Welcome to the forum Jacky.

Most folks will advise against a 3 in 1 style machine, although a few folk find them OK.

Neil

Hi Jacky,

I had a 3 in 1 (Chester Model B). It was neither one thing nor the other. Could not get on with it.

Myfords are very expensive for what is an old fashioned design. The beds on them also wear badly. I’d advise buying a second hand Harrison M series or similar.

Hello Jacky,

​At the risk of bringing down a heap of abuse on myself, I too would recommend avoiding the 3 in 1 machines. The overall design is really very poor, the bed guidance on a very narrow saddle is inadequate, the tailstock will suffer badly from flexing because of the height of it and leverage on its base which is also narrow, and the final major criticism is levelled at the combined mounting and drive up to the mill/drill head perched up on top of the headstock.

Apart from all that they look ungainly too and can never hope to bring the combined demands of a vertical milling machine and lathe together in that design.

​Better by far to find a decent design of lathe and later add a milling machine to the work bench.

​Others may agree with me, Carl Wilson has already said he couldn't get on with his. As a fitter/turner you will have retained an eye for these details which are important and not just cosmetic.

Good luck with your search
​Brian

Same as Naughtboy with a CL430,pleasantly pleased with it, i also have to disagree with the mini lathe criticism from others, they are quite accurately made even if they are lightweight in areas.

You'll end up spending £3k on something way too big, or are left with an empty playing field if you over analyze the machine market.

Michael W

Edited By Michael Walters on 30/11/2016 11:29:28

I have to disagree with that 100%; you're welcome to come and do some test cuts on mine if you don't believe me…

minilathe. Please be more specific about size when talking about these to beginners – perhaps including example model numbers.

Inserts in bed. Looks like a previous owner had a go at it with an angle grinder to compensate for not having bought a big enough lathe in the first place. Myford is only a 3 1/2 centre outside the gap. This is fine for model engineering most of the time but a problem for vehicle maintenance and larger models. Think about what you will be using it for.

Sorry to pick you up on this but, Flex?! seriously? have you seen the net weight of the CL500 perchance?

Not only do i defy anyone to lift 130kg lathe with their own strength, but any sturdier than that webbed bed casting and you're on the industrial scale of things.

You can't see it in the picture but the underside is completely ground flat too. The dovetails on the bed are nice and smooth. 

I'd agree i wouldn't want it as my main mill, more an aside, but still the above stands. Not many pictures i'm afraid but so far the biggest and baddest stuff i've turned with this lathe it handled no problem, hardened steel 30mm shafts over 6" (using ceramic tipped tool) and widest being 6" backplate iron castings.

The Cl430/500 can certainly take it's weight on the turning side, the mill is powered by a dogclutch so you're getting the same grunt from the same motor so presumably given the setup is sturdy the milling power is just as good.

You're obviously not going to get anywhere near the same amount of purchase for movement as a dedicated mill gives you.  

Also if you want evidence that the mini lathes are worth while, check out mike cox on weebly or Neil's stuff on here or in the magazine, they had no problem getting steel projects done using them properly. 

Sorry to go on a bit, but i think like i warned earlier, regurgitating too much information on the pros and cons can be tiring and eventually you have to chose what feels right for you. Alot of problems on here regarding lathes can be genuine one offs or simply down to a poor setup rather than the machine itself. You don't often get to hear the good stories because they aren't told as much!

PS. i'm surprised nothing from warco has taken your fancy? That could be a viable alternative.

Michael W

Edited By Michael Walters on 30/11/2016 14:06:10

Welcome Jacky.

I had a CL500 3 in 1 as my first machine & it was no light weight I can tell you, & it was surprisingly solid. To get it onto the wooden joiners bench I used I had to take off the Mill head then it still took two of us to lift it up on to the bench. in the lathe mode it did all I gave it & sometimes more, I wasn't happy at all with it in the milling mode, too much vibration, even with head at it's lowest point to allow cutters to be fitted & everything locked up I wasn't over enamoured, too top heavy.

I eventually sold it to fund my present lathe, Warco WM250V-F & am quite satisfied with it's performance, & the Warco WM 16 mill, so to reiterate other comments, get separate lathe & mill if your budget can stretch to it & despite what others may say I can't complain about Chinese machines. I bought both machines from the Harrogate 2012 exhibition, & got a reasonable discount at the time, for the same price as people are asking ( silly money ) now for a Myford.

George.

Also for mechman;

Warco WM250V, Probably the only lathe I looked at and wished I had chosen instead, well I can't have it all my way I guess.

Makes you wonder about how myford got so expensive, because some rich sop must be coughing up the dough for them at these stupendous prices for a 3 1/2" centre height lathe, hell, I'd far rather a far eastern price equivalent! for the money I could probably have a chester crusader? If you put it like that and compare the features the myford cant even get a look in surely because they were never made for that section of the market, I'm sure they originally sold for less than £50 brand new.

Michael W

An excellent choice, Jacky !!

MichaelG.