Thread: Wood Lathe 18 x 47

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

and ...

...........since you asked, the "good price" consisted of "tell me what price I have to beat"!

is it just me or are we all waiting for the "good price" on the 18/47 .
we already know what hare and forbes can do it for ( 1,500 + )
and 10% less when they are in the right mood

I recently purchased one of these lathes and was initially very pleased with it as it had all the features I was looking for, after fiddling around with a homemade version for a number of years. Runs very smoothly, variable speed works well, good power, and very heavy.
After using it intermitantly for about a month, I have discovered some of its shortfalls.
The bed is not machined flat
The 3 movable castings ie. headstock, banjo, and tailstock are not machined flat on the base and therefore only sit on 3 points. I have spent today draw filing the tailstock and banjo to get them flat. The headstock is a different matter due to its size and weight. Temporarily I have shimmed the low corner until I work out which way I will go about levelling it.
The live centre has some movement in it mainly due to the fact that it only has a single bearing and probably a reasonable amount of clearance because they are a cheap brand.
Unfortunately these are often things you discover once you have made the purchase and cannot return the item due to various reasons.
I guess you get what you pay for.