Thread: Newbie looking

i would try buy some thing second hand that's in good condition.
you just seem to get a better value.
all depends how much room you have. you might be surprised that once you have it
how much you start to use it.
I think a foot brake AND 25mm plus spindle bore would be very handy.
aaron

May I ask what is a foot brake?

ah its a spindle brake activated by your foot. if you search it here there will be may matches

ummmmm - a pedal you operate with your foot to stop the spindle.....

Originally Posted by cookie48

I have a C2 lathe at present but it is next to useless.

Hi Cookie,

why is your lathe "next to useless"? If you identify what you need that the C2 doesn't have, that should give you some specs to help with choosing your next lathe.

I have the C2 from H&F, and have used it to make pens. I found the size a good fit for pens, the reversible motor useful, the autofeed a wrist-saver, the variable speed a boon for finishing. There is also heaps of info available about upgrades, modifications, add-ons etc.

Cheers,
Andrew

2 burnt out motors due to lathe not being made to have coolant attached, broken gear because they are plastic. I have fixed those problems because the seller did not recognise that a metal lathe requires coolant to keep things operational. Give me a better lathe please.

Originally Posted by cookie48

a metal lathe requires coolant to keep things operational. Give me a better lathe please.

If you want a better lathe, fine, but coolant is optional. Plenty of people work dry with no problems, including me.

But wasnt he reffering to the motors burning out due to no coolant.
Maybe these little chow machines run a heat exchanger for the motor bearings and no one had connected it to water.
Gears may of broken due to the lathe being over worked,I have read reports the little chow mills break gears when doing intermitent cuts in steel.

Cookie, I can (and often do) recommend the metal lathe I use, a SM920V from Asset Plant and Machinery.

It is a 9x20 variant with electronic variable speed, plenty of power, no plastic gears and good backup from the supplier.

There are several forum members who have one of these lathes, some without the electronic variable speed.

I turn different materials on it, from PR to brass, mild steel and stainless steel and do not use any coolant.

There are quite a few threads here in the metalwork forum on selection of a (smaller) lathe and perhaps reading some of those will give you some ideas.

Hope that helps.

Oh and Asset ships to Tassie so I'm sure they will ship to SA as well.

Big Shed.
Thanks for that. Have looked at it and has gone to top of my list.

I've just sold my 9x20 (re-badged Hare and Forbes), to change to a larger machine. The 9x20, badged as the Hare and Forbes AL50G, is an excellent machine, H&F provide excellent support and there is a veritable plethora of sites dedicated to this machine and how to improve it. The only criticism I have is the belt and pulley system: The belt is of a very small section and inclined to slip if pulleys aren't kept free of oil, it's difficult to adjust and non matching pulley sizes do nothing to help that situation, belts break easy and they are $60 each. The variable speed on the SM920V is on special at the moment for around the $1300 mark and is probably a better bet.