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New Lathe Ideas - Benchtop

Firefrode

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Hi

I am looking to replace my current benchtop lathe and have been looking at the Charnwood W821 Midi Lathe Electronic Variable Speed.
I has a larger power rating than my current lathe and a better range of speeds.
Any feedback on this model - priced at £278 with free delivery.
3/4 x 16tpi and 1mt same as my current therefore current chuck etc will fit.

any other suggestions would be considered

Regards

Fred
 

Grump

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Shop around for the best prices from To Be careful what and where you buy this from.
As far as I am aware they are a fine little lathe.
From what I have seen recently they are all the same with different badges made in China and sold as whatever the shop wants to brand them as.
Obviously different classes of lathe but the same thing in each class if that makes sense.
 

Jimjam66

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Fred, this model from Axy is quite similar to the Charnwood but has a number of people on the forum using it. The headstock threading is 1" by 8tpi but there are a number of adaptors which might do the trick to keep the chucks you have. Biggest headache would be that the tapers are 2MT (3/4" by 16tpi would have 1MTs) but again, there are reasonably cheap adaptors to cure the problem.

I don't know much about Charnwood so not suggesting the Axy would be better, simply that it is a known quantity.
 

Walter

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My experience of Charnwood machinery is that it is a bit, well, lets just say rough around the edges.

In this price range you will get electronic variable speed rather than a proper inverter. You would in my honest opinion be better off sticking with belt drive if this is your maximum budget. You will get more lathe for your money.

Something like the Record Power DML305 which will fit your current chucks and drives.
 

edlea

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Fred, this model from Axy is quite similar to the Charnwood but has a number of people on the forum using it. The headstock threading is 1" by 8tpi but there are a number of adaptors which might do the trick to keep the chucks you have. Biggest headache would be that the tapers are 2MT (3/4" by 16tpi would have 1MTs) but again, there are reasonably cheap adaptors to cure the problem.

I don't know much about Charnwood so not suggesting the Axy would be better, simply that it is a known quantity.


I notice that the Axy has gone up in price by £40 since I got mine last July .mind they do come with a 3 year guarantee now.
 

Woody

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Dont know if this will help but I purchased a new Charnwood band saw and to be honest I would never buy another one of there machines I had to complain to them about 6 times yes they were very helpful but I had to practically rebuild it were they had put it all together wrong and some parts had to be replaced that were no good I often wonder what would have happened if it was someone with limited machine knowledge next I'm going to disconnect the door cut-outs they are crap when you shut the doors the machine still wont always start up as I say crap
 

Walter

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Many machines are imported from China and other parts of the far east. Many of them will have different names and colour schemes but will come from the same factory. It is however the retailers in this country who set the quality standards so two lathes from the same factory may be of entirely different quality.

I could provide a list to avoid but instead I will just suggest that Axminster, Jet and (in recent times) Record Power seem to set their standards a little higher than some others.
 

Grump

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Many machines are imported from China and other parts of the far east. Many of them will have different names and colour schemes but will come from the same factory. It is however the retailers in this country who set the quality standards so two lathes from the same factory may be of entirely different quality.

I could provide a list to avoid but instead I will just suggest that Axminster, Jet and (in recent times) Record Power seem to set their standards a little higher than some others.

A good explanation and one I will happily accept young Walter.

I would just add that I bought an old second hand Charnwood lathe from one of Woody's friends at his old address.
It wasn't in the best of condition but was perfectly serviceable, I knew I had work t do on it and knew exactly what I was getting involved in and what I wanted to do with it.
I didn't expect a new lathe for the £40 I paid for it, and was only going to put grindstones and polishing wheels on it.
Since then it has had new belts bearings and been totally restored, I have turned the head on it and made bowls on it and works perfectly well as it should.
I didn't go to Charnwood for the spares I used Bearing services Ltd who supplied everything I required and I don't think I spent more than another £40 dong it up.
 

Walter

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A good explanation and one I will happily accept young Walter.

I would just add that I bought an old second hand Charnwood lathe from one of Woody's friends at his old address.
It wasn't in the best of condition but was perfectly serviceable, I knew I had work t do on it and knew exactly what I was getting involved in and what I wanted to do with it.
I didn't expect a new lathe for the £40 I paid for it, and was only going to put grindstones and polishing wheels on it.
Since then it has had new belts bearings and been totally restored, I have turned the head on it and made bowls on it and works perfectly well as it should.
I didn't go to Charnwood for the spares I used Bearing services Ltd who supplied everything I required and I don't think I spent more than another £40 dong it up.

That's just as I would expect Brian. I am not saying the Charnwood will be utter crap, just that other brands, in my opinion, have set higher quality standards and Fred could get a better lathe for his money if buying new.

If am brutally frank I wouldn't try to buy a new lathe for that sort of budget, I would look for a good quality used model or save up a bit more and buy a Jet 1221VS
 

Woody

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Personally I wouldn't buy a new Record I know to many people who have got new record lathes and had nothing but trouble with the motors burning out one after the other
 

Firefrode

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Thanks all for the responses - armed with this information i will trawl the net for either a record power ( 3/4 x 16 and 1mt ) or an Axminster

Regards to you all

Fred
 

Walter

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I must agree with Walter regarding the Record Power DML305. I have used mine for quite some time and other than the need to change the belts for speed changes
it is a strong and reliable small lathe.

Personally I wouldn't buy a new Record I know to many people who have got new record lathes and had nothing but trouble with the motors burning out one after the other

You couldn't get two more diverse opinions than that and I cannot disagree strongly with the basis of either of them.

I also know lots of people who have had trouble with Record Power lathes, but mostly the larger ones and less so recently as some of the assembly and engineering work seems to have been moved back to the UK.

On the other hand, I know lots of people who have DML305 and DML305VS machines and are very happy with them.
 

Woody

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You couldn't get two more diverse opinions than that and I cannot disagree strongly with the basis of either of them.

I also know lots of people who have had trouble with Record Power lathes, but mostly the larger ones and less so recently as some of the assembly and engineering work seems to have been moved back to the UK.

On the other hand, I know lots of people who have DML305 and DML305VS machines and are very happy with them.

I had the DML305VS for a few years and Ian has it now but they are not made by Record they are an Australian lathe by woodfast and I must say it was a great little lathe with a great capacity but record have started messing with the V-S on the woodfast lathes
 

Lons

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I don't know much about them but when at the Harrogate show I looked very closely at the Jet 1014 and Record 305 and whilst I found the Jet felt as smooth as silk, the tailstock on the Record was quite rough and sticky which made my decision for me. The Jet just seemed better finished overall.

My logic, right or wrong, was that if Record Power couldn't get their display model right it didn't look good for straight out of the box machines.
I'd add that neither were running though I did see examples from the 2 companies being used by demonstrators.

Bob
 
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