Hi from Southampton

[martin33100]

Hi, just joined your club.
My first read is going to be on lathes as that's my next purchase, I have just built a workshop at home for hobby use.

[Karlloss]

Hi, just joined your club.
My first read is going to be on lathes as that's my next purchase, I have just built a workshop at home for hobby use.

Hello and welcome to the forum.

You’ll find loads of advice and guidance on here. If I may provide some advice from my own experience, buy the best lathe you can afford. Whilst some machines will seem good value, and no doubt they are, when it comes to machining there is no substitute for quality and rigidity of a machine. Cheers


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[Brass_Machine]

Hi Martin,

Welcome to the collective

What are you going to do in your shop?

Eric

[martin33100]

Hi Martin,

Welcome to the collective

What are you going to do in your shop?

Eric

Just basic hobby engineering and TIG welding at home really, I am one of the maintenance Techs at Southampton docks in the container port so I can get some projects done at work in our breaks.
I did have a nice Harison L5 but it got put into storage when we moved house at my uncles farm but some kids set his barn on fire, lathe got wrecked.
My work shop is 2M x 7.5M internally so not that wide, I picked up a nice used Warco Super Major last month.
I have looked at M300's and Bantams/Students but good machines are around 3-4K.

I know it's not a British machine but I have been  offered this mint Chester 630 (same as Warco gh750) that came out of a school for £1750.

[tom osselton]

Nice looking lathe.

[martin33100]

Nice looking lathe.

I may have a look at this Chester Cub, the dealer also has some M300's for comparison but if I want a M300 in the same condition it would be atleast double the price.
Also the M300 has a wide swarf tray and coolant pump at the back so it will push the lathe another 300mm into my walkway.

[krv3000]

hi and welcume

[Biggles]

Hi and welcome Martin, clean looking lathe.

[martin33100]

It is a very clean lathe, I haven't seen it in person though.
I know Chester and Warco stuff comes from either China or Taiwan, you do get mixed views.
I may be looking at a Harison M300 tomorrow, the original ones are British built but they usually  fetch double the money of a Chester/Warco, I guess you get what you pay for.

[Pete.]

Hi Martin,

They have a Warco which is similar to one of those at work. That one looks very clean. Those gear head machines are far better than the smaller stuff that's usually built to a much lower standard. I doubt you'd be disappointed with it.

Don't dilly dally though I recognise that galv fencing behind the lathe and knowing where it is I doubt it will be there for long.

[awemawson]

Sidcup I reckon 

[martin33100]

Sidcup I reckon 

You guessed it right☺️.
I may be looking at a M300 tomorrow from a private seller.
I am off all week during the day so could pop up and get the Chester Cub if needed, they also have M300's but they are double the price, are they double the machine?

[martin33100]

Hi Martin,

They have a Warco which is similar to one of those at work. That one looks very clean. Those gear head machines are far better than the smaller stuff that's usually built to a much lower standard. I doubt you'd be disappointed with it.

Don't dilly dally though I recognise that galv fencing behind the lathe and knowing where it is I doubt it will be there for long.

The one you have at work, is it a Warco GH750.

[Pete.]

The one you have at work, is it a Warco GH750.

No it's a newer version a GH1330

M300 is a nicer machine but if it's worn out or you have to buy chucks, steadies etc then probably not. Looks like what you have there is ready to go. If you decide to buy it I'd be heading up there with an offer figure in my head, bearing in mind that in 12 days time they'll be having a vat-free day.

[martin33100]

The one you have at work, is it a Warco GH750.

No it's a newer version a GH1330

M300 is a nicer machine but if it's worn out or you have to buy chucks, steadies etc then probably not. Looks like what you have there is ready to go. If you decide to buy it I'd be heading up there with an offer figure in my head, bearing in mind that in 12 days time they'll be having a vat-free day.

Acording to Warco the GH1330 is the replacement of the 750, the M300 does need a clean up but it does come with both chuchs, steadies, centres etc.
I have been offered a good deal on the used Cub but bear in mind they were only around  3 grand new 10-15 years ago.
My old lathe was a Harison L5, old but well built and still very accurate.

[Pete.]

I saw that Chester was still there today. Surprised it hasn't sold...

[Meldonmech]

 Hi  Martin

                      Welcome to MadModder, look forward to your contributions

                              Cheers David