25-10-2024, 07:31 PM
(This post was last modified: 25-10-2024, 07:41 PM by Andy Bennett.)
I think I might have taken Tony's final bit of advice to heart. In looking for something with 4 1/2 inch swing and all the things suggested here, I stumbled on this old thing and have bought it:
I have been going arpound in circles justifying, or not, whether I would get good use from a lathe and then if I would then why not buy a quality item, but then I go up the price range and get back to the circular argument to justify it.
Then this popped up on gumtree. It is a Faircut 'senior'. Not sure of the date, but believed to be 40s. It came with 2 3 jaw chucks, 1 4 jaw and faceplate (which I understand use a strange adaptor plate which makes them difficult to source if you don't already have), and a few other gears and bits and pieces. it has power feed and everything seems clean and smooth, with little wear. It has a repair to the headstock which appears to be old but runs well. Bought from a model maker who went through the same mental gymnastics as I did and has now moved on to a larger lathe.
But most importantly it was £250. At that price I am happy to play, find out just how much I need a lathe and then potentially move it on in the same way as I bought it.
I see it as the Austin 7 of the lathe world. In the same way as people come up to us at car shows and ask why on earth we would have one: old, outdated, can't keep up with the performance of more modern alternatives...but just look at it, it will be here in another 80 years, which you probably can't say for a £1000 Chinese modern alternative.
What I need now is a power switch with a big red emergency off button but can't seem to come up with the right description to search for one. Oh and what oil should I be putting in those lovely chrome and glass oil pots?
I have been going arpound in circles justifying, or not, whether I would get good use from a lathe and then if I would then why not buy a quality item, but then I go up the price range and get back to the circular argument to justify it.
Then this popped up on gumtree. It is a Faircut 'senior'. Not sure of the date, but believed to be 40s. It came with 2 3 jaw chucks, 1 4 jaw and faceplate (which I understand use a strange adaptor plate which makes them difficult to source if you don't already have), and a few other gears and bits and pieces. it has power feed and everything seems clean and smooth, with little wear. It has a repair to the headstock which appears to be old but runs well. Bought from a model maker who went through the same mental gymnastics as I did and has now moved on to a larger lathe.
But most importantly it was £250. At that price I am happy to play, find out just how much I need a lathe and then potentially move it on in the same way as I bought it.
I see it as the Austin 7 of the lathe world. In the same way as people come up to us at car shows and ask why on earth we would have one: old, outdated, can't keep up with the performance of more modern alternatives...but just look at it, it will be here in another 80 years, which you probably can't say for a £1000 Chinese modern alternative.
What I need now is a power switch with a big red emergency off button but can't seem to come up with the right description to search for one. Oh and what oil should I be putting in those lovely chrome and glass oil pots?
Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think!