Long shot - anyone got a small metal lathe for sale

How small? Want a mill as well?

What you got i hallve space and a pickup

You'll need more than a pickup for the mill, it's a series 2 Bridgeport interact halfway through a cnc control upgrade for the last 5 years. All 2.5 tons of it.

And a Colchester student converted to single phase with a vfd.

Bit heavy engineering for me but thanks

I’ve had an Amadeal cj18 for a couple of years. Worth a look for something light and easy to use

Myford ML7?

I have a tiny, ancient Unimat SL- needs some work but it's a lovely little thing- I've had "fix it up and sell it" on my to do list for about 6 months now

(needed a bit more capacity so I got a cheap chinese mini lathe, which is doing me fine but did need a bit of tlc to get it going nicely)

Cheers folks

Lathes are great.....when they're taking someone else's floor space up.

Email your drawing to these guys;
https://www.dransfields.co.uk/

The hardware store “Dockerills” in Brighton has a small lathe for sale in the shop window.

@RustyNissanPrairie what's your connection or experience with that firm? We've been getting some machining done and it'd always be useful to find alternatives that are good quality, can produce in a timely fashion, and don't cost the earth.

@RustyNissanPrairie what’s your connection or experience with that firm? We’ve been getting some machining done and it’d always be useful to find alternatives that are good quality, can produce in a timely fashion, and don’t cost the earth.

Likewise

I use them through work - I design stuff for our processes and have Dransfields produce small batch/one off stuff. I've also used them for repairs (industrial gearboxes/worn shaft stub ends etc).

Turnarounds can be overnight or to schedule. Personally I think prices are v.reasonable but I'm used to industrial prices rather than a mountain biker baulking at the cost to make some boost adaptors for example.

Quality of work is great - I can't remember having to get anything reworked.

They have a small fleet of vans and collect/drop off very quickly.

Lorraine is lovely to deal with and they send out decent wine at Xmas!

All in all I can thoroughly recommend them.

Thanks, Looks to be an interesting alternative to protolabs and the other usual suspects.

Can't see any detailed capability or certs - could do with 5 axis (3+2 really) and 9001.

I have a tiny, ancient Unimat SL

Where are you and how much?
I used to work for a Company that was in the same group as the Unimat makers, we could buy one for around £60 in the early 90’s with the huge staff discount, wish I had got one then.

Good to know. I'll put them forward for a quote. Thanks.

alanl
Free Member

Where are you and how much?

Edinburgh, and I have no idea! I really need to dig it out of the shed and make sure it's all working and complete.

My lathe is small but the treadlewheel weighs 40kg.

Kinda want your unimate northwind if Alan doesn't want it gimme a shout.

And a Colchester student converted to single phase with a vfd.

Where are you based @scruffythefirst ?

Cambridge, really want the mill gone rather than the lathe.

You’ll need more than a pickup for the mill, it’s a series 2 Bridgeport interact halfway through a cnc control upgrade for the last 5 years. All 2.5 tons of it.

Sounds like a good project, have you gone balls deep and fitted ball screws etc?

If you were closer to me so I could do two journeys I would be tempted.

Sounds like a good project, have you gone balls deep and fitted ball screws etc?

It was a full cnc originally, so big ballscrews, big DC servos, hadenhein control. Now 80% of the way to Mesa control electronics and Linux cnc.