Hi David,

As Brian says, get the biggest lathe you can afford and find room for in your workshop. The Warco WM240 VariSpeed comes with variable speed and may be a bit higher priced than your budget. The WM240B comes with a belt drive and is considerably cheaper so you can buy some tools for the lathe like a drill chuck, a ball bearing live centre and some cutting tools.

Thor

I don't think the method of drive matters much, just get whatever comes along. Having belt drive has a slight advantage, as already mentioned.

I made a mistake of buying Tungsten Carbide braised tooling at the outset which has remained unused along with a green grinding wheel

I also went on an Axminster lathe course which was invaluable for learning the basics

Its worth seeing if there is anyone local who can introduce you to their lathe and explain some of the practicalities and advice in general

Going back through the last 7 pages of posts on this forum, about 300, I find 8 posts concerning Myford problems and 3 on Chinese (1 lathe and 2 milling machine questions). And in addition to the Myford posts, there are posts asking for help with Boxford, Cowells, Colchester, Emco, Centec, Fortis, Faircut, IXL, Hobbymat, Alpine, Harrison, and Denford problems.

It suggests the traditional machines Clogs recommends are suspect compared with new Chinese, and maybe there's a good reason for that in 2020. None of these machines were carp when new, but today they are pre-used and old. Buying classics, always bear in mind condition is everything and it cannot be taken for granted. Nothing lasts for ever.

It's true Chinese machines are poorly finished compared with the classics but they work well enough in my experience and are suitably affordable. Main advantages of buying new are being able to send it back if you get a dud, a good range of sizes (choose the biggest that can be managed), they usually come with a full set of accessories, and the seller sorts out delivery.

Clogs mentions machines as assets that benefit grieving relatives. It's a good point, but I take the opposite tack – I don't want to burden my kids with getting best value for a workshop they don't understand, trying to flog tools which might not be in good nick when I've finished with 'em. I don't care if the whole lot goes to a scrapyard and nor should they. It can go on ebay if the mourners want, but I don't want anyone fretting about being conned or feeling obliged to hunt for generous buyers because of my hobby.

Dave

If I was waiting until I could afford a "Classic" I would never have got a lathe, so I bought Chinese Junk in order to get started. To my surprise, it is still going well, 20 years later.

Will it sell for huge money when I snuff it ? Who knows, wont be my problem !

Get what you can afford, bigger the better, and get started, you wont live forever.

Remember the story of the man walking through the woods, looking for a good walking stick ?

He rejected each one he saw, thinking to find a better one further on.

Before he knew it, he was out of the wood, with no stick !

Buying a lathe based on it's potential worth when you die is complete madness,buying one based on it's paint colour also makes no sense but I know some people actually consider it as important in a machine tool

Tony

My situation was not quite like Larry, but I bought a new junk chinese lathe about 25 years,or so, ago. I was ‘green’ to machining metal but well practised with timber.

The lathe did not get used so often but was useful for making parts. About ten years later, I bought a second hand lathe for much less money and eventually (much later as work, heart attack and quad bypass got in the way) I replaced the chinese junk with the ‘olde english’ well-made item. In hindsight, I wished I had bought one, similar, those 15 years previous.

I’ve since replaced that example with the later (improved) model of the same company (long extinct) and will not change again as it does all I want from it.

I do consider myself reasonably able to assess machinery and strike a good deal when one arises. Since my early acquisition of the lathe and a cheap mill, I’ve been able to be patient and choosy.

So my advice might be to get going, buy something, get ‘acclimatised’ to the hobby and then cast around for something more suited if the original shows shortcomings. Good second hand will lose less money than new – if you are competent to select between the wheat and chaff.

As all us old geezers keen on Myfords die off, so will the resale prices as the demand dwindles. It happened with Model T Fords and is starting to happen with some classic bikes. So if you want your kids to get maximum benefit from your Super 7 it's best to cark it sooner rather than later.

perhaps an explanation is due,

I'm a very lucky man…….

I have a full profesional Machine Shop as well as the equiv for working wood……

plus all the welding equip u could ever need……

2 car lifts and a motorcycle lift and associated tools and acc'ies…….

compressors to die for etc etc…….

all this in a 200m2 barn…..just being built…

I have more money in kit than my house is worth……..

So for me it's necc to know the value of kit……

I feel selfish at times to have this stuff (but I've worked very, very hard to get it) also feel the need to pass on it's value…….

Not every Myford, Boxford is a worn out peice of junk…..

'All the gear'

Tony

Good morning David,

As you say second hand machines are fairly thin on the ground over here.

When I went looking for some woodwork machines years ago, the stuff on offer was not even fit for a scrapyard, and being "offered" at silly money.. I ended up buying new from a guy in Kendal, in the North of England. Drove from Dublin to Larne, got the boat over to Scotland, then drove down to Kendal, and back again with everything in my van.

When it came to buying my lathe, I went Dublin to Holyhead to Chester and bought new again. Just loaded everything into my van and headed home, no messing about with pallets ect

Might be worth while asking around for someone with a van taking a load to England and returning empty.

If you would like to view my collection, you are more than welcome [if you can travel !], can stay over if you need.

If interested, send me a message.

In the meantime, take care.