.
Thx
Jon
SurfinNev 16th April 2014, 08:31 PM Thanks Jon. I also heard good reports on the "genuine" optimum but didn't know that about the eBay seller. I knew the eBay listing was light on info but just wanted some feedback from others who may have one of them. Will keep looking and do some research on the genuine ones.
Nev
I came very close to buying an Optimum lathe, but bought a Hercus instead. Let me tell you why...
The support in Germany appears to be excellent, both from my experience in talking to them and also from feedback from people in Europe and one bloke here in Oz that bought a lathe and a mill from them (in Germany). However, they have no distributors in Australia (yet). They will sell you the lathes and ship them over though. I also spoke to the (Asian) bloke selling them on eBay, got very interested and then double checked with Optimum in Germany. The guy on eBay is selling (or was a few months ago) Optimum models that Optimum don't make, and never have! Granted they do look like Optimum's but they aren't, or more accurately weren't a few months ago. My advice, proceed with caution.
Thx
Jon
neksmerj 16th April 2014, 09:09 PM Thread cutting is by change wheels, not a good situation to be in
You need a lathe with a quick change gearbox, ie, a Hercus 260 ATM
Ken
Grahame Collins 16th April 2014, 10:07 PM I am unable to answer the original post but would ask about the ebay ad ?
" what particular aspects of the lathe or its manufacture refers to German quality?
Built in Germany? - Don't think so, its far too cheap for that,
German specs maybe - possibly its just a general statement but how far do go with those specs .Specs could anything between headstock one end and tailstock the other down to specifying the heat treatment standards to be held while making bedways-
The point I make is that this German quality stuff is generally implied and specific to nothing and its something like this statement that one of mobs importing/selling solar panels got into very hot water with the ACCC.
Seems the panel had a very German name ,German sales office and implied German manufacture but was a second tier quality panel made in China.
The Optimum names been around for a while and if it was any good ,one should be able to google it and read about happy customers ?
maybe it Ok but the previous posts about likely vendor knowledge does not give hope for some decent support if your break something. Ask for a look at the manual as a decent manual (as in a grizzly style manual) indicates it might be half decent.
Buyer beware!!
Grahame
Grahame Collins 16th April 2014, 10:23 PM That's in the running for the most useless ad for a new lathe I can recall in the recent past.
Let's see.....
They tell you the spindle nose type.
They tell you the spindle bore.
They tell you the spindle taper.
They tell you the tailstock taper.
They tell you the tailstock travel.
They tell you if it has power long & cross feed.
They tell you the speed range.
In fact that ad leaves absolutely nothing to desire in terms of information - provided you're clairvoyant.
I also *love* the paint job and the numerous, highly detailed pictures.
In short it's completely impossible to offer any advice about that lathe, except to observe that if the seller is so clueless about a machine tool before they've sold it, what do you reckon they'll be like after you've parted with the cash....?
PDW
Struth you are a picky man
Its German quality they said so, so it must be true:D
Be content ! they gave you the truth in running didn't they ?
Grahame
cba_melbourne 16th April 2014, 10:58 PM These are the lathes made in Yangzhou China and sold by Optimum Maschinen Germany:
http://www.optimum-machines.com/products/lathes/index.html
To me these look different from the lathe on the ebay ad named "Optimum D250x550 Lathe German Quality" whose link was provided by the op:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Optimum-D250X550-Lathe-German-Quality-/331174769232?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item4d1b8df250
This is a D240 lathe made by the company "Yangzhou Haili Precision Machinery Manufacturing Co Ltd". The ad says they manufacture lathes by the brand names Optimum and CPCP:
http://cnhailichina.en.alibaba.com/product/438579443-212291851/D240_Lathe_machine.html
Looks to me very much like the machine in the ebay ad....
This is a picture of the above factory:
http://cnhailichina.en.alibaba.com/company_profile.html
but unfortunately this factory looks different from the factory picture shown on the German Optimum website:
http://www.optimum-machines.com/about-us/index.html
Two different factories in Yangzhou China, both making lathes and mills etc, both with the brand name Optimum, very similar design machines. Buyer beware?
But mind you, are the machines from the German Optimum company really any better or just more expensive? What is definitely better is their marketing:
"Since 2003 OPTIMUM produces a large part of its metal processing machines in its proper factory at the Chinese Yangzhou with a German production manager and quality management representative.
Development, design and quality management mainly take place in Germany."
Yeah, what then would you make of a "Grange" grown and matured on a Chinese vineyard, of course under an Australian production manager and QA representative blahblah? Only $150 a bottle... If enough are interested I may import a container and sell on ebay....
PDW 16th April 2014, 11:43 PM Yeah, what then would you make of a "Grange" grown and matured on a Chinese vineyard, of course under an Australian production manager and QA representative blahblah? Only $150 a bottle... If enough are interested I may import a container and sell on ebay....
Perhaps you could ask Boofhead O'Barrell to spruik them for you.... I read he's had experience with Grange.
PDW
nearnexus 17th April 2014, 10:00 AM Perhaps you could ask Boofhead O'Barrell to spruik them for you.... I read he's had experience with Grange.
PDW
But beware of the possible memory loss than can result.
PDW 17th April 2014, 12:23 PM But beware of the possible memory loss than can result.
I can't remember what I did last week so I don't actually expect anyone else to, either.
Having said that I don't have a lot of sympathy - if they all had the rule of *no* personal gifts of *any* value at *any* time, there wouldn't be a problem with forgetting to record stuff.....
PDW
Oldneweng 17th April 2014, 02:27 PM I can't remember what I did last week so I don't actually expect anyone else to, either.
Having said that I don't have a lot of sympathy - if they all had the rule of *no* personal gifts of *any* value at *any* time, there wouldn't be a problem with forgetting to record stuff.....
PDW
Grange!!!! From his birth year? 3 years ago?
I don't have a great memory these days but I think I would remember that. Maybe drinking $3000 wines is so common for him it's not worth remembering.
As you said, the fix is easy. Just don't do it.
Dean
ventureoverland 17th April 2014, 04:11 PM Thread cutting is by change wheels, not a good situation to be in
You need a lathe with a quick change gearbox, ie, a Hercus 260 ATM
Ken
:) I ended up getting a Hercus 260 ATML. Very Happy.
That said, I would buy a genuine Optimum though it would need to be one of the bigger models to get the horizontal and cross power feeds and gearbox. Problem then is that the price isn't that attractive!!
Thx
Jon
Hornetb 18th April 2014, 12:36 AM RUN FAR AWAY FROM THIS SELLER!!!
Through round about means I ended up buying an Optimum BF20L mill from what turned out to be this guy, but from his Coburg store not via ebay. I thought I would be right because I knew the machine was the same as the Grizzly G0704, it was just branded as Optimum and they have had pretty favourable reviews worldwide. Well, there are big major alignment problems with the mill and I've got NOTHING out of him- the "warranty" is non-existent. Just denials, wont return calls or emails and blames it on me and that I'm being fussy and I should just put up with it. Its a write off. I'm trying to follow the proper channels to make a claim on it as its unfit for purpose but we'll just have to see what happens from here.
So there you go, here is the best bit of advice you'll get. Move on from this bloke, under NO circumstance buy ANYTHING.
PDW nailed it absolutely!
That's in the running for the most useless ad for a new lathe I can recall in the recent past.
Let's see.....
They tell you the spindle nose type.
They tell you the spindle bore.
They tell you the spindle taper.
They tell you the tailstock taper.
They tell you the tailstock travel.
They tell you if it has power long & cross feed.
They tell you the speed range.
In fact that ad leaves absolutely nothing to desire in terms of information - provided you're clairvoyant.
I also *love* the paint job and the numerous, highly detailed pictures.
In short it's completely impossible to offer any advice about that lathe, except to observe that if the seller is so clueless about a machine tool before they've sold it, what do you reckon they'll be like after you've parted with the cash....?
PDW
bwal74 18th April 2014, 09:36 AM RUN FAR AWAY FROM THIS SELLER!!!
Through round about means I ended up buying an Optimum BF20L mill from what turned out to be this guy, but from his Coburg store not via ebay. I thought I would be right because I knew the machine was the same as the Grizzly G0704, it was just branded as Optimum and they have had pretty favourable reviews worldwide. Well, there are big major alignment problems with the mill and I've got NOTHING out of him- the "warranty" is non-existent. Just denials, wont return calls or emails and blames it on me and that I'm being fussy and I should just put up with it. Its a write off. I'm trying to follow the proper channels to make a claim on it as its unfit for purpose but we'll just have to see what happens from here.
So there you go, here is the best bit of advice you'll get. Move on from this bloke, under NO circumstance buy ANYTHING.
PDW nailed it absolutely!
I hope you follow up on this bloke and are successful. There's too many sellers out there who think they can rip people off and get away with it. I would even try a Gumtree, Ebay and internet campaign against him.
Best of luck.
Ben
Hornetb 18th April 2014, 12:21 PM Thanks Ben, yeah we'll see how it goes.
I don't rate my chances but I'm trying to get everything aligned and go through the proper processes so that I can try and make a successful claim through the small claims court. I've tried to be as absolutely helpful as I can be and work out a solution for both of us because I realise that there is shipping involved which makes it difficult, but from the first phone call I knew I was going to be in trouble. I would have been happy with just a replacement column but he just goes silent and says I've made the problem up in my head. So now it's the principle of the matter.
I do intend to do everything I can to let people know to avoid this guy but I have to just be careful until I've hopefully sorted my case. I don't rate my chances though but here we go. The thing with consumer laws etc is that all sound good and that they will protect you from dodgy practice, but when you actually need them you realise they are completely powerless.
Oldneweng 18th April 2014, 08:29 PM Thanks Ben, yeah we'll see how it goes.
I don't rate my chances but I'm trying to get everything aligned and go through the proper processes so that I can try and make a successful claim through the small claims court. I've tried to be as absolutely helpful as I can be and work out a solution for both of us because I realise that there is shipping involved which makes it difficult, but from the first phone call I knew I was going to be in trouble. I would have been happy with just a replacement column but he just goes silent and says I've made the problem up in my head. So now it's the principle of the matter.
I do intend to do everything I can to let people know to avoid this guy but I have to just be careful until I've hopefully sorted my case. I don't rate my chances though but here we go. The thing with consumer laws etc is that all sound good and that they will protect you from dodgy practice, but when you actually need them you realise they are completely powerless.
Very true. The Consumer Affairs departments can only suggest a remedy. Small claims court is the only way to enforce it. I had an issue with a Seimens cordless phone. The Seimens people in Germany agreed that the phone was faulty. The Australian Seller did not agree. In an email he threatened to send a recording of my phone call to him, to Consumer Affairs in my state. I was aggressive, but not abusive. I had not had a reply from him for about 4 months. I had to laugh. As if they cared about that. He finally sent me a lesser value phone at my freight cost. I have not unpacked it and don't intend to. It is not what we need. I only accepted it because I knew it was all I was going to get. Basically blew $140. I just wanted to make sure the experience cost him something as well.
Dean
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