Thread: Hercus vs Steelmaster 0920A

I'd go with your gut feeling, and favour the Hercus 9 in a straight comparison with the 0920, as long as the Hercus is in fair nick.
Fit and finish can be a problem with cheap Asian lathes.
But any lathe is better than no lathe, and some are only interested in buying new.
To counter that, parts and accessories availability for Hercus is very good and likely will be for a long time. My old Taiwan Lantaine lathe was bought new, needed a gear replaced a few years later - unavailable.
I do like the slotted cross slide and satin chrome dials as standard on the 0920, but don't see much else to get excited about.

Jordan

Would also depend on what accessories the Hercus comes with, the Chinese Lathes generally come with 3 and 4 jaw chucks , Face plate, fixed and traveling steadies and a full set of change gears. These can all add up if you need to buy them separately for the Hercus. Also what condition the bed is in, do you have to change the motor (3 phase or 240 volt).

Bill, pretend you are looking at a 20 year old Land Rover Defender in real good nick for its age, and a brand new Great Wall ute. Assume price is the same. Which one would you choose? I know which one is more fun, but what if it had to be my only daily drive?

Are you confident enough to assess the condition of an older Hercus during a short inspection? Can you estimate its value? The cost of missing accessories and parts that need excange? If not, do you know someone that can and is willing to have a look at the machine with you?

Are you aware the Chinese 920 in your link may not work too well right out of the box, and probably needs some TLC (tender loving care) before becoming remotely as capable as a Hercus?

The two machines you are looking at are very different. One is built to last some 10,000 hours industrial use, the other maybe 1 or 2,000 hours hobby use. One is old, the other is brand new, but both will need some work done.

Still undecided? Go and have another good look at both, and let your instinct guide you.

Originally Posted by cba_melbourne

Bill, pretend you are looking at a 20 year old Land Rover Defender in real good nick for its age, and a brand new Great Wall ute. Assume price is the same. Which one would you choose? I know which one is more fun, but what if it had to be my only daily drive?

Are you confident enough to assess the condition of an older Hercus during a short inspection? Can you estimate its value? The cost of missing accessories and parts that need excange? If not, do you know someone that can and is willing to have a look at the machine with you?

Are you aware the Chinese 920 in your link may not work too well right out of the box, and probably needs some TLC (tender loving care) before becoming remotely as capable as a Hercus?

The two machines you are looking at are very different. One is built to last some 10,000 hours industrial use, the other maybe 1 or 2,000 hours hobby use. One is old, the other is brand new, but both will need some work done.

Still undecided? Go and have another good look at both, and let your instinct guide you.

Thanks cba - you really struck a chord - I have owned a Land Rover Defender for 17 years, had it since brand new, I think it is a wonderful thing.

Made me think of Yoda in Skywars - Let the instinct be with you ...................

I truly didnt realise the 10,000 hours vs 1,000 hours idea that you mentioned

Job done. Thanks again. My mate who is a fitter and turner had a look and said the lathe is sound. Picking it up Saturday morning. So am a newbie Hercus owner.

Bill