# New Lathe question



## PeeWee (Jun 13, 2010)

Hi All,

I have been researching lathes for far too long and the more i research the less i seem to know or have the ability to choose.

Well i have heard a key decision is to get the biggest/best you can afford as you will at somepoint need bigger that you have. :big:

I have heard good things of Amadeal in the UK and was wondering if the below lathe is too big for engine construction, marine and stationary steam is my main intrest.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AMA280VF-Benc...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item53dd7376ea

kind regards


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## kendo (Jun 13, 2010)

Hi Peewee
        This lathe looks very similar to the warco wm 280

http://www.warco.co.uk/WM-280V-F-Variable-Speed-Lathe---metric-8C8A24CBF6.aspx

Only with warco you get a few more extras and delivery is free, Seems like a 
good first lathe, and can handle a fair size piece of metal. there may be others
who know more about this lathe.
                Best Regards 
                      Ken


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## Jasonb (Jun 13, 2010)

I've got the Warco version. With Amadeal you do not get a 4-jaw chuck, backplate, faceplate, fixed & traveling steadies, etc included in the basic price, find out what these will cost you and its unlikely to be any cheaper than the Warco.

Jason


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## Tin Falcon (Jun 13, 2010)

I would expect a lathe that size to come with some thing like the below list from a similar sized grizzly.


> Accessories Included:
> 4 Way Tool Post
> 5" 3-Jaw Chuck with Two Sets of Jaws
> 6-1/2" 4-Jaw Chuck with Reversible Jaws
> ...


You have to look art the entire picture. 
IMHO you should also include the price of a QCTP in your shopping these are a great upgrade to any lathe. 
A 3 jaw and 4 jaw are must haves. A face plate with a couple of dogs is needed for turning on centers . A follow rest and steady are nice to have for certain jobs. 
Tin


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## PeeWee (Jun 13, 2010)

Hi,
Thank you for the responces, I agree about the items missing and delivery, i need to find out if adding them would still make the machine less or more. I would have about £300 to play with. 
If the same price, would you go for the Warco or the amadeal?

regards


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## Jasonb (Jun 13, 2010)

You can sometimes get a bit off the warco price at a show, although I got mine from their warehouse I still got the £100 off that they were offering at a previous show.

If you are near Warco then pop in and see one running, they plugged one in for me and just left me to play with it.

The Warco has MT3 tailstock and more movement on the cross & topslide and have a good reputation for customer service. I've had mine for about 2yrs now and am yery happy with it, just the cross slide nut needed tightening up and the feed gearbox drips a bit of oil but most of thes elathes drip a bit.

Jason


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## PeeWee (Jun 13, 2010)

Good point Jason, had not noticed the taper difference must have been looking at them for too long.

Last question. would this sit happily on the bench (kitchen worktop finish) or would their stand be a sensible option.

Apologies for asking as daft question in advance.
cheers


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## Troutsqueezer (Jun 13, 2010)

PeeWee  said:
			
		

> Well i have heard a key decision is to get the biggest/best you can afford as you will at somepoint need bigger that you have. :big:



This sentiment goes around a lot, doesn't mean it's true. I'm still waiting for the need to arise when I need something bigger than my 7x10. 

-T


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## Deanofid (Jun 13, 2010)

What Trout says. If you know what you want to make, and your interests are pretty well defined, you can pick a machine and stick to it. That's been the case for me for a long time.
I've had Taig and Sherline sized machines for about 13-14 years, and almost everything I make will fit on them. My "big" machine is a 6"x 18", and I do consider it a big machine. For my work, it is!

I don't mean you should get a miniature machine. You should get what suits your expected work envelope. If 11x27 fits the bill, there's not much sense in getting a 16x60 just because you have the dough to blow.
Choosing a machine that comes with things you will need to buy anyway is good sense. The accessories are usually much less expensive when they come as a package deal.

Dean


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## zeeprogrammer (Jun 13, 2010)

I have to agree with Dean and Trout. I've only been that at this for a little over a year but...

Quality over size still seems to hold true.

I like my mini-lathe and mini-mill. I haven't wanted bigger so much as more rigidity and accuracy. (Quiet you.) If bigger means getting that..then okay...but I'm not convinced of that. I'm left wondering if I can make my machines better or whether I should move to a better (not necessarily bigger) machine. But as they said...it's because of the size of models I'm interested in. I just can't justify spending hundreds of dollars more for the off-chance of making a part that''s bigger than my machines can handle. For me...this is a hobby. If I can't make it...I'll make something else.

Quality over Size. I'm sticking to that story. I'll be celebrating 35 this December and there's been no (spoken) complaints yet. ;D

Having said all that..it really does come down to what you want to build.


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## Jasonb (Jun 14, 2010)

If the stand under the machine was sturdy enough then you could use a kitchen worktop, as they both come with the drip tray and back splash gaurd, a bit of silicon around the fixing holes will stop any oil swelling the chipboard. You would also need to be able to level teh lathe with packers or jacking screws.

I got the stand but made a 4 draw unit to fit between the uprights as the curved metal panel supplied seemed just a waste of good storage space.

As to size if you want to be able to cover most stationary engines then the majority of UK ones have been designed to fit into the gap bed on a myford and thats why they have flywheel castings around 9" dia so 10" would really be your minimum swing.


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## PeeWee (Jun 14, 2010)

Thank you all, I agree that i could do all of the marine engines on a 7 inch lathe for my boats eg Arc Euro Super C3. but like Jason says its the flywheel of the beam engines etc that concerns me on the size.
Ideal would be Quality plus big enough for the flywheels.

Kind regards


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## Omnimill (Jun 14, 2010)

Thats a nice looking lathe, I'd find space for it if I had the money. I've just bought a Mill from Warco and found the staff very helpful if that makes a difference. They are having an open weekend with lots of special deals on 11 and 12 September if you can make it. Don't know if the Lathe you're after will be on offer, you could give them a call.

http://www.warco.co.uk/news.aspx

http://www.warco.co.uk/content/WarcoFlier2010.pdf

Vic.


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## PeeWee (Jun 17, 2010)

I have just downloaded the latest data sheet on the Warco 280vf and the tail stock is now mt2 and the motor has dropped from 1.1kw to 750w. surly this is a step backwards on the original spec.


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## Jasonb (Jun 17, 2010)

Ignore the data sheet its just a pdf of the printed cataloge which wrongly has the data for the belt drive WM-280B version not the variable with cross feed.

Use the data sheet for the WM-280 (non cross feed) as its all the same as the WM-280V-F. and the cross feed rates are half the longditudinal. Also the two speed ranges are 50-950 & 100-2000 depending on which belt/pully you use.

http://www.warco.co.uk/WM-280-Variable-Speed-Lathe-502EA4EB31.aspx#

Jason


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## PeeWee (Jun 17, 2010)

Cheers Jason, i thought for a minute that Warco had lost their sences and were going backwards.


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## Chazz (Jun 17, 2010)

Hi Peewee, this is my experience with the 'Stand' issue. When I purchased my Lathe the stand, like the one pictured below, was included in the price.







Although it is serving me OK, it actually sucks. Each cabinet has but one shelf and, in no time at all. you are stacking things one top of the other. Now as I said this is just me and as I said the stand was included, second issue for me was budget, I didn't have the coin to get something like this:






So I guess what I'm saying is "If the stand is an option and budget allows than say no thanks and build\buy a better bench with better storage space and organization.

Just my 2 pesos.
Chazz


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## PeeWee (Jun 23, 2010)

Cheers all,

Last silly lathe question. Should i also be concidering something like http://www.homeandworkshop.co.uk/box001.jpg as well as new Warco Amadeal .

regards


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## Niels Abildgaard (Jun 23, 2010)

Have a Boxford and starts to like it,but no ;take the chineese thing.
Boxford spindle is small,chuck overhang great and cross-slide is to flimsy.


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## Jasonb (Jun 23, 2010)

If were wer going down the old iron route then I would be looking at a Harrison M250 or a late model Colchester Bantum. Both will swing 11" like the Warco etc and are solid machines.

I did think about this oiption when deciding on mine but weight was one issue as they weigh twice as much as the far eastern machines. And to get one with all accesories and convert to single phase puts the cost up.

Jason


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## Deanofid (Jun 23, 2010)

Niels Abildgaard  said:
			
		

> Have a Boxford and starts to like it,but no ;take the chineese thing.
> Boxford spindle is small,chuck overhang great and cross-slide is to flimsy.



The spindle is small? A diameter of 1.5" doesn't seem small. Lathes.co.uk says they are a good copy of 
a 9" SB.


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## Jasonb (Jun 24, 2010)

But most only have a 7/8" bore, few later ones have a 1 3/8" which would be a very handy.

Jason


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