Hello Nick and welcome.

I'm sorry that I cannot help with your query but I'm sure that someone will be along soon with some ideas.

Brian

In many cases, similar machines are imported by a variety of companies. The contents of the package may vary, like the colour scheme.

One package may include a rotating centre, another may not, but include a faceplate, and so on.

Possible suppliers, as well as Chester, Amadeal, Arc Euro Trade, Axminster, SPG, Warco, and so on

Machine suppliers seem to be getting scarcer at shows, (not surprising given the costs of stands, and the likely sales resulting ) So you will need to use the internet and probably do some travelling, to visit either the Importer's showroom, or some kind soul who has the machine that you have in mind.

Have a look at the various machines, as well as the specs, and packages.

Do some research on after sales service, spares supply etc. as well as spec and price, before you start writing cheques. Ask, on here, for owner's experiences with similar machines. You could get some informative replies!

Sadly, far eastern machines can have faults when they are delivered. How the problem is resolved will make a big difference to your estimation of your purchase, a few months down the line. It may be cheap to buy, but not a good buy if no one is interested in your problem!  The sour taste of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of a low price.

Recently I found the importer of my machine (Bought, little used, from the original owner ) quoted a price for parts which was twice (more if you include air freight ) than the supplier that I prefer to use quoted, and supplied within a week!

Howard

Edited By Howard Lewis on 13/10/2019 21:23:10

Hi Lainchy,

Just for clarity:

1. SC4 is made by SIEG, so original maker badge SIEG. Axminster sells the same machine badged as Axminster – SIEG. It is part of the requirement by SIEG.

2. No importer, be it Axminster, ARC, or other does QC in the U.K. regardless of what impression is given by marketing.

3. SC4 is brushless, available in two bed lengths. ARC sells the longer bed length only.

4. ARC has been selling ORIGINAL SIEG made machines for a longer period of time than Axminster. ARC received the first SC4 in the world for testing, which ARC rejected at that time for technical reasons. After the technical issues were addressed, ARC added the SC4 to their range.

5. The reasons why Axminster price may be high could be due to their overheads, and their ability to offer 3 years guarantee, where as ARC only offers a 1 year guarantee. Also, ARC concentrates on a limited number of models from the SIEG range, based on various factors. Generally, based on model, the quantity of stock which ARC carries for each of these models is higher than most of SIEGs distributors around the world. As a result, ARCs purchase price from SIEG may be different – lower than others. Also, ARC buys direct from SIEG, without involvement of one or two additional Chinese buying agents/trading companies working on behalf of certain importers.

6. ARC is involved directly with certain marketing and certain R&D at the SIEG factory. ARC is only interested in working on machines with the SIEG factory, rather than a variety of factories. This allows ARC to work with one set of working ideas from one source, concentrating only on one variety of gremlins. This close co-operation helps to develop long term relations and understanding.. even though strained at times… with agreeing to disagree on occasions.

7. History: The word 'Super' was used by SIEG to promote machines with higher specification than the base model. Unfortunately, competitors – especially in the mini-lathe brigade decided to use/abuse this word as a marketing tool to promote lower specifications of their own machines. At this point, sales for SIEG started to suffer because of competitor marketing abuse of the word 'Super'. This was a marketing problem which both ARC and SIEG had to solve. One day, looking at Little Machine Shop's website in the U.S., ARC noticed that they had abbreviated 'Super C3' to 'SC3. Looking at this, ARC had lengthy discussion with the marketing team at SIEG to adopt this format, moving away from the word 'Super', and putting the focus onto 'HiTorque' and 'Brushless'. For this reason, you see the terminology SC or SX.. followed by the model number… with further focus on HiTorque and Brushless.

8. Other than Little Machine Shop in the U.S., ARC carries the highest range of SIEG spares in the world.

9. If you subscribe to the MEW magazine, you will see a beginners series of articles sponsored by ARC over the past 12 to 14 months, written by Neil Wyatt based on the SC4 lathe, and by Jason Ballamy on the SX2.7 mill. These series were commissioned with input by ARC (based on questions ARC has come across over the years) to help new people coming into the hobby, how to use various tools on a lathe or in a mill. Now a days, most people entering this hobby have plenty of enthusiasm, but very limited knowledge or practical experience of 'making things' because many have had no or little training in schools, collages or universities.The series helps those who are unable to attend a practical course for one reason or another.

I see these kind of questioning over price every one or two years as new people enter the hobby or this forum. On another thread, I even noticed a suggestion that Axminsters price may be higher because somehow their same specification machine was built better from them, or, at one time, I saw the marketing statement 'V.2' to justify the higher price for a machine which was the same as sold by ARC. If a competitor is selling a machine made specifically by SIEG, of the same specification model number, then the build quality is the same as one made for ARC.

In future, if such comments are made, I will be grateful if the poster of such a comment can be directed to this thread, as it would be wrong to suggest that a like for like SIEG machine sold by ARC is different from a competitor.

I request every ones understanding on this issue with the greatest of respect.

Ketan at ARC.

Hi Ketan.

That's great info! Certainly to a beginner like me. To be perfectly honest, my choice when I need to change would be the SC4 from Arc… on cost and spares (after a friend bought a 2nd hand SC3 and I got to see the spares).

It's a shame that Axminster are the only place that seems to do the short courses, but having hands on an SC4 (rebadged or not) was certainly an eye opener.

Thanks for the info though

Ian