Thread: Hafco AL-336 (anyone own one)

Rick,
I have the AL-335, if that is any help. The 330A, 335 and 336 seem to be all the same basic lathe, just with slightly different options, possibly from different manufacturers.
I've owned it for just over a year and have yet to really test it. The stuff I do does not bring out its full potential.
To me, this range is the first of the fairly serious lathes (relatively speaking.) ie cam lock chuck, power cross feed, minimal gear changes for thread cutting , gap bed and is big enough for anything I may want to machine.
Below this range the treats really drop off.....
The only things I regret are the slowest speed is not as slow as I'd like( for thread cutting) and mine doesn't have a foot brake ( for same reason)
Its reasonable heavy, but can still be moved easily with an engine crane and two people.
The finish can be poor on some lathes and ok on others. Its a bit of a lucky dip, but these are cheap lathes and most things can be rectified in the workshop.
Sterob

Originally Posted by Squirrel

Just about to make a major financial splurge...

In a couple of weeks I will be buying a Hafco AL-336 metal lathe (new). Sick of waiting for a second hand machine to come along and when it does, find it in another state.

The basis of this thread, is to sus out if anybody already owns this machine and to get some feed back on good and bad points of the machine.

Hope to get some feedback.

Rick

I don't own one but I have looked at the specks and it has some good features.
Foot brake, that will help you no end when cutting threads up to a shoulder and negate the need of the threading dial for that job. Also a good safety aid.
38mm hollow spindle helps to get a decent size bar in the headstock.
Imperial lead screw , which means that you will have a larger range of TPI threads before you need to change any gears as opposed to the Metric range.
If you cut mainly Metric threads then a Metric lead screw is better but it makes little difference really as all the threads that you would normally want are there . Even if a bit of extra gear changing is required for some.
Make sure all the right change gears are present and don't forget the one already attached to the lathe.

Thanks for the input Sterob, Retromilling..

Yeah, this was the lathe that had the minimum of everything I wanted. When I was an apprentice many many moons ago, the lathe I used had a foot brake and as you mentioned Retro it is the best when screw cutting ie, hitting the brake, withdrawing the tool and throwing it in reverse.

I was just keen in getting comments if anybody had one on the quality and make of the lathe. (I know you get what you pay for) This purchase will blow my toy budget for the next 2 + years.

Rick

Originally Posted by Squirrel

Thanks for the input Sterob, Retromilling..

Yeah, this was the lathe that had the minimum of everything I wanted. When I was an apprentice many many moons ago, the lathe I used had a foot brake and as you mentioned Retro it is the best when screw cutting ie, hitting the brake, withdrawing the tool and throwing it in reverse.

I was just keen in getting comments if anybody had one on the quality and make of the lathe. (I know you get what you pay for) This purchase will blow my toy budget for the next 2 + years.

Rick

Yes mate you can cut a thread while the other lathe owners are still scratching their heads trying to remember how to use the thread chasing dial.
If you are worried about quality then maybe a Chinese lathe is not the way to go. They vary a lot. One might be a beauty and nice and tight and turn straight and the next one a bit of a mongrel with sloppy fits and crook bearings. I had to replace some bearings in a new chinese mill before I could even use it.
If you have had some experience with machining on good lathes then a Chinese lathe may dissapoint you a bit as you will compare it .
Maybe a Taiwanese lathe would be better for you. an AL 96B or AL 1000C 240V or an AL 1000D 415V
Just a thought.

Thanks for the update Retro,

The 336 is the best I can afford with a good discount on top of that. I suppose I am just going to have to take a chance and hope I don't get a lemon. Time will tell, if I can organise a box trailer and mobile engine hoist, I will by buying it this week.

Rick.

Have finally bought by Metal lathe, spent all day put it to gether. Now all I have to do is check everything for level and paralel and that's it.

Can't wait, first job is to fix my drum for my drum sander. The balancing weights fell out, so this will be my first job.

Can't wait.

Rick..

Good stuff Squirrel!
One of the things to check is to take the cover off the gearbox and inspect inside. Don't be concerned if you find it with a fair bit of metal filings inside. (Mine had quite a bit.) I drained the oil and removed it all before putting new oil oil back in. If you use the correct oil (hydraulic oil) the metal particles are not suspended in the oil and they sit in the bottom of the gearbox, not doing any harm.
Also, I fitted Link Belts, also called Fenner Belts, to my lathe. This allowed the lathe to run alot quieter and smoother. ( no kinks in the belts from sitting in one spot for long periods.)
Be careful and enjoy your new lathe.

Sterob,

I have heard this in the past, and I am seriously considering your recommedation.

I have been studying my owners manual with your suggestion on removing the gear box cover. The gearbox is on the bottom with 4 levers, did you drain the oil, remove the 4 levers then take the two face plates off (this is from looking at the drawing).

Or are you talking about removing the top of the head stock and checking the bottom of this tank (this definately looks a lot easier).

Was it relatively easy to remove the gearbox cover, I am not worried about pulling the machine apart to check and inspect it, but I don't want to start dismantling it just for the sake of it and destroying any warranty.

Thanks for your advice.

Rick...

Hi Rick,
Sorry for not being specific, yes, you take the top cover of the headstock off. You are correct, easy to do. There is a drain plug, on the end, I think, that you can use to flush all the crud out.
I think I just checked the oil level in the carriage.
The oil recommended to me by H&F Perth, was Hydraulic 46.

Sterob

Hi all, as this is my first post I shall introduce myself as Tony. I run a small Civil Engineering business and did my trade as a Tunneler.

I bought a Hafco AL-335 about 6 weeks ago after months of deliberation, final decision being based upon value for money, second hand machines were mostly well worn Myfords older than me, and fetching silly money as well, and that Hafco were the more amenable people out of the Auckland dealers.

My lathe is accurate, powerful and a pleasure to use compared to the worn out lathes at the local school where I attend a weekly workshop class!

Problems arose early with a warped 3 jaw chuck that was promptly exchanged for a new one. After 3 weeks the screw cuttng gearbox got very noisy. Upon removing the cover I found about 4 dessert spoons of sand and metal in the box, and some odd looking gear profiles that I assumed were badly worn gears. I took the box back to the dealer and we looked inside an Al-336 that was getting pre-delivery checkover. The gears in this box were of the same odd shapes as mine! , and a few spoons of sand as well, so the Q.C. at the factory must be shocking. The dealer exchanged my box for one from another machine straight out of the crate without arguement. I got this one home and opened the cover up. No surprise to find about 3 spoons of metal filings in the bottom and in some of the tapped holes. So I figured that this is probanbly as good as it is going to get. At least the gears were all of good profile and consistent pitch on this one.

So I bit the bullet and have dismantled the box. Some of the bearings are lumpy and one that is inside a gear on the cluster shaft is rusty and siezed up. I have deburred the very rough internal casting surfaces and have just come in from bogging all the porous holes and the drilled bolt holes with a metal filled epoxy. I will sand and paint the inside before replacing all the bearings with new Japanese or European ones, about a $250.00 excersise in total. The apron box seems not much better,( will get stripped next weekend) but the head gear box looks O.K.

In a couple of weeks and about $600.00 later I will have a machine that I am happy with and will probably last what is left of my lifetime.

The Chinese are a bit dumb in the commercial sense, because I would willingly have paid an Extra $600.00 upfront if they spent a few more hours at the factory on each machine to achieve a better quality. At the end of the day, this is still about $15,000.00 cheaper than the equivalent Euro or Japanese machine.
So, good value for money, but it pays to check them out before use, like is expounded on several American sites similar to this one.

Great site Guys, Im sure uYou will hear more from me. Cheers Tony

G'day Tony and Welcome

Unfortunately whilst most of us would pay the extra dollars to get a machine that didn't need to be rebuilt straight out of the box, that extra money would then put the machine in a higher price range and could turn potential buyers away. after all something for $14.98 sounds a lot cheaper than $15.00. (not saying thats what the lathe is worth but just as an example. can tell I frequent the US forums aay?)

Hope you have many enjoyable times with your new toy.

what part of NZ are you in? I have 'lations in Wellington ( I think)

regards
bollie7