Creworks Chinese Mini Lathe – interesting

[Lee CooperParticipant @leecooper46013]

Just posting this for general interest, and interested to hear experiences if anyone else has one.

I’ve not heard of this brand before, but it’s your instantly recognisable Chinese mini lathe but with a few features I’ve not seen before, in particular- longer bed length, more powerful motor, larger through spindle hole.

Reviews on this particular version seem fairly decent but looking at other models which are variations from the same seller it’s the typical lottery and fit-and-finish quality you expect from a cheap Chinese lathe.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BGMXLDZX

Anyway I thought the specs, which are not something I’ve seen before in this segment made it interesting. Half tempted to take a punt at this price, given Amazon’s excellent support in the eventuality a return for refund is required.

Apparently one guy had his open and the headstock has a taper bearing at one end and a standard at the other.

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Really stretches the definition of mini-lathe about as far as it can go.

The big bore makes it a seriously interesting concept but much of the engineering looks somewhat incoherent. What appears to be a standard mini lathe topside “built up in the sand” with a thick block underneath to bring it to centre height really doesn’t look rigid enough. Saddle looks way skinny too for a machine of near SouthBend size.

Using simple electronic control to deliver enough speed variation from a motor of only 1,100 W seems to guarantee serious shortage of oomph at lower revs.

Likely to be very frustrating to use in a “boy set to do a mans job” fashion.

Shame really because the concept is really nice. Most likely let down by attempting to reach an unfeasibly low price point.

Were I the designer I’d beef up saddle and topside, extend tailstock travel, add a stepper motor for electronic lead screw and cross feed drive and fit a two speed gearbox along with back gear. Not forgetting a four jaw chuck in the box too.

Then try to sell it for £1,400 or so and be hugely disappointed by how few customers I got!

Clive

[Lee CooperParticipant @leecooper46013]

Thanks Clive.. you’ve made some informed observations there which may just have saved me a disappointing impulse purchase.

As you say, it is a shame. I would jump at your upgraded model @£1400. Are there really that few of us who would buy something like that?

I’ve been looking at lathes for a few months and there seems to be a real gap in the market. I’m not fancying the potential pitfalls that come with second hand for someone of my experience, Sherlines look nice and accurate out of the box but I would prefer something bigger; then you have the mini lathes which seem to become as much a project as a ready-to-go tool.. not what I want. A step up from that it seems to jump to silly money with not much in the middle.

I’ll probably go with a Warco WM240. A bit beefier and the reviews seem decent, plus I get the impression the QC is a bit better despite coming from the same factory as a lot of the other stuff.

Anyway drop me a line when your product’s out. I’ve got 1400 burning a hole.. 🙂

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Lee

At 70 years of age no chance of me ever putting a product out. But if I did it would be a CNC system that works properly, easily and quickly in the modern world. Think 3D printing style, not G-code!

Concerning that lathe I do have some relevant experience of the potential issues involved from that sort of enlargement.

Way back I traded up my second SouthBend 9″ lathe, a model A, for a late SouthBend Heavy 10 toolroom version with big bore spindle and cam lock chuck fittings. For all practical purposes the Heavy 10 simply increased the swing by 1″ with a bigger bore and beefed up headstock but everything else was pretty much the same size as the 9″. Excellent on lighter work but just not strong enough to handle the cuts needed on bigger jobs.

Frustrating.

The lathe you linked to has even more enlargement relative to the basic source design size so the issues will be compounded.

The Heavy 10 got swopped for a Smart & Brown 1024 which is pretty much a cut down bigger lathe retaining the massive saddle, topside et al. Saddle and slides are actually bigger than on my P&W Model B 12″ x 30″ which itself is actually almost 14″ swing and has a well earned reputation for both accuracy and the ability to take heavy cuts.

Having way too much strength in saddle and slides is liberating.

Clive

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

How can that be a mini lathe with those dimensions?

[Lee Cooper]

On 11 October 2024 at 13:48 Lee Cooper Said:

one guy had his open and the headstock has a taper bearing at one end and a standard at the other.

I think my SC4 lathe has the same bearing arrangement. Not given me any cause for concern

 

jimb

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