Lathe & Mill for Model Steam Engines - £1,000 Budget

[wolram]

Can anyone help, i am looking for a model makers lathe, mill preferably
all in one, i intend to use it for the manufacture of model steam engines ,
i think the biggest dia part would be a 6inch flywheel and the longest shaft about 18inches, it would have to be 240v, bench mounting would be best
for me. I have 1,000 pounds to spend on every thing including tools, cutters etc.

 

[enigma]

I found http://www.tabletopmachineshop.com/store/index.php?shop=1&cart=113835 website which has mills and lathes in your price range. I don't know how much shipping to GB would run you though. You could shoot them an email with questions, I'm sure.

 

[wolram]

I found http://www.tabletopmachineshop.com/store/index.php?shop=1&cart=113835 website which has mills and lathes in your price range. I don't know how much shipping to GB would run you though. You could shoot them an email with questions, I'm sure.

Thanks Enigma, i wish we had such stores in the uk, i will ask the question.

 

[brewnog]

Wooly, I've been researching lathes for a while now, have a desire to make little steam engines. Am looking into a nightclass at the local college at the moment, but that's by the by.

Stay WELL away from anything in Machine Mart, it just won't give you anywhere near the precision you want. You'll struggle with it, and get frustrated that it's a piece of rubbish. They advertise things like screw cutting (for making threads etc), and technically do include these features but in such a basic form that they're unusable.

You want to be looking out for a little Colchester Student or Myford 7, anything of that ilk.

Give me a while and I'll try and remember where I found an excellent guide to buying second hand lathes, - gives you everything to look out for. In particular you want to make sure that the bed is absolutely flat, and not worn down, and that the bearings in the headstock are sound (they're easily replacable, but it gives a good indication as to the quality of the rest of the less accessible parts).

I will also PM you the name of a nice chap we supply who deals in second hand machine tools, and who will keep an eye out for anything you're particularly after.

 

[Michael_E]

Wolram,
If you're in the UK then check out this site. http://www.lathes.co.uk/page3.html

I would recommend either a Myford, Emco or a Southbend 9" or 10". Many of these can be had in your price range and include much tooling. These lathes can be set up with many special attachments, like milling vises and a whole host of other neat stuff. Check out this seller of tooling, also in the UK:
http://www.hemingwaykits.com/acatalog/sitemap.html

These guys are in the US but have some neat tooling kits too:
http://www.sc-c.com/metallathe/index.html

I've got several of these midsized tools and am constantly acquiring parts and tooling, mostly through E-bay, (another good place to look for these things as there are a number of folks selling from the UK on there and the prices for shipping the smaller items like tooling isn't prohibitive, at least not coming to the US ).

 

[wolram]

Wow, thanks Brewey, Michael E, you have made my day, i was looking at
the M Mart lathe, and thought yuk, and had all most given up.