Lathe upgrade

[Peter Simpson 3Participant @petersimpson3]

I have a very nice Boxford ME 10 with a rare clutch Looking to get a slightly bigger bore. lathe what is the Warco 1330 like. Will it be a potential upgrade ???

[Peter Simpson 3Participant @petersimpson3]

[JellyParticipant @jelly]

It will be much the same performance wise, but a bit bigger; the major usability upgrades would be the modern cam-lock spindle nose, and fully geared speed-controls.

With a larger tailstock taper you would probably get a bit more drilling capacity too but nothing wild as the power of the Warco's motor is still relatively limited.

​

The Warco GH1330 is quite a nice lathe to use, and will stand up to being pushed pretty hard without complaining, (it's more than heavily built enough to cope with the maximum cuts and feeds it's 1.5kW motor can support). Having run one a lot now, I'd say it's a solid machine which won't disappoint…

But, it's also nothing special either, so given that you're already coming from a reasonably large, full featured lathe, you're only going to see incremental improvements over that in terms of usability and performance.

All this said, if you can spare the extra £500, the GH1439/GH1440 will give you rather more of a capacity upgrade, for not a lot more money or space used up, (and is probably about as big as you could go before needing to become a 2-lathe workshop).

Edited By Jelly on 17/11/2022 21:55:39

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

The ME10's 3MT headstock allows you to use 3C collets. If you get a lathe with a 5MT you can use 5C collets though everyone nowadays wants ER.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Do a search of this site for "Warco" and make up your own mind based on the experience of previous Warco owners.

Personally, I would keep the Boxford if it is in good condition. Larger diameter jobs are easily set up with a fixed steady in most cases, instead of buying a whole new lathe just to get a bigger hole up the spindle.

The only thing I have found I can't do in a Myford with a fixed steady are motorcycle fork tubes because they are too long for the bed.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

If you're anywhere near Buxton, Derbyshire, drop in, have a brew and try one.
It works well enough, but I do miss having a clutch.

Bill

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

The perreniall "What lathe shall I buy!

As an experienced user, you will already have knowledge of what is important to you and your work.

Your choice of lathe will, as always be tempered by how much you are prepared to spend, and what features are "Must haves" for the work that you wish to do

To some, a powered cross feed is a necessity. To someone else, a gearbox may take priority, or maybe a 5MT spindle bore., a high top speed., or electronic speed control..

Once the required features have been listed, and the budget limit set, the question arises of "What is available, affordable and has the required features"?

It maybe that a new machine to meet hose criteria is too costly, so secondhand machine might fit the bill.

Which leads to the wider decision of ex industrial British, vs Far Eastern?..

Twenty years ago, I chose a new large, by model engineering standards, Far Eastern lathe with VFD. It does what i want, but has never been tested to the limit of it's capabilities.

For a variety of reasons.It wouldn't suit everyone,

Howard

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Hope this doesn't break forum rules, but if you are thinking of a larger Warco lathe, there is one for sale over on the Home Workshop website. I bought a ltlle Unimat from Robin the seller and saw the lathe when I was there, he's a very genuine chap, has had it from new and it looksa well cared for machine, Its on the last page of the adverts.

I used to use a similar geared head Warco in industry, a slightly older model, and found it a good machine and despite my initial prejudice grew to like it a lot. Very good range of threads and an accurate and robust workshop lathe.

Dave

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

An oft overlooked consideration is tailstock travel! Far too many small lathes have irritatingly little tailstock poppet travel so drilling holes of any sensible depth with an MT drill becomes a tricky multi-stage process if the drill is not to be inadvertently ejected mid job when pulling back to clear swarf.

I swopped my otherwise more than satisfactory cam-lock spindle SouthBend Heavy 10, basically a slightly grown up version of your Boxford, for exactly that reason. it popped out a drill at exactly the wrong time same day as an affordable Smart & Brown 1024 VSL had turned up in collection range nearly simultaneously with the 5th iteration of a "sell me your lathe" whine. Deal cost me under £400 by the time the dust had settled and I've never looked back.

About 4 inches of useful drilling travel is vastly better than barely 1 1/2 inches.

Drill heaven.

The 1024 sits in the same place and is the same nominal capcity but the performance difference is chalk and cheese.

Until you've used one its hard to appreciate how much better a full on industrial rated machine is at doing the job than the general run of bench mounted and similar smaller machines. Fundamentally a significant part of what we do on a small machine is too large for it to easily handle. So you have to work at it. Ex-industrial walk up and do for anything in its capacity. Takes a while to adjust the mind set!

Before deciding make sure you know what the "red mist" trigger is for what you currently use and select accordingly.

Clive

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

Posted by Bazyle on 17/11/2022 22:12:05:

…If you get a lathe with a 5MT you can use 5C collets…

Do you happen to know a UK source for a 5C to 5MT adaptor? Thanks.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I think he meant you can get a draw tube up the spindle which makes for easy opening and closing of the 5C whatever holder it is in.

I like 5C on my lathe even though I have to use a 5C chuck and do have a 5C to ER adapter if needed.

Edited By JasonB on 18/11/2022 10:14:46

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by DC31k on 18/11/2022 09:51:05:

Posted by Bazyle on 17/11/2022 22:12:05:

…If you get a lathe with a 5MT you can use 5C collets…

Do you happen to know a UK source for a 5C to 5MT adaptor? Thanks.

I, too, would welcome some elaboration of this comment.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

here is a suitable MT5 to 5C adaptor, very similat to how you get 3C into the Boxfords MT3 spindle. The relative size of the spindle bores allows you to use a draw tube be it hand or lever operated to fit the thread of the collets

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

Posted by JasonB on 18/11/2022 10:22:40:

Here is a suitable MT5 to 5C adaptor

Thanks. I had forgotten about rcm.

What is the total cost to a UK doorstep from Switzerland?

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by JasonB on 18/11/2022 10:22:40:

here is a suitable MT5 to 5C adaptor, very similat to how you get 3C into the Boxfords MT3 spindle. The relative size of the spindle bores allows you to use a draw tube be it hand or lever operated to fit the thread of the collets

Thanks. At that price, however, I would be inclined to try to make it myself.

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

rcm = Luxembourg not Swiss

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Yes so probably cost you more going round the houses via other countries. I did not look for a UK source just the first that came up to show how the bore of a 6C spindle is large enough to take the draw tube.

Adaptor is likely to be quite a bit less than a Cam Lock mount 5C chuck even allowing for duties and tax

Edited By JasonB on 18/11/2022 12:24:05

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

There are loads of 5MT lathes in hobbyists hands so a potential market out there. I did try to interest John Stevenson in making them but as he was making the ER collet blocks he has no time for another product.
I believe a 3MT to 5MT adaptor is a starting point if making one.

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

Posted by Bazyle on 18/11/2022 14:19:34:

There are loads of 5MT lathes in hobbyists hands so a potential market out there.

I am after one a Lewis (half a Morse) smaller and looked this afternoon at the square and hexagon 5C collet blocks. Available for as little as £22, they are described (both square and hex) as 45mm a/f.

For me, modifying the outside of something that has a 5C inside it is a far easier route, especially as an OD toolpost grinder is a lot simpler to rig up and has no issues with a large overhang that an ID one would.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Some of the far Eastern lathes have 5MT spindles, and are supplied with a 3 – 5 MT open end sleeve from new..

So maybe Axminster, Warco or Chester could supply one as a spare, more cheaply..

Howard

[Author]

Posts